Dan Kouzo (Generation 2)

Dan Kouzo
	;
Profile
Race	Human
Age	12
Gender	Male
Brawling Information
Main FactionMain Faction used by this battler	Pyrus
Bakugan	Dragonoid (main)
Team	Awesome Brawlers
Media
First appearance	Origin of the Species Part 1
Voiced by	Jonah Wineberg (ENG); Rie Takahashi (JP)
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Main

Biography

Gallery

For the Bakugan Battle Brawlers character, see Dan Kuso.

Dan Kouzo (ダン・クーソー, Dan Kūsō^?) is one of the main characters of the Generation 2 Series and one of the main protagonists.

He is the main leader of The Awesome Brawlers, and is the main wielder of Pyrus Dragonoid (nicknamed Drago) as his Partner Bakugan, as well as two other Pyrus ones: a Pyrus Cyndeous and a Pyrus Gillator, which replaced Pyrus Kelion in Bakugan: Armored Alliance, in addition to using the Pyrus Nanogan Fury in Evolutions.

He also used the Pyrus Geogan Arcleon in Geogan Rising as his Main Geogan.

Profile

Bakugan.com

Caucasian, medium height and an athletic build. Dark hair with a red streak in it that he's had since birth. Dan's dress has a modern, urban daredevil flair to it. Sporting the coolest sneakers, gloves and pads, Dan looks like he could ride any bike, board or set of skis right up a wall if you asked him to. Dan is “the Talent” portion of the Awesome Ones. Aim a camera at this kid, give him a task and he's sure to deliver a “like”-worthy performance. Dan is athletic, outgoing, inclusive and supportive— a natural leader, even though he doesn't think of himself as one. Over the course of his brief and charmed life, Dan has made lots of friends, but is fiercely loyal to his two besties, Wynton Styles and Lia Venegas. They have been through a lot together and even when they've had disagreements, no one ever goes home mad. It's a rule with Dan: “The sun doesn't go down until we work it out.” That's how you make lifelong friendships. A never-say-die, charismatic force of nature, Dan could hang out with any group of kids but sticks with the crew that shares his passion for making videos and sharing them with the world. Life's a game to Dan, but he doesn't play to win, he plays to play. Dan accepts any challenge head on, because he wants to know what he's capable of. ^[2]

Appearance

Personality

Biography

Bakugan Battle Planet

Dan Kouzo is a member of the Awesome Ones, a group of kids living in Los Volmos who make videos for the video site ViewTube. The other members include Wynton Styles, Lia Venegas, and Lightning the dog. Twelve years after the Great Collision, the Awesome Ones sneak into a restricted area of Pinpoint Park, in order to film a video for their ViewTube channel on the twelve-year anniversary of the Great Collision, in a crater caused by the Collision. While the group throws a surprise announcement for Dan's birthday, the second Great Collision occurs, causing the group to experience the Hide Matrix for the first time. Dan meets Drago, his new Bakugan partner.^[3]

Dan and the rest of the Awesome Ones and their newfound Bakugan spend their time filming videos for their ViewTube channel. This is comprised of Dan, Wyton, Lia, and Lightning, and their Bakugan Drago, Trox, Gorthion, and Howlkor respectively, training and experimenting with BakuCores. Through this experimentation, Dan and Drago discover the abilities possible with BakuCores. The Awesome Ones share this discovery with the viewers on their ViewTube channel.^[4]

The Awesome Ones continue training with their Bakugan, to the point of exhaustion. As the other rest, Dan is persuaded by Drago to pick up food for the team at a local Burger Joint. He and Drago debate brawling possibilities when they encounter a mysterious Bakugan and its brawler robbing the Burger Joint. These turn out to be Aay and his Ventus Mantonoid. By starting a brawl with this brawler to defend the Burger Joint, Dan discovers the Drome. Using a move that Wynton and Trox used earlier, Dan and Drago defeat Aay, receiving their meals for free in compensation. The two return to the Studio D, where they collapse, exhausted from the brawl.^[5]

After another intensive day of training, Dan and Drago are confronted by Wynton and Lia about the damage they caused while training. This scolding frustrates Dan, who takes Drago goes walking around Los Volmos. They encounter three Skorporoses and their brawlers the Rowdy Reds: Mac, Max, and Maggie. Dan sees that these three young children, while playing in the park with their Bakugan, are also causing a large amount of destruction. Dan attempts to teach the Rowdy Reds how to safely use their Bakugan, and later meets up with Wynton and Lia at the Burger Joint. Dan apologies for the destruction he caused, and tells them about how he taught the Rowdy Reds about safely using their Bakugan. However, it is revealed on a television broadcast by Veronica Venegas that the lesson had no effect on the Rowdy Reds, and the team is causing destruction with there Bakugan in a new area called Costero Canyada. Dan and the rest of the Awesome Ones head to Costero Canyada, where he challenges all three of the Rowdy Reds to a brawl by himself. The brawl ends after Drago incapacitates the Rowdy Reds' Skorporos, and the Awesome Ones convince them that brawling further will only bring more destruction. After explaining to the Rowdy Reds that the Drome reverses the damage that was done inside of it after it falls, Dan and the rest of the Awesome Ones help rebuild Costero Canyada.^[6]

Dan continues to brag about his accomplishments, boasting about beating Aay and teaching the Rowdy Reds to the other members of the Awesome Ones. He claims to the new boss of the Awesome Ones, until he is interrupted by Mac and Maggie from the Rowdy Reds. They ask for the group's help in taking back their park, which Lia and Wynton goad Dan into doing by himself. Dan, the rest of the Awesome Ones, and the two members of the Rowdy Reds return to the park, finding it transformed to Marco's image, and the entrance guarded by Max. Once at the park, Dan challenges Marco to a brawl, where Marco uses underhanded tactics against him, such as preventing his Bakugan from rolling over the initial BakuCore, or attacking Dan directly. Dan runs out of the park to retrieve Drago, and finds him in a nest of young birds. While Dan and Drago are away, Marco orders Cyndeous to attack the remaining brawlers, which cause Cyndeous to fly in to a fit of rage at the cruelty of the order, and start attacking in random directions. One of the attacks is headed for Mac and Maggie, but Dan activates Drago and shields them from the blast. After Trox and Gorthion knock Cyndeous off of Drago, Drago counterattacks against Cyndeous' shield. As Cyndeous snaps out of his rage, he directly tells Marco that he will no longer be obeying his cowardly orders, which Dan and the others overhear. Seeing that Cyndeous is no longer fighting back, Dan calls the brawl over, much to Marco's dismay. Seeing Marco's yelling and rage, Dan reflects on how he had treated his friends earlier that day. Seeing the similarities to how he acted, and Marco's currently actions, Dan pushes Marco over, and ending the brawl. Later that day, after the brawl concludes, Max apologies to Mac and Maggie for his actions, which they accept. Cyndeous, seeing Dan's honorable actions during the brawl, asks Dan if he could become one of his Bakugan, which Dan accepts.^[7]

Cyndeous joins Dan in sparring against Wynton and Trox. After the sparring session, Wynton pranks Trox and Cyndeous, while filming it for ViewTube. Trox objects, but Wynton continues to film and post the prank videos. Later, Wynton shows these videos to Dan and Lia, who are amazed at the amount of views on the videos. They witness the argument between Wynton and Trox, and the subsequent wager. For the wager, Drago, Cyndeous, and Gorthion take on Trox in a three-on-one brawl, but Dan, Lia, and Wynton leave the brawl up to the Bakugan, remaining on the sidelines. The team takes down their prank videos, losing a large amount of views, but retaining the trust of Trox.^[8]

While Dan and Drago are training with Lightning and Howlkor, one of Howlkor's Prismatic Bolt attacks launches Drago in the aired, towards a nearby house. Dan recalls Drago back into his ball form to avoid destroying the house, but Drago still manages to break a window pane. The pair receive a scolding from the owner of the house, while Kravitz watches. Later that day, Dan is relaxing at his house with Drago while his parents, Bill and Barbara Kouzo prepare dinner, discussing with Drago the events of the previous afternoon. Kravitz knocks on their door, having disguised herself as a new neighbor of the Kouzo family, as well as an "Anti-Bakugan activist". When Dan's parents provided a measured response to her criticisms of Bakugan, Kravitz uses her technology from AAAnimus Inc. to force Drago out of his ball form, destroying the roof of the Kouzo's house.

The next day, the Awesome Ones find that their usual training grounds have been cordoned off, being declared a "Bakugan-free" area. They attempt to find another location to train, but every available spot is packed with other children looking for a place to use their Bakugan. At the last available spot, the group encounters Kravitz again, this time leading a group of protesters into declaring Bakugan brawling banned. The Awesome Ones return to their clubhouse, and upon seeing their viewership drop significantly, decide to make a mock-up brawling video, using cardboard cutouts of buildings and keeping their Bakugan in ball form, in order to avoid trouble. However, Kravitz has been spying on the group and uses this to her advantage, again forcing Drago, Trox, Gorthion, and Howlkor out of ball form, destroying the set. Kravitz then confronts the Awesome Ones again, disguised as the anti-Bakugan activist, along with several members of the community, include Bill and Barbara Kouzo. The group of protesters, including Dan's parents, demand that the Awesome Ones had their Bakugan over to Kravitz. Kravitz takes their Bakugan, declaring everything "safe".

While this is occurring, Benton Dusk watches, and decides to cause a weather satellite to plummet towards Los Volmos. Back in their clubhouse, the Awesome Ones watch Veronica Venegas as she reports on the incoming satellite. While Wynton and Lia scramble to grab what they can before evacuate, Dan formulates a plan: if they could get their Bakugan back, they could destroy the satellite and repair Los Volmos' perceptions towards Bakugan. The team stops Kravitz on her way out of Los Volmos, demanding their Bakugan back. Kravitz declines, but as she walks past the Awesome Ones, her device that forces Bakugan out of their ball forms is knocked from her person, falling and activating the Bakugan in the cases. The Bakugan break free, and Kravitz escapes. Drago breaks the device, and the group begins to help civilians around the city, with Dan and Drago destroying the satellite using Twisting Inferno. After seeing this, the citizens of Los Volmos, including Dan's parents, tear up their anti-Bakugan fliers, and return to accepting Bakugan.^[9]

Dan helps Lia test out her new drone technology, when she notices something in the background of her videos. Lia goes off to investigate, and when Dan and the rest of the Awesome Ones catch up to her, they find that she has discovered a new Bakugan, Pegatrix. Pegatrix exerts her influence to calm Dan and the Awesome Ones. The Awesome Ones return to their clubhouse, where they find Jenkins with a brawl offer from China Riot for Lia. Lia immediately agrees and signs the accompanying contract. After Jenkins leaves, Lia realizes that the contract has a clause in it that the requires the loser of the brawl to give their Bakugan to the winner.

Later, the team is driven to the location of the brawl: a giant stone room in the middle of a desert, and are greeted by China and Jenkins. After seeing Lia loses Gorthion to China, Dan and Wynton step up to challenge China, offering their own Bakugan up in return for Gorthion. Despite their best efforts, Drago and Trox are still surprised by the movable arena. However, with the help of Lia and Pegatrix, they are able to locate BakuCores. With the combined effort of Drago, Trox, and Pegatrix, the Awesome Ones easily beat Maxotaur, and Gorthion is returned to Lia. However, China refuses to hand over Maxotaur, and escapes with Jenkins on a helicopter.^[10]

After Aay's attack on a local shopping mall, Dan notices the aptitudes of Magnus Black (in disguise) and Shun Kazami. He invites both of them to try out for the Awesome Ones, though after seeing Magnus' reckless behavior, the group chooses to induct Shun.^[11]

Dan is approached by Bobby in order to help track down his missing Bakugan, Bear. The Awesome Ones discover that Bear has been stolen and brainwashed by Strata the Hunter. Dan and the rest of the Awesome ones manage to destroy the device controlling Bear, freeing him.^[12]

After Lightning discovers Artulean, Magnus approaches Dan in disguise, claiming to be a Bakugan counselor. Dan buys the disguise, and refers Lightning and Artulean to him in hopes that he helps then get along. After seeing that Magnus was just trying to trick them, he attempts to brawl him with Drago, only to hold back so that he doesn't hurt the brainwashed Artulean.^[13]

Veronica Venegas approaches the Awesome Ones, asking if they could do a story about their Bakugan. Dan agrees, but each of the attempts to cover something is botched by Strata in order to make Dan look good. Because of this, the other members of the Awesome Ones become annoyed with Dan. This hubris causes Dan and the other AO to become distracted during a brawl with the Exit Team. In the aftermath of the brawl, Hydorous is captured by Strata, but is later freed by Dan and Drago after the Awesome Ones reconcile.^[14]

Bakugan: Armored Alliance

After defeating Tiko and saving both Earth and Vestroia, Bakugan explodes in popularity. Dan and the rest of the now renamed Awesome Brawlers are treated as celebrities, constantly hounded for their attention and for Bakugan brawls. This culminates in the Bakugan Celebration Day, where the Awesome Brawlers are given medals and compete in a tournament against other brawlers.

Bakugan

Anime

Dan Kouzo's Bakugan
Battle Planet	Armored Alliance	Geogan Rising	Evolutions
Pyrus Dragonoid Pyrus Hyper Dragonoid Pyrus Titan Dragonoid Pyrus Dragonoid Maximus Pyrus Cyndeous (Joined in Bully for You) Pyrus Kelion (given to Dan by Kino in New World Orders, returned in United We Stand)	Pyrus Dragonoid Pyrus Cyndeous Pyrus Gillator (obtained in The Ancient Elder) Pyrus/Darkus Dragonoid x Darkus Pyrus/Aurelus Dragonoid x Aurelus Pyrus/Aurelus Dragonoid Infinity Pyrus/Aurelus Dragonoid Infinity Max Aquos/Ventus Fangzor x Aquos (Brainwashed by Haavik; temporarily)	Pyrus Dragonoid Pyrus Geogan Arcleon Pyrus GeoForge Dragonoid	Pyrus Dragonoid Pyrus Nanogan Fury Pyrus Dragonoid Strength Mode Pyrus Dragonoid Speed Mode All-Faction Genesis Dragonoid

Brawls

Bakugan Battle Planet
Opponent(s)	Episode(s)	Outcome
Magnus Black	Origin of the Species Part 1

Bakugan: Armored Alliance
Opponent(s)	Episode(s)	Outcome
Ringleader	Bakugan Battle Circus	Win

Video Games

Champions of Vestroia

Dan appears at the beginning of the game in the form of a ViewTube video, in order to provide a tutorial to the player.

Behind the Scenes

Collection of Dan Kouzo concept art

There were several different potential designs for Dan, with different jacket and hair designs. He was also initially intended to keep his last name’s original spelling, Kuso.