Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider Manga
Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider (Manga)
Genre: Action / Comedy
Japanese Title: 東島丹三郎は仮面ライダーになりたい
(Tōjima Tanzaburō wa Kamen Raidā ni Naritai)
Year of Release: 2018 – 2026 (continues) (18 volumes)
Writer: Yokusaru Shibata
Original Publisher: Hero’s Inc. (Eng.: Titan Manga)
Other Related Manga: Kamen Rider 1971 (4 volumes)
TV: Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider Anime Series 2025 – 2026 (24 episodes)
Anime Movies: –
Setting
“Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider” is set in a distinct and meta-fictional universe that artfully blends the realms of fiction and reality. In this world, the iconic Kamen Rider series is recognized as a fictional television show, a beloved piece of popular culture. However, in a fascinating twist, the notorious villain organization Shocker, a staple of the Kamen Rider lore, actually exists in reality. This unique confluence of a fictional narrative existing within a real-world threat creates a distinctive backdrop against which the protagonist’s unusual journey unfolds, blurring the lines between fantasy and the tangible world.
Plot
The narrative follows the extraordinary aspirations of Tanzaburo Tojima, a 40-year-old construction worker whose life has been profoundly shaped by his lifelong adoration for the Kamen Rider series. Despite his full awareness that Kamen Rider exists solely within the realm of television, Tojima harbors a deep-seated dream of embodying a hero. He dedicates himself to rigorous training, hoping to one day achieve this seemingly impossible goal. His dormant aspirations are dramatically reawakened when the city is gripped by a wave of crime orchestrated by a group of individuals who are brazenly imitating the infamous Shocker organization. Fueled by his lifelong dream, Tojima appropriates a simple, cheap plastic Kamen Rider mask and ventures out to confront these criminals. This act launches him into a series of comedic and action-packed situations as he earnestly, if perhaps naively, navigates his ambitious dream of becoming a real-life Kamen Rider.
Main Characters
- Tanzaburo Tojima: The central character, a 40-year-old construction worker who is a devoted and lifelong fan of Kamen Rider. He trains with unwavering dedication to become a hero and finds himself directly confronting criminals who are imitating the legendary Shocker organization.
- Yuriko Okada: A 24-year-old high school teacher who finds inspiration in the Kamen Rider universe, particularly in the first female hero, Electro-Wave Human Tackle. She also undertakes rigorous training, motivated to honor her childhood idol and the ideals she represents.
- Ichiyo Shimamura: An ally who joins forces with Tojima in their shared quest. Shimamura also harbors the aspiration of becoming a Kamen Rider and contributes significantly to the collective fight against the real-world Shocker imitators.
This captivating combination of a unique setting, an imaginative plot, and compelling characters crafts a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, deeply exploring themes of heroism, the persistent power of aspiration, and the enduring impact of cherished childhood dreams.
