| Title | Period broadcast |
No of times broadcast |
Broadcasting station (network) |
Outline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masked Rider Kuga | January 30, 2000 – January 21, 2001 | 49 | TV Asahi Network | Start of the Heisei Era Masked Rider series. The name of this Masked Rider is Kuga. This series has an ambience which is different from that of the previous Masked Rider series. |
| Masked Rider Agito | January 28, 2001 – January 27. 2002 | 51 | TV Asahi Network | The second Heisei Era Masked Rider series where Masked Rider fights gods. This series, continuing the story of Masked Rider Kuga, has the same ambience as Masked Rider Kuga. |
| Masked Rider Ryuki | February 3, 2002 – January 19, 2003 | 50 | TV Asahi Network | Supplementary story of successive Masked Rider series depicting the life-and-death battles of thirteen Masked Riders. This series opened up new ground by using lots of novel techniques. |
| Masked Rider 555 | January 26, 2003 – January 18, 2004 | 50 | TV Asahi Network | High-tech Masked Rider with Autobajin — a support droid — that no previous Masked Riders had. |
| Masked Rider Blade | January 25, 2004 – January 23, 2005 | 49 | TV Asahi Network | The fifth Heisei Era Masked Rider is called Blade. (The first phase Masked Rider series lasted until the fifth series.) |
| Masked Rider Hibiki | January 30, 2005 – January 22, 2006 | 48 | TV Asahi Network | |
| Masked Rider Kabuto | January 29, 2006 – January 21, 2007 | 49 | TV Asahi Network | |
| Masked Rider Den-O | January 28, 2007, January 20, 2008 | - | TV Asahi Network | |
| The Skull Man, Prologue of Darkness | April 2007 | 1 | Fuji Television Network | |
| Masked Rider Kiva | January 27, 2008 - January 18, 2009 | 48 | TV Asahi Network | |
| Masked Rider Decade | January 25, 2009 - august 30, 2009 | 31 | TV Asahi Network | |
| Masked Rider W | September 6, 2008 - currently being broadcast | - | TV Asahi Network |
■Comment■
■Ishinomori is not dead. Return of the Masked Rider series!
Shotaro Ishinomori died on January 28, 1999. When the news of the death of Ishinomori — the man who had established the foundation of hero dramas — spread all over Japan, I suppose many Ishinomori fans felt it was the end of an era. Is there no possibility of seeing any new Ishinomori heroes?
However, that sadness and worry were lifted by the 1999 revival. Robocon was back!
The title of the new Robocon series was Robocon. Robocon was renewed in a way to retain the ambience of the Robocon of the old days. Truly, it was nothing less than that same cute Robocon. At the opening of the drama, the credit stating the original story by Shotaro Ishinomori was strikingly shown. Ishinomori was revived by young people who succeeded Ishinomori’s will.
The following year saw the start of production of the long-awaited new Masked Rider series. Titled Masked Rider Kuga, this was the first Masked Rider TV drama series in ten years, since Masked Rider Black RX.
Everything was new, everything was challenged, in this new Masked Rider series. For instance, Kuga is not a transformed human but a resurrected warrior of an ancient time; Kuga’s enemies speak a mysterious language; realistic motorbike live action; and the drama is high-vision video without using film. Masked Rider was reborn as a new hero, abandoning the previous style. The lyrics of the theme songs overflow with ideas.
"Let’s start the epoch from zero."
"Legends should be reproduced."
Ishinomori continually dashed out new things one after the other with original ideas. Brimming with new ideas, Masked Rider Kuga aptly materialized Ishinomori’s will. The words, “Dedicated to Shotaro Ishinomori” at the beginning of the first episode showed the great confidence of the successors of Ishinomori.
Masked Rider Kuga became a great hit not only among children, but also among adults thanks to its bold composition and dramatic story which satisfied even adults. Masked Rider Kuga was followed by other Masked Rider series, Agito, Ryuki, 555, Blade, Hibiki and Kabuto. Now (2007), the eighth series, Den-o, is being broadcast. All of these Masked Rider series have distinctive features and do not resemble any previous series, so there are always critics and protagonists among old Masked Rider fans. Some viewers extol the series, some condemn it, but all of the series gained a following of loyal fans. The appeal of Masked Rider is so large that the Masked Rider series cannot be stuffed into a small drawer. The originality of Heisei Era Masked Riders shows the infinite possibility of the Masked Rider series. Masked Rider, Ishinomori’s masterpiece, will always be ahead of its time in originality, unexpectedness and impact, as all of his works were.
It is rare for a series to continue for more than four years these days. This is proof that the popularity of Masked Rider series remains solid and that the Heisei Era Masked Rider series is accepted as the standard of dramas of the present times. Masked Rider is still evolving and producing the stuff of legends.
However, that sadness and worry were lifted by the 1999 revival. Robocon was back!
The title of the new Robocon series was Robocon. Robocon was renewed in a way to retain the ambience of the Robocon of the old days. Truly, it was nothing less than that same cute Robocon. At the opening of the drama, the credit stating the original story by Shotaro Ishinomori was strikingly shown. Ishinomori was revived by young people who succeeded Ishinomori’s will.
The following year saw the start of production of the long-awaited new Masked Rider series. Titled Masked Rider Kuga, this was the first Masked Rider TV drama series in ten years, since Masked Rider Black RX.
Everything was new, everything was challenged, in this new Masked Rider series. For instance, Kuga is not a transformed human but a resurrected warrior of an ancient time; Kuga’s enemies speak a mysterious language; realistic motorbike live action; and the drama is high-vision video without using film. Masked Rider was reborn as a new hero, abandoning the previous style. The lyrics of the theme songs overflow with ideas.
"Let’s start the epoch from zero."
"Legends should be reproduced."
Ishinomori continually dashed out new things one after the other with original ideas. Brimming with new ideas, Masked Rider Kuga aptly materialized Ishinomori’s will. The words, “Dedicated to Shotaro Ishinomori” at the beginning of the first episode showed the great confidence of the successors of Ishinomori.
Masked Rider Kuga became a great hit not only among children, but also among adults thanks to its bold composition and dramatic story which satisfied even adults. Masked Rider Kuga was followed by other Masked Rider series, Agito, Ryuki, 555, Blade, Hibiki and Kabuto. Now (2007), the eighth series, Den-o, is being broadcast. All of these Masked Rider series have distinctive features and do not resemble any previous series, so there are always critics and protagonists among old Masked Rider fans. Some viewers extol the series, some condemn it, but all of the series gained a following of loyal fans. The appeal of Masked Rider is so large that the Masked Rider series cannot be stuffed into a small drawer. The originality of Heisei Era Masked Riders shows the infinite possibility of the Masked Rider series. Masked Rider, Ishinomori’s masterpiece, will always be ahead of its time in originality, unexpectedness and impact, as all of his works were.
It is rare for a series to continue for more than four years these days. This is proof that the popularity of Masked Rider series remains solid and that the Heisei Era Masked Rider series is accepted as the standard of dramas of the present times. Masked Rider is still evolving and producing the stuff of legends.
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