Skyrider (Kamen Rider)

Not to be confused with Kamen Rider (Skyrider).

Skyrider (スカイライダー Sukairaidā) is the primary and eponymous protagonist in the 1979-1980 Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider, more commonly referred to as Skyrider or The New Kamen Rider. As the name suggests, he was the first Kamen Rider who could fly. He is also one of the most powerful Kamen Riders, having passed a survival test that involved being struck by the Rider Kicks of all his predecessors.

Skyrider also made his appearance in Kamen Rider Super-1's Movie, Birth of the 10th! Kamen Riders All Together!!, and Kamen Rider Black RX. He also appears in the Heisei Kamen Rider movies All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Movie War 2010, and Let's Go Kamen Riders.

Hiroshi Tsukuba

Hiroshi Tsukuba (筑波　洋 Tsukuba Hiroshi, portrayed by Hiroaki Murakami) is a young man who hang glides for fun and studied karate under Ryoichi Miyoshi. Three years prior, he lost his parents and sister in a car crash. While on a picnic with his friends, Tsukuba witnessed Professor Keitarō Shido being pursued while hang gliding and saves him from a gang of Ari Commandos. Soon after, Tsukuba finds his friends have been all murdered for his meddling before being approached by Midori Kanō, who takes him to Shido as the man informs Tsukuba of the terrorist organization Neo-Shocker. While finding Imata Tonda snooping around Shido's safe house, Tsukuba finds the scientist abducted by Gameleojin, the monster who murdered his friends. But when the pursuit resulted with Tsukuba critically wounded, Shido by convinces General Monster, who realized the young man's potential, to allow him to convert Hiroshi into a cyborg. Coming to, Hiroshi wanders out of the NeoShocker complex and learns of his new nature before he accidentally transforms into SkyRider. Using his newfound ability, Skyrider destroys Gameleojin and embraced his new-found existence as a means to stop Neo-Shocker's evil. To keep a low profile in his search for Neo-Shocker's base, Tsukuba founded the Shido Hang Glide Club with Shido.

Eventually, after Neo-Shocker Plus-Alpha Bomb on Tokyo, Shido takes his leave without warning to join the Anti-Neo-Shocker Committee overseas. However, Shido arranged for Tsukuba to supported by his old friend Genjiro Tani, who happened to be a mentor to Tsukuba in the past. For the first 19 episodes of New Kamen Rider the hero is known as "Kamen Rider", but in episode 20 Kamen Rider Stronger addresses him as "Skyrider". All of the previous Kamen Riders call him Skyrider and the Neo-Shocker kaijin do so as well after episode 20. Towards the end of the series comic relief is provided by the bumbling, superhero-wannabe, GanGan G. In episode #48 Skyrider has to fight 3 fake Skyriders (Dororingo). As usual the evil Riders wear yellow scarves. In The Finale, The Riders fought The Great Boss of Neo-Shocker. The Leader and Neo-Shocker itself is destroyed at the hands of Skyrider & The Original 7 Riders.

Skyrider

Like Kamen Rider 1, Kamen Rider 2, and Kamen Rider V3, Skyrider is a wind-powered cyborg. Originally Hiroshi Tsukuba said "Transformation" (変身 Henshin) to become Skyrider but starting in episode 35 he says "Sky Transformation" (スカイ変身 Sukai Henshin). As the name implies, Skyrider could fly via an ability called Sailing Jump. He is also equipped with the D Eyes and Belt Ear that respectively enhance his sight and hearing. Just like the original two Kamen Riders, Skyrider's motif was based on a grasshopper, specifically the locust.

Techniques

Equipment

Tornado

The Tornado (トルネード Torunēdo) is Skyrider's transformation belt and can give off the Super Light Wave (スーパーライトウェーブ Sūpā Raito Wēbu). Skyrider can perform the Sailing Jump (セイリングジャンプ Seiringu Janpu) flight ability using the Gravity Reduction Equipment (重力低減装置 Jūryoku Teigen Sōchi) system on his belt. Like his predecessors, this belt is powered by wind.[1] The Tornado can also emit a bright flash used in the Super Light Wave attack.

Sky Turbo

The Sky Turbo (スカイターボ Sukai Tābo) is Skyrider's motorcycle and can perform the Rider Break (ライダーブレイク Raidā Bureiku).

Notes

  1. ↑ Though in practice he is able to fly, the explanation given for the power (his transformation belt is able to "reduce gravity") suggest that he is more accurately gliding.

See also