Kikaider/Kikaider

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Android Kikaider: The Animation
Kikaider人造人間キカイダーJinzo Ningen KikaidaArtificial Humanoid Kikaider
Genre	Adventure, Drama, Mecha, Science Fiction
Anime series
Directed by	Tensai Okamura
Studio	Studio OX
Network	KIDS STATION Cartoon Network
Original run	2000-10-16 — 2000-12-28
No. of episodes	13
OVA: Kikaider-01: The Animation
Directed by	Keitaro Motonaga
Studio	Studio OX
No. of episodes	4
Released	2003-06-30 to 2003-07-03

Kikaida or Kikaider (人造人間キカイダー, Jinzo Ningen Kikaidā) is a Japanese superhero created by Shotaro Ishinomori. The character has appeared in manga, tokusatsu, and anime.

Paying tribute to Astro Boy, created by his mentor Osamu Tezuka, Ishinomori used the stories of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio (which was also the basis for Astro Boy) along with Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein as the basis for his science-fiction action story.

The tokusatsu series from 1972 is especially popular in Hawaii. The complete DVD series is available in the west with English subtitles through JN Productions.

Kikaider, the main character, is a humanoid robot built by Dr. Komyoji to protect himself and his children from the DARK Android commanded by the evil Professor Gill.

The series was originally a live-action Tokusatsu series, as was its sequel Kikaider-01. A manga drawn in a style reminiscent of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy was eventually published, introducing Kikaider-00. A 13-episode anime and 4-episode OVA based on the manga were created in 2001.

Contents 1 General Characters 1.1 Androids 1.2 Humans 2 Adaptations 2.1 Tokusatsu 2.2 Anime 3 Superhero Safety 4 Trivia 5 External links

[edit] General Characters

[edit] Androids

• Jiro/Kikaider: An android created by Dr. Komyoji to stop DARK. Unlike the first two Kikaider models (00 and 01) created before him, Jiro, the third model, has emotions due to his GEMINI Conscience Circuit, and he acts to protect Mitsuko and Masaru Komyoji. However, since GEMINI was incomplete, he could have been taken over by Professor Gill's hypnotic flute until he was able to overpower its influence (even rely on a high-pitched sound to drown it out). Jiro also has a guitar and motorcycle, which is called Sidemachine.
  • The name "Kikaider" is a cross between kikai (Japanese for "machine") and the English word "Rider."
  • "Jiro" is a Japanese given name meaning "second son."
  • The reason Kikaider is half-blue and half-red is due to his incomplete GEMINI Conscience Circuit (he would be blue if it were complete). Blue represents good and red represents evil. It is that latter side, the dark side, that Professor Gill tries to exploit in him.

• Ichiro/Kikaider-01 ("Zero One"): Jiro's "older brother", the second Kikaider built by Komyoji in case of dire emergencies. Named after the scientist's late first son Taro (who was a fireman killed by a fire started by DARK, although in the anime he was electrocuted in a lab accident). Ichiro/01 was solar-powered, and was weak in the dark. While the weakness in the dark was removed from the anime and manga, his solar-power charge was kept, although never directly mentioned. The anime Ichiro lacked a conscience circuit, thus lacks the same type of compassion Jiro has (a possible reason Komyoji instead strived to create the "perfected" Jiro). Ichiro seemed to act like a little kid at first, with a passion for a good fight, but he matured eventually and decides to help Jiro in the fight against SHADOW. His weapons are his machinegun arm & the sunlight beam. He plays a trumpet & rides the motorcycle and sidecar Doublemachine.
  • "Ichiro" is a Japanese given name meaning "first son."

• Rei/Kikaider-00 (pronounced "double-oh"): The very first (and failed) Kikaider prototype. He was deemed a failure before his completion, and was left unfinished in Komyoji's lab, until he was completed by the priest who was taking care of Ichiro. Like Ichiro, Rei lacks a conscience circuit, although while Ichiro tends to act childish, Rei simply does not show emotion towards anything whatsoever. He has blades in his hands and can "Blow Up" causing guns to pop out of parts of his body (similar to another Ishinomori superhero, Robot Detective K from the series Robotto Keiji), and he also uses an attack where he says "Shoot All" bombarding the enemy with missiles. Unlike his brothers, he neither drives a motorcycle nor has a musical instrument due to his late completion. He wears a yellow suit in his human form. He never appeared in the live-action series. (Although, in 1989, he did unofficially appear in a fan film video series produced by Nakajima Productions, entitled Android Double-O).
  • "Rei" is Japanese for "zero."

• Saburo/Hakaider: Another android, considered as Jiro's "younger brother" as he was also made by Professor Komyoji; ironically, it is later revealed that he is Professor Komyoji. While Jiro was made by Dr. Komyoji voluntarily, Saburo was one of the Hakaider androids Komyoji was forced to make under the dominance of DARK to "correct his mistake" by destroying Kikaider. Unlike the other Hakaiders made, Saburo is a cyborg. Since Gill had Dr. Komyoji's brain transplanted into the very android he created, it was his trump card against Jiro. Hakaider almost succeeded in killing Kikaider, when Komyoji's brain overrode Saburo's systems momentarily and helped get Kikaider and the others into DARK HQ. By the time Saburo resumed control, Gill no longer needed him & had the other Hakaiders blast the cyborg's head off (Kikaider, however, saved Komyoji's brain for Mitsuko). But Saburo, headless, was still active & grabbed Gill by the throat as DARK HQ exploded. However, later on, Professor Gill's own brain somehow wound up in Hakaider's body, thus turning him into Gill-Hakaider.
  • The basis of Hakaider's name is the same as that of Kikaider's, except that kikai, "machine," is replaced with hakai, "destruction."
  • "Saburo" is a Japanese given name meaning "third son."
  • The 1971 Kamen Rider manga (another one of Ishinomori's creations) featured a Hakaider in which Hongo Takeshi, the first Kamen Rider, was killed and his brain implanted into an android body.
  • Saburo announces his presence by whistling.
  • Hakaider uses a gun, Hakaider Shot, as a weapon, but he feels that hand-to-hand combat is more honorable, unless his foe is either cowardly or defeated.
  • Saburo uses a knife, Destruction Blade, as a weapon and henshin (transformation) device. When Saburo transforms into Hakaider, Destruction Blade transforms into Hakaider Shot.
  • In 1995, Hakaider got to star in his own movie as an anti-hero in a post-apocalyptic world, but the film did poorly at the box office.

• Shadow Knight: Big, clunky, one-eyed leader in SHADOW's ranks. In the live action Kikaider-01 series, Shadow Knight is the second in command of SHADOW until Big Shadow places Gill-Hakaider in that position. Shadow Knight and Gill-Hakaider are rivals and will not allow the other to defeat 01. In the anime, Shadow Knight is Gill-Hakaider's second in command.

• Mari/Bijinder: An agent of SHADOW, but later joined up with the Kikaiders to fight at their side. She plays a harp and rides the Bjindermachine motorcycle in the live action version, but not the anime or manga. Her human form was constructed in a highly sensual fashion, which causes her to often make remarks towards her beauty in combat. She unknowingly shares a mental link with Rieko, and feels whatever she feels when her emotions are at their highest.
  • Her name is based on bijin ("beautiful person").
  • Mari/Bijinda's human form in the manga and the anime is called Mieko.

• Rieko: Although she has no alternate name, Rieko is definitely an android, though it's never revealed straight off in the live action version or the anime. The only real difference appears to be that in the live action and manga, Rieko knew she was an android. Rieko in the anime truly thought she was human, due to Prof. Gill installing her memories. Rieko plays no musical instrument. She is Akira's caretaker, treating him as if he were her own child instead. Her android form is basically made of two shades of gold with her 'hair' modeled into a sort of swept up bun. She has a green jewel in the center of her forehead with which to shoot a laser at her enemies. Rieko did not change her appearance in the live action.

• The Hakaider Squad: When Hakaider returned from the dead as "Gill-Hakaider" (with Professor Gill's brain, instead of Komyoji's), he created three other Hakaiders from three DARK scientists to serve as his aides; Red, Blue and Silver Hakaiders. All four Hakaiders combine into a singular robot monster Gattaider. The Three Hakaiders sacrificed themselves so their leader could escape. In the live-action version, all four Hakaiders also transformed into separate robot monsters; Gill, Red, Blue and Silver Hakaider transformed into Black Dragon (which looks like King Ghidorah), Red Centipede, Blue Alligator and Silver Shrimp, respectively.
  • Gattaider is based on gattai ("combine").

• Waruder: Robot samurai warrior, an agent of SHADOW. Appeared in the manga and live-action versions (did not have a robot form in the former). Did not appear in the anime version. In live action series Waruder is in love with Bijinder, but Bijinder is unable to accept Waruder as long as he is obsessed with destroying Kikaider-01. Plays a wooden flute. Rides Warudermachine motorcycle.
  • His name is based on warui (Japanese for "bad" or "evil")

• Zadam: A conjoined robotic monster with 4 legs, 2 arms, 2 heads, and a pair of red wings on his back. Zadam possesses the ability to split his body into two. In the live action Kikaida 01 series Zadam is from SHADOW's base on the moon and is weakened by sunlight, taking over Gill-Hakaider as the second-in-command of SHADOW, causing both Gill-Hakaider and Shadow Knight to resent him. In the OVA, he made a cameo before being blasted to bits by Kidaider-00.

[edit] Humans

• Dr. Den Komyoji: The creator of the three Kikaidas. A top robotics expert, he was captured by DARK to help them build an army of murderous robot monsters. He secretly built the Kikaidas to not only protect his two children, Mitsuko and Masaru, but to save the world.

• Mitsuko Komyoji: The daughter of Dr. Komyoji, the scientist who created Jiro. She seemed to despise robots since they caused her so much suffering yet she develops feelings for Jiro. Feeling guilty for driving him away, had to track a lost and confused Jiro all over town, with the help of Detective Hattori and his assistant. By the end of the series (both anime and manga), Mitsuko has fallen in love with Jiro. She awaits his return, as he promised in the final episode of the TV series.

• Masaru Komyoji: The spunky younger brother of Mitsuko, and most emotionally transparent character of the entire cast.

• Hanpei "Hanpen" Hattori: A comical private investigator who befriends and helps Kikaida and his companions. He is a descendant of the famous real-life ninja Hattori Hanzō. Reminiscent of Shaggy from the Scooby-Doo TV shows (but dressed up in Sherlock Holmes-styled attire). Drives a Subaru 360 that constantly breaks down, and he has to use ninja "magic" and techniques to keep it holding together. In the manga and anime version, Hanpei has an assistant - a bespectacled girl named Etsuko Sarutobi (who does not appear in the live-action version). Is seemingly more laid-back and restrained in the anime version. Both Hanpei and Etsuko appeared briefly in the wreckage of Tokyo in the final episode of the OVA series and Hanpei appears again by himself in the Inazuman vs. Kikaider OAV. Hanpei is derisively nicknamed "Hanpen" by his companions (hanpen is Japanese for "pounded fish cake").

• Professor Gill: The leader of a terrorist organization called DARK. He once funded Dr. Komyoji's research, and he even introduced Mitsuko's and Masaru's mother to Dr. Komyoji. Gill hates Kikaider, seeing him as an abomination of robots due to his GEMINI System (not to mention a threat to his ambition), and wants to destroy him as a result. Gill used a flute that can control his Dark Androids (and partially affecting Kikaider as well). When DARK was demolished, Gill was mortally injured & his brain was transferred into the body of a restored Hakaider, minus Saburo's AI. Thereafter, Gill became the cyborg Gill-Hakaider, leader of the Hakaider Squad and the terrorist group SHADOW, who must retrieve his son Akira, the core of the project he worked on before Kikaider destroyed DARK, the Armageddon Lord.

• Akira: This poor boy is the second son of Prof. Gill, and definitely not without misfortune. In the live action Kikaider-01, this little boy had part of the plans for the Giant Devil Robot (Armageddon Lord in the anime) on his back. He was wanted by both the Hakaider Squad and SHADOW. In the anime version of Kikaider-01, he was 'made' in order to be some sort of tool for Gill's Armageddon Lord (in fact, he appears to be the power source). Akira is very quiet and very uncomfortable without the presence of Rieko at first, since she was the only one to truly take care of him.

• Hiroshi: Oldest son of Prof. Gill. Like his younger brother, he also had part of the plans for the Giant Devil Robot tattooed (with invisible ink) on his back. He was wanted by both the Hakaider Squad and SHADOW. Does not appear in the anime version of Kikader-01.

• Misao : Hiroshi's tutor when DARK was in operation. After Kikaider's defeat of DARK, Misao and Hiroshi were homeless. Misao became a pick-pocket. After the death of Rieko, Misao became the guardian of both Hiroshi and Akira. Does not appear in the anime version of Kikader-01.

• Big Shadow : Mysterious leader of SHADOW, in the live-action Kikaider-01 series. Forces Gill-Hakaider to serve him.

• Gunta Momochi : Inept photographer who takes the place of Hanpei Hattori as comic relief in the live action Kikaider-01. The character was apparently not popular and eventually fades out of the show.

[edit] Adaptations

[edit] Tokusatsu

• Android Kikaider (1972) TV Series + 1 Movie
• Kikaider 01 (1973) TV Series
• Mechanical Violator Hakaider (1995) Movie

[edit] Anime

• Android Kikaider: The Animation (2000-2001) TV Series
• Kikaider 01: The Animation (2001) 4-Part OVA
• The Boy Who Carried a Guitar: Kikaider Vs. Inazuman (2002) OVA Special

[edit] Superhero Safety

In the past, the Super Giant movie series and shows like Moonlight Mask (the first TV superhero in Japan) became controversial, when children imitated the stunts performed by the featured superheroes, usually by jumping out of a window (this was also a major issue with the TV and movie adaptations of Superman).

The original Android Kikaider series was one of the first tokusatsu superhero TV shows that added safety bumpers (seen at the end of each episode) which warned children not to imitate the dangerous and impossible stunts performed by the title superhero.

[edit] Trivia

• Hakaider is perhaps one of the first villains to have his own theme song. It was sung by Mizuki Ichiro (also affectionately known as 'Aniki') and entitled "Hakaidaa no Uta" (Hakaida's Song). It basically tells of Hakaida's thoughts and what drives him, best summed up in the chorus "Tsubuse, kowase, hakaise yo!" (Crush, break/ruin, destroy!)

• Kikaider was occasionally shown in posters teamed up with Kamen Rider. However, the two never actually met on-screen.

• In the "JAKQ Dengeki Tai vs Goranger" movie, Kikaider is mentioned as fighting CRIME agents in Mongolia. Himitsu Sentai Goranger battle CRIME agents in Africa, Kamen Rider V3 battles CRIME agents in Europe and Kamen Rider Amazon battles CRIME agents in the Amazon jungle.

• Kikaider and much of the cast appear in the Banpresto strategy game Super Tokusatsu Taisen 2001, a version of their famous Super Robot Wars series of games using live action heroes. In it, Kikaider is helped by Kamen Rider 1, who uses his 600+ IQ to modify him so he would be more able to resist Professor Gill's attempts to control him.

• The 1987 Toei tokusatsu series Metalder was intended as an updated homage to Kikaider.

• Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time features four carpenter characters named Jiro, Ichiro, Saburo and Hakaider.

• Kikaider is a portmanteau of "Kikai" (which means Machine in Japanese), and "Rider". Same goes with Hakaider ("Hakai" (which means Destroy in Japanese), and "Rider"), Bijinder ("Bijin" (which means Beautiful person in Japanese), and "Rider"), and Waruder ("Warui" (which means Bad in Japanese), and "Rider").

[edit] External links

• Generation Kikaida The Complete Kikaida Series (live-action) on Region 1 DVD
• JN Productions Producers of the Kikaida DVD Series (live-action).
• TVTome show details
• Kikaider at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia.
• Henshin Hall of Fame's Jinzo Ningen Kikaida page
• Henshin Hall of Fame's Kikaida 01 page