Kamen Rider Black Explained

Genre:Tokusatsu
Superhero fiction
Science fiction
Action/Adventure
Dark Fantasy
Drama
Conspiracy
Runtime:30 minutes
Director:Yoshiaki Kobayashi
Narrated:Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Issei Masamune
Composer:Eiji Kawamura
Country:Japan
Company:Toei Company
Mainichi Broadcasting System
Network:JNN (MBS, TBS)
Num Episodes:51
Related:
Type:manga
Author:Shotaro Ishinomori
Publisher:Shogakukan
Demographic:Shōnen
Magazine:Weekly Shōnen Sunday
First:1987
Last:1989
Volumes:6

is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero-drama television series. It is the eighth installment in the Kamen Rider series and a co-production between Mainichi Broadcasting System and Toei. The series aired on all Japan News Network affiliates from October 4, 1987, to October 9, 1988. For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as Black Kamen Rider.

The series has spawned a manga adaptation that ran in Shōnen Sunday during its broadcast; a direct sequel, Kamen Rider Black RX, in 1988; and a reboot, Kamen Rider Black Sun, in 2022.

Synopsis

See main article: List of Kamen Rider Black characters. The Creation King, the pinnacle of the cult Gorgom. As his life begins to extinguish, the elected Creation King will inherit his power. On the night of their 19th birthday, stepbrothers Kotaro Minami and Nobuhiko Akizuki were kidnapped by Gorgom and submitted to a mutant cyborg surgery to become the candidates for the next Gorgom Creation King. Both of them are called Century Kings and are destined to best each other in a final battle - whoever wins will become the next Creation King. Kotaro escaped before getting brainwashed (which is the final step in the surgery), with help from his foster father, and turned against Gorgom. He soon finds out the horrific truth from his stepfather: Gorgom originally killed his true parents and, since both Kotaro and Nobuhiko were born on the day of a solar eclipse, are referred to as "Black Sun" and "Shadow Moon". Kotaro, taking on the name of Kamen Rider Black, was determined to rescue his stepbrother from Gorgom while protecting Japan. However, later in the series, Nobuhiko emerged as Shadow Moon to fight Kotaro with the survivor becoming the next Creation King.[1]

Episodes

  1. (Original Airdate: October 4, 1987)
  2. (Original Airdate: October 11, 1987)
  3. (Original Airdate: October 18, 1987)
  4. (Original Airdate: October 25, 1987)
  5. (Original Airdate: November 1, 1987)
  6. (Original Airdate: November 8, 1987)
  7. (Original Airdate: November 15, 1987)
  8. (Original Airdate: November 22, 1987)
  9. (Original Airdate: November 29, 1987)
  10. (Original Airdate: December 6, 1987)
  11. (Original Airdate: December 13, 1987)
  12. (Original Airdate: December 20, 1987)
  13. (Original Airdate: December 27, 1987)
  14. (Original Airdate: January 10, 1988)
  15. (Original Airdate: January 17, 1988)
  16. (Original Airdate: January 24, 1988)
  17. (Original Airdate: January 31, 1988)
  18. (Original Airdate: February 7, 1988)
  19. (Original Airdate: February 14, 1988)
  20. (Original Airdate: February 21, 1988)
  21. (Original Airdate: February 28, 1988)
  22. (Original Airdate: March 6, 1988)
  23. (Original Airdate: March 13, 1988)
  24. (Original Airdate: March 20, 1988)
  25. (Original Airdate: April 3, 1988)
  26. (Original Airdate: April 10, 1988)
  27. (Original Airdate: April 17, 1988)
  28. (Original Airdate: April 24, 1988)
  29. (Original Airdate: May 1, 1988)
  30. (Original Airdate: May 8, 1988)
  31. (Original Airdate: May 15, 1988)
  32. (Original Airdate: May 22, 1988)
  33. (Original Airdate: May 29, 1988)
  34. (Original Airdate: June 5, 1988)
  35. (Original Airdate: June 12, 1988)
  36. (Original Airdate: June 19, 1988)
  37. (Original Airdate: June 26, 1988)
  38. (Original Airdate: July 3, 1988)
  39. (Original Airdate: July 10, 1988)
  40. (Original Airdate: July 17, 1988)
  41. (Original Airdate: July 24, 1988)
  42. (Original Airdate: July 31, 1988)
  43. (Original Airdate: August 7, 1988)
  44. (Original Airdate: August 14, 1988)
  45. (Original Airdate: August 21, 1988)
  46. (Original Airdate: August 28, 1988)
  47. (Original Airdate: September 4, 1988)
  48. (Original Airdate: September 11, 1988)
  49. (Original Airdate: September 18, 1988)
  50. (Original Airdate: October 2, 1988)
  51. (Original Airdate: October 9, 1988)

Related media

TV specials

Theatrical films

Released on March 12, 1988 (between episodes 22 and 23) as part of the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival. Originally known simply as Kamen Rider Black during its theatrical release. Children all over Tokyo mysteriously disappear without warning. Kotaro suspects that the Gorgom are behind the abductions and follows a suspicious-looking tour bus with children on it, only to lose its trail off a cliff. With the help of a fisherman (played by Ishinomori himself), Kotaro travels to a remote island and uses his abilities as Kamen Rider Black to save the kids and foil Gorgom's latest evil scheme.

Released on July 9, 1988 (between episodes 38 and 39) as part of the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival. The city of Yūbari, Hokkaidō has become a ghost town following the presence of Shadow Moon and his minions of Gorgom. Makino, a scientist working on Gorgom's top-secret robot experiment, escapes from the evil organization and returns to Tokyo, only to find out that his wife and daughter have been abducted. As Kamen Rider Black, Kotaro travels to Yubari to save Makino's family and liberate the town from Shadow Moon's evil grasp.

Tetsuo Kurata reprised his role as Kotaro Minami in 2009's Kamen Rider Decade The Movie: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker.

Kurata also returned as Kotaro Minami in 2015's Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3.

Video games

A side-scrolling action game released by Bandai for the Family Computer Disk System on April 15, 1988. The player takes control of Kamen Rider Black, who must defeat numerous Gorgom mutants. The player got to ride Battle Hopper in addition to controlling Black on foot.

Kamen Rider Black appears as the main character of the 1988 storyline in this 3D action game for the PlayStation 2. Lead to an old Shocker hideout believing it to be Gorgom, Kotaro is forced to fight various kaijin and Gel-Shocker soldiers, only to learn the game's true villain is after the King Stone inside of him. Eventually, Kamen Rider 1, Kamen Rider V3 and Kamen Rider Agito travel to 1988 to assist him in the game's final battle. Tetsuo Kurata returns to voice the character. Shadow Moon makes a brief cameo as a non-playable character as well.

Kamen Rider Black Sun

is a political drama reboot of Kamen Rider Black, broadcast as part of the Kamen Rider 50th Anniversary Project.[2]

The reboot was announced at a press conference on April 3, 2021, with Kazuya Shiraishi heading the project as director. The series was announced to release in spring 2022,[3] with a worldwide release being considered. The show's staff was confirmed in October 2021, with Izumi Takahashi as a screenwriter, Shinji Higuchi as a concept designer, and Kiyotaka Taguchi as special effects director.[4] [5] The first visual of the show was slated to be revealed the following month. The show's two leading actors were confirmed in November 2021, with Hidetoshi Nishijima as Kotaro Minami/Kamen Rider Black Sun and Tomoya Nakamura as Nobuhiko Akizuki/Kamen Rider Shadow Moon.[6]

In other media

Cast

Guest actors

Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme

International Broadcast, Home Video and Streaming

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 仮面ライダーBLACK VOL.1 [DVD] ]. 27 November 2014 . Toei Video . August 20, 2020 . ja.
  2. Web site: Kamen Rider Black Sun and Kamen Rider W Sequel Series Announced . Josh . Tolentino . SiliconEra . 3 April 2021 . 7 October 2021.
  3. Web site: 「仮面ライダーBLACK」がリブート、監督は「孤狼の血」の白石和彌 . . 3 April 2021 . ja . 3 April 2021.
  4. Web site: Kamen Rider Black Sun Staff Revealed . The Tokusatsu Network . 6 October 2021 . 4 October 2021.
  5. Web site: 白石和彌監督「仮面ライダーBLACK SUN」に高橋泉×樋口真嗣×田口清隆 . Eiga.com . 6 October 2021 . ja . 4 October 2021.
  6. Web site: 『仮面ライダーBLACK SUN』本作のダブル主演が西島秀俊、中村倫也に決定! . Kamen Rider Web . 21 November 2021 . ja . 21 November 2021.
  7. Web site: Discogs . Powerman 5000 - True Force . . August 20, 2020.
  8. Web site: Kamen Rider Black teve a melhor estreia de uma série tokusatsu . César Filho . 21 August 2020 . JBOX. pt . 2020-12-20.
  9. Web site: Band tira Kamen Rider Black do ar após uma semana por entrave com dublagem. UOL - Na Telinha. pt . 2020-12-20.
  10. Web site: ‘Kamen Rider Black’ exibe episódio final dublado no Sato Cinema em julho . jbox.com.br . 2023-07-07 . 2023-10-26.
  11. Web site: ‘Kamen Rider Build’ terá dublagem em português (AT) JBox . JBOX.com . 2023-11-07 . 2023-11-09.
  12. Web site: Library -- English Titles -- TOEI TV Website . 2020-09-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090119211925/http://tvarc.toei.co.jp/tv/library/series-title.html . January 19, 2009 .
  13. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dubbersincmalaysiaforum/posts/10161548584668307/
  14. Web site: Discotek Licenses Aim for the Ace!, GaoGaiGar Series & Final OVA .
  15. Web site: Discotek Picks up Kamen Rider Black and Sonic X Anime . 25 October 2022 .