B-Fighter Kabuto
A new generation of Insect Armor heroes rises against the ancient Melzard.
B-Fighter Kabuto is a Japanese television series in the Metal Hero Series franchise, serving as a direct sequel to B-Fighter. It aired from 1996 to 1997 and follows a new generation of heroes who use Insect Armor to defend Earth from the ancient tribe Melzard.
- preceded_by
- B-Fighter
- antagonists
- Melzard clan, led by Mother Melzard (also called Matriarch Melzard)
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 25 minutes
- Composer
- Katsunori Ishida
- Country
- Japan
- Network
- TV Asahi (ANN)
- Num Episodes
- 50
- Genre
- Tokusatsu / Superhero fiction / Science fiction / Military fiction
- Creator
- Saburō Yatsude
- Company
- Toei Company / Asatsu-DK
- Developer
- Junichi Miyashita
- Director
- Shohei Tojo
- Starring
- Hideomi Nakasato / Naoto Adachi / Yukina Kurisu / Reuben Langdon / Seiji Takaiwa / Hideki Anzai / Reika Hashimoto
- First Aired
- 1996-03-03
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series begins five years after the destruction of Jamahl, with Earth at peace. The Cosmo Academia, a scientific and military organization, continues its work. Kengo Tachibana and others work with Sage Guru on a new generation of Insect Armor. When a Cosmo Academia submarine discovers a fissure in the ocean floor, the ancient tribe Melzard emerges from a flying fortress, seeking to destroy mankind. Mother Melzard sends her sons Raija and Dezzle to lead the attack. Guru infuses the Neo Insect Armor with Insect Power, creating three Command Voicers to link humans with the armor. Kengo Tachibana and Ran Ayukawa become B-Fighter Kuwagar and B-Fighter Tentou, but the third Command Voicer flies out a window and finds Kouhei Toba, a high school student, who becomes B-Fighter Kabuto.
Reader's Guide
B-Fighter Kabuto is significant as the sequel to Juukou B-Fighter and part of the Metal Hero Series. Its action footage, suits, and props were later used for the Beetleborgs Metallix series. The series introduced a new team of B-Fighters, including the main trio and four additional New B-Fighters from international Cosmo Academia branches. The show features transformation devices called Command Voicers, various weapons like the Input Cardguns and Finish Weapons, and giant robots such as Kabuterios and Kuwaga Titan. The series explores themes of teamwork, courage, and the conflict between technology and nature, as seen in characters like Ran Ayukawa, who learns to appreciate nature from Julio Rivera. The finale sees the Command Voicers disappear after the defeat of Jadow Mothera.
Did You Know?
- The action footage, suits, and props from B-Fighter Kabuto were used for the Beetleborgs Metallix series.
- Kouhei Toba is a 17-year-old (later 18) high school student who becomes B-Fighter Kabuto.
- The New B-Fighters include members from New York City, Machupicchu, Beijing, and Paris branches of Cosmo Academia.
- Only Kabuto has a giant robot (Kabuto Robo); the other B-Fighters do not have individual giant robots.
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