The first episode of the new fall anime Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider aired on TOKYO MX and several streaming platforms. In one of the scenes, the protagonist Tanzaburo Tojima, who dreams of becoming a Kamen Rider, encounters a bear while training in the mountains. Right after the scene aired, an unexpected warning message appeared on-screen:

“This story is a work of fiction. If you encounter a bear, never try to fight it—prioritize your safety.”

The disclaimer immediately became a talking point online, as Japan has recently seen a surge in news reports about bear attacks across the country. Many viewers felt that this “bear warning” must have been added in response to current events, while others found the sudden notice both surreal and amusing.

In Episode 1, Tojima is shown working part-time while dedicating his free time to mountain training, aiming to strengthen his body. One day, a news report titled “Shocker Appears” catches his eye, reigniting his passion. During a training scene, Tojima strikes and kicks a massive tree, shouting in frustration:

“I know Kamen Riders and Shockers are just from TV shows—they don’t exist in reality. No matter how much I train, I can’t… I can’t become one!”

Even though he rationally understands it’s impossible, he continues pushing himself, venting his emotions into his punches. Then, a huge bear suddenly appears before him. Most people would panic and flee, but Tojima, ever determined, mutters, “Oh, it’s just a bear. For a second, I thought it was a Shocker monster.” He proceeds to throw the bear over his shoulder and defeats it by blinding it in one eye, remarking afterward, “I’ve become strong enough to fight a bear. But that doesn’t mean I can become a Kamen Rider.”

Immediately following this intense scene, the unusual bear warning appeared on-screen. While many anime series include cautionary notes before violent episodes, it’s extremely rare for such a specific “bear warning” to appear after a single fight scene. Viewers were quick to react online, commenting that the message was both hilariously out of place and oddly appropriate in the current climate. Many noted that the line “Never try to fight a bear” perfectly reflected Japan’s recent string of bear-related incidents, with some joking that they “couldn’t stop laughing when the warning suddenly appeared,” while others said, “Given how often we’ve heard about bear attacks lately, this makes total sense.”

Note: The character dialogue has been translated into English by the editor from the original Japanese version and may differ from the official subtitles.

Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider follows Tanzaburo Tojima, a 40-year-old man who has never given up on his childhood dream of becoming a Kamen Rider. Just as he begins to waver, he gets caught up in a series of crimes involving a group of “Fake Shocker” robbers. The story depicts adults who love Kamen Rider so deeply that they end up living out their fantasy in the real world through a serious, sometimes absurd version of “Kamen Rider play.”

Source : ORICON NEWS