The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Yokusaru Shibata’s Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to be a Masked Rider (also known as Tōjima Tanzaburō wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai) is set to debut on October 4, 2025, on Tokyo MX and other channels. The production has also officially unveiled details regarding its opening theme song.
Opening Theme Song Details
The opening theme for the Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to be a Masked Rider anime will be sung by Shigeru Matsuzaki. The song was scored and arranged by TeddyLoid, Emme, and TOPHAMHAT-KYO (FAKE TYPE.), with lyrics penned by Konnie Aoki. Aniplex has also streamed a comment video from Matsuzaki regarding his involvement. TeddyLoid is also credited for composing the anime’s overall music.
What to Expect from the Series
The anime centers on Tanzaburo Tojima, a 40-year-old man who, despite his age, remains intensely dedicated to his lifelong dream of becoming a Kamen Rider. As he begins to lose hope, his life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes entangled in a crime spree orchestrated by a group calling themselves the “Fake Shocker” gang. This incident transforms his childhood fantasy into a dangerous reality, thrusting him into the role of a hero his town desperately needs. The series is an earnest homage to the tokusatsu genre, particularly Kamen Rider, exploring themes of balancing dreams with reality.
Production Staff and Voice Cast
LIDEN FILMS is handling the animation production for Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to be a Masked Rider. The main staff includes:
- Director: Takahiro Ikezoe (known for Ozma, Show By Rock!!)
- Series Composition: Toko Machida (known for Allison & Lillia, Wake Up, Girls!)
- Character Design: Cindy H. Yamauchi (known for Blade, Sōten Kōro)
- Music: TeddyLoid (known for Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt)
The voice cast features:
- Tanzaburo Tojima: Katsuyuki Konishi (known for Tengen Uzui in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
- Yuriko Okada: Ai Kayano
- Ichiyo Shimamura: Kenichi Suzumura
- Mitsuha Shimamura: Soma Saito
- Yukarisu: Fairouz Ai
Manga Origins
The anime is based on the manga series Tōjima Tanzaburō wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai by Yokusaru Shibata, created in collaboration with Toei and Ishimori Productions. The manga first launched in Hero’s Inc.’s Monthly Hero’s in May 2018. Following the magazine’s closure in October 2020, serialization continued on the Comiplex website. Shibata is also known for his previous works, Air Master and 81diver. The manga’s official website describes the story with the simple yet profound line: “Because I wanted to be Kamen Rider.” The series has been praised by its author as a “hot-blooded, passionate tale” about an adult who never let go of his childhood dream.
