Kamen Rider Zero-One

Kamen Rider Zero-One (仮面ライダーゼロワン) is a Japanese tokusatsu drama series produced by Toei Company and TV Asahi. It is the 30th series in the Kamen Rider Series, and the first series in the Reiwa period run. The show premiered on September 1, 2019, following the finale of Kamen Rider Zi-O, joining Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger, and later, Mashin Sentai Kiramager in the Super Hero Time lineup.

Plot
Japan has entered a new era of technological innovations as Hiden Intelligence, the leading company in artificial intelligence research, develops human-like androids called HumaGears, which quickly become a staple in both public and private sectors. However, a cyber-terrorist organization known as "MetsubouJinrai.net" starts hacking into HumaGears, transforming them into monsters called "Magias" and turning them against humanity. The government responds by establishing the Artificial Intelligence Military Service, or A.I.M.S., to destroy them.

The story primarily follows Aruto Hiden, a young man with aspirations of becoming a comedian who suddenly finds himself appointed as the new CEO of Hiden Intelligence after his grandfather's death. Despite his initial disinterest, Aruto changes his mind after witnessing MetsubouJinrai.net's terrorist attacks firsthand; maintaining appearances as CEO while becoming Kamen Rider Zero-One to realize his late father's wish for a peaceful co-existence between humans and HumaGears. This places him in an uneasy alliance with A.I.M.S. operatives, Isamu Fuwa and Yua Yaiba, who can transform into Kamen Rider Vulcan and Kamen Rider Valkyrie respectively, against MetsubouJinrai.net; led by the rogue HumaGears Horobi and Jin, who can also transform into Kamen Riders.

All the while, Gai Amatsu, the CEO of Hiden's corporate rival ZAIA Enterprise, initially watches their battles from afar before moving forward with his own agenda to destroy all HumaGears and create a society only for humans with his company in the forefront. He later develops the Kamen Rider Thouser system to achieve his goals and personally enter the fray as well as devices to transform humans into “Raiders”. As the ideals of Aruto, Gai, and MetsubouJinrai.net collide, a three-way battle takes place to decide the future for both HumaGears and mankind.

Production
Kamen Rider Zero-One was registered by Toei in April 2019. Three months later, a press conference was announced by an unknown HumaGear on the Kamen Rider Zi-O Twitter account.

In July, Kamen Rider Zero-One was officially announced during a press conference alongside its cast.

Two members of the band Monkey Majik revealed that they will be providing the voices for the Hiden Zero-One Driver and the Progrise Keys.

The theme song is "REAL×EYEZ", a collaboration by J×Takanori Nishikawa. J composed the song, while Nishikawa provides the vocals. Vocaloid producer DJ'Tekina//Something provided the song's arrangement.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, the filming schedule changed and the series' television broadcast has been delayed following episode 35. During the break period, Zero-One will release five special episodes that reflect past events as recounted by the main characters. The two-part "President Special," focusing on Aruto Hiden and Is, the "Shooting Special," focusing on Isamu Fuwa and Yua Yaiba, and the two-part "Super Job War".

After Japan lifted the state of emergence on May 26, filming of Zero-One and other related Japanese dramas were allowed to resume filming starting on June 1. However, new restrictions were announced, such as filming staff maintaining a distance of at least two meters and only allowing 20 extras in a single scene while scenes with mass crowds will be handled with composite editing. In addition, Zero-One's broadcasting resumed on 21 June 2020. In regards to the summer movie, it has been postponed alongside the Mashin Sentai Kiramager movie due to the pandemic. .

Episodes

 * The series is currently divided into four arcs:
 * Episode 1-16: MetsubouJinrai.net: This arc focuses on the threat of the cyber-terrorist group, MetsubouJinrai.net, who seek to bring extinction to the human race.
 * Episode 17-29: ZAIA "Workplace Competition": This arc focuses on Hiden Intelligence facing their corporate rival, ZAIA Enterprise, in a battle for technological supremacy.
 * Episode 30-35.5: Hiden Manufacturing: This arc focuses on Aruto establishing a new company, Hiden Manufacturing, after ZAIA’s takeover of Hiden Intelligence and their continuous attempts to stop him as well as the resurgence of MetsubouJinrai.net.
 * Episode 36-Present: Ark Zero: With MetsubouJinrai.net active again, their leader, the artificial intelligence Ark becomes Kamen Rider Ark-Zero to enslave humanity. In response, Aruto and his allies must join forces to stop it from achieving its goals.

Films
Kamen Rider Zero-One made his first appearance as a cameo in the film Kamen Rider Zi-O the Movie: Over Quartzer.

Reiwa The First Generation
A Movie War film, titled Kamen Rider Reiwa The First Generation (仮面ライダー 令和 ザ・ファースト・ジェネレーション) was released on December 21, 2019, featuring the casts of Kamen Rider Zero-One and the last Heisei Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Zi-O. Actress Rina Ikoma and actor Sōkō Wada portrayed the Time Jacker Finis and the HumaGear Will respectively. This movie introduces another version of Kamen Rider Zero-One known as Kamen Rider Zerozero-One, and the Kamen Rider 1-inspired Kamen Rider Ichi-Gata. This movie is a shared tribute to the original series, Kamen Rider, and the entire Heisei Kamen Rider Series as a whole. The events of the film take place between episodes 9 and 10.

Summer film
A film that has been tentatively titled Kamen Rider Zero-One the Movie (劇場版 仮面ライダーゼロワン) was originally scheduled for release on July 23, 2020, double billed with the film for Mashin Sentai Kiramager, but both were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Special episodes

 * Kamen Rider Zero-One: What Will Pop Out of the Kangaroo? Think About It by Yourself! Yes! It Must Be Me, Aruto!! (仮面ライダーゼロワン カンガルーからナニ飛び出す？ソンナの自分でカンガルー！はい、或人じゃないと!!) is Televi-Kun's "Hyper Battle DVD" (バトルDVD). This events of this special take place between episodes 13 and 14.
 * A Miraculous Transformation!? Aruto vs. Fukkinhoukai Taro: The Fateful Gag Battle! (奇跡の転身!?アルトVS.腹筋崩壊太郎 宿命のギャグバトル！) is a web-exclusive series released on Toei's official YouTube channel.
 * Project Thouser (プロジェクト・サウザー) is included as part of the Blu-ray releases of Kamen Rider Zero-One. This side story comprises two episodes and focuses on Gai Amatsu. The events of this miniseries take place before episode 17.
 * President Special (プレジデント・スペシャル) is a special two-part recap miniseries told from the perspective of Aruto Hiden and Is.
 * Shooting Special (シューティング・スペシャル) is a special recap episode told from the perspective of Isamu Fuwa and Yua Yaiba.
 * Super Job War (超（スーパー）お仕事大戦) is a special two-part episode covering the jobs the cast has seen performed during the series.

Everyone's Daily Life
Kamen Rider Zero-One Short Anime: Everyone's Daily Life (仮面ライダーゼロワン ショートアニメ EVERYONE'S DAILY LIFE) is a web-exclusive animated short series, which is scheduled for release on Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club on July 23, 2020.

Cast

 * Aruto Hiden (飛電 或人): Fumiya Takahashi (高橋 文哉)
 * Isamu Fuwa (不破 諫): Ryutaro Okada (岡田 龍太郎)
 * Is (イズ), As (アズ): Noa Tsurushima (鶴嶋 乃愛)
 * Yua Yaiba (刃 唯阿): Hiroe Igeta (井桁 弘恵)
 * Jin (迅): Daisuke Nakagawa (中川 大輔)
 * Horobi (滅): Syuya Sunagawa (砂川 脩弥)
 * Gai Amatsu (天津 垓): Nachi Sakuragi (桜木 那智)
 * Ikazuchi (雷): Daichi Yamaguchi (山口 大地)
 * Naki (亡): Satsuki Nakayama (中山 咲月)
 * Shesta (シェスタ): Asumi Narita (成田 愛純)
 * Sanzō Yamashita (山下 三造): Arata Saeki (佐伯 新)
 * Assassin HumaGear (暗殺ヒューマギア), Matsurida Z (祭田 ゼット): Ryunosuke Matsumura (松村 龍之介)
 * Soreo Hiden (飛電 其雄): Koji Yamamoto (山本 耕史)
 * Jun Fukuzoe (福添 准): Kazuya Kojima (児嶋 一哉)
 * Korenosuke Hiden (飛電 是之助): Tokuma Nishioka (西岡 德馬)
 * Ai-chan (アイちゃん): M·A·O
 * Ark (アーク): Show Hayami (速水 奨)
 * Zat (ザット): Noriko Hidaka (日髙 のり子)
 * Progrise and Zetsumerise Key Equipments Voice: Maynard Plant, Blaise Plant
 * Narration: Kōichi Yamadera (山寺 宏一)

Guest cast

 * Fukkinhoukai Taro (腹筋崩壊 太郎): Nakayama Kinnikun (なかやまきんに君)
 * Mitsukuni Nezu (根津 光国): Akio Kaneda (金田 明夫)
 * Young Isamu Fuwa (2): Soshi Hagiwara (萩原 壮志).
 * Norio Uozumi (魚住 範雄): Tetsu Watanabe (渡辺 哲)
 * Ikkan Nigiro (一貫 ニギロー): Kenta Uchino (内野 謙太)
 * Chōichirō Ishizumi (石墨 超一郎): Katsuya (勝矢)
 * Kanasawa Seine (香菜澤 セイネ): Karen Miyama (美山 加恋)
 * Himself (10, 11): Shinya Owada (大和田 伸也)
 * Matsuda Enji (松田 エンジ): Hiromi Sakimoto (崎本 大海)
 * Saikyo Takumi Oyakata (最強 匠親方): Hidekazu Nagae (長江 英和)
 * Ginnojō Ōshiro (大城 銀之丞): Hirohisa Nakata (中田 博久)
 * Bengoshi Bingo (弁護士ビンゴ): Keisuke Minami (南 圭介)
 * Chiharu Ebii (海老井 千春): Arisa Komiya (小宮 有紗)
 * Enmusubi Match (縁結び マッチ): Ryōma Baba (馬場 良馬)
 * Ichikyō Amatsu (天津 一京): Kosei Kato (加藤 厚成)

Theme songs

 * Opening theme
 * "REAL×EYEZ"
 * Lyrics: Shōko Fujibayashi, Takanori Nishikawa
 * Composition: J
 * Arrangement: J×Takanori Nishikawa, DJ'Tekina//Something
 * Artist: J×Takanori Nishikawa
 * Episodes 1, 2, and 29 and Specials 1-3 do not feature the show's opening sequence. This song is used as the ending theme in episode 2 and as an insert song in episodes 1, 9, 29, 38, and 39 and Specials 1-3.