Kamen Rider BLACK
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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 was shown on MBS from October 4, 1987 to October 9, 1988, with a total of 51 episodes. With its very dramatic storyline and its twist of the 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 to be one of the best tokusatsu shows of the late 80's. Kamen Rider BLACK RX was a direct sequel to this series.
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[edit] 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 mutant 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 soons 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.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Main
- Kotaro Minami/Kamen Rider BLACK: 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" and poses to become the mighty Kamen Rider BLACK. Referred by the Gorgom as "Black Sun".
[edit] Allies
- Kyoko Akizuki
- Katsumi Kida
- Yoichi Daimon
- Ryusuke Taki
[edit] Gorgom
- Creation King
- Darom
- Baraom
- Beshium
- Birugenia: Was killed by Shadow Moon.
- Shadow Moon/Nobuhiko Akizuki: Kotaro's step-brother and archenemy. As Shadow Moon, he wears silver and black insect armor and wielded the Satan Saber.
[edit] Rider Machines
[edit] Battle Hopper
Introduced in the first episode, Battle Hopper is a living motorcycle created by Gorgom, made specifically for the upcoming Century Kings Black Sun and Shadow Moon. 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 500Km/h with his 415 horsepower engine. His special move is Dynamic Smash, a body slam attack that is executed at full speed.
Battle Hopper would later return as Acrobattler, in the sequel series Kamen Rider BLACK RX.
[edit] Road Sector
Introduced in the twelfth episode, Road Sector is a motorcycle created by Yoichi Daimon for Gorgom. 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).
Road Sector has a special function called Attack Shield that shields the rider from harm. In this mode, Road Sector can perform its special ramming maneuver, the Sparkling Attack.
Road Sector can travel at the speed of 960Km/h with its 1,515 horsepower engine. The Attack Shield is activated at the speed of 800Km/h, which enables Road Sector to reach the maximum speed of 960Km/h to perform the Sparkling Attack.
[edit] Cast
- Kiyoshi Kobayashi :Narrator (1-39)
- Issei Masamune: Narrator (40-51)
- Tetsuo Kurata: Kotaro Minami/Kamen Rider BLACK
- Takahito Horiuchi: Nobuhiko Akizuki/Shadow Moon
- Masaki Terasoma: Shadow Moon (voice)
- Akemi Inoue: Kyoko Akizuki
- Ayumi Taguchi: Katsumi Kida
- Takeshi Watabe: Creation King (Voice)
- Hirokazu Shoji as Darom
- Shozo Iizuka: Darom (voice)
- Toshimichi Takahashi: Baraom
- Hitomi Yoshii as Beshium
- Jun Yoshida: Birugenia
- Susumu Kurobe: Doctor Kuromatsu(1-2)
- Masaki Kyomoto: Ryusuke Taki
- Taro Suganuki: Masaru Todo
[edit] List of episodes
- Black!! Transformation (Black!! 変身 Burakku!! Henshin)
- Monster Party (怪人パーティ Kaijin Pātī)
- 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, Koutarou (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 Crimson Lips (ビシュムの紅い唇 Bishumu no Kurenai 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 Yōiku Kakari)
- The Day Magro 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)
- Kyouko's Strange Dream (杏子の不思議な夢 Kyōko no Fushigi na Yume)
- Sword Saint Bilgenia!! (剣聖ビルゲニア!! Tsurugi Sai 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 Deathmask? (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 Sensenfukoku)
- Memories are Yuubari's Sky (想い出は夕張の空 Omoide wa Yūbari no Sora)
- Riddle!? The EP-ite 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!)
- Tance 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 Aya Hana 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)
[edit] Other appearances
- TV specials
-
- 1987: This Is Kamen Rider BLACK: Aired one week before the first episode, introduces the character Kamen Rider BLACK.
- 1988: Kamen Rider Ichigou through RX: Big Gathering: Cover all the Kamen Riders, from Ichigou until BLACK, and introduces Kamen Rider BLACK RX.
- Theatrical films
- Video Games
[edit] Trivia
- 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 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 pit 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 Kotaro Minami character returned in the sequel Kamen Rider Black RX.
- In the Philippine dub of the show, Kotaro is named Robert Akizuki and Nobuhiko to Stephen Akizuki. The way they are renamed, they appeared to be blood related to other people, adding more drama to the tragic storyline.
- Jun Yoshida (Birugenia) played Sorcress Poe in Uchuu Keiji Shaider three years prior to Kamen Rider BLACK.
- In the Brazilian dub of the show (called Black Kamen Rider), Kotaro Minami is named Issamu Minami.
- 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 Black.
- First Kamen Rider to feature an artificially intelligent motorcycle and the first one to speak as well.
[edit] External links
- Tokufriends Site dedicated to tokusatsu
| Kamen Rider franchise created by Shotaro Ishinomori | |
| TV series (Ishinomori-era) | Kamen Rider | V3 | X | Amazon | Stronger | "New" Kamen Rider | Super-1 | BLACK | BLACK RX |
| TV series (Post-Ishinomori) | Kuuga | Agito | Ryuki | 555 | Blade | Hibiki | Kabuto |
| Films and specials | ZX | Shin Kamen Rider | SD | ZO | J | Kamen Rider World | Kamen Rider the First |
