8 /10 1 Votes
First episode date 29 January 2006 Number of episodes 49 | 7.9/10 IMDb Narrated by Eiichiro Suzuki Final episode date 21 January 2007 Number of seasons 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genre TokusatsuSuperhero fiction Written by Shōji YonemuraToshiki Inoue Directed by Hidenori IshidaNaoki TamuraTakao NagaishiRyuta TasakiNobuhiro SuzumuraTakayuki Shibasaki Starring Hiro MizushimaYuuki SatoYui SatonakaHidenori TokuyamaMasato UchiyamaKazuki KatoYusuke Yamamoto Cast Similar Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider 555, Kamen Rider Den‑O, Kamen Rider Agito, Kamen Rider Kuuga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kamen Rider Kabuto (仮面ライダーカブト, Kamen Raidā Kabuto, Masked Rider Kabuto) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the sixteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. The series was broadcast on TV Asahi. The first episode aired on January 29, 2006, and with the final episode airing on January 21, 2007, completing the series with 49 episodes. The series represents the 35th anniversary of the Kamen Rider Series, as indicated by a notice at the beginning of the pilot episode reading, in Japanese, "Kamen Rider 35th Anniversary Production." Kamen Rider Kabuto is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in high-definition format.
Contents
- Story
- Masked Rider System
- Allusions
- God Speed Love
- Hyper Battle Video
- Video game
- Novel
- Cast
- Guest actors
- Songs
- 35th Masked Rider Anniversary File
- International broadcasts
- Parodies
- References
Story
Seven years prior to the series, a meteorite struck the Shibuya district in Tokyo. An alien lifeform, known as the Worms, emerged from the meteorite and became a threat to humanity. Souji Tendou has trained seven years while waiting for the Kabuto Zecter so that he may properly take up the mantle of Kamen Rider Kabuto. Making many enemies while at the same time meeting other Riders with mysterious origins, Tendou attempts to accomplish his goal at all costs: to destroy all Worms that threaten humanity. He meets ZECT operative Arata Kagami, who later becomes Kamen Rider Gatack. The two soon work together to save humanity from the alien Worms—but not before uncovering the conspiracies within the ZECT organization and the "Natives" species.
Masked Rider System
Zecters (ゼクター, Zekutā), also known as the Masked Rider System (マスクドライダーシステム, Masukudo Raidā Shisutemu), are a compilation of mobile systems that affect space/time. They were created by the Natives, a species of Worm that arrived on Earth 35 years ago. These Natives in turn gave the Zecters to humans so that they may protect them from alien Worms that would arrive later. The Zecters appear instantaneously from the ZECT headquarters to the selected personnel so that they may transform into the respective Rider to fight any Worms in the vicinity. Each Rider (except for the Hopper Riders and the Kabutech Riders) possesses two forms: the bulky armored cocoon-like Masked Form (マスクドフォーム, Masukudo Fōmu) and the sleeker Rider Form (ライダーフォーム, Raidā Fōmu) which can use the Clock Up (クロックアップ, Kurokku Appu), a system that allows the Rider to move at high speed. They also have the ZECTroopers to help them. Worth noting is that the Zecters have a mind of their own and can reject their present user in search of another one if they so choose.
There are eight known Zecters within the Masked Rider System, each allowing the user to become a different Rider. Most Zecters are based on insects, with the exception of the Sasword Zecter, which is based on a scorpion.
There also exist two other Zecters known as the Perfect Zecter and the Hyper Zecter. The Perfect Zecter serves as a primary weapon while the Hyper Zecter is a power-up device that enhances the powers of the original Zecter. Both were only used by Kabuto in the series, but Gatack got to use the Hyper Zecter in the Hyper Battle DVD.
Allusions
The series made some allusions to the whole Kamen Rider series. Masked Rider Project as mentioned in the course of the series was said to be started on 3 April 1971. The Worm species known as Natives also first arrived on Earth on the same year. In real-life, it was the date the first Kamen Rider show aired for the first time.
God Speed Love
The movie spin-off of the 2006 Kamen Rider Series, entitled Kamen Rider Kabuto the Movie: God Speed Love (劇場版 仮面ライダーカブト GOD SPEED LOVE, Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Kabuto Goddo Supīdo Rabu), was released in Japan on August 5. The film took place in an alternate timeline and served as an alternate prologue to the series, featuring three new Riders known as Hercus, Ketaros and Caucasus.
Hyper Battle Video
In Kamen Rider Kabuto: Birth! Gatack Hyper Form!! (仮面ライダーカブト 誕生！ガタックハイパーフォーム!!, Kamen Raidā Kabuto Tanjō! Gatakku Haipā Fōmu!!), Arata Kagami seeks to get the Hyper Zecter just like Souji Tendou, so he tries to emulate Tendou. Once he realizes that he has to be himself, the Hyper Zecter appears and allows him to transform into Kamen Rider Gatack Hyper Form, which only appears in the DVD. The Kabuto and Gatack Zecters speak to Tendou and Kagami throughout the DVD, voiced by Tomokazu Seki and Kōji Yusa, respectively.
Video game
A video game based on the series was produced by Bandai for the PlayStation 2, under the name Kamen Rider Kabuto. Released on November 30, 2006, it is a fighting game featuring all Riders seen in the show and movie, along with Hyper Gatack. The game features 5 different modes of play, ranging from a story mode to several multi-player modes.
Novel
Kamen Rider Kabuto (仮面ライダーカブト, Kamen Raidā Kabuto), written by Shōji Yonemura, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptions of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. The mysteries behind Kamen Rider Kabuto will be revealed as Tendou Souji fights his final battle with the Worms. After the battle, he travels around the world starting from Bangkok, Thailand to Varanasi, India. During this time, the story follow Arata Kagami as he tries to court Hiyori Kusakabe. The novel was released on November 30, 2012.
Cast
Guest actors
Songs
35th Masked Rider Anniversary File
During episodes 23 through 27, this segment called the 35th Masked Rider Anniversary File, acted as a look back to the franchise and an early advertisement for the God Speed Love movie. These look backs are held in a movie theater and the segment is hosted by Soji Tendo (Kamen Rider Kabuto), Arata Kagami (Kamen Rider Gatack), Tetsuki Yamato (Kamen Rider Ketaros), Yuzuki Misaki, and Masato Mishima. During these five segments, they discuss the history of the Kamen Rider franchise, sometimes in a comedic tone, but always with serious background music.
International broadcasts
Kabuto was broadcast in South Korea as Masked Rider Kabuto (가면라이더 가부토 Gamyeon Raideo Gabuto) in 2008. In the Philippines, this show is currently broadcast on Cartoon Network dubbed into English. In Singapore, this show is also dubbed and debut on June 20, 2009, on Okto. In Malaysia, this show was dubbed in Malay version on NTV7.
Parodies
Episode 327-B of Sgt. Frog titled "Keroro, Invasion in a Blink!" (ケロロ あっというまの侵略！であります, Keroro Attoiuma no Shinryaku! de arimasu) features the members of the Keroro Platoon trying to invade Earth in Clock Up mode.