Kamen Rider Zi-O

Sougo Tokiwa is an ordinary high schooler who dreams of being a king, until a mysterious girl from the future shows up with a shocking prediction: he will become Kamen Rider Zi-O, the ruler of all time. That warning forces Sougo to rethink who he wants to be, as allies and rivals appear who have their own stakes in that future. The show follows his shifting loyalties, the friendships that complicate decisions, and the ways time-traveling revelations shape what people expect from a hero, without giving away how any of those choices end.

Released in 2018, Kamen Rider Zi-O is part of the long-running Kamen Rider franchise and stars So Okuno, Gaku Oshida, Shieri Ohata, Keisuke Watanabe, and Katsuhisa Namase. The series was positioned as a modern entry that nods to earlier Riders while introducing a new central cast.

The series didn't dominate mainstream awards circuits, but it found its audience among tokusatsu fans and genre commentators who appreciated its anniversary ties and returning guest appearances. It drew attention within fan communities rather than from general television prize bodies.

Zi-O leaned into nostalgia, prompting lively discussions about legacy heroes and encouraging a wave of fan activity, from cosplay to online retrospectives. For viewers who grew up with earlier Kamen Rider shows, its callbacks and returning characters sparked renewed interest in the franchise's history and created memorable moments that fans still reference.

Critical and fan reception tended to emphasize the show's themes, including time travel, destiny versus choice, and the moral cost of power. Its Vote Average shows strong support from a small sample, and reviewers often highlighted the interplay between Sougo, Geiz, and Tsukuyomi as a core strength. Performances by the young leads were noted for giving emotional weight to what might otherwise be a purely action-driven series, and the show balances episodic fights with longer arcs about identity and legacy.