Kamen Rider Black

This article is about the television series. For the series' main character, see Kamen Rider Black (character).
Kamen Rider Black
Genre Tokusatsu
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori
Starring Tetsuo Kurata
Akemi Inoue
Ayumi Taguchi
Narrated by Kiyoshi Kobayashi
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
Chronology
Preceded by Kamen Rider Super-1 then Kamen Rider ZX manga
Followed by Kamen Rider BLACK RX

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 Ishimori 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 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 1980s, as well as one of 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).

Synopsis

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. Mutant Party (怪人パーティ Kaijin Pātī)
  3. Strange? Strange Reconstructed Humans (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, Kohtaro (迷路を走る光太郎 Meiro o Hashiru Kōtarō)
  6. Riddle Of The Secret Espers (秘密透視のなぞ Himitsu Tōshi no Nazo)
  7. The Regenerated Bio-Machine (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. The Starving Mutants (飢えた怪人たち Ueta Kaijin-tachi)
  12. Birth Of The Super Machine Legend (超マシン伝説誕生 Chō Mashin Densetsu Tanjō)
  13. My Mom Is A Mutant Nanny (ママは怪人養育係 Mama wa Kaijin Yōikugakari)
  14. The Day The Tuna Disappeared (マグロが消えた日 Maguro ga Kieta Hi)
  15. The Targeted Ghoul School (狙われた怪奇学園 Newareta Kaiki Gakuen)
  16. My Friend! Go Beyond 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. Sword Saint Bilgenia!! (剣聖ビルゲニア！！ Kensei Birugenia!!)
  19. The Suffocating Trap Of Hell (息づまる地獄の罠 Ikidzumaru Jigoku no Wana)
  20. Rider's Grave (ライダーの墓場 Raidā no Hakaba)
  21. Clash! The Two Super Machines (激突！二大マシン Gekitotsu! Ni Dai Mashin)
  22. The Shadow That Stalks Dad (パパを襲う黒い影 Papa o Osō Kuroi Kage)
  23. Marumo's Magical Powers (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 Machine (爆走する武装メカ Bakusō Suru Busō Meka)
  26. Rescue The Psychic Girl (超能力少女を救え Chōnōryoku Shōjo o Sukue)
  27. Fire Breathing Danger Road (火を噴く危険道路 Hi o Fuku Kiken Dōro)
  28. Scarab Beetle's Invitation To Hell (地獄へ誘う黄金虫 Jigoku e Sasō Koganemushi)
  29. The Targeted Death Mask (獲物はデスマスク？ Emono wa Desu Masuku?)
  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. Father, Son And The River Of Love (父と子の愛の河 Chichi to Ko no Ai no Kawa)
  34. Revival?! The Prince Of Hell (復活？！地獄王子 Fukkatsu?! Jigoku Ōji)
  35. Showdown! The 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 of Yubari's Sky (想い出は夕張の空 Omoide wa Yūbari no Sora)
  38. Mystery!? The EP-Party Boy Squad (謎！？ＥＰ党少年隊 Nazo!? Ī Pī Tō Shōnentai)
  39. The Idol's Poison Fangs (アイドルの毒牙 Aidoru no Dokuga)
  40. Secret Of The Karate Master (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 Mutant Gathering (東京-怪人大集合 Tōkyō - Kaijin Daishūgō)
  43. Battle at the Mutant Farm! (怪人牧場の決闘！ Kaijin Bokujō no Kettō!)
  44. An Ocean Inside The Closet (タンスの中は海！ Tansu no Naka wa Umi)
  45. Death Of Flower Mutant Bishum (妖花ビシュムの死 Yōka Bishumu no Shi)
  46. Baraom's Fierce Death (壮絶バラオムの死 Sōzetsu Baraomu no Shi)
  47. Death of the Rider (ライダー死す！ Raidā Shisu!)
  48. Bouquet of Reminiscence, Into The Ocean (海に追憶の花束を Umi ni Tsuioku no Hanataba o)
  49. Fierce Battle! Death Of Darom (激闘！ダロムの死 Gekitō! Daromu no Shi)
  50. The Creation King's True Form? (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 episodes 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 episodes 38 and 39) as part of the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival. The city of Yūbari, Hokkaidō 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.
Kurata also returns as Kotaro Minami in 2015's Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3.

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 Gel-Shocker soldiers, only to learn the game's true villain is after the King Stone 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

Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme

In other media

See also