Chapter 507 Kamen Rider Conditions

Friday, August 01, 1994 – Night

Zaboru sits at a cozy ramen restaurant tucked into a side street in Roppongi. Across from him sits none other than Kyotaro Shinomori—the legendary mind behind Sentai, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider. In this world, Kyotaro is a singular anomaly. From what Zaboru remembers of his past life, each of those iconic Tokusatsu franchises had different creators, born from different studios and creative minds. Yet here, somehow, Kyotaro is the sole force behind all three—an astonishing convergence of talent that doesn't exist in Zaboru's original world.

Also, Zaboru and Kyotaro had previously collaborated back in 1992, when Zaboru provided the script for Kamen Rider Black, a series that turned out to be a massive hit. However, in 1993, when Zaboru approached Kyotaro with a concept for the next Kamen Rider installment, Kyotaro declined. He explained that he wanted to create an entirely original Kamen Rider of his own—one inspired by Kamen Rider Black, but forged from his personal vision. Zaboru respected that choice; after all, it made sense for Kyotaro to want a version of the franchise that was truly his. And so, the unique Kamen Rider of this world was born: Kamen Rider K.

This version of Kamen Rider follows a former karate athlete who's abducted by aliens and transformed into a hero—similar in concept to Kamen Rider Black. The new Rider wears a sharp white-and-black suit and uses traditional karate as his main fighting style. On the surface, it had all the ingredients for success.

But when Zaboru watched the show, something felt off. The emotional resonance wasn't there, the plot felt disjointed, and the overall execution lacked the power of its predecessor. As he suspected, Kamen Rider K ended up flopping. Unlike Kamen Rider Black, which drew in a wide and devoted audience, this new iteration failed to inspire.

Adding to the disappointment, Ultraman was also faltering. The latest installment, Ultraman 93—which was equivalent to Ultraman 80 in Zaboru's previous life and also a creation of Kyotaro—had bombed the previous year. Viewership had plummeted, and audiences were clearly losing interest in two of the most iconic Tokusatsu franchises. The genre's grip on public attention was loosening, and its future looked uncertain.

Only Super Sentai was going strong—Chodenshi Bioman was airing, and as always, people loved Sentai. Also, a new Tokusatsu series called Metal Heroes appeared, and it was not Kyotaro's creation. Now TOEI wants to pull Kamen Rider and Ultraman from their TV line-up because they didn't do well enough.

Zaboru is slurping the ramen like a madman—it's unbelievably delicious. "Kyotaro-san, this ramen is insane. I didn't know you had such an amazing restaurant!"

Kyotaro chuckles. "Yes, Zaboru-kun, this ramen shop is just a little hobby—and one of my son's dreams. Now that he's fulfilled it, I couldn't be prouder."

Koshi Shinomori, Kyotaro's son and the proud owner of the shop, beams at the compliment, clearly touched. Zaboru nods appreciatively. "This is top-tier stuff." He slurps again, louder this time, and quickly polishes off the bowl.

"More, please!" he says enthusiastically.

Koshi laughs and replies, "Coming right up!"

Kyotaro's eyes widen in amusement. "You sure can eat, Zaboru-kun."

Zaboru chuckles, wiping his mouth. "Yeah, Kyotaro-san, sorry—I just can't resist good ramen."

"Anyway, Kyotaro-san, just talk. What is it you wanted to say to me?" Zaboru smiled warmly.

Kyotaro shifted in his seat, visibly uneasy. Then, with a deep breath, he bowed his head low. "I'm sorry, Zaboru! I failed. Kamen Rider K—I had such high hopes for it, but it flopped. I should've listened to you and let you write the script. Instead, I let my pride get in the way and went ahead on my own. I acted foolishly."

Zaboru sighed and placed a reassuring hand on Kyotaro's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Kyotaro-san. Raise your head. You don't owe me anything. Kamen Rider has always been your vision. Wanting to create your own version is only natural. One failure doesn't define you. You can always try again."

Just then, another bowl of miso ramen arrived, and Zaboru nodded in gratitude. "Thanks."

Kyotaro exhaled a heavy breath. "That's the problem, Zaboru. There's this guy, Kubosawa Onigai. He's the new head of the Tokusatsu division. And right now, he wants nothing to do with Ultraman or Kamen Rider. He's shifting all focus to Metal Heroes and Super Sentai. And to make things worse... he fired me. Said I was too stubborn."

Zaboru's eyes widened. "That's… really awful, Kyotaro-san."

Kyotaro nodded solemnly. "Yeah, but those fools—my crew—they stood by me. They were just as stubborn as I was. They tried to stop me from getting kicked out, but in the end, they all got the boot too. Now they're jobless…"

Zaboru fell quiet, continuing to slurp his ramen with a contemplative expression. Then he looked up. "So you're without a job... But I have to ask—Kamen Rider and Ultraman, they were legends. Not doing great now, sure, but do you actually own the rights to both or its TOEI?"

Kyotaro nodded. "I do. TOEI's CEO, Shigeru Okada, is a close friend. He always wanted what was best for the company. So when Onigai pushed to have me cut out, Shigeru gave me a farewell gift—the full rights to Ultraman and Kamen Rider. At the time, I thought it was a generous gesture, a way of parting on good terms. But... well, you know how it turned out."

Zaboru gave a slow nod, understanding more than words could express.

Kyotaro had recently been painted in a negative light over why Ultraman and Kamen Rider had stopped airing. A widely circulated article accused him of being stubborn and forcing TOEI to hand over the rights—fueling public misunderstanding and criticism.

"I see. So you really do have full rights to Kamen Rider and Ultraman, huh?" Zaboru asked thoughtfully.

Kyotaro gave a silent nod.

Zaboru leaned forward slightly. "So then, what are you planning to do with them? Would you consider letting me take the lead—writing the scripts like I did with Kamen Rider Black—if you're willing to follow them?"

Kyotaro's eyes widened in surprise, then softened. He nodded again, firmly. "Yes, Zaboru-kun. I'm willing."

Zaboru chuckled, setting down his chopsticks. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it? You came here looking for capital—hoping I'd invest so you could build a new company to bring Ultraman and Kamen Rider back. And of course, you want me to write the stories to help revive both franchises?"

Kyotaro's eyes widened again, but this time there was a trace of a smile. "Th... that's right, Zaboru-kun."

Zaboru leaned back, slurping the last of his broth, then stared thoughtfully at Kyotaro. "But why do you trust me so much, Kyotaro-san? What if Kamen Rider Black was just a one-time miracle? What if I can't restore Ultraman to its former glory? What if the next Kamen Rider I write crashes even harder than K?"

Kyotaro met Zaboru's gaze with calm conviction. "If that happens, then so be it. But I know who you are, Zaboru. You're not someone who coasts. You give everything—200%—to the things you create. I've seen it in your video games, in your scripts, in your work ethic. That's why I trust you. So yes—I'll take my chance on you."

Zaboru chuckled, "All right then, Kyotaro-san. I'll invest 100 million yen. Use it to form your new company with your crew. I'll take a 65% stake, but the management will be entirely in your hands—100% your call. If, in the next couple of months, you and your team are ready to start production on the new Kamen Rider, just give me the signal. Tomorrow, my legal team will draw up the agreement."

He paused, letting the weight of the moment settle. "Also, I'll try to get TV Tokyo on board to broadcast Kamen Rider and Ultraman. But if they decline—because of the bad press and reputation those franchises carry right now—then it'll be your responsibility to find another channel or platform to bring them back to life."

Kyotaro's eyes widened in disbelief. "100… 100 million yen!?"

Zaboru nodded with a calm smile. "I trust you completely, Kyotaro-san. You're a man of action. You love your creations the way I love mine. You're not in this for the money—you just refuse to let your work become mediocre. I understand that better than most."

Kyotaro's eyes shimmered, and he quickly wiped them. "Yes, Zaboru. I won't let you down."

Zaboru grinned. "Koshi-san, another three bowls!"

Kyotaro burst into laughter. "Hahaha, you really can eat, Zaboru-kun!"

Zaboru spenttime to enjoying bowl after bowl of ramen, savoring each one like a quiet victory.

With that, Zaboru established a new studio dedicated to Kamen Rider and Ultraman. Alongside his creative leadership, he easily secured the rights to produce their official video games—marking a new chapter for both franchises.

To be continued

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