Kamen Rider

Infobox Television
show_name = Kamen Rider


caption = A statue of Kamen Rider 1 outside of Bandai corporate headquarters.
genre = Tokusatsu
runtime = 30 minutes
creator = Shotaro Ishinomori
starring = Hiroshi Fujioka, Takeshi Sasaki, Akiji Kobayashi
country = flagicon|Japan Japan
composer = Shunsuke Kikuchi
network = MBS, NET
opentheme = "Let's Go! Rider Kick!" by Hiroshi Fujioka (1–13) and Masato Shimon (14-88) (first)
"Rider Action" by Masato Shimon (89–98) (second)
endtheme = "The Song of Masked Rider" by Masato Shimon (1–71) (first)
"Rider Action" by Masatro Shimon (72–88) (second)
"Lonely Masked Rider" by Masato Shimon (89–98) (third)
first_aired = April 3, 1971
last_aired = February 10, 1973
num_episodes = 98

nihongo|"Kamen Rider"|仮面ライダー|Kamen Raidā, translated as "Masked Rider", is a sci-fi story created by renowned Japanese mangaka nihongo|Shōtarō Ishinomori|石ノ森 章太郎|Ishinomori Shōtarō. It debuted as a tokusatsu television series on April 3, 1971 and ran until February 10, 1973, airing on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET TV (now TV Asahi). A manga adaptation was also featured in "Shōnen Magazine" around the same period. The series has spawned many sequels and evolved into a franchise which is still going after 3 decades. The cultural impact of the series in Japan resulted in Akimasa Nakamura naming two minor planets in honor of the series: 12408 Fujioka, after actor Hiroshi Fujioka, known for his portrayal of Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1,cite book |title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names|last=Schmadel|first=Lutz D.|authorlink=Lutz D. Schmadel|year=2003|publisher=Springer|location=Germany|isbn=3-540-00238-3|pages=781, 788] [cite web|url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=12408+Fujioka|title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 12408 Fujioka (1995 SP2)|accessdate=2008-04-06] and 12796 Kamenrider, after the series, itself. [cite web|url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=12796+Kamenrider|title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 12796 Kamenrider (1995 WF)|accessdate=2008-04-06]

ynopsis

nihongo|"Kamen Rider, aka Takeshi Hongo, is an altered human. He was altered by the evil secret society, Shocker, who plan on world conquest. Kamen Rider fights against Shocker for the sake of human freedom!"|仮面ライダー本郷猛は改造人間である。彼を改造したショッカーは世界制覇を企む悪の秘密結社である。仮面ライダーは人間の自由のためにショッカーと戦うのだ！|Kamen Raidā Hongō Takeshi wa kaizō ningen de aru. Kare o kaizō shita Shokkā wa sekai seiha o takaramu aku no himitsu kessha de aru. Kamen Raidā wa ningen no jiyū no tame ni Shokkā to tatakau no da! (in episodes 14~52, the name Takeshi Hongo was replaced by Hayato Ichimonji).

The story took place in a world plagued by Shocker, a mysterious terrorist organization. To assist its plan in world domination, Shocker recruited its agents through kidnapping, turning them into mutant cyborgs and, ultimately, brainwashing them. However, one of the victims was rescued just before the final step, and his name was nihongo|Takeshi Hongo|本郷 猛|Hongō Takeshi. With his sanity and moral conscience remaining intact, Hongo assumed the identity of the grasshopper-looking nihongo|altered human|改造人間|kaizō ningen superhero "Kamen Rider" and battled Shocker with his newly acquired powers.

Films

* 1971: "Go Go Kamen Rider" - movie version of Episode 13

The Shocker Organization sends two of its cyborg freaks to destroy an atomic plant, but their plan is foiled by an invisible barrier that surrounds the complex. Because of this, they abduct a top soccer player and convert him into a lizard kaijin capable of kicking a 5 kg bomb to destroy the plant's barrier. Kamen Rider must once again combat the Shocker and prevent them from destroying the atomic plant.

* 1972: "Kamen Rider versus Shocker"

nihongo|Professor Daidōji|大道寺博士|Daidōji Hakase has developed a gravity machine called the GX Device. Unfortunately, the Shocker Organization wants it; so they attack the professor and destroy his laboratory, but come home empty-handed. Shocker's agents find out that the plans for the GX Device are with Daidōji's daughter, who is celebrating her birthday. Now the Kamen Riders, along with FBI agent Kazuya Taki, must protect Daidōji's daughter and prevent Shocker from obtaining the plans.

* 1972: "Kamen Rider versus Ambassador Hell"

Takeshi Hongo and FBI agent Kazuya Taki fake their deaths when they are attacked by Shocker soldiers during a motocross race. They disguise themselves as Shocker soldiers and infiltrate the main headquarters, but it doesn't take too long for Eminent Chief Ambassador Hell to find their whereabouts and trap them. Before he detonates a bomb within the base, Ambassador Jigoku tells Kamen Rider 1 and Taki that the Shocker Organization is preparing a giant laser capable of destroying cities. Our two heroes must escape from the base's self-destruction and stop Shocker from arming their latest weapon. Not only that, they must rescue Tachibana and the racing club, who have been abducted by Shocker's minions.

* 2005: "Kamen Rider The First" - premiered in November 2005, this movie retells the origin of Kamen Rider 1 and Kamen Rider 2 in a 21st Century setting.

* 2007: "Kamen Rider The Next" - premiered in October 2007, this sequel to "Kamen Rider The First" retells the origin of Kamen Rider V3, who teams up with Kamen Riders 1 & 2 to fight Shocker.

Manga

Many manga based on the original "Masked Rider" series have been published, but only the following few were penned and drawn by Ishinomori himself:

*1971: "Masked Rider"
*1971: "Masked Rider" - a remake
*1979: "Masked Rider (Storyboard)"

The original manga published in 1971 diverged from the plot of the television series in several ways. In the manga, Hongo was outnumbered by twelve "Shocker Riders" (as opposed to six in the television series) and was subsequently killed. Hayato Ichimonji, one of the twelve Shocker Riders, received a head injury during the fight and regained his conscience as a result. He then turned against Shocker and succeeded Hongo's role as Kamen Rider. However, Hongo was resurrected near the end of the manga story.

Main characters

Riders
*nihongo|Takeshi Hongo / Kamen Rider 1|本郷 猛 / 仮面ライダー１号|Hongō Takeshi / Kamen Ridā Ichigō - protagonist in episodes 1-13, 53-98
*nihongo|Hayato Ichimonji / Kamen Rider 2|一文字 隼人 / 仮面ライダー２号|Ichimonji Hayato / Kamen Ridā Nigō - protagonist in episodes 14-52, partner 53-98

Allies
*nihongo|Tōbei Tachibana|立花 藤兵衛|Tachibana Tōbei - mentor
*nihongo|Kazuya Taki|滝 和也|Taki Kazuya - FBI agent

hocker

Gel-Shocker

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Cast

*nihongo|Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1|本郷 猛／仮面ライダー１号|Hongō Takeshi/Kamen Raidā Ichigō - nihongo|Hiroshi Fujioka|藤岡 弘|Fujioka Hiroshi
*nihongo|Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2|一文字 隼人／仮面ライダー２号|Ichimonji Hayato/Kamen Raidā Nigō - nihongo|Takeshi Sasaki|佐々木 剛|Sasaki Takeshi
*nihongo|Tōbei Tachibana|立花 藤兵衛|Tachibana Tōbei - nihongo|Akiji Kobayashi|小林 昭二|Kobayashi Akiji
*nihongo|Kazuya Taki|滝 和也|Taki Kazuya - nihongo|Jirō Chiba|千葉 治郎|Chiba Jirō
*nihongo|Colonel Zol|ゾル大佐|Zoru Taisa - nihongo|Jirō Miyaguchi|宮口 二郎|Miyaguchi Jirō
*nihongo|Dr. Grimreaper|死神博士|Shinigami Hakase - nihongo|Hideyo Amamoto|天本 英世|Amamoto Hideyo (Played as Eisei Amamoto)
*nihongo|Ambassador Hell|地獄大使|Jigoku Taishi - nihongo|Kenji Ushio|潮 健児|Ushio Kenji
*nihongo|General Black|ブラック将軍|Burakku Shōgun - nihongo|Matasaburō Niwa|丹羽 又三郎|Niwa Matasaburō
*nihongo|Ruriko Midorikawa|緑川 ルリ子|Midorikawa Ruriko - nihongo|Chieko Morigawa|森川 千恵子|Morigawa Chieko (Played as nihongo|Chieko Maki|真樹 千恵子|Maki Chieko)
*nihongo|Hiromi Nohara|野原 ひろみ|Nohara Hiromi - nihongo|Yōko Shimada|島田 陽子|Shimada Yōko
*nihongo|Mari|マリ|Mari - nihongo|Linda Yamamoto|山本 リンダ|Yamamoto Rinda
*nihongo|Yuri|ユリ|Yuri - nihongo|Wakako Oki|沖 わか子|Oki Wakako
*nihongo|Michi|ミチ|Michi - nihongo|Katsumi Nakajima|中島 かつみ|Nakajima Katsumi
*nihongo|Emi|エミ|Emi - nihongo|Emily Takami|高見 エミリー|Takami Emirī
*nihongo|Mika|ミカ|Mika - nihongo|Yōko Sugibayashi|杉林 陽子|Sugibayashi Yōko
*nihongo|Tokko|トッコ|Tokko - nihongo|Machiko Nakajima|中島 マチ子|Nakajima Machiko (Played as nihongo|Machiko Nakajima|中島 真智子|Nakajima Machiko)
*nihongo|Yokko|ヨッコ|Yokko - nihongo|Yoshiko Nakada|中田 喜子|Nakada Yoshiko
*nihongo|Choko|チョコ|Choko - nihongo|Mimi Hagiwara|ミミ 萩原|Mimi Hagiwara (Played as nihongo|Mimy|ミミー|Mimī)
*nihongo|Gorō|五郎|Gorō - nihongo|Yasuharu Miura|三浦 康晴|Miura Yasuharu
*nihongo|Naoki|ナオキ|Naoki - nihongo|Tomonori Yazaki|矢崎 知紀|Yazaki Tomonori
*nihongo|Mitsuru|ミツル|Mitsuru - nihongo|Hōichi Yamada|山田 芳一|Yamada Hōichi
*nihongo|Shirō|史郎|Shirō - nihongo|Jō Honda|本田 じょう|Honda Jō
*nihongo|The Great Leader of Shocker/The Great Leader of Gel-Shocker|ショッカー首領／ゲルショッカー首領|Shokkā Shuryō/Geru Shokkā Shuryō|Voice - nihongo|Gorō Naya|納谷 悟朗|Naya Gorō
*nihongo|Narrator|ナレーター|Narētā - nihongo|Shinji Nakae|中江 真司|Nakae Shinji

Crew

*Creator: Shotaro Ishinomori
*Scriptwriters: Masaru Igami, Moriichi Ichikawa, Masayuki Shimada, Mari Takizawa, Hisashi Yamazaki, Takao Chouseki, Masashi Tsukada, Takeo Oono, Fumio Ishimori, Seirou Suzuki, Takayuki Hasegawa, Kimio Hirayama, Minoru Yamada, Gorou Okeya, Shotaro Ishinomori
*Directors: Hirokazu Takemoto, Itaru Orita, Hidetoshi Kitamura, Minoru Yamada, Kazukuri Uchida, Katsuhiko Taguchi, Masashi Tsukada, Shotaro Ishinomori, Atsuo Kumanaka
*Photographer: Osamigi Yamamoto
*Illumination: Kouosamu Oota
*Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi
*Artist: Mokuo Mikami
*Editing: Ayaki Sugeno (Onkyou Teruhiro)
*Recording: Mari Fujinami
*Assistant Director: Masashi Tsukada
*Costume Designer: Tokyo Designs
*Technician: Kazutoshi Takahashi
*Line Chief: Teruo Itou
*Production Charge: Okusouhei Matono
*Sound Recording: Katsushi Ota (Onkyou Teruhiro)
*Development: Toei Chemistry
*Cooperation: Muromachi Racing Group

ongs

;Opening themes
*nihongo|"Let's Go!! Rider Kick"|レッツゴー!!ライダーキック|Rettsu Gō!! Raidā Kikku
**Lyrics: Shōtarō Ishinomori
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Hiroshi Fujioka with nihongo|Male Harmony|メール・ハーモニー|Mēru Hāmonī
**Episodes: 1-13
*nihongo|"Let's Go!! Rider Kick"|レッツゴー!!ライダーキック|Rettsu Gō!! Raidā Kikku
**Lyrics: Shōtarō Ishinomori
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon (as Kōichi Fuji) with Male Harmony
**Episodes: 14-88
*nihongo|"Rider Action"|ライダーアクション|Raidā Akushon
**Lyrics: Shōtarō Ishinomori
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon
**Episodes: 89–98

;Ending themes
*nihongo|"The Song of Kamen Rider"|仮面ライダーの歌|Kamen Raidā no Uta
**Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon (as Kōichi Fuji) with Male Harmony
**Episodes: 1–71
*nihongo|"Rider Action"|ライダーアクション|Raidā Akushon
**Lyrics: Shōtarō Ishinomori
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon
**Episodes: 72–88
*nihongo|"Lonely Kamen Rider"|ロンリー仮面ライダー|Ronrī Kamen Raidā
**Lyrics: Mamoru Tanaka
**Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
**Artist: Masato Shimon
**Episodes: 89–98

Legacy

The Kamen Rider original series produced a great number of spin-offs which remain in production today. Several Kamen Rider series were aired in Japan after the first Kamen Rider finished. After "Kamen Rider Black RX" ended production in 1989, the series was put on hold. There were occasional releases of Riders such as the 1990s "Movie Riders", which were "", "Kamen Rider ZO" and "Kamen Rider J". After original creator Shōtarō Ishinomori's death, the Kamen Rider franchise was restarted in 2000 with "Kamen Rider Kuuga". Since then Kamen Rider has become popular again and has a strong fanbase across Asia in countries such as Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.Verify source|date=March 2008 As of 2008, eighteen Kamen Rider series have been made, with the latest series, "Kamen Rider Kiva" airing since January 27.

As of 2005, a remake of the Kamen Rider series was made and reimagined with "Kamen Rider The First".

References

External links

* [http://www.ishimoripro.com "Ishimori@Style"] - Shotaro Ishinomori on Ishimori Productions official website
* [http://www.toei-video.co.jp/DVD/sp21/riderguide.html "Kamen Rider series on Region 2 DVD"] - A complete list of all official releases to date.
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