Kamen Rider Drive

Kamen Rider Drive (仮面ライダードライブ, Kamen Raidā Doraibu) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series serving as the 16th Heisei Kamen Rider Series, and 25th series overall. Riku Sanjo returns to the Kamen Rider Series to serve as Drive's lead screenwriter, with Ryuta Tasaki as director. It premiered on TV Asahi and affiliate stations throughout Japan on October 5, 2014, the week following the finale of its preceding series Kamen Rider Gaim, and joining Ressha Sentai ToQger then Shuriken Sentai Ninninger in the Super Hero Time programming block, until Drive concluded on September 27, 2015. Drive is peculiar among the heroes in the Kamen Rider franchise, as his motif and main mode of transportation is a car, rather than the signature motorcycles used by his predecessors.

Story

Shinnosuke Tomari is a former elite police officer in the Metropolitan Police, who, after an event that crippled one of his colleagues, has been "demoted" into the Special Investigations Division. This division looks into the stranger happenings in the city, particularly the recent "Density Shift" events. These events, termed "Slowdown" by the public, leave people unable to move. When he is chosen by the Drive Driver and Tridoron, Shinnosuke transforms into Kamen Rider Drive and is tasked with battling the Roidmudes who plan to rise against humanity and take over the world. He is aided by Kiriko Shijima and her brother Go, who transforms into Kamen Rider Mach. Chase, a special Roidmude with a strange past who was then known as Proto Drive and later became an evil warrior known as Machine Chaser, also reassumes his Rider identity and reclaims his 'justice' to protect humanity as he transforms into Kamen Rider Chaser. However, a greater threat later appears in the form of Kiriko and Go's father, Tenjuro Banno, the scientist who created the Roidmudes, who despite having long lost his human body, revives in the form of the evil Gold Drive, intending to make use of the remaining Roidmudes in his plan to bring down the whole world at his mercy.

Production and development

The Kamen Rider Drive trademark was registered by Toei on April 17, 2014.

The series marks the first time that a Kamen Rider's main vehicle is a car rather than a motorcycle, which has been remarked upon by entertainment news as a shock and a major change from previous Kamen Rider television series.

Episodes

Films

Movie War Full Throttle

The Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle (仮面ライダー×仮面ライダードライブ&鎧武 MOVIE大戦フルスロットル, Kamen Raidā × Kamen Raidā Doraibu Ando Gaimu Mūbī Taisen Furu Surottoru) was released in Japanese theaters on December 13, 2014. It features a crossover with the previously aired Kamen Rider series Kamen Rider Gaim. The Kamen Rider Drive portion of the film guest stars Yūji Ayabe of the owarai duo Piece as the antagonist Kamen Rider Lupin (仮面ライダールパン, Kamen Raidā Rupan). The events of the movie took place between episodes 9 and 10.

The first million ticket buyers would also receive a special DVD featuring Type Zero Episode 0: Countdown to Global Freeze, one of the Secret Mission series of Drive.

Super Hero Taisen GP

Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 (スーパーヒーロー大戦GP 仮面ライダー3号, Supā Hīrō Taisen Guranpuri Kamen Raidā Sangō) is the 2015 entry of the "Super Hero Taisen" film series, featuring the cast of Kamen Rider Drive and the appearance of Kamen Rider 3, which was originally created by Shotaro Ishinomori for the one-shot 1972 manga Rider #3 VS. General Black (3ごうライダーたい ブラックしょうぐんのまき, Sangō Raidā Tai Burakku Shōgun no Maki). Tetsuo Kurata, (Kamen Rider Black, Kamen Rider Black RX), Yuichi Nakamura (Kamen Rider Den-O), Kousei Amano, Takayuki Tsubaki, Ryoji Morimoto and Takahiro Hojo (Kamen Rider Blade), and Kento Handa (Kamen Rider 555) reprised their roles in the film, which opened in theaters on March 21, 2015. A new actor Mitsuhiro Oikawa, confirmed to perform his role as Kamen Rider 3, as well as Shuriken Sentai Ninninger cast also appeared. The events of the movie took place between Episode 22 and 23.

Surprise Future

Kamen Rider Drive the Movie: Surprise Future (劇場版 仮面ライダードライブ サプライズ・フューチャー, Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Doraibu Sapuraizu Fyūchā)) was released in Japanese theaters on August 8, 2015, double-billed with Shuriken Sentai Ninninger the Movie: The Dinosaur Lord's Splendid Ninja Scroll!. It features a new enemy Rider known as Kamen Rider Dark Drive, driving a Rider Machine labeled the "NexTridoron", based on a real life Mercedes-AMG GT car. It also featured the first on-screen appearance of the 17th Heisei Kamen Rider: Kamen Rider Ghost, who later reappeared in two last episodes of this TV series, followed by the appearance of some Gamma Assaults and Yurusen in the final/special episode. The events of the movie took place between episodes 40 and 41, with the flashback scene in the final/special episode shown was after this movie event is over and before episode 41 starts.

Super Movie War Genesis

Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Ghost & Drive: Super Movie War Genesis (仮面ライダー×仮面ライダー ゴースト&ドライブ 超MOVIE大戦ジェネシス, Kamen Raidā × Kamen Raidā Gōsuto Ando Doraibu Chō Mūbī Taisen Jeneshisu) was released in Japanese theaters on December 12, 2015. It featured a crossover between Kamen Rider Drive and Kamen Rider Ghost.

Heisei Generations

A Movie War film, titled Kamen Rider Heisei Generations: Dr. Pac-Man vs. Ex-Aid & Ghost with Legend Rider (仮面ライダー平成ジェネレーションズ Dr.パックマン対エグゼイド&ゴーストwithレジェンドライダー, Kamen Raidā Heisei Jenerēshonzu Dokutā Pakkuman Tai Eguzeido Ando Gōsuto Wizu Rejendo Raidā), was released in Japan on December 10, 2016. The film features Kamen Rider Drive teaming up with Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, Kamen Rider Ghost, Kamen Rider Gaim, and Kamen Rider Wizard as they battle against a virus based on Bandai Namco Entertainment's video game character, Pac-Man. The professional wrestler Hiroshi Tanahashi was announced to be one of the main antagonists of the movie.

Kamen Rider Zi-O the Movie: Over Quartzer

Kamen Rider Zi-O the Movie: Over Quartzer (劇場版 仮面ライダージオウ Over Quartzer, Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Jiō Ōvā Kwōtsā) was released on July 26, 2019. The film features Go Shijima and Krim Steinbelt teaming up with Time Riders to stop Quartzers from erasing Krim's family ancestors from 1575 of the Sengoku period.

Secret Missions

The Secret Missions (シークレット・ミッション, Shīkuretto Misshon) are a series of special episodes.

• Type TV-Kun Hunter & Monster! Chase the Mystery of the Super Thief! (type TV-KUN ハンター&モンスター! 超怪盗の謎を追え!, Taipu Terebi-kun Hantā Ando Monsutā! Chō Kaitō no Nazo o Oe!) is a special DVD packaged with the January 2015 issue of the Televi-Kun magazine. It is connected to the Kamen Rider Drive portion of Movie War Full Throttle and Type Zero and features Roidmude 005. The events of the episode took place between episodes 4 and 5.
• Type Zero Episode 0: Countdown to Global Freeze (type ZERO 第0話 カウントダウン to グローバルフリーズ, Taipu Zero Dai-zero-wa Kauntodaun to Gurōbaru Furīzu) is a special DVD given to the first million ticket buyers for Movie War Full Throttle. It serves as a prequel episode to the Kamen Rider Drive series and features Kamen Rider Proto Drive.
• Type Tokujo (type TOKUJO) is included as part of the Blu-ray releases. It comprises four episodes and features the origin of the Special Investigations Division. The events of the episode took place between episodes 22 and 23.

1. How Were the Members of the Special Investigations Division Selected? (特状課はどうやって集められたのか, Toku-jō-ka wa Dō Yatte Atsumerareta no ka)
2. Just What Is the Anima System? (アニマシステムとは一体なにか, Anima Shisutemu to wa Ittai Nani ka)
3. Who Killed Professor Odagiri? (だれが小田桐教授を殺したのか, Dare ga Odagari-kyōju o Koroshita no ka)
4. Why Did Professor Banno Aim for Global Freeze? (なぜ蛮野博士はグローバルフリーズを狙ったのか, Naze Banno-hakase wa Gurōbaru Furīzu o Neratta no ka)

• Type High Speed! The True Power! Type High Speed Is Born! (type HIGH SPEED! ホンモノの力! タイプハイスピード誕生!, Taipu Hai Supīdo! Honmono no Chikara! Taipu Hai Supīdo Tanjō!) is a "Hyper Battle DVD" (超(ハイパー)バトルDVD, Haipā Batoru Dī Bui Dī) special. While investigating reports of counterfeit Televi-Kun magazines, Shinnosuke finds himself outmatched by a Roidmude that replicates his Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed form and overpowers him. To counter the fraud Kamen Rider, Shinnosuke has the Speed Shift Car remodeled to fight back as Kamen Rider Drive Type High Speed.
• Type Lupin! ~Lupin, the Last Challenge~ (type LUPIN! ～ルパン、最後の挑戦状～, Taipu Rupan! Rupan, Saigo no Chōsenjō) is a "Hyper Battle DVD" special. It features the return of Kamen Rider Lupin, since his last appearance in Movie War Full Throttle.

Drive Saga

Drive Saga (ドライブサーガ, Doraibu Sāga) is a hybrid set with the combination of V-Cinema, CD audio drama and web releases that serve as spin-offs of characters from the Kamen Rider Drive series.

• Kamen Rider Chaser (仮面ライダーチェイサー, Kamen Raidā Cheisā) focuses on a side story of Chase as Kamen Rider Chaser. The V-Cinema was released on April 20, 2016. The events of the episode take place between Kamen Rider Drive: Surprise Future and episode 41. In addition, Minehiro Kinomoto reprised his role as Ryu Terui/Kamen Rider Accel from Kamen Rider W in a crossover with Drive. The theme song is "good bye little moon" performed by Mitsuru Matsuoka EARNEST DRIVE. It is written by Riku Sanjo, with Hidenori Ishida as director of the film.
• Kamen Rider Mach/Kamen Rider Heart (仮面ライダーマッハ／仮面ライダーハート, Kamen Raidā Mahha/Kamen Raidā Hāto) focuses on side stories of Go Shijima as Kamen Rider Mach and Heart, fighting as Kamen Rider Heart against a new enemy that is threatening individuals who served as models for the other Roidmudes. The V-Cinemas were released on November 16, 2016. The events of the episodes take place after the events of Kamen Rider Drive: Mach Saga and Kamen Rider Heisei Generations. The theme song is "eternity (~from SURPRISE-DRIVE)" performed by Mitsuru Matsuoka EARNEST DRIVE. It is written by Sanjo (Heart) and Keiichi Hasegawa (Mach), while Ishida directed both films.
• The Story of Kamen Rider Mach's Dream (仮面ライダーマッハ夢想伝, Kamen Raidā Mahha Musōden) focuses on a side story of Go Shijima as Kamen Rider Mach. The CD audio drama was released on November 25, 2016. The events of the episode take place between Mach Saga and Kamen Rider Heart.
• Kamen Rider Brain (仮面ライダーブレン, Kamen Raidā Buren) focuses on a side story of Brain, becoming Kamen Rider Brain. Originally announced as an April Fool's joke in 2017, the web series comprises two episodes and was released on Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club on April 28, 2019. It is written by Riku Sanjo and directed by Kyohei Yamaguchi.

Novel

Kamen Rider Drive: Mach Saga (仮面ライダードライブ マッハサーガ, Kamen Raidā Doraibu Mahha Sāga), written by Takahito Ōmori and supervised by Keiichi Hasegawa, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptions of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. The events of the episode take place two years after the final episode, Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Ghost & Drive: Super Movie War Genesis, along with the final episode of Kamen Rider Ghost in 2018. The novel was released on April 20, 2016.

Video game

Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis (仮面ライダー バトライド・ウォー 創生, Kamen Raidā Batoraido Wō Sōsei), a third installment of the Kamen Rider: Battride War series, was released in 2016 for the PlayStation consoles (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita). It features characters from Kamen Rider Drive, Kamen Rider Ghost, characters in previous versions of the game that were included as NPCs or assistants, as well as the Shōwa era Kamen Riders.

Cast

• Shinnosuke Tomari (泊 進ノ介, Tomari Shin'nosuke): Ryoma Takeuchi (竹内 涼真, Takeuchi Ryōma)
• Kiriko Shijima (詩島 霧子, Shijima Kiriko): Rio Uchida (内田 理央, Uchida Rio)
• Chase (チェイス, Cheisu), Koichi Kano (狩野 洸一, Kano Kōichi, 47): Taiko Katono (上遠野 太洸, Katōno Taikō)
• Go Shijima (詩島 剛, Shijima Gō): Yu Inaba (稲葉 友, Inaba Yū)
• Rinna Sawagami (沢神 りんな, Sawagami Rinna): Rei Yoshii (吉井 怜, Yoshii Rei)
• Kyu Saijo (西城 究, Saijō Kyū), Roidmude 072 (ロイミュード072, Roimyūdo Zero Nana Ni, 20): Kenta Hamano (浜野 謙太, Hamano Kenta)
• Genpachiro Otta (追田 現八郎, Otta Genpachirō): Taira Imata (井俣 太良, Imata Taira)
• Krim Steinbelt (クリム・スタインベルト, Kurimu Sutainberuto), Mr. Belt (ベルトさん, Beruto-san, Voice), Roidmude 004 (ロイミュード004, Roimyūdo Zero Zero Yon), Drive Driver Equipment Voice, Narration: Chris Peppler (クリス・ペプラー, Kurisu Pepurā)
• Heart (ハート, Hāto), Businessman (40): Tomoya Warabino (蕨野 友也, Warabino Tomoya)
• Brain (ブレン, Buren), Mitsuharu Kineta (杵田 光晴, Kineta Mitsuharu, 43): Shota Matsushima (松島 庄汰, Matsushima Shōta)
• Medic (メディック, Medikku), Misuzu Hatori (羽鳥 美鈴, Hatori Misuzu, 41, 42): Fumika Baba (馬場 ふみか, Baba Fumika)
• Akira Hayase (早瀬 明, Hayase Akira): Yukihiro Takiguchi (滝口 幸広, Takiguchi Yukihiro)
• Harley Hendrickson (ハーレー・ヘンドリクソン, Hārē Hendorikuson): Ulf Ōtsuki (大月 ウルフ, Ōtsuki Urufu)
• Eisuke Tomari (泊 英介, Tomari Eisuke): Tareyanagi (たれやなぎ)
• Mitsuhide Nira (仁良 光秀, Nira Mitsuhide): Kisuke Iida (飯田 基祐, Iida Kisuke)
• Soichi Makage (真影 壮一, Makage Sōichi): Masami Horiuchi (堀内 正美, Horiuchi Masami)
• Tenjuro Banno (蛮野 天十郎, Banno Tenjūrō), Sigma Circular (シグマサーキュラー, Shiguma Sākyurā, Voice; 46, 47): Masakazu Morita (森田 成一, Morita Masakazu)
• Jun Honganji (本願寺 純, Honganji Jun): Tsurutaro Kataoka (片岡 鶴太郎, Kataoka Tsurutarō)

Guest cast

• Niina Kisaragi (如月 仁奈, Kisaragi Niina, 2, 13, 14): Hitomi Isaka (井坂 仁美, Isaka Hitomi, of Kamen Rider Girls)
• Satsuki Yamabuki (山吹 沙月, Yamabuki Satsuki, 2, 13, 14): Mitsuki Endo (遠藤 三貴, Endō Mitsuki, of Kamen Rider Girls)
• Kazuhiro Asaya (浅矢 一広, Asaya Kazuhiro, 3, 4): Lou Oshiba (ルー大柴, Rū Ōshiba)
• Crush (クラッシュ, Kurasshu, 4-6): HIRO (of Yasuda Dai Circus)
• Roidmude 060 (ロイミュード060, Roimyūdo Zero Roku Zero, 5): Danchō Yasuda (団長安田, of Yasuda Dai Circus)
• Roidmude 074 (ロイミュード074, Roimyūdo Zero Nana Yon, 5, 6): Kuro-chan (クロちゃん, of Yasuda Dai Circus)
• Mitsuru Kuramochi (倉持 満, Kuramochi Mitsuru, 5, 6): Tomonori Mizuno (水野 智則, Mizuno Tomonori)
• Yuzo Ichikawa (市川 勇蔵, Ichikawa Yūzō, 5, 6): Kohei Yamamoto (山本 康平, Yamamoto Kōhei)
• Kenta Takasugi (高杉 憲太, Takasugi Kenta, 6-8): Kenta Uchino (内野 謙太, Uchino Kenta)
• Shunsuke Kusaka (久坂 俊介, Kusaka Shunsuke, 6-8): Takuya Nagaoka (永岡 卓也, Nagaoka Takuya)
• Koya Nishihori (西堀 光也, Nishihori Kōya, 11): Toru Nomaguchi (野間口 徹, Nomaguchi Tōru)
• Gunman (ガンマン, Ganman, 12, 13): Bernard Ackah (ベルナール・アッカ, Berunāru Akka)
• Rira Nanao (七尾 リラ, Nanao Rira, 14, 15): Haruka Suenaga (末永 遥, Suenaga Haruka)
• Hiroki Nikaido (二階堂 弘樹, Nikaidō Hiroki, 15): Masashi Mikami (三上 真史, Mikami Masashi)
• Shu Amagi (甘城 秀, Amagi Shū, 16): Hiroshi Matsunaga (松永 博史, Matsunaga Hiroshi)
• Makoto Asamura (浅村 誠, Asamura Makoto, 18, 19) Takaya Aoyagi (青柳 尊哉, Aoyagi Takaya)
• Takuro Mogi (茂木 拓郎, Mogi Takurō, 23, 24): Naoki Takeshi (武子 直輝, Takeshi Naoki)
• Yu Itagaki (板垣 祐, Itagaki Yū, 37, 38): Shugo Nagashima (永嶋 柊吾, Nagashima Shūgo)
• Kazuya Igarashi (五十嵐 一也, Igarashi Kazuya, 41, 42): Ren Yagami (八神 蓮, Yagami Ren)
• Kamen Rider Ghost (仮面ライダーゴースト, Kamen Raidā Gōsuto, Voice; 47, 48): Shun Nishime (西銘 駿, Nishime Shun)
• Yurusen (ユルセン, Voice; 48): Aoi Yūki (悠木 碧, Yūki Aoi)
• Keisuke Okamura (岡村 敬助, Okamura Keisuke, 48): Hassei Takano (高野 八誠, Takano Hassei)

Theme songs

Opening theme

• SURPRISE-DRIVE
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition & Arrangement: tatsuo (of everset)
  • Artist: Mitsuru Matsuoka EARNEST DRIVE

  SOPHIA's vocalist Mitsuru Matsuoka performs the series' theme song "SURPRISE-DRIVE" under the name "Mitsuru Matsuoka EARNEST DRIVE". This is his third song performed for the Kamen Rider Series, following his song "W" for the theme song of the film Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate and performing vocals in SOPHIA on "cod-E ~E no Angō~" for Kamen Rider W Returns. The other members of the Mitsuru Matsuoka EARNEST DRIVE band are everset's guitarist tatsuo, session bassist IKUO, and Siam Shade drummer Jun-ji (IKUO and Jun-ji are also members of BULL ZEICHEN 88).

Insert themes

• "Full throttle"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition & Arrangement: tatsuo (of everset)
  • Artist: S.S.P.D. ~Steel Sound Police Dept~
  • Episodes: 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 24, 46

  "Full throttle" is the theme for Kamen Rider Mach.

• "Don't lose your mind"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition & Arrangement: tatsuo (of everset)
  • Artist: S.S.P.D. ~Steel Sound Police Dept~
  • Episodes: 15, 16, 18, 30

  "Don't lose your mind" is the theme for Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed.

• "UNLIMITED DRIVE"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition: DJ Hurrykenn
  • Arrangement: Ryo (of defspiral)
  • Artist: Kamen Rider Girls
  • Episodes: 33, 34

  "UNLIMITED DRIVE" is the theme for Kamen Rider Drive Type Tridoron.

• "Spinning Wheel"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
  • Artist: Shinnosuke Tomari, Go Shijima, & Chase (Ryoma Takeuchi, Yu Inaba, & Taiko Katono)
  • Episodes: 36, 38, 40, 45

References

External links

• Kamen Rider Drive at IMDb
• Official website at TV Asahi
• Official website at Toei Company
• Secret Mission website at the Wayback Machine (archived August 16, 2019)
• Drive Saga website