Kamen Rider Blade

Kamen Rider Blade (仮面ライダー剣（ブレイド）, Kamen Raidā Bureido?, Masked Rider ♠ (Blade)), is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the fourteenth installment in 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, expand that power." (今、その力が展開する, Ima, sono chikara ga tenkai suru?) and "Take the trump card of fate!" (運命の切札をつかみ取れ!, Unmei no kirifuda o tsukamitore!?).

Story
Main article: List of Kamen Rider Blade characters

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.

Episodes
Main article: List of 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?)

Missing Ace

Kamen Rider Blade The Movie: Missing Ace (劇場版　仮面ライダー剣　MISSING ACE, Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Bureido Misshingu Ēsu?) is the theatrical release, first in theaters on September 11, 2004.

Four years after an alternate ending to the series, in which Blade seals the Joker, the characters have moved on with their lives: Kenzaki is a garbage man, Mutsuki has graduated high school, and Kotarō has published a book about the Kamen Riders to great success, but on Amane's upcoming birthday, it was revealed that she has become a delinquent without the emotional support of Hajime. The Undead have been re-released, and a new trio of Kamen Riders—Glaive, Larc and Lance—have emerged from BOARD, now led by Tachibana. After recapturing two of the Category Aces, Kenzaki and Mutsuki join with the new Riders. When all the Undead are sealed once more, Glaive reveals himself to be the Albino Joker, a white version of the original Joker, and captures Kotarō's niece to obtain the ultimate power, sealing her in the Vanity Card. In order to free Amane from the card, Hajime is unsealed from the Joker Card and the four Riders are again united, intent on saving Amane and stopping the Albino Joker.
[edit] Specials

Kamen Rider Blade: Blade vs. Blade is a Hyper Battle Video, wherein a Trial-series cyborg pretends to be Kenzaki, who quickly discovers the fraud and fights him. During their battle, the other Riders bicker humorously about which Blade is the fake, which constantly results in their attacking the real Kenzaki. As with all Hyper Battle Videos, this serves as a device to exposit the Rider's various powers and abilities.

Kamen Rider Blade: New Generation is a television special made of a collection of vignettes which aired following certain episodes of Blade, following the history of Kamen Riders Glaive, L'arc, and Lance. This is a direct tie-in to the movie Missing Ace.
[edit] 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?)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.[1]