Kamen Rider Blade

**Kamen Rider Blade** (仮面ライダー剣（ブレイド）, *Kamen Raidā Bureido*?, translated as **Masked Rider ♠ (Blade)**) is the fifteenth entry of 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 suits from a deck of cards. The series catchphrases are "Now, open that power all the way." (今、その力が全開する, *Ima, sono chikara ga zenkai suru*?) and "Take the trump card of fate!" (運命の切札をつかみ取れ!, *Unmei no kirifuda o tsukamitore!*?).

It aired alongside *Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger* for Super Hero Time 2004. *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.

## Plot

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.

## Characters

### Allies

#### Shirai Residences

* Shiori Hirose
* Kotaro Shirai

#### Jacaranda Cafe

* Haruka Kurihara
* Amane Kurihara

#### BOARD

* Kei Karasuma
* Yoshito Hirose

### Undeads

#### Category Ace

* Beetle Undead
* Spider Undead
* Mantis Undead
* Kerberos

#### Category 2-10

##### Spade

* Locust Undead
* Deer Undead
* Trilobite Undead
* Jaguar Undead
* Lion Undead
* Boar Undead
* Buffalo Undead
* Scarab Undead
* Lizard Undead

##### Diamond

* Bat Undead
* Zebra Undead
* Pecker Undead
* Tortoise Undead

##### Clover

* Mole Undead
* Jellyfish Undead
* Squid Undead

##### Heart

* Plant Undead
* Moth Undead
* Centipede Undead
* Dragonfly Undead
* Shell Undead
* Human Undead

## Episodes

*Main article: Kamen Rider Blade Episodes*
1. The Indigo Warrior (紫紺の戦士, *Shikon no Senshi*?)
2. The Mysterious Rider (謎のライダー, *Nazo no Raidā*?)
3. Their Secret… (彼らの秘密…, *Karera no Himitsu…*?)
4. Immortality's Mysteries (永遠の命の謎, *Eien no Inochi no Nazo*?)
5. The Challenge to the Past (過去への挑戦, *Kako e no Chōsen*?)
6. Chalice's True Identity (カリスの正体, *Karisu no Shōtai*?)
7. The Trapped Two (囚われた２号, *Torawareta Nigō*?)
8. The Revived People (甦った者たち, *Yomigaetta Monotachi*?)
9. A Fighter's Destiny (戦う者の運命, *Tatakau Mono no Unmei*?)
10. The Manipulated Warrior (操られた戦士, *Ayatsurareta Senshi*?)
11. The Whereabouts of Each (各々の居場所, *Onōno no Ibasho*?)
12. Category Ace (カテゴリーＡ, *Kategorī Ēsu*?)
13. The Golden-Threaded Trap (金色の糸の罠, *Kin'iro no Ito no Wana*?)
14. Ace Sealed! (エース封印！, *Ēsu Fūin!*?)
15. Fate's Conformer (運命の適合者, *Unmei no Tekigōsha*?)
16. Leangle's Power (レンゲルの力, *Rengeru no Chikara*?)
17. The Evil Belt (邪悪なベルト, *Jaaku na Beruto*?)
18. Spirits That Manipulate Darkness (暗闇を操る魂, *Kurayami o Ayatsuru Tamashii*?)
19. One Who Conquers Darkness (暗黒を征す者, *Ankoku o Seisu Mono*?)
20. The Target is Kotarou (標的は虎太郎, *Hyōteki wa Kotarō*?)
21. Battles That Feel for Friends (友を思う戦い, *Tomo o Omou Tatakai*?)
22. The Escape From Darkness (闇からの脱出, *Yami Kara no Dasshutsu*?)
23. Who are You? (お前は誰だ？, *Omae wa Dare da?*?)
24. Mysterious Hunters (謎のハンター, *Nazo no Hantā*?)
25. A Traitor's Sprint (裏切りの疾走, *Uragiri no Shissō*?)
26. The Power Which Moves Me (俺を動かす力, *Ore o Ugokasu Chikara*?)
27. The Trembling Heart… (揺れ動く心…, *Yureugoku Kokoro…*?)
28. A Dangerous Gamble!? (危険な賭け！？, *Kiken na Kake!?*?)
29. The Two Chalices (２人のカリス, *Futari no Karisu*?)
30. Lost Memories (失われた記憶, *Ushinawareta Kioku*?)
31. The 53rd Being (５３番目の存在, *Gojūsanbanme no Sonzai*?)
32. The Destroyer's Secret (破壊者の秘密, *Hakaisha no Himitsu*?)
33. The Targeted Kenzaki (狙われた剣崎, *Nerawareta Kenzaki*?)
34. Category King (カテゴリーＫ, *Kategorī Kingu*?)
35. A Dangerous Henshin!? (危険な変身！？, *Kiken na Henshin!?*?)
36. Strongest Form (最強フォーム, *Saikyō Fōmu*?)
37. Towards a New Destiny (新たな運命へ, *Arata na Unmei e*?)
38. One Who Takes Hold of Destiny (運命を掴む者, *Unmei o Tsukamu Mono*?)
39. Reunion… Father and Daughter (再会…父と娘, *Saikai… Chichi to Musume*?)
40. Parting With the Past (過去との訣別, *Kako to no Ketsubetsu*?)
41. A Desire to Get Stronger (強くなりたい, *Tsuyoku Naritai*?)
42. Leangle Revives (レンゲル復活, *Rengeru Fukkatsu*?)
43. Foe or Friend? (敵か味方か？, *Teki ka Mikata ka?*?)
44. Four Cards (フォーカード, *Fō Kādo*?)
45. The New Card (新たなカード, *Arata na Kādo*?)
46. The Ruler's Seal (支配者の封印, *Shihaisha no Fūin*?)
47. Garren Eliminated (ギャレン消滅, *Gyaren Shōmetsu*?)
48. Prologue to Destruction (滅びへの序章, *Horobi e no Joshō*?)
49. The Eternal Trump (永遠の切り札, *Eien no Kirifuda*?)

**Movies**

1. *Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace* (劇場版　仮面ライダー剣　MISSING ACE, *Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Bureido Misshingu Ēsu*?)

**Specials**

1. *Kamen Rider Blade: Blade vs. Blade* (仮面ライダー剣（ブレイド） ブレイドVSブレイド, *Kamen Raidā Bureido: Bureido Buiesu Bureido*?)
2. *Kamen Rider Blade: New Generation* (仮面ライダー剣(ブレイド) ニュージェネレーション, *Kamen Raidā Bureido: Nyū Jenerēshon*?)

## Cast

* Kazuma Kenzaki (剣崎 一真, *Kenzaki Kazuma*?): Takayuki Tsubaki (椿 隆之, *Tsubaki Takayuki*?)
* Hajime Aikawa (相川 始, *Aikawa Hajime*?), Ryo Mikami (三上 了, *Mikami Ryō*?): Ryoji Morimoto (森本 亮治, *Morimoto Ryōji*?)
* Sakuya Tachibana (橘 朔也, *Tachibana Sakuya*?): Kousei Amano (天野 浩成, *Amano Kousei (Hironari)*?)
* Mutsuki Kamijo (上城 睦月, *Kamijō Mutsuki*?): Takahiro Hojo (北条 隆博, *Hōjō Takahiro*?)
* Shiori Hirose (広瀬 栞, *Hirose Shiori*?): Yumi Egawa (江川 有未, *Egawa Yumi*?)
* Kotaro Shirai (白井 虎太郎, *Shirai Kotarō*?): Terunosuke Takezai (竹財 輝之助, *Takezai Terunosuke*?)
* Haruka Kurihara (栗原 遥香, *Kurihara Haruka*?): Kaori Yamaguchi (山口 香緒里, *Yamaguchi Kaori*?)
* Amane Kurihara (栗原 天音, *Kurihara Amane*?): Hikari Kajiwara (梶原 ひかり, *Kajiwara Hikari*?)
* Nozomi Yamanaka (山中 望美, *Yamanaka Nozomi*?): Arisa Miyazawa (宮澤 亜理沙, *Miyazawa Arisa*?)
* Kei Karasuma (烏丸 啓, *Karasuma Kei*?): Kazuhiro Yamaji (山路 和弘, *Yamaji Kazuhiro*?)
* Sayoko Fukasawa (深沢 小夜子, *Fukasawa Sayoko*?): Urara Awata (粟田 麗, *Awata Urara*?)
* Go Kiryu (桐生 豪, *Kiryū Gō*?): Nozomu Masuzawa (増沢 望, *Masuzawa Nozomu*?)
* Yoshito Hirose (広瀬 義人, *Hirose Yoshito*?): Jun'ichi Haruta (春田 純一, *Haruta Jun'ichi*?)
* Hiroshi Tennoji (天王路 博史, *Ten'nōji Hiroshi*?): Kohji Moritsugu (森次 晃嗣, *Moritsugu Kōji*?)
* Isaka (伊坂, *Isaka*?): Yasukaze Motomiya (本宮 泰風, *Motomiya Yasukaze*?)
* Miyuki Yoshinaga (吉永 みゆき, *Yoshinaga Miyuki*?): Mika Hijii (肘井 美佳, *Hijii Mika*?)
* Yazawa (矢沢, *Yazawa*?): Atsushi Korechika (是近 敦之, *Korechika Atsushi*?)
* Takahara (高原, *Takahara*?): Yasufumi Hayashi (林 泰文, *Hayashi Yasufumi*?)
* Daichi (大地, *Daichi*?): Kairi Narita (成田 浬, *Narita Kairi*?)
* Noboru Shima (嶋 昇, *Shima Noboru*?): Kazunari Aizawa (相澤 一成, *Aizawa Kazunari*?)
* Shinmei: Masashi Kagami (加々美 正史, *Kagami Masashi*?)
* Azumi (あずみ, *Azumi*?): Mio Fukuzumi (福澄 美緒, *Fukuzumi Mio*?)
* King (キング, *Kingu*?): Makoto Kamijo (上條 誠, *Kamijō Makoto*?)
* Hikaru Jo (城 光, *Jō Hikaru*?): Akane Hamasaki (浜崎 茜, *Hamasaki Akane*?)
* Kanai (金居, *Kanai*?): Akira Kubodera (窪寺 昭, *Kubodera Akira*?)
* Voice of Rouzer: Takeshi Sasaki (佐々木 健, *Sasaki Takeshi*?)
* Voice of King Rouzer: Fumihiko Tachiki (立木 文彦, *Tachiki Fumihiko*?)
* Narrator: Jurota Kosugi (小杉 十郎太, *Kosugi Jūrōta*?)

### Suit actors

* Kamen Rider Blade: Seiji Takaiwa (高岩 成二, *Takaiwa Seiji*?)
* Kamen Rider Chalice: Makoto Ito (伊藤 慎, *Itō Makoto*?)
* Kamen Rider Garren: Yoshifumi Oshikawa (押川 善文, *Oshikawa Yoshifumi*?)
* Kamen Rider Leangle: Jiro Okamoto (岡元 次郎, *Okamoto Jirō*?), Jun Watanabe (渡辺 淳, *Watanabe Jun*?)

## Songs

Opening theme
* "Round ZERO~BLADE BRAVE"
	+ Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
	+ Composition: Katsuya Yoshida
	+ Arrangement: Akio Kondo
	+ Artist: Nanase Aikawa
	+ Episodes: 1-30
* "ELEMENTS"
	+ Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
	+ Composition: Miki Fushisue
	+ Arrangement: RIDER CHIPS & Cher Watanabe
	+ Artist: RIDER CHIPS featuring Ricky
	+ Episodes: 31-49

Ending theme
* "Kakusei" (覚醒, *"Kakusei"*? Awakening)
	+ 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 Morimoto)
	+ Episodes: 31-49

## Novel

*Main article: Kamen Rider Blade (novel)*
*Kamen Rider Blade* (仮面ライダー剣（ブレイド）, *Kamen Raidā Bureido*?, *Masked Rider ♠ (Blade)*), written by Toshiki Inoue, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptations of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. It is a sequel to the TV series takes place 300 years following the television series finale. It chronicles Kenzaki's quest to end his life as the Navy Joker after three centuries.

## Tasogare

Kamen Rider Blade ended years ago but to those who don't know, series head writer Sho Aikawa wrote a short story called "Tasogare" that ties up loose ends of the show's finale. The story is about a dying old woman (Amane) who tells her grandson the story of the 4 Kamen Riders. The story covered what happened to the 4 after Kenzaki went missing after his fight with Hajime.

Hajime lurks around Amane, and stayed by her side during her last moment. He looked exactly the same as they first met. Mutsuki Kamijo, Shiori Hirose, and Kotaro Shirai died due to old age. Kotaro's book about Kamen Rider was so popular that it later became a TV drama and merchandise, which made a lot of money for the Kurihara family. Tachibana became the head of the BOARD. He kept on researching on the Undeads and did experiments on himself. He gained long longevity from his research and kept an eye on the 2 Jokers. He is also Amane's health insurance.

Tachibana found information about an unknown beast attacking armed insurgency in Africa. The beast was trying to keep homeless kids safe from the war zone. That beast is likely to be Kenzaki in his Joker form. In addition, outside the short story, *Kamen Rider 555* was supposed to have an extra episode where Kenzaki meets Takumi. Sadly, this was never released in public and the whole story was only brought up the *Kamen Rider BLADE* DVD round table discussion.

## S.I.C. Hero Saga

The S.I.C. Hero Saga side story for *Blade* is titled *Kamen Rider Blade: Day After Tomorrow* (仮面ライダー剣 -DAY AFTER TOMORROW-, *Kamen Raidā Bureido: DAY AFTER TOMORROW*?) follows the story of the series after the finale and features characters from *Missing Ace*. The new character introduced in the story is Joker (Kazuma Kenzaki ver.) (ジョーカー（剣崎一真ver.）, *Jōkā (Kenzaki Kazuma ver.)*?). Two other special editions of the Hero Saga stories also feature *Blade* characters: *Hero Saga Special Edition: King* featuring Kamen Rider Garren King Form (仮面ライダーギャレン・キングフォーム, *Kamen Raidā Gyaren Kingu Fōmu*?) and *Hero Saga Special Edition: Clover* featuring Kamen Rider Leangle Jack Form (仮面ライダーレンゲル・ジャックフォーム, *Kamen Raidā Rengeru Jakku Fōmu*?). *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
1. The Melancholy of Mutsuki Kamijō (上城睦月の憂鬱, *Kamijō Mutsuki no Yūutsu*?)
2. The Howl of Hajime Aikawa (相川始の咆哮, *Aikawa Hajime no Hōkō*?)
3. The Blunder of Sakuya Tachibana (橘朔也の失策, *Tachibana Sakuya no Shissaku*?)
4. The Mentality of Kazuma Kenzaki (剣崎一真の心情, *Kenzaki Kazuma no Shinjō*?)

## Video game

A video game based on the series was produced by Bandai for the Playstation 2. It is a fighting 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 Philippines, *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* (가면라이더 블레이드 (Gamyeon Raideo Bureideu, *가면라이더 블레이드*?) in 2006 and run at NTV 7 in Malaysia in 2007 after the last episode of *Kamen Rider 555*.

## References

1. ↑ "DVD 仮面ライダー剣 特集" (in Japanese). Toei. http://www.toei-video.co.jp/DVD/sp21/blade.html. Retrieved 2007-10-01.

## External links

* *Kamen Rider Blade* at Wikipedia
* *Kamen Rider Blade* at Japanese Wikipedia
* Official TV Asahi *Kamen Rider Blade* website
* *Kamen Rider Blade* on DVD
* *Kamen Rider Blade* for the Playstation 2