Kamen Rider Black (character)

Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBLACK, Kamen Raidā Burakku^?) is the primary and eponymous protagonist in the 1987-1988 Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Black, later evolving into Kamen Rider Black RX of Kamen Rider Black RX. His original name is Century King Black Sun (世紀王ブラックサン, Seiki-O Burakku San^?).

Kotaro Minami

Kotaro Minami (南　光太郎, Minami Kōtarō^?, portrayed by Tetsuo Kurata) was born on the day of a solar eclipse alongside his stepbrother Nobuhiko, revered by the Gorgom as the heirs to their leader's throne: the Century Kings "Black Sun" and "Shadow Moon".

Fictional character biography

Once the two were of the ideal age, the Gorgom captured them and infused them each with a Kingstone. However, Soichiro Akizuki, Nobuhiko's father and Kotaro's legal guardian, interrupted the final mind-altering stage of the surgery and Kotaro barely escaped with his life while Nobuhiko was in a state of hibernation. Before Soichiro was killed for his actions at the hands of five Spider Mutants, revealing to Kotaro that his parents were murdered by Gorgom while he was a baby, Kotaro took on the name of "Kamen Rider Black" to fight Gorgom and later Shadow Moon, Nobuhiko's perfected Century King form and a pure, cold-blooded Gorgom leader. When he was initially killed by Shadow Moon, his remaining family members (Kyoko and Kasumi) were forced to evacuate from Gorgom's hegemony over Japan. He was eventually resurrected and fought his way through the remaining monsters before presumably killing Shadow Moon (and in the process, Nobuhiko) and destroying the Creation King. Soon after wards, Kotaro visits the Capitola bar for the last time and he had left parts unknown.

Equipment

King Stone

The King Stone (キングストーン, Kingu Sutōn^?) is Kamen Rider Black's means of transformation. Embedded upon the center of his belt is the artifact called the Stone of the Sun (太陽の石, Taiyō no Seki^?).

In order to transform, Kotaro uses an arm twisting pose, then shouting "Transform!" The King Stone is revealed in a red flash, materializing with the belt. With the intensity of several red & white flashes, Kotaro's body first evolves into a grasshopper-like mutant exoskeleton before refining itself into Kamen Rider Black. King Stone is also means of charging several energies to perform his signature attacks.

Satan Sabre

The Satan Sabre (サタンサーベル, Satan Sāberu^?) is a weapon created for use by the Century Kings. Initially used by Shadow Moon, Black, being a Century King himself, has the ability to use the weapon. Black used it in the finale to damage Shadow Moon's King Stone in their final confrontation and once again to ultimately kill the Creation King.

Rider Machines

Battle Hopper

The Battle Hopper (バトルホッパー, Batoru Hoppā^?) 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. 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 be resurrected as Acrobatter in response to Black's evolution to Black RX.

Road Sector

The Road Sector (ロードセクター, Rōdo Sekutā^?) 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 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 500 kilometers per hour with its 1,515 horsepower engine. The Attack Shield is activated at the speed of 800 km/h, which enables the Road Sector to reach the maximum speed of 960 kilometers per hour to perform the Sparkling Attack.

Combat Techniques and Other Body Parts

• Rider Punch and Rider Kick: The primary killer moves in the entire series were the Rider Punch (ライダーパンチ, Raidā Panchi^?) and Rider Kick (ライダーキック, Raidā Kikku^?) which is charged with King Stone Energy at the right fist and the right foot. After delivering either one or both moves to any monsters, they would be engulfed in flames before finally destroyed. Kamen Rider Black discovered his weakness when he was fighting a Crab monster. His Rider Punch had no effect on the monster due to its strong shell. To increase his capabilities, Kamen Rider Black trained himself to find a new killer move to destroy the monster. While training, he discovered a new Rider Punch which was more effective and more deadly. These stronger variations of Rider Punch & Rider Kick gave out stronger force of light and were more blinding. The difference between the new and the old moves were that the new ones required Kamen Rider Black to touch his knees before hitting his enemies.
• Rider Chop: Though not used by Black for finishing off monsters, this move can slice through most materials, and the series mentions that it can cut through 100mm of solid steel.
• Multi-Eye: His eyes would glow and the functions were to see monsters' movements in the dark and to detect their weaknesses.
• Sensoring Ears: The triangular structures on both sides of his head would glow purple and the function was to hear voices and sounds from far away.
• Rider Sensor: Kamen Rider Black's antennas would move to detect monsters which were moving too fast to be seen.
• Power Stripes: His Yellow-Red-Yellow bands on his neck and wrists would glow to repel any monsters' sticky fluids or goo on his body.
• Dragon Shoot: A move only seen in episode 16. The Dragon Shoot was taught by the Interpol Agent, Ryusuke Taki. Ryusuke threw the Ultra Quartz (a wanted object in the episode) towards Kamen Rider Black where he quickly jumped and kicked it with one foot.
• King Stone Flash: Perhaps the most powerful technique. By shouting out "King Stone Flash", Kamen Rider Black could fire a burst of energy from his belt. It worked every time to fend off the villains; whether it's the High Priests or even the powerful Shadow Moon. In Kamen Rider Decade, however, it was shown that the King Stone Flash is able to take out several Crisis minions.

See also