Here’s What You Need to Know About Kamen Rider

This article covers the most need-to-know information about the Kamen Rider live-action, action-adventure television series.

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Kamen Rider Origin and Plot

Kamen Rider was originally created by Japanese manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The popular super hero series later launched anime spinoffs and films, as well as decades of tokusatsu television series. Tokusatsu refers to TV programs which utilize and emphasize special and practical effects in each episode. And, from the very start of the franchise in 1971, Kamen Rider certainly does that!

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Powers and Abilities of Kamen Rider

Each Kamen Rider series features the titular masked riders of various origins and power sets. The motorcycle-riding super heroes generally use empowered “Driver” belts to transform and access their abilities. They can also call upon past riders’ skillsets, and often ally with and train one another in their ways. Although each series is unique in its own way, every single one follows some sort of genetically modified or enhanced individual hero, his sidekicks, mentors, and love interests, and his quest to vanquish evil from the world.

In recent years, public safety laws in Japan have imposed stricter guidelines on television and filmmaking. The Kamen Riders no longer perform motorcycle stunts or chases because it would disrupt traffic patterns or put civilians at risk. However, the masked riders remain incredibly powerful, with super strength and speed on their side as they oppose various enemy factions.

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The Different Kamen Rider Series

Showa Era

1 – Kamen Rider

• Aired: 1971 — 1973
• Number of episodes: 98
• Main character(s): Double Riders
• Primary antagonist(s): Shocker and Gel Shocker

2 – Kamen Rider V3

• Aired: 1973 — 1974
• Number of episodes: 52
• Main character(s): Shiro Kazami and Riderman
• Primary antagonist(s): Destron

3 – Kamen Rider X

• Aired: 1974
• Number of episodes: 34
• Main character(s): Keisuke Jin/Kamen Rider X
• Primary antagonist(s): Government of Darkness

4 – Kamen Rider Amazon

• Aired: 1974 — 1975
• Number of episodes: 24
• Main character(s): Daisuke Yamamoto/Kamen Rider Amazon
• Primary antagonist(s): Golgos

5 – Kamen Rider Stronger

• Aired: 1975
• Number of episodes: 39
• Main character(s): Shigeru Jo/Kamen Rider Stronger and Electronic Wave Humanoid Tackle
• Primary antagonist(s): Black Satan and Delzer

6 – Kamen Rider (Skyrider)

• Aired: 1979 — 1980
• Number of episodes: 54
• Main character(s): Hiroshi Tsukuba/Skyrider
• Primary antagonist(s): Neo Shocker

7 – Kamen Rider Super-1

• Aired: 1980 — 1981
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Kazuya Oki/Super-1
• Primary antagonist(s): Dogma Empire

9* – Kamen Rider Black

• Aired: 1987 — 1988
• Number of episodes: 51
• Main character(s): Kotaro Minami
• Primary antagonist(s): Gorgom and Nobuhiko Akizuki (Shadow Moon)

10 – Kamen Rider Black RX

• Aired: 1988 — 1999
• Number of episodes: 47
• Main character(s): Kotaro Minami
• Primary antagonist(s): Crisis Empire

Heisei Era

14* – Kamen Rider Kuuga

• Aired: 2000 — 2001
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Yusuke Godai
• Primary antagonist(s): Gurongi

15 – Kamen Rider Agito

• Aired: 2001 — 2002
• Number of episodes: 51
• Main character(s): Shoichi Tsugami, G3, and Gills
• Primary antagonist(s): The Unknown

16 – Kamen Rider Ryuki

• Aired: 2002 — 2003
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Shinji Kido
• Primary antagonist(s): Parallel Universe Kamen Riders

17 – Kamen Rider 555

• Aired: 2003 — 2004
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Takumi Inui/Kamen Rider Faiz and Mari Sonoda
• Primary antagonist(s): Smart Brain Organization and Orphnoch

18 – Kamen Rider Blade

• Aired: 2004 — 2005
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Kazuma Kenzaki and BOARD Organization
• Primary antagonist(s): The Undead

19 – Kamen Rider Hibiki

• Aired: 2005 — 2006
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Asumu Adachi, Hibiki, Ibuki, Todoroki, and Zanki
• Primary antagonist(s): Makamou

20 – Kamen Rider Kabuto

• Aired: 2006 — 2007
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Soji Tendo
• Primary antagonist(s): ZECT Organization and Worms

21 – Kamen Rider Den-0

• Aired: 2007 — 2008
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Ryotaro Nogami
• Primary antagonist(s): Imagin

22 – Kamen Rider Kiva

• Aired: 2008 — 2009
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Wataru Kurenai
• Primary antagonist(s): Fangire Race/vampires and Wonderful Blue Sky Organization

23 – Kamen Rider Decade

• Aired: 2009
• Number of episodes: 31
• Main character(s): Tsukasa Kadoya
• Primary antagonist(s): Narutaki

24 – Kamen Rider W

• Aired: 2009 — 2010
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Shotaro Hidari, Phillip, and Akiko Narumi
• Primary antagonist(s): Gaia Memories and Dopants

25 – Kamen Rider 000

• Aired: 2010 — 2011
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Eiji Hino
• Primary antagonist(s): Greeed monsters and Kougami Foundation

26 – Kamen Rider Fourze

• Aired: 2011 — 2012
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Gentaro Kisaragi
• Primary antagonist(s): Zodiarts

27 – Kamen Rider Wizard

• Aired: 2012 — 2013
• Number of episodes: 53
• Main character(s): Haruto Soma and Kosuke Nito/Kamen Rider Beast
• Primary antagonist(s): Phantoms

28 – Kamen Rider Gaim

• Aired: 2013 — 2014
• Number of episodes: 47
• Main character(s): Kouta Kazuraba
• Primary antagonist(s): Yggdrasil Corporation

29 – Kamen Rider Drive

• Aired: 2014 — 2015
• Number of episodes: 48
• Main character(s): Shinnosuke Tomari and Kiriko Shijima
• Primary antagonist(s): Roidmudes and Chase

30 – Kamen Rider Ghost

• Aired: 2015 — 2016
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Takeru Tenkuji
• Primary antagonist(s): Ganma

31 – Kamen Rider Ex-Aid

• Aired: 2016 — 2017
• Number of episodes: 45
• Main character(s): Hiiro Kagami, Taiga Hanaya, and Kiriya Kujo
• Primary antagonist(s): Bugster virus

32 – Kamen Rider Build

• Aired: 2017 — 2018
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Sento Kiryu, Ryuga Banjo, and Misora
• Primary antagonist(s): Sky Wall

33 – Kamen Rider Zi-O

• Aired: 2018 — 2019
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Geiz and Sougo Tokiwa
• Primary antagonist(s): Demon King Ohma Zi-O

Reiwa Era

34 – Kamen Rider Zero-One

• Aired: 2019 — 2020
• Number of episodes: 45
• Main character(s): Aruto Hiden
• Primary antagonist(s): ZAIA Japan and MetsuboJinrai.net

35 – Kamen Rider Saber

• Aired: 2020 — 2021
• Number of episodes: 47
• Main character(s): Touma Kamiyama
• Primary antagonist(s): Megid

36 – Kamen Rider Revice

• Aired: 2021 — 2022
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Ikki Igarashi and Vice
• Primary antagonist(s): Deadmans and Vistamps

37 – Kamen Rider Geats

• Aired: 2022 — 2023
• Number of episodes: 49
• Main character(s): Ace Ukiyo
• Primary antagonist(s): Desire Grand Prix’s Jyamato

38 – Kamen Rider Gotchard

• Aired: 2023 — 2024
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Houtaro Ichinose
• Primary antagonist(s): Chemies and Malgam

39 – Kamen Rider Gavv

• Aired: 2024 — 2025
• Number of episodes: 50
• Main character(s): Shoma
• Primary antagonist(s): Granutes

40 – Kamen Rider Zeztz

• Aired: 2025 — 2026
• Number of episodes: TBD
• Main character(s): Baku Yorozu
• Primary antagonist(s): Nightmares

*Note: for the purposes of this article, TV specials are discounted from the series list itself, but numbering remains sequential. This list also excludes reboots.

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