Kamen Rider Amazon

This article is about the television series. For the series' main character, see Kamen Rider Amazon (character).

Kamen Rider Amazon
Genre	Tokusatsu
Created by	Shōtarō Ishinomori
Starring	Tōru Okazaki Akiji Kobayashi
Narrated by	Gorō Naya
Opening theme	"Amazon Rider is Here"
Ending theme	"Amazon Da-Da-Da!!"
Composer(s)	Shunsuke Kikuchi
Country of origin	Japan
No. of episodes	24
Production
Running time	25 minutes approx. per episode
Broadcast
Original channel	MBS
Original run	October 19, 1974 – March 29, 1975
Chronology
Preceded by	Kamen Rider X
Followed by	Kamen Rider Stronger

Kamen Rider Amazon (仮面ライダーアマゾン, Kamen Raidā Amazon^?, Masked Rider Amazon in English) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. The fourth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider Series, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System. It was the shortest Kamen Rider series ever, lasting only 24 episodes, and starred Tōru Okazaki as the title character.

Plot summary

A plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest, leaving young Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto) stranded without his parents. Soon adopted by an Incan tribe, Amazon becomes a wild child, living off the land. However, Amazon's idyllic existence is cut short when Gorgos, the Ten Faced Demon, massacres his village, slaughtering everyone except himself in search for the powerful "GiGi Armlet", which gives the bearer fantastic power. Elder Bago, last of the Incas, gives the GiGi Armlet to Amazon for safekeeping while using his knowledge of Incan science and magic to perform a mystical "operation" on Daisuke, transforming him into the powerful "Kamen Rider Amazon" before he died. Arriving at Japan, Amazon battles Geddon without full knowledge of their reason of pursuing him. Befriending the nephew and niece of Professor Kousaka, Amazon learns the nature of the GiGi Armlet as he defeats Geddon and then the Garanda Empire.

Characters

• Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto)/Kamen Rider Amazon (アマゾン (山本 大介)／仮面ライダーアマゾン, Amazon (Yamamoto Daisuke)/Kamen Raidā Amazon^?)
• Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, Tachibana Tōbei^?, 3-) Ally of the original Kamen Riders. Motorbike specialist. He helps Amazon settle in Japan.
• Masahiko Okamura (岡村 まさひこ, Okamura Masahiko^?): The nephew of professor Kōsaka and Daisuke's first friend in Japan, helping him in anyway he can. In Episode 13, it is shown that Masahiko teaches Amazon to speak coherent Japanese. Masahiko attends Jonan Elementary School.
• Ritsuko Okamura (岡村 りつ子, Okamura Ritsuko^?): Mashahiko's big sister. At first she doesn't trust Amazon due to bringing Geddon to Japan and causing chaos. After being constantly rescued and helped by Amazon she puts her faith and trust in him.
• Mogura Beastman (モグラ獣人, Mogura Jūjin^?, 5-20): A mole monster, nicknamed Mogura (モグラ, Mogura^?), able to burrow underground and prone to chant "chu-chu". Mogura was originally working for Geddon and was sent after Amazon only to fall back due to police interference. After getting a chance to redeem himself, Mogura goes after Masahiko to set a trap for Amazon which ended up with his arm dislocated and many other injuries before he escaped. As a result, Mogura gets exiled to the surface and chained up to die of sun stroke. Amazon, taking pity on the monster, rescues him from his cruel fate. Though confused why, Mogura becomes Amazon's recurring ally until Garanda's Tokyo Mold Destruction Operation, where he faked offering his services to Garanda to take mold. However, Kinoko expected it and poisoned Mogura, living long enough to make his way to the doctor, but too late to be saved by the newly developed antidote. Soon after avenging him, Amazon builds a memorial in Mogura's honor.
• Elder Bago (長老バゴー, Chōrō Bagō^?, 1): The chief of the Incas who bestowed the GiGi Armlet to Daisuke before he died.
• Professor Kōsaka (向坂博士, Kōsaka Hakase^?, 1)
• Yanamura (山村, Yanamura^?, 4)

Geddon

Geddon (ゲドン, Gedon^?) is the evil organization based in the Amazon before moving to Japan, bent on world dominion and fueled by human blood.

• Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (十面鬼ゴルゴス, Jūmenki Gorugosu^?, 1-14): The leader of Geddon, Gorgos' boulder-like lower body holds many faces. He possesses the GaGa Armlet and wishes to acquire the GiGi Armlet Amazon possesses in order to achieve his goal of ruling the world with Incan science. After being forced to abandon his base, Gorgos attacks Yurigo University and starts slaughtering people with his acidic foam until Amazon arrives and battles him until he is forced to fall back when one of his faces is killed. Falling into Hebitonbo's trap, Gorgos loses his other faces before Amazon uses his Big Slice to rip of his right arm, causing Gorgos to explode into pieces he takes into the air.

• Akajusha (赤ジューシャ, Akajūsha^?, "Red followers"): Geddon's female foot soldiers, serving as his eyes and ears.

Garanda Empire

The Garanda Empire (ガランダー帝国, Garandā Teikoku^?) makes its appearance prior to Gorgos's death, taking the Gaga Bracelet for their own use as they go on a campaign of terrorist attacks on Tokyo to make it into their seat of power before going after the rest of the world. Led by the mysterious "Ruler" and stationed underground in trap-filled base, the Garanda Empire also uses Beastmen as their kaijin.:

• Ruler (Real Great Emperor Zero) (支配者 (真のゼロ大帝), Shihaisha (Shin no Zero Taitei)^?, 24): The true leader of Garanda and Geddon, wearing silvery white robes that hide his true nature. He makes himself known to Amazon when he destroys the Helium Bomb's detonation system, unmasked as he fights Amazon in his thrown room before being impaled on his spear and having both his arms cut off. He still refuses to go down quietly, forcing Amazon to use Super Dai Setsudan to behead him, causing him to explode with Garanda's base destroyed in the process.
• "Great Emperor Zero" (ゼロ大帝, Zero Taitei^?, 14-24): A Body double who poses for the real Zero, using his lance to execute traitors and failures alike. When Amazon arrives to Garanda's base, Zero negates the Gigi Armlet's powers with his lance as the Helium Bomb is installed. However, once the Gaga Armlet is fused to the Gigi Armlet, Amazon become immune to Zero's power as he loses his arm to the Kamen Rider before he gets impaled by his own pit trap.
• Kurojusha (黒ジューシャ, Kurojūsha^?, "Black Follower") - The Garanda Empire's foot soldiers.

List of episodes

1. Man or Beast? The Cool Guy Who Came From the Jungle! (人か？野獣か？密林から来た凄い奴！, Hito ka? Yajū ka? Mitsurin Kara Kita Sugoi Yatsu!^?)
2. Ten-Faced Demon! God or Devil? (十面鬼！神か？悪魔か？, Jūmenki! Kami ka? Akuma ka?^?)
3. The Strong, Naked, Fast Guy! (強くてハダカで速い奴！, Tsuyokute Hadaka de Hayai Yatsu!^?)
4. Run! The Raging Jungler (走れ！怒りのジャングラー, Hashire! Ikari no Jangurā^?)
5. The Weirdo Who Came From Underground!! (地底から来た変なヤツ！！, Chitei Kara Kita Hen na Yatsu!!^?)
6. The Inca Rope-Pattern Writing Mystery!! (インカ縄文字の謎！！, Inka Jōmon Ji no Nazo!!^?)
7. Melt! Melt! The Terrifying Snake Beastman (とける！とける!恐怖のヘビ獣人, Tokeru! Tokeru! Kyōfu no Hebi Jūjin^?)
8. The Crocodile Beastman Who Attacked the School (学校を襲ったワニ獣人, Gakkō o Osotta Wani Jūjin^?)
9. Go, Amazon! The Crab Beastman's Island! (ゆけアマゾン！カニ獣人の島へ!, Yuke Amazon! Kani Jūjin no Shima e!^?)
10. Black Cat Beastman Aiming at the Nursery School! (黒ネコ獣人保育園をねらう！, Kuro Neko Jūjin Hoikuen o Nerau!^?)
11. The Golden Snail's the Reaper's Envoy!? (金色のカタツムリは死神の使い！？, Kin'iro no Katatsumuri wa Shinigami no Tsukai!?^?)
12. Seen! Geddon's Beastman Modification Room (見た！ゲドンの獣人改造室！！, Mita! Gedon no Jūjin Kaizō Shitsu^?)
13. Approaching! Ten-Faced Demon! Danger, Amazon!! (迫る！十面鬼！危うしアマゾン！！, Semaru! Jūmenki! Ayaushi Amazon!!^?)
14. The Ten-Faced Demon Dies! And a New Enemy? (十面鬼死す！そして新しい敵？, Jūmenki Shisu! Soshite Atarashii Teki?^?)
15. He Came Forth! The Terrible Great Emperor Zero (出たぞ！恐怖のゼロ大帝, Deta zo! Kyōfu no Zero-taitei^?)
16. Garander's Tokyo Sea of Flames Operation!! (ガランダーの東京火の海作戦！！, Garandā no Tōkyō Hi no Umi Sakusen!!^?)
17. Mt. Fuji Big Explosion? The Tokyo Fry Pan Operation (富士山大爆発？東京フライパン作戦！, Fujisan Dai Bakuhatsu? Tōkyō Furaipan Sakusen!^?)
18. Zero's Terror! The Massive Earthquake Operation!! (ゼロの恐怖！大地震作戦！！, Zero no Kyōfu! Ōjishin Sakusen!!^?)
19. Going into Action, The Garander Youth Squad (出動、ガランダー少年部隊, Shutsudō, Garandā Shōnen Butai^?)
20. Mole Beastman's Last Activity!! (モグラ獣人最後の活躍！！, Mogura Jūjin Saigo no Katsuyaku!!^?)
21. Cannibal Beastman to Eat the Frozen Rider (冷凍ライダーを食べる人食い獣人！, Reitō Raidā o Taberu Hitokui Jūjin^?)
22. Inca Doll's Day to Annihilate Greater Tokyo (インカ人形大東京全滅の日！？, Inka Ningyō Dai Tōkyō Zenmetsu no Hi!?^?)
23. Imitation Riders vs. Amazon Rider! (にせライダー対アマゾンライダー！, Nise Raidā Tai Amazon Raidā!^?)
24. You Did It, Amazon!! The End of Great Emperor Zero!! (やったぞアマゾン！ゼロ大帝の最後！！, Yatta zo Amazon! Zero-taitei no Saigo!!^?)

Movie

The Kamen Rider Amazon movie is a theatrical version of episode 16, depicting Gengoro Beastman's attempt to execute Garanda's Tokyo Sea of Flame plan.

S.I.C. Hero Saga

The S.I.C. Hero Saga story for Amazon as published in the May through July 2004 issues of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine is titled Kamen Rider Amazon: Pre-Stage (仮面ライダーアマゾン-プレ・ステージ-, Kamen Raidā Amazon: Pure Sutēji^?). It serves as a prologue to the Amazon series, and features the original characters Pre-Amazon (プレ・アマゾン, Pure Amazon^?), the Ten-Faced Demon (Complete) (十面鬼（完全体）, Jūmenki (Kanzentai)^?), Kitty (キティ, Kiti^?), and the Jungler (Bagoh Production) (ジャングラー（バゴー製作）, Jangurā (Bagō Seisaku)^?).

Chapter titles

1. Human-Faced Stone (人面岩, Jinmen'iwa^?)
2. Meteorite (隕石, Inseki^?)
3. Armlet (腕輪, Udewa^?)

Cast

• Amazon (Daisuke Yamamato) (アマゾン (山本 大介), Amazon (Yamamoto Daisuke)^?): Tōru Okazaki (岡崎 徹, Okazaki Tōru^?)
• Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, Tachibana Tōbee^?): Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二, Kobayashi Akiji^?)
• Masahiko Okamura (岡村 まさひこ, Okamura Masahiko^?): Yōji Matsuda (松田 洋治, Matsuda Yōji^?)
• Ritsuko Okamura (岡村 りつ子, Okamura Ritsuko^?): Mariko Matsuoka (松岡 まりこ, Matsuoka Mariko^?)
• Mogura Beastman (モグラ獣人, Mogura Jūjin^?, Voice): Ryūji Saikachi (槐 柳二, Saikachi Ryūji^?)
• Elder Bago (長老バゴー, Chōrō Bagō^?): Ushio Akashi (明石 潮, Akashi Ushio^?)
• Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (十面鬼ゴルゴス, Jūmenki Gorugosu^?, Voice): Ritsuo Sawa (沢 りつお, Sawa Ritsuo^?)
• Great Emperor Zero (ゼロ大帝, Zero Taitei^?): Hirohisa Nakata (中田 博久, Nakata Hirohisa^?)
• The Ruler of Garanda Empire (ガランダー帝国支配者, Garandā Teikoku Shihaisha^?, Voice): Osamu Saka (阪 脩, Saka Osamu^?)
• Narrator (ナレーター, Narētā^?): Gorō Naya (納谷 悟朗, Naya Gorō^?)

Songs

Opening theme

• "Amazon Rider Koko ni Ari" (アマゾンライダーここにあり, Amazon Raidā Koko ni Ari^?, "Amazon Rider is Here")
  • Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon

Ending theme

• "Amazon Da-Da-Da!!" (アマゾンダダダ!!^?)
  • Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai
  • Episodes: 1-14 (1st Verse); 15-24 (2nd Verse)

See also

Preceded by X

Kamen Rider 1974 – 1975

Succeeded by Stronger