Kamen Rider Blade
Encyclopedia
, is a Japanese
tokusatsu
superhero
television
series. It is the fourteenth installment in the Kamen Rider Series
. It aired on TV Asahi
from January 25, 2004 to January 23, 2005. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions
and Toei
. Along with the standard insect motif of the Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Blade also uses a playing card
motif. Each Rider is assigned one of the suit
s from a deck of cards. The series catchphrases are and .
Blade was later released on DVD
by Toei. There were twelve volumes released with the first eleven having four episodes per DVD and the twelfth volume with five episodes.
Having developed the Rider System, based on the Joker's ability to copy sealed Undead, the organization BOARD (Board Of Archaeological Research Department) equips two young men, who become Kamen Riders: Kazuma Kenzaki and Sakuya Tachibana fight together as Kamen Rider Blade and Kamen Rider Garren to protect humans from Undead and seal them. Also fighting Undead is the mysterious Chalice, a Kamen Rider whose purpose is unknown. In addition, a young man struggles to free himself from the control of the sealed Undead powering his own Undead-made Rider System, fighting as Kamen Rider Leangle.
organized into four suits with the Joker
, making a common card deck.
The Undead are also divided by Category, with the "Royal" Undead being of a much higher power level than the rest. The Categories Jack, Queen and King are all capable of disguising themselves as humans, and are capable of much higher forms of thought than other Undead, forming plans of depth rather than just blindly attacking everything nearby. The Category Ace Undead, whose cards power the Rider Systems, are also very powerful, but lack the form-shifting abilities of the high-class Undead, but are among the greatest warriors of the Undead. Finally, the Joker can assume the form of any sealed Undead it possesses. More Jokers can be created if a human abuses the Rider System. In the movie Missing Ace
, an additional Albino Joker is also present.
Four years after an alternate ending to the series, in which Blade seals the Joker, the characters have moved on with their lives: Kenzaki is a garbage man, Mutsuki has graduated high school, and Kotarō has published a book about the Kamen Riders to great success, but on Amane's upcoming birthday, it was revealed that she has become a delinquent without the emotional support of Hajime. The Undead have been re-released, and a new trio of Kamen Riders—Glaive, Larc and Lance—have emerged from BOARD, now led by Tachibana. After recapturing two of the Category Aces, Kenzaki and Mutsuki join with the new Riders. When all the Undead are sealed once more, Glaive reveals himself to be the Albino Joker, a white version of the original Joker, and captures Kotarō's niece to obtain the ultimate power, sealing her in the Vanity Card. In order to free Amane from the card, Hajime is unsealed from the Joker Card and the four Riders are again united, intent on saving Amane and stopping the Albino Joker.
Kamen Rider Blade: New Generation is a television special made of a collection of vignette
s which aired following certain episodes of Blade, following the history of Kamen Riders Glaive, L'arc, and Lance. This is a direct tie-in to the movie Missing Ace.
Hero Saga side story for Blade is titled follows the story of the series after the finale and features characters from Missing Ace. The new character introduced in the story is . Two other special editions of the Hero Saga stories also feature Blade characters: Hero Saga Special Edition: King featuring and Hero Saga Special Edition: Clover featuring . Day After Tomorrow ran in the February through May 2007 issues of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine. King was featured in the May 2008 issue and Clover was featured in the June 2008 issue.
Chapter titles
Ending themes:
for the PlayStation 2
. It is an action game that featured many of the characters from the TV series. It was released only in Japan near the end of the TV series on December 9, 2004.
, Blade was shown on local TV station in GMA 7 and also on Cartoon Network Philippines
, as well as reruns on TV5. It also aired in South Korea
as Masked Rider Blade ( Gamyeon Raideo Bureideu) in 2006 and run at NTV 7 in Malaysia in 2007 after the last episode of Kamen Rider 555
.
Japanese media
The communications media of Japan include numerous television and radio networks as well as newspapers and magazines in Japan. For the most part, television networks were established based on the capital contribution from existing radio networks at that time...
tokusatsu
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series. It is the fourteenth installment in the Kamen Rider Series
Kamen Rider Series
The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...
. It aired on TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
from January 25, 2004 to January 23, 2005. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions
Ishimori Productions
or is a Japanese production company that develops works created by the late manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. Such works include Cyborg 009, Kikaider, Inazuman, Skull Man, Ganbare!! Robocon, Voicelugger, the Toei Fushigi Comedy Series, and the Kamen Rider Series....
and Toei
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
. Along with the standard insect motif of the Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Blade also uses a playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
motif. Each Rider is assigned one of the suit
Suit (cards)
In playing cards, a suit is one of several categories into which the cards of a deck are divided. Most often, each card bears one of several symbols showing to which suit it belongs; the suit may alternatively or in addition be indicated by the color printed on the card...
s from a deck of cards. The series catchphrases are and .
Blade was later released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Toei. There were twelve volumes released with the first eleven having four episodes per DVD and the twelfth volume with five episodes.
Story
Ten thousand years ago, a massive battle known as the Battle Royal was fought by fifty-two Undead, each representing a species fighting for dominance over all others. The winner was the Human Undead, known as Category Two of Hearts, giving dominion of the Earth to humanity. In the present day, archaeologists discover the sealed Undead, and accidentally set them free. Thus, a new Battle Royal begins.Having developed the Rider System, based on the Joker's ability to copy sealed Undead, the organization BOARD (Board Of Archaeological Research Department) equips two young men, who become Kamen Riders: Kazuma Kenzaki and Sakuya Tachibana fight together as Kamen Rider Blade and Kamen Rider Garren to protect humans from Undead and seal them. Also fighting Undead is the mysterious Chalice, a Kamen Rider whose purpose is unknown. In addition, a young man struggles to free himself from the control of the sealed Undead powering his own Undead-made Rider System, fighting as Kamen Rider Leangle.
The Undead
The are the series monsters in Kamen Rider Blade. There are 52 UndeadUndead (Kamen Rider)
The are a fictional race of monsters in the 2004 Japanese Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Blade. The story of the Undead is the focus of the series as they were created 10,000 years ago by God in the form of the a stone slab called the , to kill each other in a free-for-all battle royale known as...
organized into four suits with the Joker
Joker (playing card)
Joker is a special type of playing card found in most modern decks, or else a type of tile in some Mahjong game sets.-Name:It is believed that the term "Joker" comes from a mispronunciation of Jucker, the German/Alsatian name for the game Euchre. The card was originally introduced in about 1860 for...
, making a common card deck.
The Undead are also divided by Category, with the "Royal" Undead being of a much higher power level than the rest. The Categories Jack, Queen and King are all capable of disguising themselves as humans, and are capable of much higher forms of thought than other Undead, forming plans of depth rather than just blindly attacking everything nearby. The Category Ace Undead, whose cards power the Rider Systems, are also very powerful, but lack the form-shifting abilities of the high-class Undead, but are among the greatest warriors of the Undead. Finally, the Joker can assume the form of any sealed Undead it possesses. More Jokers can be created if a human abuses the Rider System. In the movie Missing Ace
Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace
is the theatrical film adaptation of the Japanese 2004 Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Blade, directed by Hidenori Ishida and Katsuya Watanabe and written by Toshiki Inoue....
, an additional Albino Joker is also present.
Missing Ace
is the theatrical release, first in theaters on September 11, 2004.Four years after an alternate ending to the series, in which Blade seals the Joker, the characters have moved on with their lives: Kenzaki is a garbage man, Mutsuki has graduated high school, and Kotarō has published a book about the Kamen Riders to great success, but on Amane's upcoming birthday, it was revealed that she has become a delinquent without the emotional support of Hajime. The Undead have been re-released, and a new trio of Kamen Riders—Glaive, Larc and Lance—have emerged from BOARD, now led by Tachibana. After recapturing two of the Category Aces, Kenzaki and Mutsuki join with the new Riders. When all the Undead are sealed once more, Glaive reveals himself to be the Albino Joker, a white version of the original Joker, and captures Kotarō's niece to obtain the ultimate power, sealing her in the Vanity Card. In order to free Amane from the card, Hajime is unsealed from the Joker Card and the four Riders are again united, intent on saving Amane and stopping the Albino Joker.
Specials
is a Hyper Battle Video, wherein a Trial-series cyborg pretends to be Kenzaki, who quickly discovers the fraud and fights him. During their battle, the other Riders bicker humorously about which Blade is the fake, which constantly results in their attacking the real Kenzaki. As with all Hyper Battle Videos, this serves as a device to exposit the Rider's various powers and abilities.Kamen Rider Blade: New Generation is a television special made of a collection of vignette
Vignette (literature)
In theatrical script writing, sketch stories, and poetry, a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, an idea, or a setting and sometimes an object...
s which aired following certain episodes of Blade, following the history of Kamen Riders Glaive, L'arc, and Lance. This is a direct tie-in to the movie Missing Ace.
S.I.C. Hero Saga
The S.I.C.Super Imaginative Chogokin
Super Imaginative Chogokin is one of Bandai's popular line-up based on the Kamen Rider franchise and other characters created by Shotaro Ishinomori and his production company. The figures are usually modified and differ from its counterpart as seen in the series...
Hero Saga side story for Blade is titled follows the story of the series after the finale and features characters from Missing Ace. The new character introduced in the story is . Two other special editions of the Hero Saga stories also feature Blade characters: Hero Saga Special Edition: King featuring and Hero Saga Special Edition: Clover featuring . Day After Tomorrow ran in the February through May 2007 issues of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine. King was featured in the May 2008 issue and Clover was featured in the June 2008 issue.
Chapter titles
Cast
: : : : : :- Haruka Kurihara:
- Amane Kurihara:
- Nozomi Yamanaka:
- Kei Karasuma:
- Sayoko Fukasawa:
- Go Kiryu:
- Yoshito Hirose:
- Hiroshi Tennōji:
- Isaka:
- Miyuki Yoshinaga:
- Yazawa:
- Takahara:
- Daichi:
- Noboru Shima:
- Shinmei:
- Azumi:
- King:
- Hikaru Jō:
- Kanai:
- Voice of Rouzer:
- Voice of King Rouzer:
- Narrator:
Suit actors
- Kamen Rider Blade:
- Kamen Rider Garren:
- Kamen Rider Chalice:
- Kamen Rider Leangle: ,
Songs
Opening themes:- "Round ZERO~BLADE BRAVE"
- Lyrics: Shoko FujibayashiShoko Fujibayashiis a Japanese lyricist who has written the lyrics for several tokusatsu television series' theme songs. Most recently, Fujibayashi has worked with Shuhei Naruse on the soundtracks of Kamen Rider Den-O, Kamen Rider Kiva, and their films...
- Composition: Katsuya Yoshida
- Arrangement: Akio Kondō
- Artist: Nanase AikawaNanase Aikawais a Japanese musician known for employing a variety of musical styles, most notably rock. She publishes her music under the Motorod label, a division of Avex Group.- Early life :Nanase Aikawa was born on February 16, 1975, in Osaka, Japan...
- Episodes: 1-30
- Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- "ELEMENTS"
- Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition: Miki Fushisue
- Composition: RIDER CHIPSRIDER CHIPSis a Japanese hard rock band started in 2000 on the Avex Mode label. Originally, it consisted of only three instrumentalists who invited different vocalists periodically...
& Cher Watanabe - Artist: RIDER CHIPS featuring Ricky
- Episodes: 31-49
- After his performance in "ELEMENTS," Ricky was made RIDER CHIPS' permanent vocalist.
Ending themes:
-
- Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition: Cher Watanabe
- Arrangement: Akio Kondō
- Artist: Ricky
- Episodes: 2-23
- "rebirth"
- Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition: Yukari Aono
- Arrangement: Cher Watanabe
- Artist: Sakuya Tachibana (Kousei Amano)
- Episodes: 23-30, 47
- "take it a try"
- Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition & Arrangement: Cher Watanabe
- Artist: Hajime Aikawa (Ryoji MorimotoRyoji Morimotois a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing Hajime Aikawa / Kamen Rider Chalice / Joker in Kamen Rider Blade in 2004.-Filmography:* Gokusen as Ryouji Horibe...
) - Episodes: 31-49
Video game
A video game based on the series was produced by BandaiBandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It is an action game that featured many of the characters from the TV series. It was released only in Japan near the end of the TV series on December 9, 2004.
International broadcasts
Continuing the Heisei Kamen Rider Series in order, after the success of Ryuki and 555 in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Blade was shown on local TV station in GMA 7 and also on Cartoon Network Philippines
Cartoon Network Philippines
Cartoon Network is a cable and satellite television channel created by Turner Broadcasting, a unit of Time Warner which primarily shows animated programming. The Philippine version is a branch of Cartoon Network Asia, broadcasting exclusively in the Philippines....
, as well as reruns on TV5. It also aired in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
as Masked Rider Blade ( Gamyeon Raideo Bureideu) in 2006 and run at NTV 7 in Malaysia in 2007 after the last episode of Kamen Rider 555
Kamen Rider 555
is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is the 13th installment in the Kamen Rider Series. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was broadcast on TV Asahi from January 26, 2003 to January 18, 2004...
.
External links
- Official TV Asahi Kamen Rider Blade website
- Official Toei Kamen Rider Blade website
- Kamen Rider Blade on DVD
- Kamen Rider Blade for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...