Kamen Rider (1979 TV series) explained

Genre:Tokusatsu
Superhero fiction
Science fiction
Action/Adventure
Fantasy
Runtime:24 minutes
Creator:Shotaro Ishinomori
Developer:Masaru Igami (eps 1-24)
Takashi Ezure (eps 25-54)
Director:Minoru Yamada
Katsuhiko Taguchi
Atsuo Okunaka
Hideo Tanaka
Kimio Hirayama
Shigeho Hirota
Starring:Hiroaki Murakami
Kimiko Tanaka
Naoko Fushimi
Kaori Tatsumi
Mie Suzuki
Sayako Eguchi
Jin Takase
Nobuo Tsukamoto
Shinzo Hotta
Yosuke Naka
Producer:Toru Hirayama (Toei)
Masashi Abe (Toei, eps 18-54)
Composer:Shunsuke Kikuchi
Country:Japan
Company:Mainichi Broadcasting System
Toei Company
Network:JNN (MBS)
Num Episodes:54

, [1] also known as Kamen Rider 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 intended as a revival of the original 1971 series of the same name, going back to the basic, essential themes established in that show.

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

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 to fight the terrorist group.

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.

Shido's aide.

A member of the Shido Hang Glide Club.

A member of the Shido Hang Glide Club.

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.

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.

Neo-Shocker

Shocker is once again reformed as the 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.

Episodes

  1. (Original Airdate: October 5, 1979)
  2. (Original Airdate: October 12, 1979)
  3. (Original Airdate: October 19, 1979)
  4. (Original Airdate: October 26, 1979)
  5. (Original Airdate: November 2, 1979)
  6. (Original Airdate: November 9, 1979)
  7. (Original Airdate: November 16, 1979)
  8. (Original Airdate: November 23, 1979)
  9. (Original Airdate: November 30, 1979)
  10. (Original Airdate: December 7, 1979)
  11. (Original Airdate: December 14, 1979)
  12. (Original Airdate: December 21, 1979)
  13. (Original Airdate: December 28, 1979)
  14. (Original Airdate: January 4, 1980)
  15. (Original Airdate: January 11, 1980)
  16. (Original Airdate: January 18, 1980)
  17. (Original Airdate: January 25, 1980)
  18. (Original Airdate: February 1, 1980)
  19. (Original Airdate: February 8, 1980)
  20. (Original Airdate: February 15, 1980)
  21. (Original Airdate: February 22, 1980)
  22. (Original Airdate: February 29, 1980)
  23. (Original Airdate: March 7, 1980)
  24. (Original Airdate: March 14, 1980)
  25. (Original Airdate: March 21, 1980)
  26. (Original Airdate: March 28, 1980)
  27. (Original Airdate: April 4, 1980)
  28. (Original Airdate: April 11, 1980)
  29. (Original Airdate: April 18, 1980)
  30. (Original Airdate: April 25, 1980)
  31. (Original Airdate: May 2, 1980)
  32. (Original Airdate: May 9, 1980)
  33. (Original Airdate: May 16, 1980)
  34. (Original Airdate: May 23, 1980)
  35. (Original Airdate: May 30, 1980)
  36. (Original Airdate: June 6, 1980)
  37. (Original Airdate: June 13, 1980)
  38. (Original Airdate: June 20, 1980)
  39. (Original Airdate: June 27, 1980)
  40. (Original Airdate: July 4, 1980)
  41. (Original Airdate: July 11, 1980)
  42. (Original Airdate: July 18, 1980)
  43. (Original Airdate: July 25, 1980)
  44. (Original Airdate: August 1, 1980)
  45. (Original Airdate: August 8, 1980)
  46. (Original Airdate: August 15, 1980)
  47. (Original Airdate: August 22, 1980)
  48. (Original Airdate: August 29, 1980)
  49. (Original Airdate: September 5, 1980)
  50. (Original Airdate: September 12, 1980)
  51. (Original Airdate: September 19, 1980)
  52. (Original Airdate: September 26, 1980)
  53. (Original Airdate: October 3, 1980)
  54. (Original Airdate: October 10, 1980)

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.

Movie

The Movie Eight Riders vs. Gingaoh (仮面ライダー 8人ライダーVS銀河王 Kamen Raidā: Hachi'nin Raidā Tai Gingaō) was released on March 15, 1980 and features Sky Rider teaming up with the previous 7 riders.

Cast

International Broadcasts

Songs

Opening themes
Ending themes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 仮面ライダー(新) | 仮面ライダーWeb【公式】|東映.