Kotaro Minami (南 光太郎, Minami Kōtarō), is the main protagonist of both Kamen Rider Black and Kamen Rider Black RX. Initially chosen by Gorgom to become Century King Black Sun (世紀王ブラックサン, Seikiō Burakku San), Kotaro later escapes and fights against them as Kamen Rider Black (仮面ライダーBLACK, Kamen Raidā Burakku, translated as "Masked Rider Black"). After the defeat of Gorgom, Kotaro later faces the Crisis Empire and is eventually reborn as the evolved Kamen Rider Black RX (仮面ライダーBLACK RX, Kamen Raidā Burakku Āru Ekkusu, Masked Rider Black RX). Starting with Kamen Rider Decade and continuing onto most of the later crossover movies, there are two incarnations of Kotaro Minami who are independently Black and Black RX.