Kamen Rider 1 (仮面ライダー 1号 Kamen Raidā Ichi-Gō?, Masked Rider 1) is a fictional character and main superhero or henshin character featured in Japanese tokusatsu. He first appeared in the television series Kamen Rider, the first in the famous Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu programmes. The primary protagonist of the series, Kamen Rider 1 is a motorcycle-riding superhero modelled upon a grasshopper. One of the most recognisable and iconic characters in Japanese entertainment, Kamen Rider 1 is as irrecoverably burnt onto to the cultural subconscious as the series itself. In the original series, he was portrayed by Hiroshi Fujioka, who also performed most of his own stunts. Later, he was portrayed by Masaya Kikawada in the film Kamen Rider The First and its sequel, Kamen Rider The Next.
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Takeshi Hongo
Overview
The character, before being transformed into a powerful hero, Takeshi Hongo was a college biochemistry student. An intelligent young man who enjoyed riding motorcycles, in the first episode of the series he witnessed the murder of a scientist at the hands of a Shocker kaijin named "Kumo Otoko" ("Spider Man"). He is then kidnapped and forced to undergo a procedure that turns him into a super-powered cyborg, but escapes before he can be brainwashed to do Shocker's bidding. After this initial introduction, the series becomes, as with most tokusatsu programmes of the era, fairly formulaic. Each episode sees Hongo meeting another of Shocker's mutants, interacting briefly with supporting characters, such as his mentor Tachibana Tobei, and ultimately defeating the enemy, often with trademark "Rider Kick" or "Rider Punch" attacks. However, this formula was drastically altered during the filming of episode ten. Fujioka, while attempting to perform a stunt on his motorcycle, shattered his leg. The surrounding episodes were quickly edited or otherwise altered to account for this, but Fujioka's injury forced him to take a longterm hiatus from acting, so production company Toei hired a new actor, Takeshi Sasaki, to play a new Kamen Rider character, dubbed Kamen Rider 2. In the show, it was explained that Shocker had built a duplicate of their original Kamen Rider cyborg in an effort to combat the threat that Hongo posed to their organization. This new character was introduced in episode 13, as Hongo's character was gradually phased out, a process that had been occurring since episode 11. By the time Fujioka had recovered from his injuries, Kamen Rider had become fairly successful, and Fujioka found other work, so Sasaki continued to portray the main character of the series until episode 49, when Fujioka returned to the series full time. During this time, the two characters worked together as the "Double Riders", and Takeshi's character was written out. By episode 53, through the end of the series with episode 98, Hongo was the sole protagonist, but Sasaki returned for guest spots intermittently, in episodes 72-3, 93-4, and the finale. Kamen Rider 1 and his partner Kamen Rider 2 next appeared in the sequel Kamen Rider V3. The titular V3 was Kazami Shiro, a junior of Hongo's, and begged them to turn him into a Kamen Rider after the murder of his family by the Destron organisation. Despite initially refusing, when the young man was mortally wounded assisting them, the two Riders transformed him into Kamen Rider V3, possessing both Kamen Rider 1's "skill" and Rider 2's "strength". The Double Riders were apparently killed detonating an atomic bomb, but reappeared alive and well later on in the series. The Double Riders would make appearances in most succeeding Kamen Rider TV series, with the exception of Kamen Rider Amazon, Kamen Rider Super-1 (although they shows up in the Super-1's movie) and Kamen Rider BLACK. Kamen Rider 1 would lead the senior Riders one last time in the final episodes of Kamen Rider BLACK RX. This would prove to be the last time the 10 original Riders appeared together onscreen. Starting with Kamen Rider Kuuga, no past Riders appears in the current TV series from the franchise.
Manga Version
Unlike in the TV Series, after a bike accident during his race course with his mentor Tobei Tachibana, Hongo awokes during procedure that turns him into a super-powered cyborg, but escapes before he can be brainwashed to do Shocker's bidding. Then he battled some Shocker Kaijins just like in the TV series, but until he fights 12 Shocker Riders, then he subsequently killed but 1 of the 12 named Hayato Ichimonji had received a head injury and then he regain his good consciousness, then he comes to destroy all 11 Shocker Riders and becomes Kamen Rider 2 by reprising Hongo's role during his recovery. At the mid-end of the manga story, Hongo was resurrected and returned to battle along with Kamen Rider 2 to destroy Shocker once and for all.
Hongo Takeshi stars the main character to the 1971 Timeline in this crossover game. (Although for a time, he is replaced as the playable character by Ichimonji.) Hongo must fight off Shocker and General Zol, who is slowly turning human beings into werewolf kajin as part of a much larger part in the not-so-distant future. Eventually, he travels to 1988 along with Kamen Rider V3 and Kamen Rider Agito to aid Kamen Rider BLACK in the final battle. Hiroshi Fujioka returns to voice the role. Kamen Rider 1 appears in his second outfit (although the green version of his classic outfit is available as an unlockable).
Kamen Rider the First movie series
Much like the series, Hongo was a college biochemistry student, but he was captured by the Shocker's agent Bat due to being a "ideal" candidate for their experiment, forced to undergo a procedure that turns him into a super-powered Inhumanoid cyborg code-named Hopper, whose purpose was to eliminate any witnesses of Shocker's actions. 'Hopper's' first mission was to assassinate two witnesses who coincidentally were the journalist who had interviewed him prior to his kidnapping, Asuka Midorikawa, and her fiancé Katsuhiko Yano. It was during the assault that Hongo reclaimed his sense of humanity--hit with an epiphany, Hongo comes to realize his higher calling: To take vengeance for the now-dead Katsuhiko by destroying SHOCKER and protect all that he holds dear from them. At this exact moment, Asuka discovers Hongo, next to Katsuhiko's lifeless body. Blaming him for Katsuhiko's death, Asuka begins to follow him, attempting to uncover how a seemingly normal college student could become a murderer. Meanwhile, Shocker uses the body of Katsuhiko to create a second Hopper to destroy the traitorous "Hopper I". The two Riders eventually team up to save Asuka, when she uncovered the existence of Shocker itself. In the end, Hongo and Asuka confessed their love for each other. Hongo is to return in the sequel Kamen Rider The Next.
Transforming
Kamen Rider 1 uses the power of the wind to fight. To transform Rider speeds on his Cyclone and leaps into the air, creating wind-pressure against his Typoon belt. The pressure spins the wheel in the center of his belt which then activates the micro-nuclear engine and allows him to transform. The “old” Rider did not have a shout or a pose when he transforms.
Rider Henshin
Hongo shouts “Rider, Henshin!” (“Rider, Change!”) and throws his right arm at a diagonal to his right then rotates it clock-wise until it’s a diagonal to his left, then he retracts it to his waist and thrusts out his left arm at a diagonal to his right. After that pose Hongo leaps into the air where the wind-pressure activates his transformation.
The First Movie Version
Hongo simply open up his leather jackets (or polo shirt), revealing the Typhoon Belt (and his body armor), then snap on his helmet and faceplate on his head to transform.
Equipment
Typhoon Belt
Hongo's henshin belt.
Cyclone
Maximum Speed: 400 km/h Jump Power: 30 m (40 m after alteration) Engine: Nuclear Engine, 200 horsepower. Designer: Hiroshi Midorikawa, Tobei Tachibana (The First) A machine given to Kamen Rider by Professor Midorikawa. Cyclone takes the form of an off-road bike and can be ridden by people other than Hongo. When Hongo transforms into Masked Rider the switch for the bike is also activated and the bike becomes an on-road bike. In episode 40 when Rider 1 goes to save Rider 2 the Cyclone has a similar form to Rider 2’s Cyclone. It’s assumed that the Cyclone was upgraded while he was overseas. In Kamen Rider The First, Cyclone was designed and created by his mentor Tobei Tachibana, he rides the Cyclone even in human form or rider form.
New Cyclone
Maximum Speed: 500 km/h Jump Power: 50 m (40 m after alteration) Engine: Nuclear Engine, 250 horsepower. Designer: Takeshi Hongo, Kazuya Taki, and Tobei Tachibana A new machine designed by Hongo, Taki and Tachibana. New Cyclone transforms automatically when Hongo does.
Attacks using the Cyclone
- Cyclone Attack: An attack where Rider No. 2 rams an enemy while riding the Cyclone while the Cyclone Cutters are exposed.
Trivia
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- Hongo is said to have an IQ of 600. In the Banpresto strategy game Super Tokusatsu Taisen 2001 (a version of their famous Super Robot Wars series using live action heroes instead of robots), Hongo modifies Kikaider so that he can withstand the weakening effects of Dr. Gil's flute. This is notable because even Kikaider's own creator was unable to do so.
- Kamen Rider 1 is generally acknowledged as being the leader of the Kamen Riders.
- Villains have occasionally dismissed his existence as an urban legend, only to suffer the consequences when he eventually does appear. For example, in Kamen Rider Stronger the group Black Satan manages to defeat and capture Rider V3 and Riderman, as well as repel an attack by X-Rider and Amazon. When warned that it was possible Kamen Rider 1 and 2 could appear, the enemy commander scoffed at the suggestion. Shortly thereafter, he was ambushed and killed by the Double Riders.
- Despite being rather weak compared to later Riders, Rider 1 makes up for it with battle experience and having the most techniques of any Kamen Rider.
- In Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider, Rider 1 fights alongside the original Ultraman to take down a very powerful monster that the extraterrestrial giant cannot defeat by himself.
References
- Sullivan, Paul. Kamen Rider 1 profile at "Igadevil's Kamen Rider Page".
- Sullivan, Paul. Kamen Rider 2 profile at "Igadevil's Kamen Rider Page".
| Kamen Riders: | 1 • 2 • V3 • Riderman • X • Amazon • Stronger • Skyrider • Super-1 • ZX • Black • RX |
|---|---|
| Villains: | Great Leader • Shocker • Gel-Shocker • Destron • GOD • Geddon • Garanda Empire • Black Satan • Delza Army |
| Neo-Shocker • Dogma Kingdom • Jin Dogma • Badan Empire • Gorgom • Shadow Moon • Crisis Empire | |
| Others: | Tōbei Tachibana |
