Kamen Rider Drive Announced as the 16th Heisei Kamen Rider Series

Kamen Rider Drive was revealed as the successor to Kamen Rider Gaim after the name was registered on Japan’s IPDL trademark database. Drive was set to become the 16th Heisei Kamen Rider series, counting from Kamen Rider Kuuga in 2000, and the franchise’s 31st main Rider.

The new series was expected to premiere around fall 2014, though the exact timing depended on Gaim’s final episode count, which was not yet known; rumors at the time suggested Gaim might run for fewer episodes than other Heisei-era series in order to align with the franchise’s usual September or October premiere window. Beyond the name itself, little else about the series had surfaced publicly, with further details expected in the following months.