Kamen Rider Amazon
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| Kamen Rider Amazon | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Tokusatsu |
| Created by | Shotaro Ishinomori |
| Starring | Tōru Okazaki, Akiji Kobayashi |
| Composer(s) | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Country of origin |  Japan |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | MBS |
| Original run | October 19, 1974 – March 29, 1975 |
Kamen Rider Amazon (仮面ライダーアマゾン Kamen Raidā Amazon?, Masked Rider Amazon in English) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. The fifth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider Series, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System. It was the shortest Kamen Rider series ever, lasting only 24 episodes, and starred Tōru Okazaki as the title character.
The series is very distinct among the Kamen Rider programmes. See "uniqueness", below.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
A plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest, leaving young Daisuke Yamamoto stranded without his parents. Soon adopted by a native tribe, Daisuke becomes a modern day Tarzan, living off the land. However, Daisuke's idyllic existence is cut short when Gorgos, the Ten Faced Demon, massacres his village, slaughtering everyone except himself. Gorgos is seeking the powerful "GiGi Bracelet", which gives the bearer fantastic power. A witch doctor in the village, sensing the trouble, retrieves the bracelet and gives it to Daisuke for safekeeping. He then uses his knowledge of Incan science and magic to perform a mystical "operation" on Daisuke, transforming him into the powerful "Kamen Rider Amazon".
Daisuke then travels to Japan, where he meets a professor who knew his father. Soon, the minions of Gorgos catch up to Daisuke, murdering the professor. During the process, Daisuke saves a young boy named Masahiko, who obliges to teach Amazon (as Masahiko dubs Daisuke) the ways of the world. Amazon soon receives the "Jungler", his motorcycle. Amazon also partners up with the Mole Beastman, a former henchman of Gorgos, after Amazon rescues him from execution. Together, the two of them face off against Gorgos himself, eventually destroying him in an atomic blast. However, the "GaGa Bracelet", the counterpart of the GiGi, then falls into the hands of the Garanda Empire, led by the ruthless Great Emperor Zero. Amazon continues his fight against evil, eventually toppling the Garanda Empire and retrieving both bracelets.
His mission now complete, Amazon ventures off to travel the world.
[edit] Uniqueness
Kamen Rider Amazon is unique among the Kamen Rider series for many reasons. Amazon's design motif is based on a komodo dragon rather than the more typical suit basis of a grasshopper, beetle, or other insect. However, there is some debate to this—Some fans have speculated that he is in fact modeled upon a piranha.[1] Additionally, Amazon's Rider Machine, "Jungler", is much more vibrant and exotic than others, featuring "wings" on the back and a "mouth" and "eyes" on the front.
Amazon transforms biologically, rather than simply donning a mask and armor. Artbooks indicate that his anatomy greatly changes. Literal, biological transformations would reappear in Kamen Rider Agito and Shin Kamen Rider. Amazon's henshin device was an armband, rather than a belt. He did have a type of utility belt in both his human and rider forms, although it had no relevance to his transformation. The series is also the first not to feature one or more previous Riders.
Amazon is also far more violent and brutal than previous series', Both Amazon and his enemies emit blood-like fluids, and Amazon's combat style is much more harsh, severe, and direct than previous Riders. He also occasionally bites his opponents, virtually unheard of in other Kamen Rider series, except perhaps Kamen Rider Gills from Agito.[2] Of all the Showa Kamen Riders, outside of Riderman who is not fully masked, Amazon is the only Kamen Rider who was able to open his mouth during his Rider form.
Other unique aspects of the series include the fact that no previous Rider characters appear in this series; however, the reason can be attributed to the fact that the series was cut down to only 24 episodes. Tōbei Tachibana, the Kamen Rider mentor, did appear in several episodes.
Another important aspect of the programme is the appearance of the Mole Beastman. He first appears in episode 5. The Mole Beastman is a Beastman, sent by Geddon to kill Amazon, who fails his mission. Geddon, displeased with the Mole Beastman's lack of progress, sentences him to death. Amazon, taking pity on the monster, rescues him from his cruel fate. The Mole Beastman appears intermittently throughout the series, until his final appearance in episode 20. He is killed by the Mushroom Beastman and Black Followers, and dies in Amazon's arms. Amazon brutally slaughters the Mushroom Beastman in revenge, and builds a memorial in the Mole Beastman's honor.
In addition to the main actor shouting the henshin cry, Masato Shimon's voice was sampled in a segment from the theme song shouting "A-MA-ZON!!!"
[edit] Characters
- Daisuke Yamamato/Kamen Rider Amazon (山本 大介／仮面ライダーアマゾン Yamamoto Daisuke/Kamen Raidā Amazon?)
- Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛 Tachibana Tōbei?)
- Masahiko Okamura (岡村 まさひこ Okamura Masahiko?)
- Ritsuko Okamura (岡村 りつ子 Okamura Ritsuko?)
- Mole Beastman (モグラ獣人 Mogura Jūjin?)
- Elder Bago (長老バゴー Chōrō Bagō?)
[edit] Geddon
[edit] Garanda Empire
[edit] List of episodes
- Person? Wild Animal? The Cool Guy Who Came From the Jungle! (人か？野獣か？密林から来た凄い奴！ Hito ka? Yajū ka? Mitsurin Kara Kita Sugoi Yatsu!?)
- Ten-Faced Demon! God? Devil? (十面鬼！神か？悪魔か？ Jūmenki! Kami ka? Akuma ka??)
- The Strong, Naked, Fast Guy! (強くてハダカで速い奴！ Tsuyoku te Hadake de Hayai Yatsu!?)
- Run! The Angry Jungler (走れ！怒りのジャングラー Hashire! Ikari no Jangurā?)
- The Weirdo Who Came From Underground!! (地底から来た変なヤツ！！ Chitei Kara Kita Hen na Yatsu!!?)
- The Riddle of the Inca Rope-Pattern Writing!! (インカ縄文字の謎！！ Inka Jōmon Ji no Nazo!!?)
- Melt! Melt! The Terrible Snake Beastman (とける！とける!恐怖のヘビ獣人 Tokeru! Tokeru! Kyōfu no Hebi Jūjin?)
- The Crocodile Beastman Who Attacked the School (学校を襲ったワニ獣人 Gakkō o Osotta Wani Jūjin?)
- Go, Amazon! To the Island of Crab Beastman! (ゆけアマゾン！カニ獣人の島へ! Yuke Amazon! Kani Jūjin no Shima e!?)
- Black Cat Beastman Aiming at the Nursery School! (黒ネコ獣人保育園をねらう！ Kuro Neko Jūjin Hoikuen o Nerau!?)
- The Golden Snail is the Grim Reaper's Envoy!? (金色のカタツムリは死神の使い！？ Kin'iro no Katatsumuri wa Shinigami no Tsukai!??)
- Seen! Geddon's Beastman Modification Room (見た！ゲドンの獣人改造室！！ Mita! Gedon no Jūjin Kaizō Shitsu?)
- Approaching! Ten-Faced Demon! Danger, Amazon!! (迫る！十面鬼！危うしアマゾン！！ Semaru! Jūmenki! Ayaushi Amazon!!?)
- The Ten-Faced Demon Dies! And a New Enemy? (十面鬼死す！そして新しい敵？ Jūmenki Shisu! Soshite Atarashii Teki??)
- He Came Forth! The Terrible Great Emperor Zero (出たぞ！恐怖のゼロ大帝 Deta zo! Kyōfu no Zero-taitei?)
- Garander's Tokyo Sea of Fire Operation!! (ガランダーの東京火の海作戦！！ Garandā no Tōkyō Hi no Umi Sakusen!!?)
- Mt. Fuji Big Explosion? The Tokyo Fry Pan Operation (富士山大爆発？東京フライパン作戦！ Fujisan Dai Bakuhatsu? Tōkyō Furaipan Sakusen!?)
- Fear of Zero! The Massive Earthquake Operation!! (ゼロの恐怖！大地震作戦！！ Zero no Kyōfu! Ōjishin Sakusen!!?)
- Going into Action, The Garander Boys' Squad (出動、ガランダー少年部隊 Shutsudō, Garandā Shōnen Butai?)
- Mole Beastman's Last Activity!! (モグラ獣人最後の活躍！！ Mogura Jūjin Saigo no Katsuyaku!!?)
- Cannibal Beastman to Eat the Frozen Rider (冷凍ライダーを食べる人食い獣人！ Reitō Raidā o Taberu Hitokui Jūjin?)
- Inca Doll's Day to Annihilate Greater Tokyo (インカ人形大東京全滅の日！？ Inka Ningyō Dai Tōkyō Zenmetsu no Hi!??)
- Imitation Riders vs. Amazon Rider! (にせライダー対アマゾンライダー！ Nise Raidā Tai Amazon Raidā!?)
- You Did It, Amazon!! The End of Great Emperor Zero!! (やったぞアマゾン！ゼロ大帝の最後！！ Yatta zo Amazon! Zero-taitei no Saigo!!?)
Movie:
- Kamen Rider Amazon (theatrical version of episode 16)
The Garanda Empire brings out the Diving Beetle Beastman to terrorize Tokyo by blowing up a fireworks factory and a gas station. Amazon races to the scene and defeats the Diving Beetle Beastman, who flees from the battle. Back at Garanda's base, Great Emperor Zero is about to execute the Diving Beetle Beastman for failure to kill Amazon, but the Diving Beetle Beastman explains that he needs energy from sucking human blood, and he has targeted Amazon's friend Ritsuko as his blood source. With the Diving Beetle Beastman fully revitalized, Amazon must stop the Diving Beetle Beastman from destroying a major oil plant and sending all of Tokyo in flames.
[edit] Cast
- Daisuke Yamamato/Kamen Rider Amazon (山本 大介／仮面ライダーアマゾン Yamamoto Daisuke/Kamen Raidā Amazon?) - Tōru Okazaki (岡崎 徹 Okazaki Tōru?)
- Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛 Tachibana Tōbee?) - Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二 Kobayashi Akiji?)
- Masahiko Okamura (岡村 まさひこ Okamura Masahiko?) - Yōji Matsuda (松田 洋治 Matsuda Yōji?)
- Ritsuko Okamura (岡村 りつ子 Okamura Ritsuko?) - Mariko Matsuoka (松岡 まりこ Matsuoka Mariko?)
- Mole Beastman (モグラ獣人 Mogura Jūjin?, Voice) - Ryūji Saikachi (槐 柳二 Saikachi Ryūji?)
- Elder Bago (長老バゴー Chōrō Bagō?) - Ushio Akashi (明石 潮 Akashi Ushio?)
- Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (十面鬼ゴルゴス Jūmenki Gorugosu?, Voice) - Ritsuo Sawa (沢 りつお Sawa Ritsuo?)
- Great Emperor Zero (ゼロ大帝 Zero Taitei?) - Hirohisa Nakata (中田 博久 Nakata Hirohisa?)
- The Ruler of Garanda Empire (ガランダー帝国支配者 Garandā Teikoku Shihaisha?, Voice) - Osamu Saka (阪 脩 Saka Osamu?)
- Narrator (ナレーター Narētā?) - Gorō Naya (納谷 悟朗 Naya Gorō?)
[edit] Songs
- Opening theme
- "Amazon Rider is Here" (アマゾンライダーここにあり Amazon Raidā Koko ni Ari?)
- Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
- Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Artist: Masato Shimon
- Ending theme
- "Amazon Da-Da-Da!!" (アマゾンダダダ!! Amazon Dadada!!?)
- Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
- Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai
[edit] References
- Paul "Igadevil" Sullivan. Kamen Rider Amazon at Igadevil's Kamen Rider Page.
- Stuart Johnson. Kamen Rider Amazon at the Henshin Hall of Fame.
- Kamen Rider Amazon at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] Footnotes
| Preceded by X |
Kamen Rider 1974 – 1975 |
Succeeded by Stronger |
| 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 |
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