| Kamen Rider Black | |
|---|---|
 Kamen Rider Black |
|
| Genre | Tokusatsu |
| Created by | Shotaro Ishinomori |
| Starring | Tetsuo Kurata |
| Narrated by | Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Issei Masamune |
| Composer(s) | Eiji Kawamura |
| Country of origin |  Japan |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | MBS, TBS |
| Original run | October 4, 1987 – October 9, 1988 |
Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBLACK Kamen Raidā Burakku?), translated as Masked Rider Black, is a tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the eighth installment in the famous Kamen Rider Series of tokustasu shows. It is a joint collaboration between Ishinomori Productions and Toei, and aired on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and the Tokyo Broadcasting System from October 4, 1987 to October 9, 1988, with a total of 51 episodes. With its very dramatic storyline and its twist of the Kamen Rider having a tragic relationship with his arch-nemesis, the installment not only became very popular in Japan, but also in the several other countries where it was aired. The series is often regarded as a classic and is considered by many as the best Kamen Rider show of the late 80's. Kamen Rider Black RX was a direct sequel to this series. A manga novelization of the series is entitled Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBlack Kamen Raidā Burakku?).
Contents |
Plot summary
After being kidnapped by the cult Gorgom in the night of their 19th birthday, step-brothers Kotaro Minami and Nobuhiko Akizuki were submitted to a cyborg surgery with the purpose of becoming the candidates for the next Gorgom's Century King. Kotaro escaped before the brainwashing, with help from his foster father, and turned against Gorgom. He soon finds out the horrific truth from his step-father: Gorgom originally killed his true parents and, since both Kotaro and Nobuhiko were born on the day of a solar eclipse, referred as "Black Sun" and "Shadow Moon". Kotaro, taking on the name of Kamen Rider Black, was determined to rescue his step-brother from Gorgom while protecting Japan. However, later in the series, Nobuhiko emerged as Shadow Moon to fight Kotaro with the survivor becoming the next Century King.
Characters
Main
- Kotaro Minami / Kamen Rider Black (南 光太郎 / 仮面ライダーBLACK Minami Kōtarō / Kamen Raidā Burakku?) (In the Philippines, his famous name is Robert Akizuki, in Brazil, his name is Isamu Minami) - The hero of this series. Became a cyborg after the Gorgom captured him and his step-brother Nobuhiko. Using the power of the Kingstone, he shouts "Henshin" (In The Philippines, it was "Rider Change!!") and poses to become the mighty Kamen Rider Black. He is referred by Gorgom as "Black Sun".
Allies
- Kyoko Akizuki (秋月 杏子 Akizuki Kyōko?) - (A.K.A Leslie in Phillipine dubbed version) Nobuhiko's little sister
- Katsumi Kida (紀田 克美 Kida Katsumi?) - (A.K.A Naomi in Phillipine dubbed version) Nobuhiko's girlfriend
- Yoichi Daimon (大門 洋一 Daimon Yōichi?) - The creator of the Road Sector
- Ryusuke Taki (滝 竜介 Taki Ryūsuke?) - A Special Agent from America, helps Kotaro in a few episodes.
- Masaru Todo (東堂 勝 Tōdō Masaru?) - Kotaro's senior at the university, owns a shop where Kyoko works part-time.
Gorgom
- Creation King (創世王 Sōsei Ō?)
- Darom (ダロム Daromu?)
- Baraom (バラオム Baraomu?)
- Bishium (ビシュム Bishumu?)
- Birugenia (ビルゲニア Birugenia?)
- Shadow Moon / Nobuhiko Akizuki (シャドームーン / 秋月 信彦 Shadō Mūn / Akizuki Nobuhiko?) (In the Philippine dubbed version, his name was Stephen) - Kotaro's step-brother and archenemy. As Shadow Moon, he wears silver and black insect armor and carries the Satan Saber.
Rider Machines
Battle Hopper (バトルホッパー Batoru Hoppā?) - Introduced in the first episode, The Battle Hopper is a living motorcycle created by Gorgom, made specifically for the upcoming Creation Kings Black Sun and Shadow Moon. The Battle Hopper has the ability to heal its own wounds if damaged, and can stand on its own if knocked over. Battle Hopper can travel at the maximum speed of 500 kilometers per hour with his 415 horsepower engine. His special move is the Dynamic Smash, a body slam attack that is executed at full speed. Before the finale, Battle Hopper was later stolen by Shadow Moon and dies in the final episode, but would later resurrect as Acrobatter, in the sequel series Kamen Rider Black RX. Road Sector (ロードセクター Rōdo Sekutā?) - Introduced in the twelfth episode, the Road Sector is a motorcycle created by Yoichi Daimon for Gorgom. The Road Sector is a prototype made with the intention of making it a mass-produced vehicle for their mutant soldiers, but instead it became Kamen Rider Black's second Rider Machine (the first being Battle Hopper). The Road Sector has a special function called the Attack Shield that shields the rider from harm. In this mode, the Road Sector can perform its special ramming maneuver, the Sparkling Attack. The Road Sector can travel at the speed of 960 km / h with its 1,515 horsepower engine. The Attack Shield is activated at the speed of 800Km/h, which enables the Road Sector to reach the maximum speed of 960 km / h to perform the Sparkling Attack.
List of episodes
- Black!! Transformation (Black!! 変身 Burakku!! Henshin?)
- Monster Party (怪人パーティ Kaijin Pāti?)
- Mystery? Mystery Remodelled Human (怪? 怪・改造人間 Kai? Kai Kaizō Ningen?)
- The Devil's Laboratory (悪魔の実験室 Akuma no Jikkenshitsu?)
- Run Through the Maze, Kotaro (迷路を走る光太郎 Meiro o Hashiru Kōtarō?)
- The Riddle of Secret Clairvoyance (秘密透視のなぞ Himitsu Tōshi no Nazo?)
- The Restored Organism Mecha (復元する生体メカ Fukugen Suru Seitai Meka?)
- The Devil's Trill (悪魔のトリル Akuma no Toriru?)
- Bishum's Red Lips (ビシュムの紅い唇 Bishumu no Akai Kuchibiru?)
- Where's Nobuhiko? (信彦はどこに? Nobuhiko wa Doko ni??)
- Starved Monsters (飢えた怪人たち Ueta Kaijin-tachi?)
- The Super Machine Legend is Born (超マシン伝説誕生 Chō Mashin Densetsu Tanjō?)
- Mama is the Monster Raising Official (ママは怪人養育係 Mama wa Kaijin Yōikugakari?)
- The Day Tuna Disappeared (マグロが消えた日 Maguro ga Kieta Hi?)
- The Targeted Bizarre Academy (狙われた怪奇学園 Newareta Kaiki Gakuen?)
- Friend!! Crossing the Sea (友よ! 海を越えて Tomo yo! Umi o Koete?)
- Kyoko's Strange Dream (杏子の不思議な夢 Kyōko no Fushigi na Yume?)
- Sword Master Birugenia!! (剣聖ビルゲニア!! Kensei Birugenia!!?)
- The Limit-Reaching Trap of Hell (息づまる地獄の罠 Ikidzumaru Jigoku no Wana?)
- Rider's Graveyard (ライダーの墓場 Raidā no Hakaba?)
- Crash! Two Great Machines (激突! 二大マシン Gekitotsu! Ni Dai Mashin?)
- The Black Shadow That Attacks Papa (パパを襲う黒い影 Papa o Osō Kuroi Kage?)
- Marmo's Magic Power (マルモの魔法の力 Marumo no Mahō no Chikara?)
- The Female College Student's Nightmare (女子大生の悪夢 Joshidaisei no Akumu?)
- The Roaring Armed Mecha (爆走する武装メカ Bakusō Suru Busō Meka?)
- Save the ESPer Girl (超能力少女を救え Chōnōryoku Shōjo o Sukue?)
- The Fire-Spouting Dangerous Highway (火を噴く危険道路 Hi o Fuku Kiken Dōro?)
- The Scarab That Invites Hell (地獄へ誘う黄金虫 Jigoku e Sasō Koganemushi?)
- The Trophy's a Death mask? (獲物はデスマスク? Emono wa Desumasuku??)
- Aloha to an Assassin! (暗殺者にアロハ! Ansatsusha ni Aroha!?)
- Burn! Boy Warriors (燃えよ! 少年戦士 Moe yo! Shōnen Senshi?)
- Dream Girl Yuki (夢少女・ユキ Yume Shōjo Yuki?)
- The River of a Father and Child's Love (父と子の愛の河 Chichi to Ko no Ai no Kawa?)
- Revival?! Hell Prince (復活?! 地獄王子 Fukkatsu?! Jigoku Ōji?)
- Showdown! Two Princes (対決! 二人の王子 Taiketsu! Futari no Ōji?)
- The War Declaration of Love and Death (愛と死の宣戦布告 Ai to Shi no Sensen Fukoku?)
- Memories are Yubari's Sky (想い出は夕張の空 Omoide wa Yūbari no Sora?)
- Riddle!? The EP-Party Boy Squad (謎!? EP党少年隊 Nazo!? Ī Pī Tō Shōnen Tai?)
- The Idol's Evil Power (アイドルの毒牙 Aidoru no Dokuga?)
- The Karate Master's Secret (カラテ名人の秘密 Karate Meijin no Himitsu?)
- The Dangerous Time Thief (あぶない時間泥棒 Abunai Jikan Dorobō?)
- Tokyo - Big Monster Gathering (東京-怪人大集合 Tōkyō - Kaijin Dai Shūgō?)
- Duel at the Monster Farm! (怪人牧場の決闘! Kaijin Bokujō no Kettō!?)
- Chest of Drawers is in the Sea (タンスの中は海! Tansu no Naka wa Umi?)
- Suspicious Flower Bishum's Death (妖花ビシュムの死 Yōka Bishumu no Shi?)
- Grand Baraom's Death (壮絶バラオムの死 Sōzetsu Baraomu no Shi?)
- Rider Dies! (ライダー死す! Raidā Shisu!?)
- A Bouquet of Reminiscence to the Sea (海に追憶の花束を Umi ni Tsuioku no Hanataba o?)
- Fierce Fighting! Darom's Death (激闘! ダロムの死 Gekitō! Daromu no Shi?)
- The Creation King's True Identity? (創世王の正体は? Sōsei Ō no Shōtai wa??)
- Gorgom's Last Day (ゴルゴム最期の日 Gorugomu Saigo no Hi?)
Other appearances
- TV specials
-
- 1987: This is Kamen Rider Black (これが仮面ライダーBLACKだ!! Kore ga Kamen Raidā Burakku da!!?): It was aired one week before the first episode, introduces the character Kamen Rider Black.
- 1988: Kamen Rider Ichigou Through RX: Big Gathering (仮面ライダー1号～RX大集合 Kamen Raidā Ichigō~Āru Ekkusu Daishūgō?): It covers all the Heroes, from Ichigou until Black, and introduces Kamen Rider Black RX.
- Theatrical films
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, Kotaro travels to a remote island and uses his abilities as Kamen Rider Black to save the children and foil Gorgom's latest evil scheme.
The city of Youbari in the Hokkaido prefecture 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.
- Video Games
Kamen Rider BLACK appears as the main character of the 1988 storyline in this crossover game. Lead to an old Shocker hideout believing it to be Gorgom, Kotaro is forced to fight various kajin and Gelshocker soldiers, only to learn the game's true villain is after the Kingstone 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. Shadowmoon makes a brief cameo as a nonplayable character as well.
Cast
- Narrator (ナレーター Narētā?) - Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林 清志 Kobayashi Kiyoshi?, 1-39) and Issei Masamune (政宗 一成 Masamune Issei?, 40-51)
- Kotaro Minami / Kamen Rider Black (南 光太郎 / 仮面ライダーBLACK Minami Kōtarō / Kamen Raidā Burakku?) - Tetsuo Kurata (倉田 てつを Kurata Tetsuo?)
- Nobuhiko Akizuki / Shadow Moon (秋月 信彦 / シャドームーン Akizuki Nobuhiko / Shadō Mūn?) - Takahito Horiuchi (堀内 孝人 Horiuchi Takahito?)
- Shadow Moon (シャドームーン Shadō Mūn?, Voice) - Masaki Terasoma (寺杣 昌紀 Terasoma Masaki?)
- Kyoko Akizuki (秋月 杏子 Akizuki Kyōko?) - Akemi Inoue (井上 明美 Inoue Akemi?)
- Katsumi Kida (紀田 克美 Kida Katsumi?) - Ayumi Taguchi (田口 あゆみ Taguchi Ayumi?)
- Creation King (創世王 Sōsei Ō?, Voice) - Takeshi Watabe (渡部 猛 Watabe Takeshi?)
- Darom (ダロム Daromu?) - Hirokazu Shoji (庄司 浩和 Shōji Hirokazu?)
- Darom (ダロム Daromu?, Voice) - Shozo Iizuka (飯塚 昭三 Iizuka Shōzō?)
- Baraom (バラオム Baraomu?) - Toshimichi Takahashi (高橋 利道 Takahashi Toshimichi?)
- Bishium (ビシュム Boshumu?) - Hitomi Yoshii (好井 ひとみ Yoshii Hitomi?)
- Birugenia (ビルゲニア Birugenia?) - Jun Yoshida (吉田 淳 Yoshida Jun?)
- Professor Kuromatsu (黒松 英臣 Kuromatsu Hideomi?) - Susumu Kurobe (黒部 進 Kurobe Susumu?)
- Ryusuke Taki (滝 竜介 Taki Ryūsuke?) - Masaki Kyomoto (京本 政樹 Kyōmoto Masaki?)
- Masaru Todo (東堂 勝 Tōdō Masaru?) - Sent (セント Sento?)
Miscellaneous Information
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- The show's opening theme song was sung by Kamen Rider Black himself, Tetsuo Kurata.
- Kamen Rider Black was the first Kamen Rider who did not wear a scarf in his transformed state. Since then, no Kamen Rider has worn a scarf unless they consider Another Agito, Clone Blade or Hopper I & Hopper II.
- Kamen Rider Black was the first series with a group of villains that did not have henchmen to fight against the hero.
- Although the first Kamen Rider series featured 3 different types of motorcycles, Kamen Rider Black was the second series where a hero alternated between 2 different motorcycles (the first being Kamen Rider Super-1) whereas in the earlier series, one replaced the other.
- The Minami Kotaro character returned in the sequel Kamen Rider Black RX.
- Jun Yoshida (Birugenia) played Sorceress Poe in Uchuu Keiji Shaider three years prior to Kamen Rider Black.
- Despite Kamen Rider Black's impact on the franchise, many fans are disappointed that he is not given enough credit. Rather, the credit goes to Black's successive character, Black RX, who appears more often whenever the franchise is discussed as a whole.
- In the first movie "Kamen Rider Black: Hurry To Evil Island" legendary Kamen Rider creator Shotaro Ishinomori appears as the fisherman who helps Kotaro.
- This is the first Kamen Rider to feature an artificially intelligent motorcycle and also the first one to speak.
- Many viewers and fans of Kamen Rider Black technically considers Shadow Moon's costume and moves superior to that of Kamen Rider Black. Shadow Moon's outfit gives him a somewhat "mechanized warrior" appearance while Minami Kotaro's costume emphasize on versatility and more of a "human touch".
- In Episode 16, Black was actually referred to as "Masked Rider" by one of the scientists involved with the Ultra Quartz project.
- It takes 3 minutes to do Henshin based on Episode 21: Crash! Two Great Machines
External links
| Preceded by ZX |
Kamen Rider 1987 – 1988 |
Succeeded by Black RX |
| Kamen Riders: | 1 • 2 • V3 • Riderman • X • Amazon • Stronger • Skyrider • Super-1 • ZX • Black • RX |
|---|---|
| Villains: | Great Leader • Shocker • Gel-Shocker • Destron • GOD • Geddon • Garanda Empire • Black Satan • Delza Army |
| Neo-Shocker • Dogma Kingdom • Jin Dogma • Badan Empire • Gorgom • Shadow Moon • Crisis Empire | |
| Others: | Tōbei Tachibana |
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| Created by Shotaro Ishinomori and Toru Hirayama | |
| Shōwa TV series: | Kamen Rider • V3 • X • Amazon • Stronger • Skyrider • Super-1 • BLACK • BLACK RX |
| Heisei TV series: | Kuuga • ΑgitΩ • Ryuki • 555 (Φ's) • Blade (♠) • Hibiki • Kabuto • Den-O • Kiva |
| Specials: | Birth of the 10th! (ZX) • Prologue (Shin) • SD • Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider • Hyper Battle series |
| Original films: | ZO • J • World • THE FIRST • THE NEXT |
| Heisei films: | Agito: Project G4 • Ryuki: Episode Final • 555: Paradise Lost • Blade: Missing Ace • Hibiki & The Seven Fighting Demons • Kabuto: God Speed Love • Den-O: I'm Born! |
| Manga and books: | Spirits • Card Warrior • Kamen Rider Eve -Masked Rider Gaia- |
| American series: | Saban's Masked Rider • Kamen Rider Dragon Knight |
| See also: | Super Sentai • Metal Heroes |
