Android Kikaider

Did You Know?

• The series was released on Region 1 DVDs by JN Productions/Generation Kikaida in 2003 and 2004; these went out-of-print after Generation Kikaida closed in 2023.
• In 2024, Discotek Media licensed Android Kikaider for a full 43-episode Blu-Ray release remastered in HD with a new English subtitle translation and extras.

Story

Dr. Kohmyoji, a robotics expert held prisoner by the evil organization DARK, creates Kikaider to protect his children from Professor Gill, DARK's leader. When Gill learns of this, he sends androids to attack. Jiro, as Kikaider, rescues Dr. Kohmyoji's daughter Mitsuko, but a fire separates him from the scientist, who wanders off with amnesia. The series follows the ongoing conflict between Kikaider and DARK's Destructroids, with DARK pursuing Dr. Kohmyoji and his children Mitsuko and Masaru. Professor Gill uses a hypnotic flute to prevent Jiro from transforming into Kikaider, but Jiro finds ways to block the sound. Dr. Kohmyoji, suffering amnesia, appears in the background; Mitsuko and Masaru hear of him but never catch up. Occasionally, when Kikaider is damaged, Dr. Kohmyoji repairs him unknowingly. Later, Jiro is nearly overcome by the flute and attacks Dr. Kohmyoji. DARK captures the scientist and makes it appear Jiro killed him. Jiro, damaged and unable to speak, is pursued by police. A new android, Hakaider, appears, built by DARK using Dr. Kohmyoji's brain controlled by an evil circuit. Kikaider fights Hakaider but cannot bring himself to destroy him. Another android, Saburo, claims to be Dr. Kohmyoji's creation sent to destroy Jiro, but is revealed to be Hakaider in disguise.

Characters

Jiro, also known as Kikaider, is an android created by Dr. Kohmyoji to stop DARK and protect the scientist's children, Mitsuko and Masaru. His incomplete conscience circuit makes him vulnerable to Professor Gill's hypnotic flute, which causes him pain and can control him; he counters it with louder sounds. Jiro carries a guitar and rides a motorcycle called Sidemachine, and his special attack is Denji Endo (Electro End). Daisuke Ban plays Jiro in human form, while Toshiaki Kikuchi portrays his robot form. Dr. Nobuhiko Kohmyoji, played by Hajime Izu, is a top robotics expert captured by DARK who secretly built Kikaider to save the world. Mitsuko Kohmyoji, played by Jun Mizunoe, is Dr. Kohmyoji's daughter who develops feelings for Jiro and helps repair him. Her younger brother Masaru Kohmyoji is played by Masahiro Kamiya. Hanpei Hattori, a comical private investigator and descendant of ninja Hanzō Hattori, befriends the group; he is nicknamed Hanpen, meaning pounded fish cake, and drives a green Subaru 360. Shun Ueda plays Hanpei. Professor Gill, leader of DARK, played by Mitsuo Ando, forces Dr. Kohmyoji to build destructive robots and uses a flute to control his Destructoids and torment Jiro.

Media

A 33-minute 3-D film titled Flying At 'Ya, Android Kikaider was released on March 17, 1973; in Hawaii it was called The Kikaida 3D Movie. In the film, Professor Gill uses a machine to restore destroyed robots, forcing Kikaider to destroy them again. On October 21, 2022, Toei Tokusatsu World Official released the film on YouTube with English subtitles for the first time, commemorating the channel's 400k subscribers and the series' 50th anniversary. Mechanical Violator Hakaider, a 77-minute film produced by Bandai and Toei, features the anti-hero Hakaider; his opponent Michael is implied to be Kikaider. Kikaider Reboot, a 2014 film retelling the original series, was released on May 24, 2014, with redesigned versions of Kikaider and Hakaider; these characters appeared in the 30th episode of Kamen Rider Gaim to promote the film. Kikaider, along with Kikaider 01, Inazuman, and Zubat, appeared in the 2011 film OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders, where they destroyed the villain General Shadow. An anime adaptation, Android Kikaider: The Animation, aired from October 16, 2000, to January 8, 2001, and is more faithful to the original manga.