Kazuma Kenzaki


 * For the A. R. world version or his Bujin counterpart, see Kazuma Kendate, Kazuma Kenzaki (A.R. World) and Kamen Rider Bujin Blade.

1= "Tachibana! Why are you watching? Tachibana...have you really betrayed us?!"

- Kenzaki's infamous quote, which later became a meme

2= "I will fight fate...and win."

- Kenzaki after turning into the second Joker

Kazuma Kenzaki (剣崎 一真) is a young man who was recruited and chosen by B.O.A.R.D. to use the sealed Category Ace of Spades to become Kamen Rider Blade (仮面ライダーブレイド), a warrior who Kazuma believes is able to fight for and protect humanity.

TV Series
At the age of 11, Kenzaki was orphaned when his family died in a house-fire. The powerlessness Kenzaki felt would serve as the motivation to try and protect the defenseless, subsequently leading him to be scouted by the Board Of Archaeological Research Department (BOARD). Because of his intelligence and exceptional survival instincts, he would eventually be promoted to field operative and the designated user of Rider System-02.

However, during assessment for the Rider System, Kenzaki displayed unusually high fusion coefficiency. Though this caused no immediate concern, as his levels maintained steady intervals. After being promoted to Rider status, Kenzaki would be partnered with fellow BOARD Rider and senior operative Sakuya Tachibana on assignment to hunt down three Undead over the next two months.

Eventually sealing the Bat Undead, Kenzaki meets a web-journalist named Kotarō Shirai, who begins investigating the Riders after witnessing Kenzaki carelessly changing back from his transformation. To lessen the risk of exposure (and to find a place to board after losing his apartment due to delinquent payments), Kenzaki made a deal with Kotarō: In exchange for information concerning the Riders, Kotarō would provide him a place to stay; being that his salary with BOARD was barely enough to make a living. But later that evening, disaster struck as BOARD HQ fell under attack from the Locust Undead.

With Sakuya's desertion and Kei Karasuma--BOARD's president--nowhere to be found, Kenzaki and Shiori Hirose, one of BOARD's surviving agents, set-up a new base of operations in Kotarō's home, using whatever equipment left undamaged during the Undead assault on BOARD HQ. Though operating at a limit capacity, Kenzaki, Shiori, and Kotarō successfully began tracking and sealing any active Undead in the area. However, eventually Kenzaki redirects his focus on tracking down the rogue Sakuya, leading to a rivalry with a being named Chalice, who possesses similar powers & abilities to his Rider System. Their frequent encounters led to the discovery that Chalice was in fact a human named Hajime, but the origins of his powers and his motives remained a mystery at the time.

Events escalated when Kenzaki finds himself abducted by agents of a man named Isaka (the man responsible for Sakuya's strange behavior) as the subject of study for his human-Undead fusion research. Kenzaki was forced to transform and battle against the Trilobite Undead, while his captors monitored his fusion activity. As the battle progressed, Kenzaki showed no changes in fusion stability until Hajime appeared. This cause a noticeable spike in Kenzaki's fusion activity which curiously effected Hajime as well, spurring him to transform and intervene, along with Sakuya. During the course of their battle, the mysterious Hajime is revealed to be non-human, despite previous speculation and was, in fact, a being called the Joker Undead. Yet despite this knowledge, Kenzaki begins to empathize with Hajime, seeing him as other than the monster he originally thought.

As the Riders continued their exploits, Kenzaki and Sakuya would reconcile their grievances and begin operating with each other once more after rescuing Professor Karasuma. They would also find a new ally in Hajime, after a number of encounters and even recruit a new Rider with Mutsuki Kamijo as Kamen Rider Leangle, along the way. However, with the emergence of the Trial Series, Kenzaki (along with his colleagues) would discover the true circumstances behind the emergence of the Undead and the Battle Fight. After a hard-fought battle, Kenzaki would end the Trial threat using the power of his Rider System's King Form.

After their encounter with the Trial Series and with full knowledge of their predicament, the Riders would devise a plan to ensure the survival of humanity by allowing Hajime (in Human Undead form) to be the last remaining Undead at the end of the Battle Fight contest. Confident of their plan, the Riders would continue sealing the Undead until the Giraffa Undead was sealed. With all Undead finally sealed, the Stone of Sealing materialized and declared the Joker Undead the winner of the Battle Fight, despite Hajime using the power of the Human Undead at the time. Using its power, the Stone of Sealing began spawning legions of Dark Roaches to ravage the world.

Kenzaki, alongside the other Riders, fought desperately to contain the Dark Roach hordes. They fought valiantly, but were ultimately overtaken. Kenzaki would find Hajime and the two would engage in combat. However, Kenzaki's objective was not to seal Hajime. Since the Dark Roach Army emerged, he had been using his Rider System's King Form to accelerate his mutation into a full Joker Undead. Being fully aware of the consequences, Kenzaki realized that as long as two Undead remained, the Battle Fight could continue indefinitely as long as he and Hajime avoid combat with each other. His strategy worked, and the Dark Roaches were removed by the Stone of Sealing, allowing the world to continue existing.

Kenzaki's sacrifice enabled Hajime to keep the Human Spirit card and maintain his disguise while living among the Kurihara family and would forever be indebted to him. Kenzaki, however, departed to parts unknown.

Missing Ace
In an alternate ending to the final episode, however, he was forced to seal Hajime as the Joker Undead, effectively ending the Battle Royale. Four years after, he became a garbage man who witnessed the combat of the New BOARD Riders when the Albino Joker released half of the Undead, eventually joining them back as Blade after Leangle resealed his Category Ace. He asked Leangle to unseal the Joker Undead so as to save Amane from the Albi Roaches. When she was sealed by the Albino Joker to access Jashin 14, he intended to exchange his life for her, but was pushed over by Hajime to be sacrificed instead. Once more he was forced to seal Hajime to weaken Jashin 14, then defeated it and the Albino Joker in it with King Form.

Kamen Rider Decade
About 5 years later, Kazuma Kenzaki appears as one of the nine Heisei Riders in Kamen Rider Decade then battles Tsukasa after Wataru told the latter that destroying the nine Heisei Riders was supposed to be his true goal, but he had failed to do that, and for that reason all worlds were headed to destruction.

This incarnation of Kenzaki is subject to conflicting origins. He has been identified in official written material as both the original Kazuma Kenzaki changed by his lonely life after the finale of Blade, and an A.R Kazuma Kenzaki from a parallel world. As a result, it is presently unknown for certain if this is the original Kenzaki or not.

All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker
To stop the fusion and destruction of worlds, Tsukasa Kadoya announced a tournament gathering all Riders to learn who was the strongest. Blade participated in the tournament fighting against Kamen Rider Stronger.

''In the manga adaptation, Blade fought against Skyrider rather than Stronger. He was also in his Jack Form rather than the standard Ace Form.''

Final Chapter
In Decade: Final Chapter, Kenzaki in his regular Ace Form teams up with Kamen Rider Ryuki to destroy Decade now in Violent Emotion's Form but Decade turns the tables on them by turning Kenzaki into Blade Blade to destroy Ryuki and later destroys him with his Final Attack Ride resulting in both Riders being turned into cards. He is later revived after Decade voluntarily lets himself be destroyed.

OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders
Kamen Rider Blade appears yet again in OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders, fighting against Undead that allied themselves with Shocker and other Kamen Rider villains from the 40 years of the franchise.

Although his human form isn't shown in the movie itself and he doesn't speak, Blade is confirmed to be Kazuma Kenzaki by the movie's official website.

Blade, along with All Riders (until Fourze), tagged along with core Super Sentai members to fight Dai-Zangyack and Dai-Shocker. He is last seen using Refleclear (Gosei Blue's Power Cards) to counter Kani Laser's attack and use his Rider Kick (it's unknown if it is Lightning Blast or Lightning Sonic) along with Decade's Dimensional Kick and Ryuki's Dragon Rider Kick.

Kamen Rider Wizard
Blade appears with all the Heisei Riders from Kuuga to Fourze, led by Decade, in a special two-parter after the finale, The Ring of Kamen Rider and Neverending Story.

Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai
Despite the fact that it was not shown in the movie itself, Blade was killed by a Showa Rider and was turned into a Lockseed.

Blade later appeared when Gaim and ZX released all of the Kamen Riders from their Lockseeds.

In a timeline alteration, after Shocker gained their victory, most Riders had been placed under their control with Leangle leading a small portion of their army. Kamen Rider Blade was claimed to be imprisoned by Tachibana during their infiltration to Shocker's base. However, it was revealed to be a lie as Tachibana was already an evil rider alongside Kenzaki. But soon Kenzaki alongside Tachibana, Hajime, and Mitsuki had their hearts changed despite still brainwashed after they couldn't accept how Shocker treated its own allies and aiding Drive.

After Takeshi Hongo and Hayato Ichimonji broke free from the Rider Robo, their brainwashing was fully destroyed.

Surviving the onslaught of the History Modifying Machine, Blade fought and destroyed Shocker's N-Gamio-Zeda with the Lightning Blast shortly before the Rider Robo was destroyed along with the machine by. Among the remaining Riders who witnessed the farewell of Kyoichiro Kuroi as the perversion of history was reversed, Blade's place in history was restored.

Kamen Rider Ghost: Legendary! Riders' Souls!
Despite not appearing in the web-exclusive series, Ghost can use the power of 16 Heisei Riders, including Blade, with the Heisei Rider Damashii in the final episode.

Kamen Rider Ex-Aid "Tricks": Kamen Rider Genm
Despite not appearing in the web-exclusive series, Blade and 13 Heisei Riders were the projections of the Ganbarizing Critical Strike.

Kamen Sentai Gorider


"Indeed your plan is a success, but you have one greatest mistake. My power that you used is an Undead power which has lured me to come here. Aside of that, you erase the Undead power, making only one Undead to triumph in this world by default, me. And to make it worse, I am an Undead that bring the destruction of the world shall I am the winner, Joker"

- Kenzaki explained the greatest mistake of Kuroto Dan's plan

Blade is one of five dead riders who have been brought into another dimension, along with a still alive Emu Hojo. Though Kazuma is technically still alive as an Undead, he considers losing his humanity to be his "death".

As it turns out, however, Kenzaki isn't who he appears to be as he stabs Emu in the abdomen with his Blay Rouzer. Before Emu narrowly escapes with his life, "Kenzaki" drops his disguise and reveals himself to Emu. Kuroto Dan turns out to be the one disguising himself as the Undead Kamen Rider, but the real Kenzaki eventually shows up to help the heroes and also still alive as the mirror reflection reflects himself, having found the "impossible" Game World's entrance in CR by sensing Kuroto's use of Undead powers. Due to Kenzaki being the only Joker Undead within the Game World, the rules of the Undead Battle Fight applied to the Game World and began its destruction. During the final fight against Genm and Totema, Blade and the other four deceased Kamen Riders are given the Gorider's cards to become Kamen Sentai Gorider, with Kenzaki becoming Ao-Rider. At the conclusion of the fight, Blade prevents Ex-Aid from stopping the four deceased Kamen Riders sacrifice themselves to defeat Genm. Both Blade and Ex-Aid escape the Game World right after Genm's defeat. Though it is unknown what happened to Kenzaki afterwards, it can be assumed he left CR right after returning to the real world.

Kamen Rider Build: Be The One
Among the first 18 Heisei Riders, Blade fought against numerous monsters in a melee briefly witnessed by Sento Kiryu before being caught in the crossfire as Kamen Rider Zi-O BuildArmor used his Vortex Time Break to wipe out his enemies.

Meeting Sougo Tokiwa


"Can fate not be denied?!"

- Kenzaki screamed on Hajime, struggling to hold his undead's instinct

During Hajime's battle against Sougo, Kazuma Kenzaki had reappeared in front of them. Angrily asking Hajime why he had used his Undead powers, Kenzaki transformed into Kamen Rider Blade. In a seemingly uncontrollable fit of rage, Kenzaki viciously attacked Chalice, despite his pleas to stop. The battle was evenly matched, with both sides showing no signs of giving up.

While Kenzaki and Hajime were busy fighting each other, Zi-O and Another Blade resumed their battle. Just when Kenzaki used his Lightning Sonic, Another Blade was knocked towards Hajime's side. Noticing this, Hajime attempted to shield her with his body. Kenzaki's attack proved too powerful to completely block though, causing Another Blade to revert back into Amane. Hajime called out to her in concern, causing Kenzaki to freeze in shock. Once he was sure Amane was uninjured, Hajime then escaped from Kenzaki, with Amane chasing after him.

The battle having ended, Kenzaki went to the 9 5 DO with Sougo and his friends. There, Kenzaki explained the situation, before telling them that the matter did not concern anyone else. In a huff, Kenzaki then rushed out the shop to find Hajime.

Finding Hajime with Amane, Kenzaki forced the former to battle him again. In the middle of their battle though, Amane cried out for them to stop fighting each other. White Woz then reappeared before Amane, forcefully turning her into Another Blade. Another Blade then went berserk, attacking both Blade and Chalice. The two tried to turn Amane back to normal, but were unsuccessful.

Once knocking back Kenzaki and Hajime into their human forms, Another Blade absorbed the essence of the Joker Undead from them into herself, thus technically becoming the victor of the Battle Fight. Now wounded and bleeding red blood, Kenzaki and Hajime were forced to watch as Another Blade summoned the monolith, which started producing an army of dark colored Joker Undeads while the skies darkened. Luckily, Geiz, Black Woz, and Sougo intervened in time, awakening the new power of Zi-O Trinity which defeated the powered up Another Blade. They reverted Another Blade back into Amane and destroyed the Another Blade Ridewatch, while the Blade and Chalice Ridewatches also fell from her. The monolith seemingly was reduced to dust as Another Blade was destroyed. The battle having ended, Kenzaki watched from afar as Hajime and Amane reconciled with each other. Sougo then came up to him, trying to hand him the Blade Ridewatch and the Chalice Ridewatch. Kenzaki allows Sougo to keep the watches, feeling that he would need it more than them, and noting that thanks to them, the power of the Jokers had been sealed. Telling Sougo that he and Hajime can now continue to live on with their lives, Kenzaki goes up towards his old friends, while Sougo and Geiz watch with a smile.

300 years later (non-canon)
In the novel, Kenzaki is trying to find a way to end his life after living a lonely existence for too long. He also seems to have become broken and somewhat insane as he seemingly couldn't remember why he chose to become an Undead in the first place.

Kamen Rider Blade (video game)
Kamen Rider Blade, with Garren, Chalice, and Leangle, is playable in the Kamen Rider Blade video game.

Kamen Rider Climax Heroes
Blade appears in All Kamen Rider Climax Heroes Series. Start from Climax Heroes OOO, Blade can use Jack Form.

All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation
Blade appears in All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation and All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation 2.

Kamen Rider: Battride War
Kamen Rider Blade appears as a Main Rider in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War, which unites the riders of the Heisei era from Kuuga to Wizard.

Kamen Rider: Battride War II
Kamen Rider Blade reappeared in Kamen Rider: Battride War II, summoned by Cinema along with the remaining Heisei Riders in order to create the "ultimate movie". Blade's stage was based of from Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace, with Albino Joker as his main enemy. In this game, his gameplay has been updated:
 * Cancellable Rouze Card access from normal/special moves or another cancellable Rouze Card based-moves.
 * An aerial Royal Straight Flush special replaces Helm Breaker

Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis
Kamen Rider Blade reappeared in Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis

Personality
Kazuma Kenzaki is a friendly, cheerful man. Partly due to his traumatic past, Kenzaki had a somewhat awkward side at first, struggling to befriend others. Furthermore, he has shown himself to be quite naive. Despite all this, Kenzaki genuinely does care for the well-being of others and will go to great lengths to help those in need. His vow to never let an innocent person feel pain if he can help it is what motivates Kenzaki to fight against all odds.

The guilt Kenzaki felt for his inability to save his parents has continued to haunt him for years, the tragedy having reappeared in his dreams at one point. This feeling of guilt though, was slowly soothed by the friends that supported him. As the series progressed, Kazuma matured greatly, even becoming a sort of mentor for Mutsuki Kamijo/Kamen Rider Leangle.

Humorously, Kenzaki (along with Mutsuki) in Missing Ace once tried to steal from the now rich Kotarō hinting a slightly devious side.

In the novel Kamen Rider Blade: Twilight, over the years, Sakuya Tachibana/Kamen Rider Garren would hear of a strange creature saving children and other people all throughout the world, said strange creature hinted to be Kenzaki as an Undead.

The Kenzaki that appeared in Kamen Sentai Gorider is shown to be an ally of justice, helping Emu Hojo/Kamen Rider Ex-Aid and the four deceased rider stop Kuroto Dan from reviving himself and taking over the world with Bugsters. Though fighting as an ally of justice, Kenzaki stopped Emu from preventing the sacrifice of the four deceased riders, as he felt it to be necessary to foil Kuroto's plans.

Unlike previous guest appearances, in the Drama CD: Kamen Rider Blade -The Whereabout of Trump, Kenzaki is mostly the same as he was ten years ago. Still a friendly and cheerful man, Kenzaki continues to wander around the world, helping those in need. While managing to retain his sense of self, Kenzaki has worries of losing control over his Undead instincts, which makes him not stay in one place for too long.

When reappearing in Kamen Rider Zi-O though, Kenzaki had changed greatly for the worse. Due to Hajime Aikawa/Kamen Rider Chalice's actions, Kenzaki was influenced by his Undead instincts, becoming angry and cynical. This is to the point of showing little care towards the possibility of humanity's extinction, something unthinkable in the original series. Instead, Kenzaki seemed focused solely on defeating Hajime, despite the latter's pleas to stop. However, this was largely due to the effects of White Woz's tablet. Despite this aggressiveness, Kenzaki was shown to be regretful at having to fight against Hajime, as well as being concerned with Amane's predicament.

Once his mutation as the Joker Undead was reversed though, Kenzaki no longer became bound by the Battle Fight's effects, effectively losing his former aggression. In a somewhat calm but satisfied manner, Kenzaki even stated his gladness at being released from his Undead instincts.

In a possible future three hundred years later though, as depicted in the Kamen Rider Blade novel, Kenzaki's cynicism has overridden him. Having lived for so long through countless wars and battles without anyone to rely on, this Kenzaki became hopeless and defeated, often trying to find ways to kill himself and failing every time due to becoming the Joker Undead. This Kenzaki had lost sight of himself and the meaning of his actions as his own death would mean the end of humanity and other life on Earth. During the novel, Kenzaki become an amnesiac due to the manipulations by the Stone of Sealing, helping him fight again as a Kamen Rider. Yet as time passed by, Kenzaki slowly regained his memories and began losing his sanity once more. Before the final fight, the Stone of Sealing used Kenzaki's diminishing sanity against him and caused him to turn into the Darkness Undead. It was only by Hajime's actions as the Crimson Undead that Kenzaki broke free from the Stone of Sealing's influence, restoring his sanity in the process. Once the Battle Fight had ended once and for all, Kenzaki no longer felt burdened as the second Joker Undead, as he was now freed from his Undead instincts.

Equipment

 * Blay Buckle: Blade's transformation belt
 * Chalice Rouzer: Transformation belt as the Joker Undead
 * Rouze Absorber: Used to access Jack Form and King Form
 * Rouze Card: Allow Blade to perform special attacks
 * Blay Rouzer: Blade's personal weapon
 * King Rouzer: Blade King Form's primary weapon
 * Blue Spader: Blade's Rider Machine

Portrayal
Kazuma Kenzaki is portrayed by Takayuki Tsubaki (椿 隆之), who reprised his role in Kamen Rider Decade by voiced his character in Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010. As a child, he was portrayed by Takumi Kagawa (香川 拓海). As Kamen Rider Blade, his suit actor was Seiji Takaiwa (高岩 成二), who has been the suit actor for the majority of the leading Heisei Kamen Riders (except Kuuga and Hibiki).

Rider No.
As the leading Rider protagonist of Kamen Rider Blade, Kazuma Kenzaki (Kamen Rider Blade) is labeled Kamen Rider #20 (仮面ライダー20号) and Heisei Rider #5 (平成ライダー5号).

Meme
Kazuma is the center of a Japanese meme dubbed "Ondul" (ｵﾝﾄﾞｩﾙ), in which actor Takayuki Tsubaki's emotion-slurred speech, is treated as a separate language (the name comes from his line in the first episode, "Have you really betrayed us?!" (本当に裏切ったんですか!), with "honto" ("really") coming out as "ondul", turning into Ondourur ragitta ndisukā! (ｵﾝﾄﾞｩﾙﾙﾗｷﾞｯﾀﾝﾃﾞｨｽｶｰ!)). This meme was named the "Ondul Language" (オンドゥル語) and has been referenced in other works, such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

The meme has been acknowledged within the Kamen Rider franchise, with Kazuma Kendate of Kamen Rider Decade mistaking "Chief" and "cheese". It is further referenced in Kamen Rider Climax Heroes, where "Have you really betrayed us?!" is Blade's special intro dialog with Garren, and in Kamen Rider: Battride War, where the quote is the name of one of the game's achievements.

Memes surrounding the other main characters (Sakuya Tachibana, Hajime Aikawa and Mutsuki Kamijo) have since spawned among Japanese fans, and have been referenced in many parodies uploaded online.

Legend Rider Devices
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