Toei Launches Kamen Rider Animated Label With Aniplex and Shirogumi

Toei has established "The Kamen Rider Animated" label for animated film projects within the Kamen Rider franchise. The announcement, made during a special event celebrating the franchise's 55th anniversary, marks the first time Kamen Rider will move into anime-style animation after more than five decades as a live-action tokusatsu property.

First Project Details

The label's inaugural production will be a co-production between Aniplex and Shirogumi. Aniplex brings its track record as the production committee powerhouse behind Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the Fate franchise. Shirogumi is the VFX and CG studio whose work on Godzilla Minus One won the 2024 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the first Japanese film to take that prize.

The project will use graphical CG and manga-style visuals rather than traditional photorealistic 3D CG, aiming for a look that bridges anime aesthetics with cinematic quality. The story will be completely original, not adapted from any existing Kamen Rider series, and is being developed for worldwide distribution from the outset.

Specific details about the title, cast, and plot will be revealed in future announcements.

A Franchise Opens New Doors

Kamen Rider has been a live-action institution in Japan since 1971, running continuously with new annual series and theatrical films. The franchise has built a massive following in Japan but has historically struggled to break through to international anime audiences who may not engage with tokusatsu content. The move to an animated format, particularly with a globally distributed original story, represents Toei's most direct attempt to bring Kamen Rider to the international anime market.

The label will not be limited to this first project. Toei has stated it will collaborate with various creative partners on future productions under the animated banner, targeting both existing Kamen Rider fans and newcomers to the franchise.

Why Aniplex and Shirogumi Matter

The choice of production partners speaks to the ambition behind this initiative. Aniplex's involvement suggests a production committee approach similar to its anime properties, which have set records in theatrical distribution worldwide. Shirogumi's participation means the visual quality will draw on the same technical expertise that impressed Academy voters. Together, they bring credibility in both the anime production pipeline and high-end visual effects.

For a franchise that has spent 55 years in live-action, stepping into animation with partners of this caliber signals that Toei views the animated label as a serious expansion, not a side experiment.