Super Hero Time

Super Hero Time (スーパーヒーロータイム, Sūpā Hīrō Taimu) is a programming block on the Japanese television network, TV Asahi, featuring new episodes of tokusatsu television series from the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series. Both series have decades of history and have been intertwined in the public imagination for some time, not least of all because the driving creative force behind both was mangaka Shotaro Ishinomori and they were both produced by the same production company, Toei Company; however, they did not air together until 2000 with Kamen Rider Kuuga and Mirai Sentai Timeranger, though at the time they were not acknowledged together. Super Hero Time airs every Sunday morning, from 7:30 to 8:30 JST.

History

Starting in the late 1960s, the hour was originally meant for educational children's programs. Over the years the hour began including henshin hero programs, one of the first being Warrior of Love, Rainbowman (愛の戦士レインボーマン, Ai no Senshi Reinbōman).

In 1987, Toei's Choujinki Metalder was moved from a Monday evening 19:00 JST time slot to a Sunday morning 9:00 JST time slot, followed by a move of Kidou Keiji Jiban to 8:00 JST Sunday morning in 1989. Similarly, in 1997, Denji Sentai Megaranger was moved from a Wednesday evening 17:00 JST time slot to the Sunday morning 7:30 JST time slot, pairing it up with B-Robo Kabutack. The Super Sentai Series programs would continue to air at 7:30 JST after the Metal Hero Series ended and Moero!! Robocon aired in its slot in 1999 and was followed by the premiere of Kamen Rider Kuuga in 2000.

Although a Super Sentai Series and a Kamen Rider Series aired side-by-side, the Super Hero Time branding of the shows did not begin until the 2003 broadcast season (known as SUPER Hero Time (SUPERヒーロータイム) until the 2005 broadcast season). As a part of the Super Hero Time block, actors from the programs often interact with each other to promote each other's shows, films, and perform skits. Satoru Akashi (Mitsuomi Takahashi) and Souji Tendou (Hiro Mizushima) talked about each other's universes, and Master Sha-Fu (voiced by Ichirō Nagai) often showed up on the Den-Liner to talk with the Imagin and Ryotaro Nogami (Takeru Satoh) in cartoonish caricatures.

For the 2009 television season, Kamen Rider Decade only aired for 31 episodes, allowing for the broadcast of Kamen Rider W for a full 49 episode run. This has introduced an offset with the premiere of the yearly Super Sentai Series and Kamen Rider Series, instead of an approximate month long offset that had existed before.

The Super Hero Time block is part of the larger Nichi Asa Kids Time (ニチアサキッズタイム, Nichi Asa Kizzu Taimu, "Sunday Morning Kids Time") block, which begins at 7:00 JST with a shōnen anime (beginning with Crush Gear Turbo, then Dinosaur King, and currently Battle Spirits: Brave) and ends at 9:00 JST after the airing of a shōjo anime (beginning with Ojamajo Doremi, then Ashita no Nadja, and currently Suite PreCure!). All shows are properties of Bandai Entertainment.

Line-ups

Year	Super Sentai	Kamen Rider Series
2003	Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger	Kamen Rider 555
2004	Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger	Kamen Rider Blade
2005	Mahou Sentai Magiranger	Kamen Rider Hibiki
2006	GoGo Sentai Boukenger	Kamen Rider Kabuto
2007	Juken Sentai Gekiranger	Kamen Rider Den-O
2008	Engine Sentai Go-onger	Kamen Rider Kiva
2009	Samurai Sentai Shinkenger	Kamen Rider Decade
		Kamen Rider W
2010	Tensou Sentai Goseiger
		Kamen Rider OOO
2011	Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger