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 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. During the events of Kamen Rider Zi-O, Kenzaki becomes a human again when Amane uses the powers of Another Blade on him. However, during the events of Kamen Rider Blade 20th Anniversary STAGE&TALK, the turns him into a Joker again.
Utilizing the Change Beetle card in conjunction with the belt, Kenzaki can transform into Kamen Rider Blade. While transformed, he wields the sword and carries a deck of spade-themed Rouse Cards that allow him to channel the Category 2–10 Spade Undeads' powers and augment himself with their special abilities. He can also perform finishers via a combination of the Thunder Deer card and up to two other Rouse Cards. His personal vehicle is the motorcycle, which similar to Blade himself can be augmented with the Category 2–10 Spade Undeads' special abilities via their corresponding Rouse Cards.
Later in the series, Kenzaki acquires the bracelet, which he can use in conjunction with the Royal Club Undead's cards to assume the following power-up forms: : Kenzaki's super form accessed from the Absorb Capricorn and Fusion Eagle cards that fuses him with the Eagle Undead to grant a pair of bird wings. In this form, he wields a blade-extended version of the Blay Rouzer, which allows him to perform enhanced versions of his original Lightning finishers with the appropriate Rouse Cards. : Kenzaki's final form accessed from the Absorb Capricorn and Evolution Caucasus cards that was only intended to fuse him with the Caucasus Undead, but his unusually high fusion rate causes him to instead fuse with all 13 Undead in the Category Spade suit, which ultimately accelerates his transformation into a Joker. In this form, he wields the broadsword, which allows him to perform the and finishers on its own and the finisher with the Blay Rouzer.
During the events of the web-exclusive miniseries Kamen Sentai Gorider, Kuroto Dan arranges the resurrection of deceased Kamen Riders to lure Emu Hojo into the Game World and kill him. However, Kenzaki arrives to help Emu and the revived Riders stop Kuroto. During the fight, he assumes the form of before the fallen Riders sacrifice themselves to defeat Kuroto and ensure Emu and Kenzaki's escape.
Kazuma Kenzaki is portrayed by .
Sakuya Tachibana is a BOARD researcher turned field operative who was selected to use the Rider System 01 to seal the Undead as . 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 card in conjunction with the belt, Tachibana can transform into Kamen Rider Garren. While transformed, he wields the handgun and carries a deck of diamond-themed Rouse Cards that allow him to channel the Category 2–10 Diamond Undeads' powers and augment himself with their special abilities. He can also perform finishers via a combination of the card and up to two other Rouse Cards. His personal vehicle is the motorcycle, which similar to Garren himself can be augmented with the Category 2–10 Diamond Undeads' special abilities via their corresponding Rouse Cards.
Later in the series, Tachibana acquires his own Rouse Absorber, which he can use in conjunction with the Royal Club Undead's cards to assume the following power-up forms: Jack Form: Tachibana's super form accessed from the Absorb Serpent and Fusion Peacock cards that like Kenzaki's version fuses him with the Peacock Undead to grant a pair of bird wings. In this form, he wields a bayonet-equipped Empowered Type version of the Garren Rouzer, which allows him to perform enhanced versions of his original Burning finishers with the appropriate Rouse Cards. King Form: Tachibana's final form accessed from the Absorb Serpent and Evolution Giraffa cards that unlike Kenzaki's version works as intended and only fuses him with the Giraffa Undead. As such, it does not carry the risk of transforming into a Joker, though it is still incredibly taxing on his body and can only be used for a short time. In this form, he wields a rifle version of the King Rouzer, which allows him to perform the Four Card. This form first appears in the web-exclusive crossover series Kamen Rider Outsiders.
Sakuya Tachibana is portrayed by .
Hajime Aikawa The , also known by his human alias of , is a mysterious and infamous longhorn beetle-themed 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 resealed the Mantis and Human Undead. However, the Royal Club 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. During the events of Kamen Rider Zi-O, Hajime becomes a true human when Amane uses the powers of Another Blade on him. However, during the events of Kamen Rider Blade 20th Anniversary STAGE&TALK, the Destroyer turns him back into the Joker.
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 Kamen Riders, Hajime utilizes one of several Rouse Cards in conjunction with the belt to transform into any sealed Undead. As such, he can use either the Change Mantis card to transform into the Mantis Undead, which became known as due to its strong resemblance to the Riders, or the Spirit card to transform into the Human Undead, which became his human form. As Kamen Rider Chalice, he wields the bladed bow, which can be reconfigured from to by combining with the Chalice Rouzer's belt buckle, and carries a deck of heart-themed Rouse Cards that allow him to channel the Category 2–10 Heart Undeads' powers and augment himself with their special abilities. He can also perform finishers via a combination of the card and up to two other Rouse Cards. His personal vehicle is the motorcycle, which similar to Chalice himself can be augmented with the Category 2–10 Heart Undeads' special abilities via their corresponding Rouse Cards.
Using the Evolution Paradoxa card, Hajime can fuse himself with all 13 Undead in the Category Heart suit to transform into his final form; . While transformed, he wields the kama, which can be reconfigured from its two-piece to its one-piece Rousing Bow Mode by combining with the Chalice Arrow where it allows him to perform the finisher via a fusion of his Rouse Cards called the card.
Hajime Aikawa is portrayed by .
Mutsuki Kamijo 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 . While under the monster's control, he 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 Change Spider card in conjunction with the belt, Mutsuki can transform into Kamen Rider Leangle. While transformed, he wields the extendable staff and carries a deck of club-themed Rouse Cards that allow him to channel the Category 2–10 Club Undeads' powers and augment himself with their special abilities. He can also perform finishers via a combination of the card and up to two other Rouse Cards. His personal vehicle is the motorcycle, which similar to Leangle himself can be augmented with the Category 2–10 Club Undeads' special abilities via their corresponding Rouse Cards.
During the events of Kamen Rider Blade 20th Anniversary STAGE&TALK, Mutsuki acquires his own Rouse Absorber, which he can use in conjunction with the Absorb Tiger and Evolution Tarantula cards to assume his King Form. Like Tachibana's version, Mutsuki's does not carry the risk of transforming into a Joker, as it only fuses him with the Tarantula Undead, but it is highly taxing on his body. In this form, he wields a spear version of the King Rouzer, which allows him to perform the Royal Straight Flush.
Mutsuki Kamijo is portrayed by .
Shiori Hirose 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 .
Kotaro Shirai is an aspiring writer and milk addict who provides housing for Kenzaki and Shiori.
Kotaro Shirai is portrayed by .
Recurring characters Undead The are 54 immortal animal/plant-themed monsters who originated several species that inhabit Earth and were created by the 10,000 years ago to determine which of their descendants would become the dominant species as part of a battle royal called the . While the Human Undead won, allowing humanity to flourish, and the majority were sealed by the Monolith into upon their defeat, the Undead were released two years prior to the series by 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 being the most powerful. The Category , , and 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 Undead lack the ability to shapeshift.
Isaka The Category Jack of Diamonds: , also known by his human alias of , 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 into the card by Garren.