Kamen Rider Blade (仮面ライダー 剣<rp>(</rp><rt>ブレイド</rt><rp>)</rp>) is a Japanese tokusatsu series that serves as the 14th installment in the Kamen Rider franchise and the fifth entry in the Heisei era.

Main characters

Kazuma Kenzaki

Kazuma Kenzaki (剣崎 一真) is a kind-hearted BOARD operative who believes in fighting to protect humanity. He was chosen to use the Rider System 02 to seal the Undead as Kamen Rider Blade. While his Rider powers eventually end up turning him into a Joker over the course of the second half of the series, he uses this to force the Battle Fight into a stalemate and allow his friend Hajime to continue living among humans. Utilizing the Rider System 02, which consists of the Change Beetle (チェンジビートル) card and the Blay Buckle (ブレイバックル) belt, Kenzaki can transform into Kamen Rider Blade. While transformed, he wields the Blay Rouzer (ブレイラウザー) sword, which doubles as his primary weapon and a storage unit for his deck of spade-themed Rouse Cards (ラウズカード), which he can use to channel the Category Spade Undeads' powers to augment himself and perform special attacks. Additionally, he wields Proper Blank cards, which allow him to seal the Undead. Later in the series, Kenzaki gains access to the Rouse Absorber (ラウズアブゾーバー) brace, which he can use in conjunction with the Absorb Capricorn (アブゾーブカプリコーン) card and other special Rouse Cards to assume the following stronger forms: Kazuma Kenzaki is portrayed by Takayuki Tsubaki (椿 隆之).

Sakuya Tachibana

Sakuya Tachibana (橘 朔也) is a BOARD researcher turned field operative who was selected to use the Rider System 01 to seal the Undead as Kamen Rider Garren (仮面ライダーギャレン). Unlike Kenzaki, Tachibana fights to seal the Undead to stave off his death from cellular breakdown, which he blames on his superior Karasuma, and displays a rivalry with Kenzaki, who was chosen to provide backup for Tachibana. After learning from a Karasuma body double that his subconscious fears are causing his condition, Tachibana joins forces with Isaka in exchange for Schuld Kestner seaweed to cure himself despite it intensifying his aggression and slowly damaging his nervous system. When Isaka kills his girlfriend, Sayoko Fukasawa, Tachibana overcomes his fear and seals him. Following this, he goes on to take Mutsuki Kamijo under his wing and settle his differences with the Giraffa Undead. As of the web-exclusive crossover series Kamen Rider Outsiders, Tachibana has become the president of BOARD. Utilizing the Rider System 01, which consists of the Change Stag (チェンジスタッグ) card and the Garren Buckle (ギャレンバックル) belt, Tachibana can transform into Kamen Rider Garren. While transformed, he wields the Garren Rouzer (ギャレンラウザー) handgun, which doubles as his primary weapon and a storage unit for his deck of diamond-themed Rouse Cards, which allow him to channel the Category Diamond Undeads' powers to augment himself and perform special attacks. Like Kenzaki, Tachibana also wields Proper Blank cards to seal the Undead. Later in the series, Tachibana gains access to his own Rouse Absorber, which he can use in conjunction with the Absorb Serpent (アブゾーブサーペント) card and other special Rouse Cards to assume the following stronger forms: Sakuya Tachibana is portrayed by Kousei Amano (天野 浩成).

Hajime Aikawa

The Joker (ジョーカー), also known by his human alias "Hajime Aikawa" (相川 始), is a mysterious and infamous Undead whose victory in the Battle Fight results in the end of all life on Earth. After the Human Undead won the original Battle Fight, he willingly surrendered himself to Joker to help him hide his presence. When the Undead were released two years prior to the series, Joker re-sealed the Mantis and Human Undead. However, the Royal Undead knew of his use of the latter and mounted attempts on Joker's life, with the most recent leading to the death of photographer, Kurihara. Upon learning of the photographer's family, Joker took on the identity of freelance photographer "Hajime Aikawa" and vowed to protect them in atonement. Initially holding a low opinion of humanity, Hajime slowly comes to accept them due to his time with the young Amane Kurihara. Over the course of the series, Hajime develops rivalries with Kazuma Kenzaki and Sakuya Tachibana, though he gradually warms up to them, eventually considering the former a dear friend of his. Once all of the other Undead are sealed, Hajime loses control of his Undead powers until Kenzaki sacrifices his humanity to force the current Battle Fight into a stalemate so Hajime can resume his human life. In an alternate ending depicted in the film Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace, Kenzaki seals Hajime, though he eventually frees him four years later to help defeat the Albino Joker. Ultimately, Hajime sacrifices himself to do so, though his spirit continues to watch over Amane. Unlike the BOARD-sanctioned Riders, Hajime utilizes the Chalice Rouzer (カリスラウザー) belt, which allows him to transform into sealed Undead via their corresponding Rouse Cards. As such, he can use the Change Mantis (チェンジマンティス) card to transform into the Mantis Undead, which became known as Kamen Rider Chalice (仮面ライダーカリス) due to its resemblance to Kamen Riders, and the Spirit (スピリット) card to transform into the Human Undead, which became his human form. While transformed, he wields the bladed Chalice Arrow (カリスアロー) bow, which can switch between Rouzing Bow Mode (醒弓モード) and Blade Mode (ブレードモード) as well as serve as a storage unit for his heart-themed Rouse Cards, which allows him to channel the Category Heart Undeads' powers to augment himself and perform special attacks. Using the Evolution Paradoxa (エボリューションパラドキサ) card, Hajime can fuse himself with his entire card deck and transform into Kamen Rider Wild Chalice (仮面ライダーワイルドカリス). While transformed, he wields the Wild Slasher (ワイルドスラッシャー) kama, which he can either wield in their twin Rouzing Sickle Mode (醒鎌モード) or combine with the Chalice Arrow to access the former's Rouzing Bow Mode, and can fuse all of his Rouse Cards into the singular Wild (ワイルド) card. Hajime Aikawa is portrayed by Ryoji Morimoto (森本 亮治).

Mutsuki Kamijo

Mutsuki Kamijo (上城 睦月) is a weak-willed high school student who was chosen by the improperly sealed Spider Undead to reluctantly utilize the Rider System 03 and become Kamen Rider Leangle (仮面ライダーレンゲル). While under the monster's control, Mutsuki battles the other Kamen Riders until the sealed Tiger and Tarantula Undead give him the strength to fight under his own power, overcome the Spider Undead, and seal it properly. Soon after, Mutsuki joins the other Riders in their fight against the remaining Undead. Utilizing the Rider System 03, which consists of the Change Spider (チェンジスパイダー) card and the Leangle Buckle (レンゲルバックル) belt, Mutsuki can transform into Kamen Rider Leangle. While transformed, he wields the Leangle Rouzer (レンゲルラウザー) staff, which doubles as his primary weapon and a storage unit for his deck of club-themed Rouse Cards, which he can use to channel the Category Club Undeads' powers to augment himself and perform special attacks. During the events of the stage show Kamen Rider Blade 20th Anniversary Stage, Mutsuki gains access to his own Rouse Absorber, which he can use in conjunction with the Absorb Tiger (アブゾーブタイガー) and Evolution Tarantula (エボリューションタランチュラ) cards to assume his own King Form that fuses him with the rest of his Rouse Card deck and grants the use of a spear version of the King Rouzer. Mutsuki Kamijo is portrayed by Takahiro Hōjō (北条 隆博).

Shiori Hirose

Shiori Hirose (広瀬 栞) is a member of BOARD and a survivor of the Undead's initial release who assists the BOARD Riders in detecting Undead. Shiori Hirose is portrayed by Yumi Egawa (江川 有未).

Kotaro Shirai

Kotaro Shirai (白井 虎太郎) is an aspiring writer and milk addict who provides housing for Kenzaki and Shiori. Kotaro Shirai is portrayed by Terunosuke Takezai (竹財 輝之助).

Recurring characters

Undead

The Undead (アンデッド) are 54 immortal animal/plant/playing card-themed monsters who originated several species that inhabit Earth and were created by the "Monolith" (モノリス) 10,000 years ago to determine which of their descendants would become the dominant species as part of a battle royale called the "Battle Fight". While the Human Undead won, allowing humanity to flourish, and the majority were sealed by the Monolith upon their defeat, the Undead were released two years prior to the series by a maddened Yoshito Hirose, which Hiroshi Tennoji took advantage of to stage his own Battle Fight and steal the Monolith, intending to use both for his own ends. The Undead are categorized based on card suits, with the "Royal Club" Undead being the most powerful. The Categories Jack, Queen, and King Undead are all capable of disguising themselves as humans and possess higher forms of thought compared to their weaker feral brethren. Additionally, despite possessing an equivalent amount of power as the other Royal Club Undead and being among their kind's greatest warriors, the Category Aces lack the ability to shapeshift.

Isaka

The Category Jack of Diamonds: Peacock Undead (ピーコックアンデッド), also known by his human alias of Isaka (伊坂), is the creator of the Rider System 03. He assists the Spider Undead in finding an ideal host for him and deceives Kamen Rider Garren into working for him. After he kills Garren's girlfriend, Sayako Fukasawa, for interfering with his plans, Isaka is sealed by Garren. In his human form, Isaka possesses telekinesis, the ability to create fireballs, and mass hypnosis. Isaka is portrayed by Yasukaze Motomiya (本宮 泰風).

Spider Undead

The Category Ace of Clubs: Spider Undead (スパイダーアンデッド) is Isaka's accomplice who can produce webbing from his mouth capable of siphoning victims' life forces. Initially working to find ideal hosts for Rider System 03, the Spider Undead eventually allows itself to be partially sealed by Mutsuki Kamijo so it can possess him in the hopes of winning the modern Battle Fight. However, Kamijo receives help from the Tarantula and Tiger Undead in overcoming the Spider Undead's influence and properly sealing it.

Miyuki Yoshinaga

The Category Queen of Hearts: Orchid Undead (オーキッドアンデッド), also known by her human alias of Miyuki Yoshinaga (吉永 みゆき), is a manipulative individual who becomes the target of Kotaro Shirai's affections. Unable to cope with human emotions, she battles and is sealed by Kamen Rider Leangle. Miyuki Yoshinaga is portrayed by Mika Hijii (肘井 美佳).

Kanai

The Category King of Diamonds: Giraffa Undead (ギラファアンデッド), also known by his human alias of Kanai (金居), is a stoic individual and the first to learn that the modern Battle Fight is being fought under false pretenses. He manipulates the Riders into weakening Hiroshi Tennoji before killing him himself and stealing the Kerberos card to gain the power necessary to seal the Joker. After blackmailing Hajime Aikawa into fighting him, Kanai battles Kamen Rider Garren, who eventually seals him. Kanai is portrayed by Akira Kubodera (窪寺 昭).

Minor Undead

Other Undead

BOARD

The Board of Archaeological Research Department (人類基盤史研究所), abbreviated as BOARD (ボード), is an organization dedicated to combating and sealing the Undead via Rider systems capable of fusing humans with Undead DNA.

Kei Karasuma

Kei Karasuma (烏丸 啓) is the president of BOARD and a professor who created Kamen Riders Blade, Garren, and Leangle's Rider systems while under Isaka's control. During his travels, he befriended Noboru Shima, whom he entrusted with the Rouse Absorbers despite knowing he was an Undead. Kei Karasuma is portrayed by Kazuhiro Yamaji (山路 和弘).

Yoshito Hirose

Yoshito Hirose (広瀬 義人) is Shiori's father who released the Undead in a fit of madness, dying in the process. Prior to this, the former created Undead Trial B in his image to protect Shiori and gave it all of his memories up to that point. Yoshito Hirose is portrayed by Junichi Haruta (春田 純一).

Hiroshi Tennoji

Hiroshi Tennoji (天王路 博史) is the chairman of BOARD who manipulated the series' events and the creation of the artificial Undead Kerberos to realize his dream of a new world order with himself as its ruler. Despite merging himself with Kerberos, he is defeated by the Kamen Riders and killed by the Giraffa Undead. Hiroshi Tennoji is portrayed by Kohji Moritsugu (森次 晃嗣).

Nozomi Yamanaka

Nozomi Yamanaka (山中 望美) is Mutsuki's girlfriend who became indirectly involved with and supports his journey as a Kamen Rider. Nozomi Yamanaka is portrayed by Arisa Miyazawa (宮澤 亜理沙).

Haruka Kurihara

Haruka Kurihara (栗原 遥香) is Kotaro's older sister and owner of the Jacaranda Cafe. Haruka Kurihara is portrayed by Kaori Yamaguchi (山口 香緒里).

Amane Kurihara

Amane Kurihara (栗原 天音) is Haruka's rude nine-year-old daughter and Kotaro's niece who develops feelings for Hajime, which contributes to his changing attitude towards humanity. Amane Kurihara is portrayed by Hikari Kajiwara (梶原 ひかり) as a child and by Miku Ishida (石田 未来) as a teenager.

Guest characters

Spin-off exclusive characters

Junichi Shimura

The Albino Joker (アルビノジョーカー), also known by his human alias of "Junichi Shimura" (志村 純一), is a secondary Joker who appears exclusively in an alternate ending depicted in the film Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace. Following Hajime Aikawa's sealing, Shimura emerged to attack Karasuma and release the other Undead once more. Taking on a human form, the former joins BOARD to reseal the Undead, becoming Kamen Rider Glaive (仮面ライダーグレイブ) and recruiting Natsumi Miwa and Shin Magaki to help him in the process. Once the job is complete, Shimura kills his partners, but is eventually exposed by Shiori Hirose. Mutsuki Kamijo unseals Hajime to help the Riders, but Shimura uses the King Undeads' Rouse Cards to create the Vanity Card, seals Amane Kurihara in it, and uses them to summon the monstrous Jashin 14 (邪神14) and fuse with it to gain its power. Using his new form, he tries to kill the Riders, but Hajime sacrifices himself to help Kazuma Kenzaki destroy the Vanity Card, freeing Amane and weakening Shimura enough for Kenzaki to kill him. Utilizing the Change Kerberos (チェンジケルベロス) card in conjunction with Glaive Buckle (グレイブバックル) belt, Shimura can transform into Kamen Rider Glaive. While transformed, he wields the Glaive Rouzer (グレイブラウザー) sword, which allows him to perform the Gravity Slash (グラビティスラッシュ) finisher. As Albino Joker, he can summon white versions of the Darkroaches called Albiroaches (アルビローチ) to aid him. Junichi Shimura is portrayed by Yuuki Kuroda (黒田 勇樹).

Natsumi Miwa

Natsumi Miwa (三輪 夏美) is a former officer worker turned BOARD member who appears exclusively in the film Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace. At her former job, she was berated by her boss until she had enough and knocked him out. Following this, she was handpicked by Junichi Shimura to join him at BOARD as Kamen Rider Larc (仮面ライダーラルク) to capture the Undead released by the Albino Joker. She is later killed by Shimura after discovering he was the Albino Joker. Utilizing her own copy of Shimura's Change Kerberos card in conjunction with the Larc Buckle (ラルクバックル) belt, Miwa can transform into Kamen Rider Larc. While transformed, she wields the Larc Rouzer (ラルクラウザー) crossbow, which allows her to perform the Ray Bullet (レイバレット) finisher. Natsumi Miwa is portrayed by Yoko Mitsuya (三津谷 葉子).

Shin Magaki

Shin Magaki (禍木 慎) is a former waiter turned BOARD member who appears exclusively in the film Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace. After being fired from his previous job for yelling at a rude customer, he was handpicked by Junichi Shimura to join him at BOARD as Kamen Rider Lance (仮面ライダーランス) to capture the Undead released by the Albino Joker. While Magaki is later killed by Shimura, having discovered the latter was the Albino Joker, he is able to provide clues to the other Riders pointing to Shimura's true identity. Utilizing his own copy of Shimura's Change Kerberos card in conjunction with the Lance Buckle (ランスバックル) belt, Magaki can transform into Kamen Rider Lance. While transformed, he wields the Lance Rouzer (ランスラウザー) spear, which allows him to perform the Impact Stab (インパクトスタッブ) finisher. Shin Magaki is portrayed by Takao Sugiura (杉浦 太雄).