Kamen Rider (1971 TV series)
A grasshopper-themed cyborg fights a terrorist organization.
Kamen Rider (仮面ライダー, Kamen Raidā) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series and a weekly science fiction manga, both the work of manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The show originally ran for 98 episodes, airing from April 3, 1971, to February 10, 1973, on Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET (now TV Asahi). The manga adaptation appeared in Shōnen Magazine around the same time. This series sparked a second wave of popularity for tokusatsu shows and marked Toei's first commercially successful series. During its run, it sold 620 million bags of Kamen Rider Snack popcorn, 3.8 million transformation belts, and 300,000 bikes.
The story unfolds in a world under threat from Shocker, a secret global terrorist group largely made up of former Nazis. To achieve world domination, Shocker kidnaps people, turns them into mutant cyborgs, and brainwashes them. One victim, Takeshi Hongo, escapes before the final brainwashing. Retaining his sanity and moral compass, he fights Shocker alone as the grasshopper-themed cyborg superhero Kamen Rider. Another cyborg victim, freelance photographer Hayato Ichimonji, becomes Kamen Rider 2 after Kamen Rider (later renamed Kamen Rider 1) saves him from brainwashing. With help from motorcycle race team manager Tobei Tachibana and FBI agent Kazuya Taki, the two Riders take on Shocker in solo and joint missions. They later gain support from Tobei and Kazuya’s Kamen Rider Kid Corps. After many battles, Shocker is wiped out, but its leader creates Gel-Shocker to continue his goals. The Riders eventually defeat Gel-Shocker’s leader and stop the organization. Kazuya returns to America, and peace is restored—or so it seems.
Several manga based on the original Kamen Rider series have been published, but only one was written and drawn by Ishinomori himself. He also authored one chapter of the Kamen Rider Amazon manga and the entire Kamen Rider Black manga, though those are based on sequels, not the original series. The original 1971 manga starts similarly to the TV show’s early episodes, with similar plots and creature designs. However, after Takeshi leaves the story, the two versions diverge sharply. In the TV series, Takeshi goes abroad to fight Shocker, leaving Hayato to protect Japan. In the manga, Takeshi never leaves Japan. He is confronted by twelve “Shocker Riders” and is mortally wounded in battle. One of those Riders, Hayato, s
- creator
- Shotaro Ishinomori
- genre
- Tokusatsu superhero / science fiction
- episodes
- 98
- broadcast_period
- April 3, 1971 – February 10, 1973
- network
- Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET (now TV Asahi)
- franchise_origin
- First series of the Kamen Rider franchise
Lore & Background
The series takes place in a world plagued by Shocker, a terrorist organization formed mostly by remaining members of the Nazis. Shocker recruits agents through kidnapping, turning victims into mutant cyborgs and brainwashing them. One victim, Takeshi Hongo, escapes before final brainwashing and wages war as the grasshopper-themed cyborg superhero Kamen Rider. Another victim, freelance photographer Hayato Ichimonji, becomes Kamen Rider 2 after Hongo saves him. Assisted by motorcycle race team manager Tobei Tachibana and FBI agent Kazuya Taki, the Kamen Riders fight Shocker, later facing its successor Gel-Shocker. After many battles, the organization's leader is defeated and peace is restored.
Reader's Guide
Kamen Rider (1971 TV series) is significant as the foundational entry of a long-running franchise that has produced annual iterations. It sparked a second boom in tokusatsu shows and was Toei's first commercialised series. During its run, the brand sold 620 million bags of Kamen Rider Snack popcorn, 3.8 million transformation belts, and 300,000 bikes, indicating massive commercial success. The series introduced the concept of a cyborg hero transformed against his will, a theme that persisted throughout the franchise. The manga adaptation, also by Ishinomori, diverged from the TV series in plot and character development, notably with Takeshi never leaving Japan and being mortally wounded by twelve Shocker Riders. The live-action TV series portrayed the Riders as strong enough to defeat Shocker, while the manga depicted a seemingly hopeless battle against a larger conspiracy. The series' legacy includes influencing later tokusatsu productions and establishing the Kamen Rider franchise as a cultural staple in Japan.
Did You Know?
- The series sold 620 million bags of Kamen Rider Snack popcorn during its run.
- The manga adaptation featured 12 Shocker Riders, while the TV series had only 6.
- In the manga, Takeshi Hongo never leaves Japan and is mortally wounded by the Shocker Riders.
- The series was Toei's first commercialised tokusatsu show.
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