Tokusatsu Guide: Complete Review of the 2019 Kamen Rider Series

The Kamen Rider series, a Japanese cultural phenomenon that has captivated millions of fans around the world, is an iconic superhero franchise. Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the series first aired in 1971 and has since gone on to spawn dozens of TV series, films, and other media. With its combination of thrilling action, engaging storytelling, and memorable characters, Kamen Rider has become an integral part of Japanese entertainment history and continues to captivate new generations of fans.

Kamen Rider is a Japanese superhero tokusatsu media franchise created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori, which began in 1971 with the original Kamen Rider series. Each series generally features a motorcycle-riding superhero with varying motifs who battles supervillains often referred to as kaijin. Over the years, the franchise has spawned television and theatrical sequels, both direct and standalone, with its popularity extending the franchise into other media such as manga, anime, novels, games, stage plays, and audio dramas.

Kamen Rider Series Summary

Ishinomori is often considered the original creator of the franchise, even in series produced and aired after his death. During his lifetime, Ishinomori was involved in the production of every Kamen Rider series until his death in 1998. As Kamen Rider Kuuga was the first series that Ishinomori was not involved in the production of, he continues to be considered the original concept creator for all Kamen Rider series. During the Heisei era, Ishinomori's old sketches were often used as inspiration for new Riders.

While each entry in the series is different, each shares some common traits with one another. All generally involve at least one young adult male transforming into a Kamen Rider to fight various monsters and organizations related to the origins of that particular Kamen Rider. As the series progresses, Riders often learn more about the monsters in the series, other Kamen Riders, or the origins of their powers.

Early Kamen Riders were generally based on grasshoppers and other insects, but this practice has declined in more recent series of shows in favor of other motifs. Commonly referred to as Rider Machines, motorcycles are an integral part of the series. From 1971, Suzuki originally provided motorcycles for the series until Kamen Rider Agito when Honda became involved and a single Ducati was featured in Kamen Rider W. Early Kamen Riders wore scarves along with their costumes, but this practice was dropped after Kamen Rider Black until the advent of Double.

A characteristic of recent Kamen Riders is their ability to change forms and become stronger versions of themselves. The first power ups appeared in the Kamen Rider Stronger series used by the main character. Kamen Rider Black RX had several forms, Roborider and Biorider. Since then, every Kamen Rider series title in the Heisei era has had at least one power up with Build having the most with 1607 form combinations followed by OOO with 334 form combinations.

All of the Shōwa era Riders gained their powers through some form of surgical alteration to their bodies, a practice that has only been seen a few times. On the other hand, the Heisei Riders, starting with Ryuki, are armor powered by magic, advanced technology, or sometimes both. The Heisei era Kamen Riders vary greatly in their use of Kamen Riders. While all of the early Kamen Riders fought on the side of justice and peace, there are many Heisei era Kamen Riders who fight for personal reasons such as greed, revenge, and the sheer pleasure of fighting. Because of this, recent Kamen Riders have become less eager to immediately join the fight for justice.

One thing that all Riders have in common is the fact that their powers are all related to the villains in the series in one way or another.

Fighting techniques generally remain consistent across Kamen Rider series. The Rider Kick has become known as the signature attack of Kamen Riders. Although no Heisei era Kamen Rider prior to Kamen Rider Blade named their Rider Kick, the technique has remained a signature move for every Kamen Rider series. Other variations include the Rider Chop and Rider Punch.

Kamen Rider Build

Showa Kamen Rider is the first era of production of the Kamen Rider Series. The term refers to the Showa era, a period in Japanese history that coincided with the reign of Shōwa Emperor Hirohito from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989, and the period in which the majority of Showa Kamen Rider production took place.

The Kamen Rider series begins in the middle of the Showa era, approximately 28 years after the end of World War II and the beginning of what is known as Post-War Japan. The Showa era ended in 1989 during the airing of the Kamen Rider Black RX series shortly after the airing of Episode 10 with the death of Emperor Hirihito. The show took a week-long hiatus to honor the life of the late emperor before returning to air with Episode 11.

Having not appeared on television at all during the 1990s, the Kamen Rider franchise has been kept alive primarily through stage shows, music CDs, and the Shin, ZO, and J films, although many fans still classify these films as part of the Showa series due to the death of Shotaro Ishinomori in 1998 as the true end of the Showa era. Since the Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai films, Toei has adopted and recognized this same classification for the 90s films as a form of respect for Ishinomori and longtime fans of the franchise.

The Heisei revival of Kamen Rider began with the Kamen Rider Kuuga series in 2000, this was chronicled in the series Kamen Rider Decade (2009), the tenth Heisei era series which initially brought together the first nine Heisei series, also giving focus to the Shōwa period despite only being 38 years since the start of the series due to Decade's position as the 25th Rider hero.

Showa Kamen Rider Phase 1 (1971-1976)

Showa Kamen Rider Series Phase 1 is the first production phase of Showa Kamen Rider, the first era of the Kamen Rider Series. This phase primarily refers to the original broadcast of the Kamen Rider Series on Japanese TV, starting from the first episode of Kamen Rider, the original series, to All Together! Seven Kamen Riders!!, the special epilogue of the Kamen Rider Stronger Series.

Showa Phase 1 featured the first seven Kamen Rider protagonists. The Double Riders: Takeshi Hongo (Rider 1) and Hayato Ichimonji (Rider 2), from the original series. Shiro Kazami, the eponymous protagonist of the Kamen Rider V3 series, which also featured Joji Yuki (Riderman). Keisuke Jin, the eponymous protagonist of the Kamen Rider X series, Amazon, the eponymous protagonist of the Kamen Rider Amazon series, and Shigeru Jo, the eponymous protagonist of the Kamen Rider Stronger series. Today they are known as the Seven Legendary Riders, and are grouped as such in the Heisei Movie War Mega Max and Super Hero Taisen films. Another staple of Phase 1 is supporting character Tobee Tachibana, who appears in the majority of episodes and movies across all five series, totaling 240 episodes.

Showa Kamen Rider Phase 2 (1979-1984)

Showa Kamen Rider Phase 2 is the second production phase of the Showa Kamen Rider Series, the first era of the Kamen Rider Series. It primarily refers to the second series of Kamen Rider series on Japanese television, starting with the Kamen Rider (Skyrider) series which was later followed by the Kamen Rider Super-1 series. It also includes Birth of the 10th! Kamen Riders All Together!! , a TV special that failed to restart the Kamen Rider Series on TV for a second time. Throughout the two seasons, the character Genjiro Tani remained a constant supporting character in much the same way that Tobee Tachibana remained one during the first phase of Showa Kamen Rider.

Showa Kamen Rider Phase 3 (1987-1994)

Showa Kamen Rider Phase 3 is the third production phase of the Showa Kamen Rider Series, the first era of the Kamen Rider Series. This phase primarily refers to the third series of the Kamen Rider Series on Japanese television, starting with the Kamen Rider Black series which was later followed by the Kamen Rider Black RX series, both TV series featuring Tetsuo Kurata as protagonist Kotaro Minami.

Despite the start of the Heisei period in Japan between episodes 10 & 11 of the Kamen Rider Black RX series due to the death of Emperor Hirohito and subsequent ascension to the throne of Akihito, as well as the limited presence of the Kamen Rider series during the 1990s, consisting of the Shin, ZO and J films, all count as part of the final Showa Kamen Rider phase, all of which were made before the passing of Shotaro Ishinomori in 1998.

Kamen Rider Heisei

Heisei Kamen Rider Heisei is the second production era of the Kamen Rider Series. It refers to the Heisei Era, a period of Japanese history that corresponds to the reign of the Heisei Emperor, Akihito, from January 8, 1989, the first day after the death of the previous Emperor, Hirohito, Akihito's father, until his abdication on April 30, 2019, which was announced several years earlier, in August 2016, causing media of the era's later years to acknowledge the end of the era. In accordance with Japanese custom, Akihito would be posthumously renamed "Heisei Emperor" upon his death.

Having not appeared on television at all during the 1990s, the Kamen Rider franchise has been kept alive primarily through stage shows, musical CDs, and the Shin, ZO, and J films, although many fans classify the films as part of the Showa series due to the death of Shotaro Ishinomori in 1998 as the end of the Showa era. In the Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai film, Toei has adopted and acknowledged this same classification for the 90s films as a form of respect for Ishinomori and long-time fans of the franchise, making Riderman, Shin, ZO and J the Main Riders.

The Kamen Rider series truly revived in the Heisei Era, starting with the Kamen Rider Kuuga series in 2000. As noted in the Kamen Rider Decade series (2009), the tenth Heisei era series that originally brought together the first nine Heisei series, also focused on the Showa period despite it being 38 years since the start of the series due to Decade's position as the 25th Rider hero.

In 2009, the post-Decade series that began with the Kamen Rider W series (2009-2010) and ended with the Kamen Rider Zi-O series (2018-2019), encompassed what fans know as Phase 2 of the Heisei Era. Toei unofficially recognizes this era division, as its series have different airing periods, and its series contain the most new trends.

Heisei Kamen Rider Phase 2

Heisei Kamen Rider Phase 2 is a sub-section of the Heisei era of the Kamen Rider Series that covers the second half. Heisei Phase 2 is specifically used to refer to the post-Decade time period, the second half of the Heisei era, with the Kamen Rider Decade series being the 10th Anniversary Heisei Kamen Rider shows, and the Kamen Rider Zi-O series being the 20th Anniversary Heisei Kamen Rider shows.

After Decade, and since Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, “Kamen Rider” became the official term for Rider while pre-Decade Riders were called “Masked Rider” in official localized releases due to Saban’s Masked Rider. Merchandise such as toy lines SH Figuarts, as well as official labels on the content in the series, have made a difference since then. Phase 2 of the Heisei series began with Decade's successor, the Kamen Rider W series, which premiered in September 2009 and ended in August 2010. The second phase lasted for a total of ten seasons until the end of the Heisei era in Japan in 2019, ending with the Kamen Rider Zi-O series, which concluded its run in August 2019.

On April 1, 2016, the Kamen Rider Amazons series premiered. This marked the first time in the Heisei era since Faiz that the franchise returned to a darker, more adult-oriented storytelling style, resulting in an R15+ rating. However, the series is only available on Amazon Prime. A second season was released in 2017, and a film concluding the series was released in theaters in 2018.