![[Definitive Edition] Looking Back at the Legendary Kamen Riders Born in the Showa Era](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/qJC6gRsHf-E/maxresdefault.webp)
[Definitive Edition] Looking Back at the Legendary Kamen Riders Born in the Showa Era
Kamen Rider was born in the Showa era and has captured the hearts of children as a hero of justice.
Its battles tinged with a touch of humor, the powerful showdowns with monstrous foes, and the unforgettable transformation poses remain deeply etched in the memories of many to this day.
The stories, brimming with love and courage, have become legends passed down across generations.
In this article, we will introduce the Kamen Riders born of the Showa era and share their enduring appeal.
[Permanent Edition] Looking Back at the Legendary Kamen Riders Born in the Showa Era (1–10)
Kamen Rider ZX
Kamen Rider ZX is the tenth warrior in the series, appearing in the 1984 special program “Birth of the 10th! All Kamen Riders Gather!” The protagonist, Ryo Murasame, has his family killed by the evil organization Badan and is transformed into the Perfect Cyborg ZX, with 99 percent of his body modified except for his brain.
After an accident restores his sense of self, Ryo manages to escape the base and rebels against the organization as Kamen Rider ZX.
ZX fights with a ninja-like style, using a wide array of special abilities such as shuriken and stealth techniques.
His teaming up with the nine Riders from previous installments moved many fans deeply.
Sky Rider
Skyrider is the sixth installment of the Kamen Rider series, broadcast from 1979 to 1980.
Although its official title is simply Kamen Rider, it is called Skyrider to distinguish it from previous Riders.
The protagonist, Hiroshi Tsukuba, is attacked by the evil organization Neo-Shocker and undergoes reconstructive surgery by Dr.
Shido, reborn as Skyrider with the power of flight.
As the name suggests, his defining feature is the ability to fly freely through the sky.
With aerial attacks and dynamic action, the series presented a new image of Kamen Rider.
Riderman
He was treated more like a supporting character in Kamen Rider V3, but he was also beloved by everyone.
Still, even after transforming, half of his face remained human, so compared to the main Rider, he kind of felt underwhelming, you know? His transformation call was just a simple “Tō!” too… That said, his cassette arm worn on the right hand was extremely popular, and when people think of Riderman, they think of “that right arm.” Episodes featuring Riderman always seemed to get unusually exciting.
By the way, in the original manga, Riderman’s left arm was also made robotic.
Kamen Rider 1
Kamen Rider, a landmark of Showa-era children’s TV alongside Ultraman.
Of course, kids would always debate things like “Which do you like better?” and, ultimately, “Which one is stronger?”—arguments that ignored scale entirely.
But in the end, everyone loved both.
Looking back now, the original Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider No.
1, has slightly dim, somewhat eerie visuals.
The “No.
1” label itself didn’t seem to be emphasized that much at the time.
But did you know there are two versions of No.
1 Rider: the Old No.
1 and the New No.
1?
Kamen Rider No. 2
While the overall style wasn’t broken, they were characterized as “No.
1 the technician” and “No.
2 the powerhouse.” But kids back then were even more perceptive, noticing details like “the belt colors—No.
1’s is white and No.
2’s is red,” and “No.
1 has no stripes on his arms, while No.
2 does.” Nostalgic, isn’t it? Later on, there were even episodes where No.
1 and No.
2 appeared together and fought side by side, and I remember the whole school going wild over those hype-filled developments.
By the way, it was also with No.
2 that the Rider Kick as a true finishing move was properly established.
Kamen Rider V3
The actor for Kamen Rider 1 was Hiroshi Fujioka, the actor for Rider 2 was Takeshi Sasaki, and the actor for Kamen Rider V3 was Hiroshi Miyauchi.
Speaking of Hiroshi Miyauchi at the time, he continued to be a true hero to children, playing roles like Aorenger in Secret Squadron Gorenger and Zubat in Kaiketsu Zubat.
So nostalgic.
Getting back to Kamen Rider, among the people around me, Kamen Rider V3 was the most popular, and I think his transformation pose was the coolest too…
When he transformed, he would shout “V3!” and we were all thrilled and copied it, didn’t we?
Kamen Rider X
Kamen Rider X is the third installment of the Kamen Rider series, broadcast in 1974.
The protagonist, Keisuke Jin, is attacked by the evil organization G.O.D.
along with his father and is gravely injured, but undergoes a modification operation at the hands of his dying father.
Revived as a ‘Modified Human for Deep-Sea Development, Kaizorg,’ he becomes Kamen Rider X and stands against G.O.D.’s ambitions.
With action set against the sea, mechanical design elements, and the enhanced X Rider System, the series garnered popularity and still retains a strong fan base today.