Kamen Rider 2

Rider 2 using a Blind Rider Kick on Kamestone

Kamen Rider 2 (仮面ライダー２号, Kamen Raidā Nigō) is a fictional character from the Japanese tokusatsu television series Kamen Rider, the first in the famous Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu programmes. Like Kamen Rider 1, he is a motorcycle-riding superhero modelled upon a grasshopper. In the original series, he is portrayed by Takeshi Sasaki. Later, he was portrayed by Hassei Takano (who previous played Miyuki Tezuka/Kamen Rider Raia from Kamen Rider Ryuki and Ultraman Agul in Ultraman Gaia) in the film Kamen Rider The First and its sequel, Kamen Rider The Next. In the movie, Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max and Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen, Rider 2 is voiced by Takahiro Fujimoto.

Hayato Ichimonji

Hayato Ichimonji (一文字　隼人, Ichimonji Hayato), born 10 October 1949 is a free-lancer photographer, is kidnapped by the organization Shocker in order to become a reconstructed human able to fight the deserter Takeshi Hongo, aka Kamen Rider.

In the original manga by Shotaro Ishinomori, Hayato was born and raised in a fishing village in Hokkaido which is the setting of one chapter of the manga.

Fictional character biography

TV series

Before Shocker scientists brainwash him, Hongo appears and saves Ichimonji's sanity. Hongo leaves Japan to fight Shocker branches overseas, and Ichimonji becomes his successor as Kamen Rider, protecting Japan from Shocker's actions. Some time later, Takeshi Hongo returns to Japan and fights alongside Ichimonji. Now, Hongo is known as "Kamen Rider 1" and Ichimonji, "Kamen Rider 2". The pair is occasionally called "The Double Riders". With Hongo back, it's Ichimonji who now leaves Japan for training in South America. Near the end of the series, Rider 2 is back to help Rider 1 to defeat Gel-Shocker, Shocker's new denomination.

When the Destron organization emerges in Kamen Rider V3, Rider 2 helps Rider 1 in saving the life of Kazami Shirou, turning him into Kamen Rider V3 before the Double Riders were apparently killed detonating an atomic bomb, but reappeared alive and well later on in the series. Along with Rider 1, Rider 2 made appearances in aiding Kamen Riders X, Stronger, Super-1, ZX, and Black RX. In the climax of Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Rider 2 is among the Showa Kamen Riders as they help the Heisei Kamen Rider battle Dai-Shocker, with the Double Riders defeating Dai-Shocker's Ambassador Hell with assistance from Kamen Riders Kabuto and Black RX. Rider 2 went on to help defeat Shadow Moon and King Dark.

During the events of OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders, the Greeed Ankh unintentionally altered the timeline that enables Shocker to utilize the Core Medal to create the Shocker Greeed. Though Kamen Rider New Den-O attempted to avert the process, the result of the Double Riders' defeat by the Shocker Greeed was not negated. However, a boy trapped in the past Naoki, ensured that Riders 1 and 2 never had their mind-altering surgery completed and played the role of Shocker agents until they have no more need for the charade and destroy the Shocker Greeed before helping Kamen Rider OOO put an end to the Great Leader.

Kamen Rider The First series

In Kamen Rider The First, unlike the series, Ichimonji was completely rewritten. Formerly known as Katsuhiko Yano, the lover of Asuka Midorikawa, Katsuhiko was killed by the Shocker Inhumanoid Spider, with his lifeless body recovered and turned into a cyborg similar to Hongo. His brain was altered to believe he was a man named Ichimonji Hayato in competition for Asuka's affection. Like all Inhumanoids created by Shocker, Ichimonji suffers the wasting disease that results from being experimented on and needs a transfusion only Shocker scientists can execute to survive. Ichimonji originally served as Hongo's enemy, and later as a hesitant ally who fights to uphold his own principles. He disappears at the end of the movie, leaving his helmet on the road.

Ichimonji returns in the sequel Kamen Rider The Next. He has apparently managed to survive the two years following The First, and lives the lifestyle of a popular bar regular in Ginza. Like Hongo, his Hopper uniform has become scarred and dented, including the scratched out remains of the Shocker logo on his gloves and back. However, he still suffers from his body rejecting its reconstruction. Without Shocker's aid to manage his body, the effects on Ichimonji had become more life-threatening and debilitating. By the time he returns to support Hongo, he insists on aiding him in spite of his condition. Towards the end of the film, his condition has become so severe that he coughs up blood through the mouth of his mask, and was nearly killed if not for V3's intervention. After the battle, he leaves in a similar manner to the first film, carrying his helmet over his shoulder. Soon after, Ichimonji finally accepts his inevitable death, and dies peacefully in the company of women in the same club he visited at the start of the movie.

Kamen Rider: Seigi no Keifu

In this crossover PS2 game, Ichimonji appears as Hongo is incapacitated, and takes over his role in the 1971 timeline for a short period. Ichimonji appears in his second costume (although his original outfit is available as an unlockable) and shares most of Hongo's Finishers. Sasaki Takeshi returns to voice the character.

List of special moves

-Rider Kick

-Rider Kaiten Kick

-Rider Manji Kick

-Rider Punch

-Rider Chop

-Rider Gaeshi

-Rider Ni-dan Gaeshi

-Rider Hoden

-Rider Double Kick (performed with Kamen Rider 1)

Equipment

Typhoon

The Typhoon (タイフーン, Taifun) is Kamen Rider 2's transformation belt which has the same functions just like Hongo. His belt has a red strap through the course of the series.

Cyclone

The Cyclone (サイクロン号, Saikuron-gō) is a machine given to Ichimonji by Hongo. Cyclone takes the form of an on-road bike and can be ridden by people other than Ichimonji. When Ichimonji transforms into Kamen Rider 2, the switch for the bike is also activated and the bike becomes an off-road bike. The bike is able to handle any kind of terrain and can even ride vertically up walls.

New Cyclone

The New Cyclone (新サイクロン号, Shin Saikuron-gō) is the second machine given to Ichimonji by Hongo. New Cyclone has the same abilities as Hongo’s altered Cyclone. In Kamen Rider The First, Ichimonji obtains his own modified Honda CB1300 Super Bol D'Or bike named the "Cyclone II" (サイクロン２号, Saikuron Nigō), like Hongo, Ichimonji rides the Cyclone either in human form or rider form.

Notes

The character of Kamen Rider 2 was created when Hiroshi Fujioka suffered a motorcycle accident when doing his own stunts as Kamen Rider. With Fujioka unable to play his role, the show producers chose to create another Kamen Rider, with a different stunt actor for action scenes.
Kamen Rider 2 was also the first Kamen Rider to have a Henshin movement. Most of the Kamen Riders after him follow this trend. Later, Kamen Rider 1 also adopts his own Henshin movement.