Friday, August 01, 1994 – Night
Zaboru sits at a cozy ran restaurant tucked into a side street in Roppongi. Across from him sits none other than Kyotaro Shinomori—the legendary mind behind Sentai, Ultraman, and Kan Rider. In this world, Kyotaro is a singular anomaly. From what Zaboru rembers of his past life, each of those iconic Tokusatsu franchises had different creators, born from different studios and creative minds. Yet here, sohow, 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 Kan 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 Kan Rider installnt, Kyotaro declined. He explained that he wanted to create an entirely original Kan Rider of his own—one inspired by Kan 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 Kan Rider of this world was born: Kan Rider K.
This version of Kan Rider follows a forr karate athlete who’s abducted by aliens and transford into a hero—similar in concept to Kan 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, sothing 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, Kan Rider K ended up flopping. Unlike Kan Rider Black, which drew in a wide and devoted audience, this new iteration failed to inspire.
Adding to the disappointnt, Ultraman was also faltering. The latest installnt, 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 plumted, 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 tal Heroes appeared, and it was not Kyotaro’s creation. Now TOEI wants to pull Kan Rider and Ultraman from their TV line-up because they didn’t do well enough.
Zaboru is slurping the ran like a madman—it’s unbelievably delicious. "Kyotaro-san, this ran is insane. I didn’t know you had such an amazing restaurant!"
Kyotaro chuckles. "Yes, Zaboru-kun, this ran 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 complint, clearly touched. Zaboru nods appreciatively. "This is top-tier stuff." He slurps again, louder this ti, and quickly polishes off the bowl.
"More, please!" he says enthusiastically.
Koshi laughs and replies, "Coming right up!"
Kyotaro’s eyes widen in amusent. "You sure can eat, Zaboru-kun."
Zaboru chuckles, wiping his mouth. "Yeah, Kyotaro-san, sorry—I just can’t resist good ran."
"Anyway, Kyotaro-san, just talk. What is it you wanted to say to ?" 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. Kan 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 anything. Kan 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 ran 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 Kan Rider. He’s shifting all focus to tal Heroes and Super Sentai. And to make things worse... he fired . 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 . They were just as stubborn as I was. They tried to stop 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 ran with a contemplative expression. Then he looked up. "So you’re without a job... But I have to ask—Kan 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 cut out, Shigeru gave a farewell gift—the full rights to Ultraman and Kan Rider. At the ti, 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 Kan 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 Kan 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 take the lead—writing the scripts like I did with Kan 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 ca here looking for capital—hoping I’d invest so you could build a new company to bring Ultraman and Kan Rider back. And of course, you want to write the stories to help revive both franchises?"
Kyotaro’s eyes widened again, but this ti 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 so much, Kyotaro-san? What if Kan Rider Black was just a one-ti miracle? What if I can’t restore Ultraman to its forr glory? What if the next Kan Rider I write crashes even harder than K?"
Kyotaro t Zaboru’s gaze with calm conviction. "If that happens, then so be it. But I know who you are, Zaboru. You’re not soone who coasts. You give everything—200%—to the things you create. I’ve seen it in your video gas, 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 managent 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 Kan Rider, just give the signal. Tomorrow, my legal team will draw up the agreent."
He paused, letting the weight of the mont settle. "Also, I’ll try to get TV Tokyo on board to broadcast Kan 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 beco diocre. I understand that better than most."
Kyotaro’s eyes shimred, 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 spentti to enjoying bowl after bowl of ran, savoring each one like a quiet victory.
With that, Zaboru established a new studio dedicated to Kan Rider and Ultraman. Alongside his creative leadership, he easily secured the rights to produce their official video gas—marking a new Chapter for both franchises.
To be continued
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