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, "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 timer 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 a chemist 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
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Ending Theme
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Last modified Monday, February 11, 2008
Kaiketsu Zubat © 1977 Ishimori Productions and Toei Co., Ltd.
Pictures are for viewing only
Some color photos provided by Arislan