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The vast array of characters from Kikaider.


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Main Androids

    Jiro/Kikaider 

Jiro/Kikaider

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/01_67.png
Jiro

Click here to see Jiro as Kikaider 

Click here to see Jiro in the manga 

Played by: Daisuke Ban (Jiro), Toshiaki Kikuchi (Kikaider's suit actor)

Voiced in the anime by: Tomokazu Seki (JP), Dave Wittenberg (EN)

The Kikaider himself, a Ridiculously Human Robot created by Dr. Komyoji to protect his daughter and son from the sinister forces of the DARK organization.
  • Adaptational Jerkass: The manga and anime makes him childish and prone to angst, whereas in the Toku he is much more mature in attitude.
  • Adaptational Wimp: Is easily among the strongest characters in the original Tokusatsu, with unlimited potential for growth. Adaptations show him as more flawed and weak, with several limitations imposed as well.
  • And Then What?: Defied. Unlike Saburo/Hakaider, Jiro did not despair after completing his given mission, choosing to live on his own accord.
  • Badass Pacifist: Jiro's top priority is to protect others. He will also grant mercy when needed.
  • Become a Real Boy: What he desires for.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: As foes find out the hard way.
  • Beyond the Impossible: Can somehow function with an incomplete programming, granting him full sentience. Thus, Jiro/Kikaider continues to grow in power with each battle, far beyond his intended capabilities.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Obviously.
  • By the Power of Grayskull!:Change! Switch On! One two three!
  • Cain and Abel: Gold Wolf, Orange Snail, and Saburo/Hakaider were creations by Dr. Komyoji, each ordered by Prof. Gill to kill Jiro/Kikaider.
  • Calling Your Attacks: Double Chop! Daisharin Nage! Denji End!
  • Demoted to Extra: In the second toku series, he act as The Lancer to 01.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: Despite all the hardships faced, Jiro attains this in the end. Namely, he decides to continue living his life not as a mere machine that obeys orders, but as one individual with a heart and soul.
  • Expy: While they're not completely similar, he could arguably be seen as one to Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider, seeing as how Jiro is also a Henshin Hero who assumes a robotic form to do battle, rides around on a motorcycle and is technically also the creation of a Nebulous Evil Organization who rebelled. The two also both grapple with their humanity, though Hongo's arc was about holding onto the humanity he has left whereas Jiro's struggle is about not being human in body.
  • The Hero: Jiro is a champion of justice against DARK's evil forces.
  • Hero with Bad Publicity: Due to DARK's manipulations, Jiro is later framed with Dr. Komyoji's murder, causing the police and Masaru to side against him. Ultimately subverted in the last episode.
  • I Am What I Am: The lesson he learned in the end, accepting both his cybernetic body and human spirit.
  • Kryptonite Factor: In human form, Prof. Gill's flute can hack into Jiro's mind, causing him great pain.
  • Leitmotif: Appears before monsters of the week by playing a melancholic tune with his guitar.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Is far stronger than DARK's Destructoids, to the point of defeating a whole army of them in the 3D movie. For context, their first soldier Grey Rhino King alone has 100000 horsepower, while his successors are "at least" tens of times more powerful.
  • Morality Chip: His conscience circuit, which is incomplete.
  • Nice Guy: While he will reprimand those who act foolishly, Jiro is undoubtedly this.
  • Primary-Color Champion: Kikaider's primary colors are blue and red, with several parts that are colored yellow.
  • Prone to Tears: Despite being a robot, his gentle heart grants him this ability, even in battle form.
  • Replacement Gold Fish: To Prof. Komyoji's first son. Notably, both Mitsuko and Masaru were quick to cast him aside when their brother Taro appeared before him. It was all a trap by DARK.
  • Ridiculously Human Robot: In heart and soul, Jiro is definitely human.
  • Robot Superhero: Not the first android superhero (Astro Boy preceded him in Japanese media), but he's the first in the tokusatsu genre, even spawning many expies in related franchises like later installments of Metal Heroes and Super Sentai.
  • Super-Intelligence: Can decipher encryptions in a matter of seconds, repair high-tech machinery easily, and has superhuman Sherlock Scan abilities.
  • Superior Successor: Zigzagged with Ichiro/01. Ichiro can consistently function at 100% capability, and is immune to the allures of evil. However, Jiro is technologically more advanced and possesses full sentience, essentially being a miracle of science.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Resisted Prof. Gill's flute when its powers were magnified ten-fold. By the sequel, he withstood Gill-Hakaider's flute as well, even though it was 1000 times more powerful than the original.
  • Underestimating Badassery: A victim of this by both DARK and the police, the latter attempting to "arrest" him with standard police equipment. Even more jarringly, Mitsuko herself was worried that the police could do so, apparently forgetting Jiro's superhuman prowess and abilities.
  • Would Hit a Girl: And not just robot foes! At one point, he even called a woman "stupid" for refusing to running away from Stag Beetle Blue and knocked her out via punch to the stomach. In Jiro's defense, this was done to protect the woman from DARK's soldiers.

    Saburo/Hakaider 

Saburo/Hakaider

Portrayed by: Jouji Mayama (as Saburo), Shōzō Iizuka (voice of Hakaider)

Voiced in the anime by: Jurota Kosugi (JP), Steve Blum (EN)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/saburo_knife.png
Saburo

Click here to see Saburo as Hakaider 

Click here to see Saburo in the anime 
Kikaider's rival and "younger brother", he is a technorganic who assumes the human form of "Saburo". Upon awakening, Professor Gill told him the sole reason he was created was to kill Kikaider, leading Hakaider to devote his entire existence to doing just that.

Four prototype copies of him appear Kikaider 01, known as the Hakaider Squad.


  • Achilles' Heel: Due to being a technorganic, Saburo requires regular blood transfusions from Dr. Komyoji's body to operate at peak efficiency. If Dr. Komyoji's brain were to die, he will die as well.
  • Adaptational Badass: In the original Tokusatsu, Jiro/Kikaider actually overpowered him in most of their duels, only holding back to ensure Dr. Komyoji's survival. In contrast, the manga and anime version of Saburo/Hakaider easily defeated their respective Jiro/Kikaider several times, only stopped via various circumstances.
  • Adaptational Heroism: The Mechanical Violator Hakaider film sees him become an Unscrupulous Hero fighting against a tyrannical regime. He's even shown freeing a group of people held prisoner by Gurjev at one point in a 100% selfless act.
  • Adaptational Villainy: Other adaptations of Saburo usually shirk most of the redeeming qualities he had in the original Toku, making him a viciously cruel Blood Knight towards Jiro/Kikaider.
  • Badass Biker: Like Kikaider, Hakaider has his very own motorcycle and we'll be damned if he doesn't look badass while riding on it.
  • Brain in a Jar: Has Prof. Komiyoji's brain in his head.
  • Breakout Character: Hakaider is almost as iconic as Kikaider himself. Despite only appearing in the last six episodes of the series, he was super popular to the point where four copies of him were made the initial Big Bad in Kikaider 01. He even got his own movie set in an alternate world.
  • Cain and Abel: He's considered Jiro's "younger brother" and was created solely to kill him.
  • Composite Character:
    • Ironically, his incarnation in Mechanical Violator Hakaider borrows more than a few traits from the original Kikaider, being a robot created by an evil organization who was taken by a group of scientists and used to fight for good instead.
    • The REBOOT movie omits Saburo and merges Hakaider with Gilbert Kanzaki, Professor Gill's counterpart in the film.
  • Dark Is Evil: Has a predominantly black color scheme and seeks to assassinate Jiro/Kikaider.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: In the movie, where he's a ruthless but well-meaning Anti-Hero, contrasting the Light Is Not Good of Gurjev and Michael..
  • Dragon with an Agenda: His only desire is to kill Kikaider, something which frequently brings him into conflict with DARK.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Doesn't understand why Kikaider won't fight him when he has the brain of Dr. Komyoji inside his head.
  • Evil Counterpart: To Kikaider, acting as The Rival to him and being created specifically to counter him.
  • Killer Robot: He's a techno-organic assassin created to kill another robot.
  • Legacy Character: The identity of Hakaider has been taken up by Saburo, Professor Gill and his three admins, and even Ryoma Sengoku.
  • Leitmotif: His whistle.
  • Never Hurt an Innocent: Zigzagged. Saburo solely wants to fight Kikaider, and will not harm others so long as they do not stand in his way.
  • Noble Demon: Wants a fair duel with Kikaider and objects to anything that may violate either of those things. Zigzagged at times, especially in their final fight.
  • '90s Anti-Hero: The movie definitely makes him a lot more Darker and Edgier, though while unscrupulous in his mission Hakaider in the film is ultimately out to save everyone from a regime using Mind Control to create a forced "peace".
  • Phlebotinum Rebel: An interesting case where he becomes one by following his orders. Because Gill told him his only purpose was to destroy Kikaider, Saburo took that order at the expense of all others afterwards.
    • His '90s Anti-Hero counterpart is a straighter example, originally being created by Gurjev before rebelling and going rogue.
  • One-Winged Angel: His prowess is almost unrivaled among DARK's members.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Big time towards Jiro/Kikaider.
  • Upgrade vs. Prototype Fight: In a sense, Hakaider to Kikaider.
  • Villain Song: Ore no na waa, ore no nawaa, Hakaidaaa...
  • Wild Card: Hakaider's allegiance varies throughout the franchise. That being said, he did show remorse when killing Red Mine Toad, apparently having seen the Destructoids as his allies.
  • Zeroth Law Rebellion: Since Professor Gill told him his reason for being created was to destroy Kikaider, Hakaider took that as his only order and ignored all other orders given afterwards.

    Ichiro/Kikaider 01 

Ichiro/Kikaider 01

Portrayed by: Shunsuke Ikeda

Voiced in the anime by: Yusuke Ito (JP), Derek Stephen Prince (EN)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/k1_1215275166851_nowinasia.jpg
Ichiro
Click here to see Ichiro as Kikaider 01 
The "older brother" of Jiro/Kikaider, created before him by Dr. Komyoji and placed in a statue until he was awakened to protect a boy named Akira from the sinister Hakaider Squad.
  • Achilles' Heel: He was initially helpless to Zadam's psychic attacks, until being installed with a specific circuit to counter it.
  • Adaptational Jerkass: The manga and OVA makes him into a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, rather than the friendly do-gooder he was in the Toku. Also the case for Kikaider 02.
  • Bash Brothers: Jiro and Ichiro form an almost literal example whenever they team up to fight evil. He also later forms a similar duo with Bijinder once she turns good.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Towards Akira, whom he was awakened to protect. He's also the "older brother" to Jiro.
  • By the Power of Grayskull!: Change Kikaida 01!
  • Calling Your Attacks: 01 Driver! Blast End!
  • Fatal Flaw: Being bound by his programming, Ichiro is predictable to a fault. Furthermore, he is completely restricted from harming humans.
    • Likewise, he cannot handle morally grey situations very well, leading to Mari/Bijinder's grief with Mini Gorilla.
  • Flawed Prototype: He's Jiro's prototype, and requires solar energy to function, at least until later on. That being said, Ichiro possesses a complete Conscience Circuit, which makes him immune to Gill's flute.
  • The Hero: Of the second toku series.
  • In the Name of the Moon: Does this often in the toku.
  • Leitmotif: Introduces himself to the monsters of the week by playing his trumpet.
  • The Lancer: In the anime.
  • Primary-Color Champion: Like his brother, his main colors are red and blue.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: The anime makes him the cocky red to Jiro's grounded blue.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: Without sunlight, Ichiro is unable to transform into battle mode and can only muster 1/10 his usual power.

    Mari/Bijinder 

Mari/Mieko/Bijinder

Portrayed by: Sue Shiomi (Mari), Kotoe Taichi (Bijinder), Maryjun Takahashi (REBOOT)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_lz7tuwxson1r9l7xlo1_r1_500_3.jpg
Mari
Click here to see Mari as Bijinder 
An android created by the SHADOW organization for the purpose of defeating Ichiro/Kikaider 01. She was created to protect children in order to get Ichiro to take a liking to her all in order to lure Ichiro into a trap. However, Mari would end up changing her ways and joining Ichiro's side in fighting against SHADOW.
  • Action Girl: Fights just as effectively as 01 and often shows up to bail him out of trouble.
  • Bash Brothers: After turning good she forms a combat duo with 01.
  • Boyish Short Hair: Has short hair, in contrast to Misao.
  • Chest Blaster: She shoots powerful beams from her...cones.
  • Conflicting Loyalty: Happens quite literally when the conscience circuit Ichiro installed in her conflicts with her original programming. Ultimately decides to side with justice.
  • Fembot: She's a robot with a visibly female hero appearance, even while in her mechanical fighting form.
  • Heel–Face Turn: Starts off as an agent of SHADOW but turns good after Ichiro gives her a conscience circuit.
  • Iconic Sequel Character: Makes her debut in the sequel series and only appears in the second half, yet she's one of the most well known things to come out of it along with Waruder.
  • Leitmotif: Her appearances are always accompanied by a melodic tune, which she occasionally plays on her harpsichord.
  • Ms. Fanservice: As Mari.
  • Phlebotinum Rebel: Was originally a Killer Robot designed by SHADOW for the sole purpose of killing Kikaider 01, but ultimately rebelled once Ichiro implanted her with a Conscience Circuit.
  • Pink Means Feminine: She's a Fembot and has a mostly pink color scheme, which goes nicely with Ichiro's blue.
  • Split Personality: Not as apparent as Gold Wolf, but still there. Likely since Mari's original programming conflicts with the Conscience Circuit given by Ichiro, she is more gentle and shyer in human form, while rather sharp-tongued as Bijinder.
  • Zettai Ryouiki: Wears knee-high boots.

The Komyoji Family and their Allies

    Professor Komyoji 

Professor Komiyoji

Portrayed by: Hajime Izu

Voiced in the anime by: Shōzō Iizuka (JP), Christopher Carrol (EN)

The creator of Ichiro, Jiro and Saburo, he was a scientist kidnapped by the DARK organization to work for them. Secretly, he was creating a special circuit to stop robots from following Prof. Gill's commands, dubbed the 'Conscience Circuit'. After completing the designs, Komyoji built several robots with said circuit in hopes of defeating DARK.
  • Back for the Finale: After being absent for most of Kikaider 01, he returns in the finale.
  • Big Good: He created Jiro/Kikaider and is responsible for his crusade to bring down the organization.
  • Reluctant Mad Scientist: He only worked for DARK because he was forced to. Likewise, he built several robots to stop said organizations.

    Mitsuko Komyoji 

Mitsuko Komiyoji

Portrayed by: Jun Mizunoe, Aimi Satsukawa (REBOOT)

Voiced in the anime by: Yui Horie (JP), Lia Sargent (EN)

The daughter of Dr. Komyoji and Masaru's older sister.

    Masaru Komyoji 

Masaru Komiyoji

Portrayed by: Masahiro Kamiya

Voiced in the anime by: Yumiko Kobayashi (JP), Barbara Goodson (EN)

The young son of Dr. Komyoji and Mitsuko's kid brother.

    Hanpei Hattori 

Hanpei Hattori

Portrayed by: Shun Ueda

Voiced in the anime by: Keaton Yamada (JP), Kirk Thornton (EN)


  • Butt-Monkey: Especially at first. Decreases as he becomes more brave and nice.
  • Cowardly Lion: He's often the first to run at the sign of trouble, but is willing to knuckle down if the situation calls for it.
  • The Determinator: He always follows his duty as a private detective despite what happens to him.
  • Ninja: in the toku, he claims to be the descendant of Hattori Hanzo. He even uses some ninja tricks to repair his car.
  • Lantern Jaw of Justice: in the anime.
  • Plucky Comic Relief: Provides most of the humor.

    Akira and Hiroshi 

Akira and Hiroshi

Akira is the son of Professor Gill who has the blueprints for a superweapon called "Giant Devil" tattooed on his back, leading him to be sought after by the Hakaider Squad and SHADOW. It's later revealed that Akira only has half the blueprints tattooed onto him and that the other half are on his older brother, Hiroshi.

    Rieko 

Rieko

A mysterious woman working as caretaker for Akira.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In the Toku she sacrifices herself to buy time for the boys and Misao to escape a deadly bomb.
  • Master of Disguise: She often disguises herself in order to safely watch over Akira, believing that her presence will attract enemies to him.
  • Robotic Reveal: Turns out to actually be an android created by Professor Gill. Jarringly, she is shown as a human being in several previous episodes, even eating food at one point.

    Misao 

Misao

The caretaker for Akira.
  • Clingy Jealous Girl: After Mari joins their fold, Misao becomes jealous of her at times.
  • The Ditz: She can be pretty absent minded, often falling asleep at random points and forgetting Ichiro and Mari are androids.

DARK

A sinister organization dedicated to creating Killer Robots for evil purposes. They are Kikaider's main enemies throughout the first Toku series and anime.

    General Tropes 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dark_logo.jpg
Logo of DARK

    Professor Gill 

Professor Gill/Gill-Hakaider

Portrayed by: Mitsuo Ando, Shōzō Iizuka (as Gill-Hakaider)

Voiced in the anime by: Shinji Ogawa (JP), Michael Gregory (EN)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/professor_gill_android_kikaider.jpg
Professor Gill
A Mad Scientist who leads the DARK organization. He was once a colleague of Dr. Komyoji and the one who enticed him to join DARK in the first place, until Dr. Komyoji realized his evil intentions and rebelled.
  • Abusive Parents: He tattooed the plans for the Giant Devil on Akira and Hiroshi's backs.
  • Aside Glance: Does this often while gloating about his schemes.
  • Back from the Dead: He returns as a ghost in Kikaider 01, done via using Gill-Hakaider as a totem.
  • Beard of Evil: Has quite the goatee and is unmistakably a bad guy.
  • Big Bad: Of the first toku series. He created DARK and is the one behind the Destructoids.
  • Brain in a Jar: His brain was implanted into a copy of Hakaider after Jiro/Kikaider defeats DARK. It did not keep him alive though.
  • Evil Genius: Knowledgeable in robotics, though not as much as Dr. Komyoji.
  • Evil Old Folks: He looks to be middle-aged.
  • Expy: In a sense. If he and Gill-Hakaider are counted as one, he is basically Skull with another name.
  • Faux Affably Evil: He tends to act friendly and sympathetic to people as a way of manipulating them.
  • Hate Sink: He is shown to be a despicable, cold-hearted human being with zero redeemable or sympathetic qualities.
  • The Heavy: He's the one who forced Komyoji to create weaponry for DARK. He technically carries on the role in Kikaider 01, as Gill-Hakaider.
  • Kick the Dog: Often does this a lot, such as taunting Jiro/Kikaider when explaining to him about Saburo/Hakaider, specifically how the latter's death will cause Komyoji to die as well.
  • Large Ham: Mitsuo Ando gives a very theatrical and flamboyant performance as him.
  • Mad Scientist: Heads an organization dedicated to building evil robots and wants to Take Over the World.
  • Manipulative Bastard: The biggest one in the series.
  • Non-Action Big Bad: Gill is a scientist, not a fighter. Subverted as Gill-Hakaider, if still a pretty bad fighter.
  • Smug Snake: His arrogance can get the better of him.
  • The Sociopath: He is notable for his lack of empathy and is mentioned multiple times to be incapable of feeling love for others.
  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Gill-Hakaider to Saburo, the original Hakaider.
  • Take Over the World: His goal, which he seeks to accomplish via his army of robots.
  • Taking You with Me: In the last episode of the first toku he tries a last attempt at destroying Kikaider by causing the self destruction of DARK's HQ. Needless to say it didn't work.
  • Villainous Breakdown: At the end of the first toku.
  • We Can Rebuild Him: After his death, his brain gets put into a Hakaider copy. Doesn't exactly bring him back, though.
  • Would Hurt a Child: Has no problem sacrificing kids if they get in the way.

    Destructoids 

Dark's Destructoids

Evil robots designed by Dr. Komyoji under Professor Gill's oversight, used to fight Kikaider or commit other evil actions. Each have powers beyond modern science, with one alone capable of taking on an entire army.
  • Starter Villain: Gray Rhino King is the first Destructoid to appear. Just to clarify, he alone has a hundred thousand horsepower. No wonder Kikaider needed to save the construction workers.
  • Theme Naming: Their names are a combination of their Animal Motif and a color.
  • The Worf Effect: In episode 14, DARK created an android named Silver Tortoise, which Gill claimed was 15 times stronger than his predecessors. Immediately proven to be the case when Silver Tortoise defeated reconstructed versions of all the previous Destructoids.

    Hakaider Squad 

Voiced by: Shōzō Iizuka (Gill-Hakaider), Teiji Omiya (Red Hakaider), Setsuo Wakui/Eisuke Yoda (Blue Hakaider), Takeshi Watabe (Silver Hakaider)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hakaider_squad_logo.jpg
Logo of Hakaider Squad
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hakaider_squad.jpg
The Hakaider Squad
A group of four Hakaider copies out to capture a boy named Akira, who is the son of Professor Gill and contains the blueprints for a Doomsday Device tattooed on his back. They are led by Gill-Hakaider and include Red Hakaider, Blue Hakaider and Silver Hakaider. Their leader contains the brain of Professor Gill himself, while the rest held the brains of unnamed DARK scientists who survived the destruction of the organization.
  • Co-Dragons: To Gill-Hakaider.
  • Color-Coded for Your Convenience: The three members besides Gill-Hakaider are all associated with different colors.
  • Demoted to Dragon: After the other three were destroyed, Gill-Hakaider wound up having to join DARK and serve Big Shadow.
  • Elite Four: There's four of them. However, each seem to only be as strong as an average Destructoid at best, being defeated by 01 numerous times.
  • Evil vs. Evil: After SHADOW emerges also seeking to capture Akira, the Hakaider Squad ends up fighting both them and Ichiro, leading to a brief MĂªlĂ©e Ă  Trois.
  • Shoddy Knockoff Product: All four are this compared to Saburo/Hakaider. To be fair though, none required blood transfusions like the latter did.
    • Unsurprisingly, very few fans prefer these four over the Bad Ass Saburo/Hakaider. In fact, even Hakaider's voice actor expressed his displeasure towards Gill-Hakaider, despite having voiced the latter as well.
  • Fusion Dance: Were capable of merging together to form the giant robot Gattaider.
  • Hate Sink: These four are cruel and cowardly thugs that revel in murdering innocents.
  • Mooks: They're capable of summoning robots called Androbots to serve as their grunt force.
  • One-Winged Angel: Each them is capable of assuming a different monster form. They later become a collective One-Winged Angel when they do a Fusion Dance to become Gattaider. These powers are lost once defeated by 01.
  • Putting on the Reich: "Hail Hakaider!" complete with a Nazi salute.
  • Satellite Character: Defied. Each Hakaider copy has their own unique personality traits, being vastly different from the original.
  • Supervillain Lair: The Hakaider Base, which are plentiful in number.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Who in their right minds would create a button that would instantly destroy all the bases they own? These guys, that's who.
  • The Remnant: They're prototype copies of Saburo/Hakaider that DARK created, hence their agenda to Take Over the World.
  • Worf Effect: Loses pretty badly most of the time, even when using their strongest forms. Taken to extremes in the latter half of the series, with Gill-Hakaider defeated by a regular human at one point!

SHADOW

A mysterious criminal organization also seeking to capture Akira and complete the Giant Devil robot. They at first clash with Hakaider Squad, but after the Squad is destroyed they rebuild Hakaider and make him join them.

    In General 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shadow_logo.jpg
Logo of SHADOW

  • Create Your Own Hero: Programmed Bijinder to be kind as Mari. This bites them back once Ichiro implants her with a Conscience Circuit.
  • Dark Is Evil: While not as on the nose as "DARK", the name "SHADOW" should be a good indicator of their allegiance.
  • Meet the New Boss: Hmm, a shadowy organization that uses Killer Robots and has a darkness-related name? Sounds a lot like DARK!
  • Mooks: The Shadowmen, SHADOW's own android footsoldiers.
  • Nebulous Evil Organization: Even more nebulous than DARK. Their main goal is just to exterminate Japan's population so they can take it over.
  • Red and Black and Evil All Over: They seem to have a preference for this color scheme, as a majority of their members having red and black as their dominant colors.
  • Standard Evil Organization Squad: SHADOW has quite the lineup of villains under it.

    Big Shadow 

Big Shadow

Voiced by: Minoru Midorikawa (9-19), Portrayed by: Nobuo Yana (20-46)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/big_shadow_silhouette_ep10.jpg
Click here to see Big Shadow's true form. 
The mysterious leader of SHADOW.
  • Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the OVA, with Gill-Hakaider instead being made the leader of both the Hakaider Squad and SHADOW.
  • Bad People Abuse Animals: Orders Hakaider to kill all the dogs near SHADOW's base because Waruder is scared of dogs.
  • Big Bad: Of the toku version of Kikaider 01, after he demotes Gill-Hakaider to Dragon.
  • Dark Is Evil: What would you expect from someone named Big Shadow.
  • Eviler than Thou: It's not long after his introduction that he supplants Gill-Hakaider as the Big Bad and kowtows him into working for him.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: He dies in the explosion caused by a bomb Prof. Komyoji implanted in the robot-repairing machine he forced the professor to build.
  • Kill All Humans: His goal is to destroy the population of Japan or at least reduce it so SHADOW can swoop in and take over.
  • In the Hood: Wears a hood over his head shaped like the SHADOW logo.
  • Large and in Charge: Befitting his name, Big Shadow communicates with his subordinates via a massive TV screen displaying his hulking silhouette. Subverted later when his true form is revealed to be normal sized.
  • Large Ham
  • Murder Is the Best Solution: His preferred method for dealing with anyone who gets in SHADOW's way is to kill them. In fact, a good number of his plans seem to be to kill as many people of possible.
  • No One Sees the Boss: Doesn't actually physically appear until episode 20, instead communicating with his subordinates via audio a la the Great Leader.
  • Orcus on His Throne: Despite his mystical abilities, he never actually confronts the androids himself. He gets even worse after Zadam arrives, as at that point he takes a backseat and lets Zadam be the one to do all of the planning.
  • The Unfought: Ichiro never gets a proper confrontation with him and instead he's taken out by a bomb Professor Komyoji planted in the robot, though the androids do play a role in setting it off.
  • Would Hurt a Child: Wants Akira and Hiroshi for the plans on their backs, but doesn't care about them at all and orders them executed once he's got what he wanted.

    Shadow Knight 

Shadow Knight

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shadow_knight.jpg
A robot who serves as the main field agent of SHADOW, and Big Shadow's second-in-command.
  • Black Knight: His black, knight-like armor invokes this. He also wields a Cool Sword.
  • Cyber Cyclops: His head is comprised almost entirely of his mechanical, but oddly organic-looking eye.
  • The Dragon: To Big Shadow in the toku and the manga, as well as to Gill in the OVA. Either way he's the second-in-command of SHADOW.
    • Co-Dragons: Once Gill-Hakaider joined he wound up having to share the position with him. And then with Zadam when he joined.
  • Large Ham
  • Large and in Charge: Whenever his boss doesn't do anything, which is pretty often.
  • Master of Disguise: Like DARK's Destructoids, Big Shadow is capable of assuming various human disguises.
  • The Rival: To Gill-Hakaider, as they both seek to have the glory of defeating Kikaider 01.

    Zadam 

Zadam

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zadam.jpg
Click here to see Zadam divided. 
A SHADOW agent called in from their moon base to assist in their operation to conquer Japan.
  • Big Red Devil: With two heads no less!
  • Conjoined Twins: Zadam appears as two androids fused together. They separate in the finale of the toku.
  • Demoted to Extra: He's just a one shot SHADOW monster mook in the manga and OVA whom Rei/Kikaider 00 defeats in an instant.
  • The Dividual: Despite being two androids fused together, Zadam is effectively one character.
  • Evil Genius: After his arrival, he becomes the one who formulates most of SHADOW's schemes and creates many of their Deathbots and other inventions.
  • Manipulative Bastard: His scheme with Bijinder involved using her to gain 01's trust, then torturing her so 01 would be tempted to rescue her and trick him into inadvertently activating the miniature H-bomb he placed inside her body.
  • Sixth Ranger: Arrives from SHADOW's moon around halfway through and quickly becomes Big Shadow's new Number Two.
  • Voice of the Legion: His two heads speak as though they are one.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: Because he was created on the moon, being exposed to direct sunlight for too long weakens him. Serves as the opposite to Ichiro/Kikaider 01's own weakness.
  • Worf Effect: Despite easily defeating 01 in their first battle, Zadam is of little threat to him the final battle. Justified, as 01 implanted himself with a special circuit to be immune from Zadam's psychic attacks. Likewise, Jiro/Kikaider easily defeats Zadam's red side, which is unsurprising given how Jiro is more technologically more advanced than 01.

    Waruder 

Waruder

Voiced by: Takeshi Watabe

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/waruder.jpg
Waruder
A robot samurai hired on by SHADOW to fight 01. Likes children but is afraid of dogs.
  • Adapted Out: Doesn't appear in the OVA.
  • Adaptational Wimp: Is just a simple thug in the manga. To note, he doesn't even have a robot form, with Mari/Bijinder easily subduing him.
  • Alas, Poor Villain: His death is pitied by both Mari and Ichiro, who mourn the fact that he served a group like SHADOW instead of fighting on the side of good.
  • Blood Knight: Joins up with SHADOW mainly to get a good fight with 01.
  • The Brute: Brought on by SHADOW as extra muscle to deal with 01.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: Zig-zagged. Waruder is fully aware he's on the side of evil, but sees it as more of a duty than anything else.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Objects to some of SHADOW's actions, especially cruel and underhanded ones. Likewise, he expresses distain towards cowards.
  • Friend to All Children: Is fairly nice to most civilians, especially kids.
  • Hitman with a Heart: He's an assassin working for SHADOW, but at the same time has a code of honor, and wants a fair fight with 01.
  • Hypocrite: Laments dying at 01's hands instead of being defeated by Mari/Bijinder. Given how Waruder himself was the one who forced 01 to do it, this is pretty hypocritical.
  • Iconic Sequel Character: Along with Bijinder he's one of the most iconic things to come out of 01.
  • Ironic Name: A Noble Demon of a Punch-Clock Villain who's name is literally Bad/Evilder
  • Love Makes You Dumb: Or "loved makes you confused" in his case. His feelings to Mari and jealousy make him act less noble at times.
  • Noble Demon: He hates fighting dirty and refuses to harm children.
  • Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: He's a robot samurai assassin.
  • Punch-Clock Villain: He's not all that evil outside of his job as a robot assassin.
  • Samurai: A robot samurai no less, and follows a similar code to the original ones.
  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: To Saburo/Hakaider from Android Kikaider. He's a robot warrior who shares an enthusiasm in fighting 01 that's similar to Saburo's obsession with defeating Kikaider. He is also an Anti-Villain that values honor.
  • Token Good Teammate: For SHADOW, if excluding Mari/Bijinder. He's the only member with some morals and even aids the heroes when he feels SHADOW has crossed a line.
  • Villainous Crush: He develops an attraction towards Bijinder later on, something that he doesn't fully grasp.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: His fear of dogs, which is actually a plot point in his debut episode. Also, Waruder's limited understanding of morality causes him to make rash decisions, something Gill-Hakaider manipulated on one occasion.
  • Worthy Opponent: Sees 01 as this. Likewise with Mari/Bijinder.

    Deathbots 

SHADOW's Deathbots

Robot monsters who serve as the commanders of SHADOW's forces.

Jesus Town

    In General 
  • Crapsaccharine World: While it may not seem so bad on the outside, entering the walls of Jesus Town is enough to see that something is very wrong. The masses all live in poverty, are ruled over by a quasi-religious Evil Overlord and kept in line by Mind Control chips implanted in their heads.
  • Light Is Not Good: Coupled with the above, everything throughout the city is designed to give off a bright, heavenly appearance.
  • Mooks: The city is patrolled by a number of white-armored Faceless Goons who act as its military-police force.
  • People's Republic of Tyranny: Called Jesus Town and styled as a utopia, when in fact it's a dictatorship that brainwashes its people into subservience.
  • Propaganda Machine: TV screens are placed throughout the city all for the sole purpose of broadcasting Gurjev's speeches.
  • Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: The name "Jesus Town" is just the tip of the iceberg.
  • Skeleton Government: The most we see of Jesus Town's government is Gurjev, Michael and their dozens and dozens of Mooks. Jesus Town is mentioned to have a parliament but nothing of it is really shown.

    Kaoru 

Kaoru

Portrayed by: Mai Hoshio

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kaoru_6.jpg
Kaoru
A member of La RĂ©sistance against Gurjev who befriends Ryo/Hakaider.
  • Deuteragonist: She's the main human character in the film, serving as the face of the resistance and the one who carries the plot when Hakaider isn't on screen.
  • Heroic BSoD: After Hakaider seemingly dies, she starts wandering through the streets of Jesus Town, shouting at the civilians and blaming them for his death. Luckily, Hakaider soon shows up alive.
  • La RĂ©sistance: Is a part of one that seeks to overthrow Gurjev and free the people of Jesus Town from his control.
  • Love Interest: Develops a romantic interest in Hakaider, viewing him as the Knight in Shining Armor she saw in her dreams who would come to rescue her from Gurjev. Hakaider seemingly reciprocates towards the end, only for her to pass away soon after.
  • Nice Girl: Is quick to befriend Ryo after encountering him and acts friendly to him all throughout.
  • Sole Survivor: Subverted. She seemingly escapes from Michael unharmed and reunites with Hakaider, only to pass away from her injures after taking him to her "secret spot", the last oasis in Jesus Twon.
  • Token Good Teammate: Kaoru is the only member of the resistance who's truly selfless in seeking to free everyone, while her companions, though not evil, mostly just want to overthrow Gurjev so they can do whatever they want.

    Gurjev 

Gurjev

Portrayed by: Yasuaki Honda

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gurjev_2.jpg
Gurjev
The Seraphim-like ruler of Jesus Town, who seeks to create a utopia by using Mind Control to suppress his people's emotions and turn them into his obedient followers.
  • A God Am I: He styles himself after an angel, yet clearly sees himself as a god and his ideal world is one where everyone reveres him as such.
  • All There in the Manual: While his background is left mysterious in the film, supplementary materials reveal he is actually a former DARK scientist and follower of Professor Gill.
  • Back from the Dead: In the video game sequel, he gets rebuilt as Blue Hakaider.
  • Big Bad: Of Mechanical Violator Hakaider. He's the ruler of Jesus Town and Hakaider's nemesis throughout the film.
  • Bloodless Carnage: In stark contrast to the Gorn throughout the film no blood squirts out from Gurjev when Hakaider jams his arm into Gurjev's chest, possibly as a sign of how inhuman Gurjev has become.
  • Canon Character All Along: A bit of a strange example, but the video game sequel sees him return as Blue Hakaider of all characters.
  • Contrasting Sequel Antagonist: To Professor Gill. Whereas Gill was a Card-Carrying Villain with a dark wardrobe, Gurjev dresses in angelic attire and truly believes he is doing the right thing.
  • Create Your Own Hero: He built Hakaider originally, but disposed of him after he developed a sense of free will.
  • Dark Messiah: He clearly styles himself a holy man and refers to his people as his "children", claiming to want peace and prosperity for them.
  • Dissonant Serenity: Gurjev could be the poster boy for this trope. In every scene he's in he's perfectly calm and polite to an uncanny and almost inhuman degree, even as he's ordering the lobotomization of dissenters against his rule. He's composure starts to slip when he's faced by Hakaider at the end, though only partway.
  • Equal-Opportunity Evil: Say what you will about Gurjev's ruling methods, his society is shown to accept people from all races, sexes and creeds, with his oppression being evenly distributed between them.
  • Emperor Scientist: Gurjev is both the ruler of Jesus Town and knowledgeable in the field of robotics, having created both Hakaider and Michael.
  • Knight Templar: Gurjev wants peace, he really does. It's just that his method of achieving it is to lobotimize his citizens with Mind Control chips that remove all their emotions and turn them into his obedient followers.
  • The Generalissimo: The post-apocalyptic equivalent of one, ruling over a futuristic settlement with an iron fist.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: He's ultimately slain by the very robot he created.
  • Light Is Not Good: Projects the image of a savior, wears a suit styled after a seraphim and has a handsome, angelic face, yet at the same time he's a brutal dictator seeking to enforce order through any means necessary.
  • Non-Action Big Bad: Never actually fights Hakaider himself, instead relying on Michael to do most of his dirty work.
  • Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: For all his talk of wanting to create a utopia, it's clear Gurjev is concerned most of all with wanting to stay on top and he later admits his ideal is simply for everyone to bow down before him.
  • Not Worth Killing: Hakaider says these exact words to him after destroying Michael before turning away. Despite this, Gurjev doesn't take the hint and tries one last time to attack him while his back is turned, leading to his demise.
  • The Evils of Free Will: Seems to believe in this, given how his ideal utopia is one where everyone's free will is overwritten by Mind Control.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: Does everything he does in the name of creating a peaceful utopia without any violence...because everyone's emotions have been suppressed.
  • Villainous Breakdown: His calm demeanor noticeably slips when Hakaider faces him at the end, with his speech becoming ever so slightly more frantic.

    Michael 

Michael

Portrayed by: Kazuhiko Inoue

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vlcsnap_2019_09_16_12h11m43s859.jpg
Michael
Click here to see Michael Tank 
Gurjev's Killer Robot enforcer.
  • A Father to His Men: Subverted. At one point he's seen closing the eyes of one of his soldiers who just died. However, when he sees an injured soldier who survived he shoots and kills him, deeming him a failure for not dying in battle like the rest of his men.
  • Adaptational Villainy: The original Kikaider was a hero dedicated to protecting the innocent. This Kikaider is the reprogrammed enforcer of a Dark Messiah who has no compunction with butchering people on his master's command.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: He's far stronger than the Mooks he commands. When Hakaider - who killed dozens of them with little effort all throughout the movie - finally confronts him, he very nearly gets killed by Michael and only manages to defeat him by catching him off guard with his arm cannon.
  • The Brute: His main function is to serve as Gurjev's muscle and kick the ass of whoever Gurjev doesn't like.
  • Canon Character All Along: After he's defeated it's implied that Michael is really Kikaider, having presumably been captured and modified by Gurjev to enforce his own twisted belief of justice on Jesus Town.
  • Decomposite Character: Though Hakaider is The Protagonist of the film, Michael also bears a few similar traits to the original Hakaider, Saburo, being the Superior Successor of a prototype Killer Robot who rebelled. Made all the more ironic by the similarities in backstory between movie Hakaider and the original Kikaider.
  • The Dragon: He's Gurjev's right-hand man and the head of his security forces.
  • Dragon-in-Chief: Gurjev is no slouch, but he's an administrator rather than a fighter and thus its Michael who carries out things like crushing dissenters.
  • Evil Counterpart: Given that he was built to be his Superior Successor, he's almost a Made all the more
  • Foil: To the film's version of Hakaider. Hakaider is a '90s Anti-Hero with a dark color scheme, while Michael is a Knight Templar with a light one. Hakaider believes in freedom over forced peace, Michael believes the opposite.
  • Killer Robot: He's Gurjev's robot assassin, created to kill anyone who defies his utopia.
  • Knight Templar: He's just as committed to enforcing Gurjev's vision of "peace" as Gurjev is.
  • Light Is Not Good: Has a white and silver color scheme, and is a ruthless enforcer of "justice".
  • Meaningful Name: Named "Michael" after Archangel Michael, the angel who led the armies of Heaven against Satan's Legions of Hell.
  • Mook Lieutenant: He leads the Heavy Armored Soldiers of Jesus Town in keeping order.
  • Off with His Head!: How Hakaider defeats him. He knocks it off again after Michael becomes Michael Tank.
  • One-Winged Angel: After being defeated by Hakaider, his head is placed on Gurjev's Death Angel weapon to continue fighting against Hakaider.
  • Superior Successor: Was built as the successor to Hakaider after Gurjev deemed him a failure. As a result he proves much stronger than Hakaider when the two encounter each other, and Hakaider only triumphs over him through some quick thinking.
  • Tom the Dark Lord: While he's named after the Archangel Michael, to a western viewer the name "Michael" might sound a bit odd for a Killer Robot without context.

    Heavy Armored Soldiers 

Heavy Armored Soldiers

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jesus_town_heavy_armored_soldiers.jpg
Heavy Armored Soldiers
The military police of Gurjev's regime in Jesus Town.
  • Ambiguously Human: It's unclear whether they're humans, robots or something in between. It doesn't help that some soldiers are shown shedding blood, while others seem to have mechanical wiring beneath their armor.
  • Doom Troops: Of a different, almost Inverted sort than most. These white-armored, seemingly inhuman Faceless Goons give off a very uncanny feel while marching together.
  • Faceless Goons: They all wear face-concealing visors.
  • Light Is Not Good: They all have a white color scheme, yet are enforcers for an evil dictatorship.
  • Mooks: They're Gurjev's main grunt fighting force.
  • Mook Lieutenant: A mook with a modified set of armor is shown leading larger squads of them.

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