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Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2004 · 75 mins · Japanese
Directed by
Hidenori Ishida
Starring
Kazuhiro Yamaji, Fumihiko Tachiki, Mitsuru Karahashi, Jurota Kosugi, Kousei Amano, Hikari Kajiwara

Four years after Blade sealed the Joker, Kenzaki works as a garbage man, Mutsuki graduated, and Kotarō’s bestseller about the Riders. Riders Glaive, Larc and Lance appear. After recapturing the Aces, the Riders join forces. Glaive, the Albino Joker, kidnaps Kotarō’s niece, seals her in the Vanity Card revives Hajime, and Riders unite to defeat him.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (10)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace
  7. 7 Every angle

10 main characters · contains spoilers

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Kazuma Kenzaki / Kamen Rider Blade (Takayuki Tsubaki)

    A former fearless rider, Kenzaki now leads a quieter life as a garbage man. When danger returns, he reconnects with allies to confront the Undead and protect Amane. His steady leadership and willingness to plunge back into battle anchor the team as they navigate shifting alliances and risks.

    • ⚔️ Hero
    • 🧭 Leadership
    • 🧩 Redemption
  • Mutsuki Kamijo / Kamen Rider Leangle (Takahiro Hōjō)

    Mutsuki has moved on from high school life but is drawn back into the fight as the Undead threat resurges. Her growth as a Rider underscores loyalty and courage, and she helps rally the team against the Albino Joker’s schemes. Her emotional resilience is tested as friendships and responsibilities collide.

    • 🎯 Growth
    • 🛡️ Courage
  • Kotaro Shirai

    played by Terunosuke Takezai

    Kotaro has penned a successful book about the Kamen Riders, symbolizing his shift to a public figure. His own stakes rise when his niece Amane is ensnared in the Albino Joker’s plan, drawing him into the danger he once studied from afar. His blend of intellect and protective instinct keeps the Riders focused on the human cost of their battles.

    • 📚 Knowledge
    • 🛡️ Responsibility
  • Amane Kurihara

    played by Miku Ishida

    Amane is revealed to be on the verge of delinquency without emotional support, complicating the Riders’ mission. Her capture in the Vanity Card becomes a catalyst for the team’s most intense efforts to rescue her and restore balance. Her arc centers on recovery, trust, and the impact of external pressures on a young life.

    • 🌸 Youth
    • 💔 Vulnerability
  • Hajime Aikawa / Kamen Rider Chalice

    played by Ryoji Morimoto

    Hajime is unsealed from the Joker Card to aid the Riders and ultimately sacrifices his life to free Amane and weaken Jashin 14. His act marks a pivotal turning point in the battle against the Albino Joker and reinforces the theme that personal sacrifice can change the course of events. His presence renews the team’s resolve just as he departs.

    • 💀 Sacrifice
    • 🕊️ Redemption
  • Sakuya Tachibana / Kamen Rider Garren

    played by Kousei Amano

    As the head of BOARD, Sakuya Tachibana leads the new Riders and navigates the network of power and strategy behind the Riders’ operations. His leadership provides stability and a broader strategic horizon for the team as they confront evolving threats. He embodies disciplined governance under chaotic circumstances.

    • 🏢 Leadership
    • 🧩 Strategy
  • Junichi Shimura / Kamen Rider Glaive

    played by Yuki Kuroda

    Glaive emerges as the Albino Joker, a white variant of the original Joker, which upends trust and escalates danger. His charisma masks a dangerous agenda, pushing the Riders to question loyalties and face an unseen threat. His revelations drive the central conflict toward a dramatic climax.

    • 🗡️ Villain
    • 🧪 Duality
  • Natsumi Miwa / Kamen Rider Larc

    played by Yoko Mitsuya

    Larc joins BOARD’s ranks as a fresh Rider, adding new power and a different dynamic to the ensemble. She learns to work with veterans while proving her courage under pressure. Her presence expands the team’s tactical options and personal stakes as the battle intensifies.

    • ⚡️ New blood
    • 🤝 Teamwork
  • Shin Magaki / Kamen Rider Lance

    played by Takao Sugiura

    Lance represents BOARD’s new generation, a determined Rider who brings physical prowess and willingness to fight alongside established heroes. His arrival tests existing bonds and broadens the Riders’ mission against Jashin 14. He demonstrates adaptability and grit when facing overwhelming odds.

    • 🏹 Fresh hero
    • 🧭 Adaptability
  • Narrator / Jurota Kosugi

    The Narrator provides essential context and pacing, guiding viewers through twists and revelations. This role helps connect the new Riders to the film’s evolving mythology and the stakes surrounding the Vanity Cards. The narration anchors the story’s momentum and world-building.

    • 🗣️ Storytelling
    • 🧭 Context

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:29

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Setting

Where and When Does Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace Take Place?

The setting of Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Four years after the series

The story sits in a near-puture timeline where peace has superficially returned after Blade sealed the Joker. The four-year gap allows characters to pursue ordinary lives, only to be pulled back into danger as the Undead reemerge. The period highlights maturation and rebuilding, with milestones like Mutsuki's graduation and Kotarō's successful book release. Yet the threat remains, forcing the Riders to confront a renewed cycle of conflict.

Location

Japan

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace unfolds across modern Japan, moving between bustling city streets and covert locations used by BOARD. The urban backdrop emphasizes the blend of everyday life with hidden, supernatural warfare. The setting serves as a stage where ordinary people confront extraordinary threats without losing their daily routines. This environment underlines the contrast between normal life and the intense battles the Riders wage.

  • 🎌 Japanese setting
  • 🗺️ Urban landscapes

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:29

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3 major themes

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Sacrifice

    The narrative centers on selfless acts that redefine the heroes. Hajime sacrifices his life to free Amane and weaken Jashin 14, signaling the high cost of saving others. Blade's climactic use of King Form to cut Jashin 14 embodies the ultimate commitment to stop the Undead. The Vanity Card ordeal adds a painful reminder that protecting the innocent often demands personal loss. These moments cement sacrifice as a core driving force of the story.

  • Resilience

    After a lull, the Undead return with renewed strength, testing the Riders’ resolve. Kenzaki leaves his quiet life only to rejoin the fight, and the new Riders—Glaive, Larc, and Lance—must prove themselves under pressure. The team adapts to shifting loyalties, powers, and threats, reinforcing that perseverance is forged through repeated trials. Their unity and tenacity enable them to seal the Undead once more.

  • Identity

    Power, roles, and loyalties shift as Glaive’s true identity as the Albino Joker is revealed, forcing characters to reassess who they are and who they can trust. The arrival of BOARD’s new Riders expands the circle of choice and allegiance, challenging established dynamics. The Riders’ evolving identities—both as individuals and as a team—drive the moral and strategic decisions throughout the conflict. The narrative probes how identity shapes destiny in the face of ominous power.

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:29

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Character & theme questions

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace set?

The movie takes place in modern Japan, featuring bustling city streets and BOARD's covert operational locations. The urban environment creates a contrast between everyday Japanese life and the hidden supernatural warfare waged by the Riders, grounding the fantastical elements in a recognizable contemporary setting.

  • japan
  • setting
  • urban
  • board locations
  • tokusatsu
Q2

When does Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace take place chronologically?

The story unfolds four years after the original Kamen Rider Blade series ended, when Kenzaki sealed the Joker. This near-future timeline shows characters like Kenzaki moving on to ordinary jobs and Mutsuki graduating, but the return of the Undead forces them back into battle.

  • timeline
  • four years later
  • near-future
  • chronological setting
Q3

What does the theme of sacrifice mean in Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace?

Sacrifice drives the narrative through pivotal moments like Hajime giving his life to free Amane and weaken Jashin 14, and Blade using King Form to defeat the final enemy. The Vanity Card ordeal reinforces that protecting innocence often requires personal loss, making selflessness a core heroic value throughout the film.

  • sacrifice
  • hajime
  • king form
  • heroic sacrifice
  • themes
Q4

How is resilience portrayed in the movie?

The Undead return with renewed strength after a period of peace, testing the Riders' determination. Characters like Kenzaki leave their quiet lives to rejoin the fight, while new Riders Glaive, Larc, and Lance must prove themselves under pressure. Their unity and refusal to surrender despite repeated trials embody the resilience theme.

  • resilience
  • perseverance
  • united riders
  • overcoming threats
  • themes
Q5

How does identity play a role in Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace?

Glaive's revelation as the Albino Joker forces characters to question trust and loyalty. The arrival of BOARD's new Riders expands the circle of allegiances, challenging established dynamics. The movie explores how evolving identities, both individual and collective, shape destinies as characters face dangerous new powers.

  • identity
  • glaive
  • albino joker
  • trust
  • loyalty
  • themes
Q6

Who is Kazuma Kenzaki in the movie?

Kazuma Kenzaki, also known as Kamen Rider Blade, formerly a fearless Rider who now works as a garbage man. When the Undead threat returns, he reconnects with his allies to protect Amane and confront the renewed danger. His steady leadership anchors the team throughout the conflict.

  • kazuma kenzaki
  • blade
  • leader
  • garbage man
  • protagonist
Q7

Who is Junichi Shirai and what is his role?

Junichi Shirai, portrayed by Yuki Kuroda, is Kamen Rider Glaive. He is revealed to be the Albino Joker, a white variant of the original Joker, making him the central antagonist whose dangerous agendaupends trust among the Riders and drives the film's major conflict.

  • junichi shimura
  • glaive
  • albino joker
  • villain
  • antagonist
Q8

What happens to Hajime Aikawa in the film?

Hajime Aikawa, Kamen Rider Chalice, is unsealed from the Joker Card to assist the Riders. He ultimately sacrifices his life to free Amane from the Vanity Card and weaken Jashin 14. His death becomes a pivotal turning point that renews the team's resolve to defeat the Albino Joker.

  • hajime aikawa
  • chalice
  • sacrifice
  • death
  • sealed card
Q9

Who are the new Riders in Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace?

The new Riders are Larc and Lance, both joining BOARD's ranks. Larc, portrayed by Yoko Mitsuya, brings fresh power and works alongside veterans. Lance, played by Takao Sugiura, adds physical prowess and tests existing bonds. Together with Glaive, they expand the Rider team against Jashin 14.

  • larc
  • lance
  • new riders
  • board
  • ensemble cast
Q10

What is BOARD in the movie?

BOARD is the covert organization behind the Kamen Riders, led by Sakuya Tachibana, Kamen Rider Garren. It coordinates the Riders' operations, deploys new fighters like Larc and Lance, and provides strategic oversight as the team faces evolving threats from the Undead and the Albino Joker.

  • board
  • organization
  • sakuya tachibana
  • garren
  • leadership
Q11

Who is Amane Kurihara and why is she significant?

Amane Kurihara is Kotaro Shirai's niece, depicted as heading toward delinquency without emotional support. The Albino Joker kidnaps her and seals her inside the Vanity Card, making her rescue a central mission. Her capture drives the team's most intense efforts and connects to the theme of protecting innocence.

  • amane kurihara
  • kidnapping
  • vanity card
  • kotaro's niece
  • victim
Q12

What is Kotaro Shirai's role in the story?

Kotaro Shirai, portrayed by Terunosuke Takezai, authored a successful book about the Kamen Riders, becoming a public figure. When his niece Amane is captured by the Albino Joker, he is drawn into the direct danger he once studied from afar, using his intellect to help the Riders while protecting his family.

  • kotaro shirai
  • author
  • book
  • amane's uncle
  • support character

Movie threads

More Movies Like Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Hero Reunion Action Movies like Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace

Former allies must come together once more to face a familiar, powerful enemy. If you enjoyed the theme of reuniting heroes in Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace, you'll find more thrilling stories here. These movies feature former allies putting aside their history to confront a resurgent threat, delivering action-packed and urgent narratives.

  • urgent
  • heroic
  • action-packed
  • tense
  • reunion
  • threatening
  • Tone: tense, heroic
  • Pacing: fast, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with the team disbanded and living separate lives. A new or resurgent threat, often personal or of a grand scale, forces the characters to overcome past differences and reassemble their unique skills. The climax hinges on their renewed teamwork to achieve victory.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core narrative structure of disbandment and reunion. They evoke a specific feeling of urgent heroism, where the emotional weight comes from re-forging bonds under pressure, complemented by high-intensity action sequences.

Superpowered Rescue Mission Movies like Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace

A race against time where heroes use their powers to save an innocent life. For fans of the high-stakes rescue plot in Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace, this section finds similar thrilling tales. These films feature superheroes or powerful characters in a desperate race against time to save someone, blending intense action with a clear, heroic objective.

  • thrilling
  • urgent
  • rescue mission
  • action-packed
  • superhero
  • kidnapping
  • Tone: urgent, thrilling
  • Pacing: fast, driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story revolves around a kidnapping or capture that sets a ticking clock. The heroes' journey is a direct, action-oriented pursuit to reach the victim, with conflicts serving as obstacles to overcome. The tension is high, but the straightforward goal and eventual success provide a satisfying and hopeful conclusion.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on a rescue mission as the central plot driver. They deliver a consistent vibe of urgency and heroic resolve, combining superhuman battles with the emotional stakes of saving a life, resulting in an exciting and straightforward narrative.

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Every angle

Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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