Aniplex officially announced on the 5th that the anime Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Masked Rider (JP: 東島丹三郎は仮面ライダーになりたい, Tojima Tanzaburo wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai) will begin airing this October on TOKYO MX and other channels. On July 2nd, Aniplex had made the unusual move of unveiling four main cast members—Ai Kayano, Kenichi Suzumura, Soma Saito, and Fairouz Ai—without revealing the title of the series, leading to speculation around the so-called “mystery anime.” The company has now clarified that the anime in question is Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Masked Rider.

Although the anime’s adaptation was originally announced back in March, including the casting of Katsuyuki Konishi as the protagonist Tojima Tanzaburo, the latest news reveals an expanded cast lineup in a high-profile update.

Character Transformations and Star Voice Cast

A 60-second special commercial aired on TOKYO MX around 11:30 PM on July 5, showcasing new footage from the series. The commercial features the four voice actors dramatically shouting “Henshin!” (“Transform!”), confirming their roles as the voices behind the main characters.

Ai Kayano voices Yuriko Okada, who aspires to be Denpa Ningen Tackle. Kenichi Suzumura plays Ichiyo Shimamura, a man who models himself after Kamen Rider V3. Soma Saito takes on the role of Mitsuba Shimamura, who idolizes Riderman. Fairouz Ai portrays Yukarisu, a woman who is secretly a female Shocker combatant.

The latest footage highlights intense battle scenes and powerful lines of dialogue, remaining faithful to the manga’s dynamic style. Aniplex’s official YouTube channel has also released an in-depth, exclusive interview video featuring all four voice actors.

Additionally, new character visuals have been unveiled, showing before-and-after transformation illustrations for the four characters. Each visual captures their unique personalities and expressions. Individual steel visuals further depict the characters with stylistic nods to their respective Kamen Rider inspirations.

About the Story

Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Masked Rider follows the story of Tanzaburo Tojima, a man in his 40s who still dreams of becoming a Kamen Rider. Just as he begins to give up on that dream, he finds himself entangled in a “Fake Shocker” robbery case that is making headlines across the country.

The anime is based on the manga by Yokusaru Shibata, known for Air Master and Hachiwandiver. It depicts a heartfelt “serious game of Kamen Rider” played by adults who are hopelessly devoted to the legendary franchise.

The original manga began serialization in the June 2018 issue of Monthly Heroes and is currently ongoing on the digital platform Comiplex.

Teaser Trailer

Source : ORICON NEWS