Kamen Rider (1979 TV series)


Kamen Rider, later retitled as New Kamen Rider and also known as Skyrider, is a Japanese tokusatsu television series created by Shotaro Ishinomori and the sixth program in the Kamen Rider Series. The series was produced by Toei Company. The series aired every Friday at 7:00 PM on MBS from October 5, 1979 to October 10, 1980.
The 1979 series was initially intended as a reboot of the original 1971 series of the same name, going back to the basic, essential themes established in that show, but eventually it was established that all the previous Kamen Rider shows were canonical to it, with previous Riders appearing.

Story

Doctor Keitarō Shido, an acclaimed scientist, has been kidnapped by the terrorist organization Neo-Shocker to exploit his expertise in robotics technology. Desperate to escape, he convinces Neo-Shocker's command to allow him to operate on an injured camper. Explaining that he can turn the camper, Hiroshi Tsukuba into a powerful Neo-Shocker warrior, they allow Doctor Shido to operate. However, he quickly turns the tables on them, transforming Hiroshi, not into a kaijin, but the powerful warrior Sky Rider, using his newfound abilities to combat the evil Neo-Shocker menace.

Characters

  • Hiroshi Tsukuba: A gliding enthusiast caught in a conflict with Neo-Shocker after one of their agents murdered his friends. He ended up being caught and turned into a cyborg by both Keitaro and Neo-Shocker after he was mortally injured in an attempt to save Keitaro from Neo-Shocker, before he and the scientist managed to escape from their captors and use his newfound powers as Skyrider to fight the terrorist group.
  • Keitarō Shido: A scientist targeted by Neo-Shocker who was responsible for Hiroshi becoming Sky Rider. To keep a low profile, having hang glided in his youth, Shido founded the Shido Hang Glide Club and last aided Sky Rider in disarming a Plus-Alpha Bomb before leaving the country to join the Anti-Neo-Shocker Committee.
  • Midori Kanō: Shido's aide.
  • Yumi Nozaki: A member of the Shido Hang Glide Club.
  • Michi Sugimura: A member of the Shido Hang Glide Club.
  • Imata Tonda: A photojournalist who is looking for a good story, usually losing consciousness when he is about to stumble into a fight between Sky Rider and Neo-Shocker.
  • Genjirō Tani: A senior of Hiroshi's and a friend of Shido, Tani owns the Blanca Coffee Shop that serves as Sky Rider's new base of operations. Having lost his family to Neo-Shocker in the past, Tani is eager to help Hiroshi take the organization down.
  • Numa
  • Aki Ozawa
  • Naoko Itō
  • Kanji Yada/GanGan G

Neo-Shocker

Shocker is once again reformed as the Neo-Shocker organization, playing a role in numerous disappearances and terrorist attacks against the Japanese government. Spreading their influence across the world, their goal is the genocide of about two thirds of the current human population on Earth with them as the dominant majority. Though the other branches are succeeding unopposed, only the Japanese branch is making no progress due to the interference of Sky Rider.
  • Great Leader of Neo-Shocker: Hailing from Dark Nebula B-26, he is a giant, alien dragon who is the leader of the Neo-Shocker organization and “Emperor of the Dark Nebula”. Destroyed in a bomb explosion by the combined efforts of all previous Kamen Riders.
  • General Monster/Yamorijin: A former Nazi under Colonel Zol, he is the first chief of Neo-Shocker's Japanese branch who wields a cane. Eventually promoted, Monster underwent a modification into Yamorijin, a gecko cyborg. Due to a recent failure he was presented with the red eye, which signals that if he fails for a final time he will be terminated. He was executed by Sky Rider's Sky Kick. He is revived by the Badan Empire in Kamen Rider Spirits vol. 8, kidnapping people in Sapporo. He was eventually destroyed by Kamen Rider ZX's Rider Spin Shot and crashed into Admiral Majin.
  • Admiral Majin: The second and final chief of the Neo-Shocker organization. He was the only Neo-Shocker member with no kaijin form. He was executed by Kamen Rider #2, Kamen Rider Stronger and Sky Rider's triple kick. He is revived by the Badan Empire in Kamen Rider Spirits vol. 8, confronting Sky Rider in Mashu Lake, but is eventually destroyed by Sky Rider's Dragonfly Chute and crashed into Yamorijin.
  • Gingaoh: Gingaoh is the main antagonist in the Sky Rider movie, a mechanical alien invader that Neo-Shocker formed an alliance with. He was destroyed in his spaceship explosion.
  • Ari Commandos: Ant-like foot soldiers in black.
  • Skull Assassination Squad: Skull-masked elite guards who wield swords and crossbows.
  • Neo-Shocker Scientists:
  • * Professor Doc: A friend of General Monster. After General Monster died, he was sentenced to death by Admiral Majin and killed by Shibirayjin.
  • * Doctor Meteor: An authority on brain surgery. Killed by Kamen Rider Stronger's Electro Shock.
  • * Doctor X: He repairs or scraps Ari Commands in a dock disguised as a pediatric clinic.
  • * Shiroari Commandos: Termite-like scientists who assist in the conversion of humans into cyborgs.

Episodes

  1. The Cyborg Flies in the Sky
  2. Bizarre! Kumojin
  3. It's Courage! The Fear of the Bat Flute
  4. Two Cyborgs, the Angry Rider Break
  5. Fly, Ride on a Girl's Dreams
  6. Kinokojin! The Devil's Hands are Cold
  7. Kamagirijin! The Dreadful Ceremony
  8. Mukadenjin's Trap! The Mysterious Operating Room
  9. Cobranjin's Murder Army
  10. Seen! Kaningerjin's Secret
  11. Sanshojin! Escape from Hell Valley
  12. Dark Santa Claus; Ah, Transformation Impossible
  13. Arijigokujin, Tokyo Explodes Before 3:00
  14. Haejigokujin, Kamen Rider Close Call
  15. Dreadful Aokabijin's Big Tokyo Earthquake
  16. The Immortal Gokiburijin, What is the True Identity of General Monster?
  17. You Did It! The End of General Monster
  18. Admiral Majin's Great Electric Hell Operation
  19. Cover Your Ears Too! Okamijin's Murderous Cry
  20. Two Kamen Riders, Who is Another?
  21. Enter Stronger; Two Riders vs. Two Formidable Monsters
  22. Kogoensky Froze Tokyo 5 Seconds Ago
  23. Monster Flying Squirrel Brothers and Two Riders
  24. Madarakajin, Fear of Poison Gas
  25. Heavy! Heavy! The 50-ton Baby
  26. Three Riders vs. Neoshocker's School Fortress
  27. Tank and Kaijin the Second Generation Corps, Full Force of Eight Riders
  28. Eight Riders' Great Training of Friendship
  29. First Appearance! Powered Sky Rider's Finishing Move
  30. He Eats Dreams? The Strange Boy Who Came From the Amazon
  31. Run, X-Rider! Hiroshi Tsukuba! Don't Die!!
  32. Thank You, Keisuke Jin! Leave the Final Blow to Me!!
  33. Hello! Riderwoman, be Careful of Nezura Man
  34. Danger, Sky Rider! He's Come! Shirō Kazami!!
  35. Kazami Senpai! I'll Get the Tako Gang!!
  36. Hurry, Hayato Ichimonji! Save the People Caught in Trees!!
  37. The Mystery of Hyakki Village! Is Hiroshi also Caught in a Tree?
  38. Please, Shigeru Jō! There's the Ari Commando Training School With a Million Yen Monthly Salary
  39. Help! Two Riders!! Mother Becomes a Demon
  40. Chase, Hayato! The Kappa's Bowl Flies Through the Sky
  41. Ghost Story Series - The Secret of the Phantom Building
  42. Ghost Story Series - Zombie! The Monster is Revived
  43. Ghost Story Series - Hōichi the Earless' 999 Ears
  44. Ghost Story Series - The Werecat Wants Children's Blood!
  45. Ghost Story Series - The Snake Woman Curses Hiroshi Tsukuba!
  46. Ghost Story Series - The Breakable Human! Fear of the Mirror's Center
  47. Sky Rider's Greatest Weakness! Attack the 0.5 Second Blind Spot
  48. Four Sky Riders, Who is the Real One?
  49. Rocket Launch! Hiroshi Tsukuba Goes to the Space Graveyard
  50. You, Also Enlist in the Ari Commando Boys' Squad!?
  51. Neoshocker Red & White, Great Decisive Battle of Death
  52. Hiroshi's Father Had Lived! As Altered Human FX777?
  53. The End of Admiral Majin! And the Great Leader's True Identity?
  54. Farewell, Hiroshi Tsukuba! Eight Heroes Forever....

Special

Immortal Kamen Rider Special aired on September 8, 1979. Tobei Tachibana visits a Kamen Rider museum where he talks to some children about the Kamen Riders. Scenes from Kamen Rider, X, Amazon and Stronger are shown. He's about to introduce a new Kamen Rider when some of the kids remind him that he forgot Kamen Rider V3. Clips from the movie Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants are shown. After the movie clips, Tobei Tachibana introduces Sky Rider, with previews of New Kamen Rider.

Film

The Movie Eight Riders vs. Gingaoh was released on March 15, 1980 and features Sky Rider teaming up with the previous 7 riders.

Cast

  • Hiroaki Murakami as Hiroshi Tsukuba
  • Kimiko Tanaka as Midori Kanō
  • Naoko Fushimi as Michi Sugimura
  • Kaori Tatsumi as Yumi Nozaki
  • Ryūmei Azuma as Imata Tonda
  • Mie Suzuki as Naoko Itō
  • Sayako Eguchi as Aki Ozawa
  • Jin Takase as Numa
  • Kōji Shiratori as Shigeru Kanō
  • Tomaru Katsura as Kanji Yada
  • Gorō Naya as The Great Leader
  • Shinzō Hotta as General Monster
  • Yōsuke Naka as Admiral Majin
  • Takashi Tabata as Keitarō Shido
  • Nobuo Tsukamoto as Genjirō Tani
  • Shinji Nakae as Narrator

International Broadcasts

Songs

;Opening themes
;Ending themes
  • "Haruka naru Ai ni Kakete"
  • *Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
  • *Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • *Artist: Ichirou Mizuki and Kōrogi '73
  • *Episodes: 1-28
  • "Kagayake! Hachinin Rider"
  • *Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
  • *Composition & Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • *Artist: Ichirou Mizuki and The Chirps
  • *Episodes: 29-54