Live action TV
Description
Eijiro Hikari is the owner of the Hikari Studio and the grandfather of Natsumi Hikari, one of the central figures traveling alongside the main character Tsukasa Kadoya. He is an elderly gentleman with a calm and remarkably easygoing demeanor, often serving as the most relaxed member of the group despite the chaotic nature of their interdimensional travels. When he accidentally discovers that his photo studio serves as a gateway to access various parallel worlds known as A.R. Worlds, he shows no surprise and is instead amused, gladly assisting Tsukasa on his mission without hesitation.
Throughout the journey across different worlds, Eijiro takes on the role of caretaker, consistently preparing meals for the group and adapting his cooking to each new world they visit. His practical skills extend beyond cooking, as he also handles photography, medicine, and other everyday tasks that support the group's travels. His primary motivation seems to be supporting his granddaughter Natsumi and her companions, approaching each new challenge with a helpful and unflappable attitude. In times of crisis, he offers quiet wisdom, such as when he encourages a wounded and despairing Tsukasa by stating that no journey is meaningless.
Eijiro shares a close bond with his granddaughter Natsumi, and he also gets along well with Kiva-la, the small bat-like creature who accompanies the group. His relationship with the mysterious figure Narutaki is antagonistic, as Narutaki is responsible for triggering Eijiro's darker transformations. In the film Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Eijiro is revealed to be a guise assumed by Doctor Death, also known as Shinigami Hakase, a high-ranking executive of the evil organization Dai-Shocker. In this capacity, he can assume the form of the inhumanoid squid monster Ikadevil, using squid-based abilities such as tentacle attacks and ink spraying. Despite apparently being destroyed in battle, Doctor Death later resumes the Eijiro guise and seemingly forgets ever being the villain.
This plot point is further explored and reinterpreted in the subsequent film Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010. There, it is explained that Eijiro was forcibly transformed into Super Doctor Death, also referred to as the ShinigamiHakase Dopant, by a black Gaia Memory given to him by his longtime friend Ryubee Sonozaki. The transformation is triggered when he is served a dish of squid and beer, a pun on Ikadevil's name, and forces him to become the unwilling leader of Super Shocker. After being defeated and having the Memory ejected, Eijiro reverts to his normal self and is saved by Natsumi, with no memory of his actions as the villain. This adds significant complexity to his character, portraying him not as an inherent antagonist but as a kind-hearted man whose body and mind are exploited by external forces beyond his control. His development centers on the struggle against this imposed darkness, ultimately reaffirming his true nature as a supportive and benign figure who returns to the studio with his family after the crisis concludes.
Throughout the journey across different worlds, Eijiro takes on the role of caretaker, consistently preparing meals for the group and adapting his cooking to each new world they visit. His practical skills extend beyond cooking, as he also handles photography, medicine, and other everyday tasks that support the group's travels. His primary motivation seems to be supporting his granddaughter Natsumi and her companions, approaching each new challenge with a helpful and unflappable attitude. In times of crisis, he offers quiet wisdom, such as when he encourages a wounded and despairing Tsukasa by stating that no journey is meaningless.
Eijiro shares a close bond with his granddaughter Natsumi, and he also gets along well with Kiva-la, the small bat-like creature who accompanies the group. His relationship with the mysterious figure Narutaki is antagonistic, as Narutaki is responsible for triggering Eijiro's darker transformations. In the film Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Eijiro is revealed to be a guise assumed by Doctor Death, also known as Shinigami Hakase, a high-ranking executive of the evil organization Dai-Shocker. In this capacity, he can assume the form of the inhumanoid squid monster Ikadevil, using squid-based abilities such as tentacle attacks and ink spraying. Despite apparently being destroyed in battle, Doctor Death later resumes the Eijiro guise and seemingly forgets ever being the villain.
This plot point is further explored and reinterpreted in the subsequent film Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010. There, it is explained that Eijiro was forcibly transformed into Super Doctor Death, also referred to as the ShinigamiHakase Dopant, by a black Gaia Memory given to him by his longtime friend Ryubee Sonozaki. The transformation is triggered when he is served a dish of squid and beer, a pun on Ikadevil's name, and forces him to become the unwilling leader of Super Shocker. After being defeated and having the Memory ejected, Eijiro reverts to his normal self and is saved by Natsumi, with no memory of his actions as the villain. This adds significant complexity to his character, portraying him not as an inherent antagonist but as a kind-hearted man whose body and mind are exploited by external forces beyond his control. His development centers on the struggle against this imposed darkness, ultimately reaffirming his true nature as a supportive and benign figure who returns to the studio with his family after the crisis concludes.