Kamen Rider Black

Kamen Rider Black

Kamen Rider Black
Genre Tokusatsu
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori
Starring Tetsuo Kurata
Narrated by Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Masaki Terasoma
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 tokusatsu 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 many countries where it was aired. The series is often regarded as a tv classic and is considered by many as the most popular Kamen Rider show of the late 80s, as well as the most famous of all Kamen Riders in the Showa Period. Kamen Rider Black RX was a direct sequel to this series. A manga adaptation of the series is entitled Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBlack Kamen Raidā Burakku?).

Contents

Synopsis

Main article: List of Kamen Rider Black characters

After being kidnapped by the cult Gorgom on the night of their 19th birthday, stepbrothers Kotaro Minami and Nobuhiko Akizuki were submitted to a cyborg surgery with the purpose of becoming 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, referred 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.

List of episodes

  1. Black!! Transformation (ＢLACK！！変身 Burakku!! Henshin?)
  2. Monster Party (怪人パーティ Kaijin Pāti?)
  3. Strange? Strange Cyborg (怪？怪・改造人間 Kai? Kai Kaizō Ningen?)
  4. The Devil's Laboratory (悪魔の実験室 Akuma no Jikkenshitsu?)
  5. Run Through the Maze, Kotaro (迷路を走る光太郎 Meiro o Hashiru Kōtarō?)
  6. The Secret Clairvoyance Mystery (秘密透視のなぞ Himitsu Tōshi no Nazo?)
  7. The Restored Organism Mecha (復元する生体メカ Fukugen Suru Seitai Meka?)
  8. The Devil's Trill (悪魔のトリル Akuma no Toriru?)
  9. Bishum's Red Lips (ビシュムの紅い唇 Bishumu no Akai Kuchibiru?)
  10. Where's Nobuhiko? (信彦はどこに？ Nobuhiko wa Doko ni??)
  11. Starved Monsters (飢えた怪人たち Ueta Kaijin-tachi?)
  12. The Super Machine Legend is Born (超マシン伝説誕生 Chō Mashin Densetsu Tanjō?)
  13. Mama's the Monster Raising Official (ママは怪人養育係 Mama wa Kaijin Yōikugakari?)
  14. The Day Tuna Disappeared (マグロが消えた日 Maguro ga Kieta Hi?)
  15. The Targeted Bizarre Academy (狙われた怪奇学園 Newareta Kaiki Gakuen?)
  16. Friend!! Crossing the Sea (友よ！海を越えて Tomo yo! Umi o Koete?)
  17. Kyoko's Strange Dream (杏子の不思議な夢 Kyōko no Fushigi na Yume?)
  18. Kensei Bilgenia!! (剣聖ビルゲニア！！ Kensei Birugenia!!?)
  19. The Limit-Reaching Hellish Trap (息づまる地獄の罠 Ikidzumaru Jigoku no Wana?)
  20. Rider's Graveyard (ライダーの墓場 Raidā no Hakaba?)
  21. Crash! Two Great Machines (激突！二大マシン Gekitotsu! Ni Dai Mashin?)
  22. The Black Shadow That Attacks Papa (パパを襲う黒い影 Papa o Osō Kuroi Kage?)
  23. Marmo's Magic Power (マルモの魔法の力 Marumo no Mahō no Chikara?)
  24. The Female College Student's Nightmare (女子大生の悪夢 Joshidaisei no Akumu?)
  25. The Roaring Armed Mecha (爆走する武装メカ Bakusō Suru Busō Meka?)
  26. Save the Esper Girl (超能力少女を救え Chōnōryoku Shōjo o Sukue?)
  27. The Fire-Spouting Dangerous Highway (火を噴く危険道路 Hi o Fuku Kiken Dōro?)
  28. The Scarab That Invites Hell (地獄へ誘う黄金虫 Jigoku e Sasō Koganemushi?)
  29. The Trophy's a Death Mask? (獲物はデスマスク？ Emono wa Desumasuku??)
  30. Aloha to an Assassin! (暗殺者にアロハ！ Ansatsusha ni Aroha!?)
  31. Burn! Boy Warriors (燃えよ！少年戦士 Moe yo! Shōnen Senshi?)
  32. Dream Girl Yuki (夢少女・ユキ Yume Shōjo Yuki?)
  33. The River of a Father and Child's Love (父と子の愛の河 Chichi to Ko no Ai no Kawa?)
  34. Revival?! Hell Prince (復活？！地獄王子 Fukkatsu?! Jigoku Ōji?)
  35. Showdown! Two Princes (対決！二人の王子 Taiketsu! Futari no Ōji?)
  36. The War Declaration of Love and Death (愛と死の宣戦布告 Ai to Shi no Sensen Fukoku?)
  37. Memories are Yubari's Sky (想い出は夕張の空 Omoide wa Yūbari no Sora?)
  38. Riddle!? The EP-Party Boy Squad (謎！？ＥＰ党少年隊 Nazo!? Ī Pī Tō Shōnen Tai?)
  39. The Idol's Evil Power (アイドルの毒牙 Aidoru no Dokuga?)
  40. The Karate Master's Secret (カラテ名人の秘密 Karate Meijin no Himitsu?)
  41. The Dangerous Time Thief (あぶない時間泥棒 Abunai Jikan Dorobō?)
  42. Tokyo - Big Monster Gathering (東京-怪人大集合 Tōkyō - Kaijin Dai Shūgō?)
  43. The Monster Farm's Duel! (怪人牧場の決闘！ Kaijin Bokujō no Kettō!?)
  44. The Drawer's Inner is the Sea (タンスの中は海！ Tansu no Naka wa Umi?)
  45. Suspicious Flower Bishum's Death (妖花ビシュムの死 Yōka Bishumu no Shi?)
  46. Grand Baraom's Death (壮絶バラオムの死 Sōzetsu Baraomu no Shi?)
  47. The Rider Dies! (ライダー死す！ Raidā Shisu!?)
  48. Oceanic Reminiscence's Bouquet (海に追憶の花束を Umi ni Tsuioku no Hanataba o?)
  49. Fierce Fighting! Darom's Death (激闘！ダロムの死 Gekitō! Daromu no Shi?)
  50. The Creation King's True Identity? (創世王の正体は？ Sōsei Ō no Shōtai wa??)
  51. Gorgom's Last Day (ゴルゴム最期の日 Gorugomu Saigo no Hi?)

Related media

Manga

A manga adaptation of Black titled Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBlack Kamen Raidā Burakku?) ran in Shōnen Sunday from 1987-1988.

TV specials

Theatrical films

Released on March 12, 1988 (between ep. 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 children and foil Gorgom's latest evil scheme.
Released on July 9, 1988 (between ep. 38 and 39) as part of the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival. The city of Yūbari 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.
Tetsuo Kurata reprise his role in a cameo as Kotaro Minami in 2009's Kamen Rider Decade The Movie: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker.

Video games

Side-scrolling action game released by Bandai for the Family Computer Disk System on April 15, 1988. Player takes control of Kamen Rider Black, who must defeat numerous Gorgom mutants. The player gets 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 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. Shadow Moon makes a brief cameo as a non-playable character as well.

Cast

Guest actors

Suit actors

Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme

In other media

See also

Preceded by
ZX		 Kamen Rider
1987–1988		 Succeeded by
Black RX
 
Kamen Rider Black & Black RX
Kamen Rider
Other characters
Films
Other media
 
Kamen Riders
1 · 2 · V3 · Riderman · X · Amazon · Stronger · Skyrider · Super-1 · ZX · BLACK · RX · Shin · ZO · J
Villains
Others
 
Shōwa TV series
Kamen Rider · V3 · X · Amazon · Stronger · Skyrider · Super-1 · ZX · Black · RX
Heisei TV series
Kuuga · Agito · Ryuki · 555 · Blade · Hibiki · Kabuto · Den-O · Kiva · Decade · W  · OOO · Fourze
Original films
Other visual media
American series
See also