Kaiketsu
Zubat
February 2, 1977 - September 28, 1977, 32 episodes
Created by Ishimori,
Shotaro
Produced by Hirayama,
Tôru
Directed by Tanaka, Hideo
Music by Kyo, Kensuke
| Character |
|
Actor/Actress |
| Hayakawa, Ken/Kaiketsu Zubat |
|
Miyauchi,
Hiroshi |
| Asuka, Goro |
|
Okazaki, Jirô |
| Dectective Toiyo, Shingo |
|
Saito,
Makoto |
| Asuka, Midori |
|
Nobuko, Oshiro |
| Terada, Osamu |
|
Nobuyuki, Nakano |
| Grand Master L |
|
Hayami,
Ryuji |
| Narrator |
|
Aomori, Noboru |
"Zubatto sanjô! Zubatto kaiketsu!
Hitori yonde sasurai no hiiroo! Kaiketsu Zubat!!!"
Stuck In
Somebody's Frame
Opening Theme
After private
detective Hayakawa, Ken's best friend Asuka, Goro (Okazaki, Jiro) is
murdered by the criminal group "Dagger" (Dakka); Hayakawa, Ken
(Miyauchi, Hiroshi) seeks revenge. Using Asuka's design for a suit to
be worn by astronauts Hayakawa creates a costume which gives him
super-human speed, agility and strength. Wearing the power suit he
becomes Kaiketsu Zubat, the Swift Hero Zubat. The name Zubat comes from
the word "zubatto" which is the sound of a whip snapping.
Like Jiro in Jinzo
Ningen Kikaida Hayakawa, Ken introduces himself by playing a
tune on his guitar.
The song he always
plays is called "You're Just No. 2 In
Japan" ("Nippon ja niban me da"). He meets a Dagger assassin
who is proud of some skill (such as, speed and accuracy with a hand gun
or knife throwing) and after displaying their skill to him, he shows he
can do better, a lot better.
Hayakawa, Ken keeps
the Kaiketsu Zubat suit inside a secret compartment built into the
guitar. When he thinks of his dead friend Asuka, Goro he sings a sad
song, "Horizon Of Two Men".
Kaiketsu Zubat's
weapon is whip which can be collapsed into its handle and used as a
dagger. After whipping the assassins into submission Zubat finishes the
off the local Dagger boss with his "Zubat Attack" kick.
Hayakawa, Ken and
Kaiketsu Zubat battle the criminal
organization Dagger [Dakka]. Each week a different Dagger
Boss and a different Dagger Bouncer commit crimes which Hayakawa, Ken
investigates.
At the end of most
episodes Hayakawa, Ken vanishes then Zubat appears in his flying Zubatcar, swings on his whip and
gives his introductory speech (serifu) "Zubatto sanjou! Zubatto
kaiketsu! Hitori yonde sasurai no hiiroo! Kaiketsu Zubat!!!" ("Zubat is
here! To solve problems with the crack of a whip! People call me the
wandering hero! Swift Hero Zubat!!!").
After defeating the
Boss of the week Zubat asks if he was the one who killed Asuka, Goro
(of course he doesn't find the killer until the last episode), then he
would usually disappear before the police arrive. When the police
arrive they would find Zubat's calling card on the fallen criminal.
Every time Hayakawa,
Ken becomes Kaiketsu Zubat he is risking his life. On the side of the
mask is a imer which starts running as soon as he closes the mask.
Zubat must defeat the Dagger Boss and open the mask before time runs
out in five minutes, otherwise the
suit will explode.
The only person who
knows that Hayakawa, Ken is Kaiketsu Zubat is his friend police
detective Toiyo, Shingo (Saito Makoto).
Hayakawa, Ken is a
wanderer. Always on his trail but never quite catching up to him are
Asuka, Goro's sister, school teacher Asuka, Midori (Nobuko Oshiro) and
one of her students Terada, Osamu (Nobuyuki Nakano).
Episodes 16 and 17 feature a Hayakawa, Ken duplicate.
In episode 21
Hayakawa, Ken's mother and sister are threatened by Dagger.
Series creator, manga artist, Ishinomori, Shotaro, made a guest
appearance in episode 10.
Amamoto, Eisei
(Shinigami Hakase in Kamen Rider) plays a Dagger
Bouncer in episode 2. Hirohisa, Nakata
(Emperor Zero in Kamen Rider Amazon) plays a
Dagger Boss in episode 12.
Ikeda, Shunsuke
(Ichiro/Kikaida-01) guest stars as chemist Kirasaki, Naoya who is researching a new
explosive in episode 25. Ban, Daisuke (Jiro/Kikaida and Watari
Goro/Inazuman) is in episode 28.
Hatakeyama, Baku who
played Ôiwa, Daita/Kirenjaa in Himitsu Sentai Gorenjaa
plays a villain in episode 29.
Episodes 31 and 32
feature Hijiri, Matsumoto (Misao in Kikaida 01)
as Lisa Minagawa a scientist who knew Asuka, Goro and posseses the
secret formula for a light weight, bullet proof material which Dagger
is after, and Chiba, Jirô, (Taki Kazuya in Kamen Rider
and Detective Shinjô in Robotto Keiki) as
Interpol agent and master of digsuises Jinryu, Shinsuke.
Series star Miyauchi,
Hiroshi also played Kazami, Shiro in Kamen Rider V3;
Shinmei, Akira, the Aorenger (Blue Ranger) in Himitsu Sentai
Gorenjaa; Banba, Sôkichi/Big One in J.A.K.Q.
Dengeki Tai and Captain Miura in Choriki Sentai
Ohrenjaa. He would also appear in two episodes (31 and 40)
of Toei's Spider-Man as a Hayakawa, Ken like
private detective (even wore the same black hat). These days Miyauchi,
Hiroshi appears at conventions, and in advertisements for video games,
dressed as Hayakawa, Ken; apparently his favorite role.
"Zubat is here! To solve problems with the crack of a whip!
People call me the wandering hero! Swift Hero Zubat!!!"
Episode Titles
Ending Theme
Back To
Henshin Hall Of Fame
Last modified Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Kaiketsu Zubat
© 1977 Ishimori
Productions and Toei
Co., Ltd.
Pictures are for viewing only
Some color photos
provided by Arislan