Milestones

As a franchise, Kamen Rider is constantly evolving and changing, with new ideas and concepts emerging with each series.

Kamen Rider

 * First series of the franchise.
 * First and second ever Kamen Riders (1 and 2).
 * First and only series to change the primary protagonist for an extended period of time.
 * First use of the Rider Kick and Rider Punch.
 * Longest running entry in the franchise (98 episodes).
 * First series to change the opening theme.
 * Highest rated show in the franchise overall, with episode 41 being viewed by 30.1% of Japan's TV audience and averaging 21.2% throughout its run.
 * First Rider series to have a movie-only reboot (Kamen Rider The First).

Kamen Rider V3

 * First direct sequel to a previous Rider series.
 * First Rider to be created for non-evil intentions (V3).
 * First Secondary Rider (Riderman).
 * First (and only official TV) Rider to show part of their face when transformed (Riderman).
 * 4th longest running show in the franchise (52 episodes).
 * 100th episode of the Kamen Rider Series: Last Testament of the Double Riders.

Kamen Rider X

 * First series to be broadcast without surpassing a year.
 * First series to feature only one Rider.
 * First series to have the Rider armed with a default weapon (Ridol).
 * First default Rider weapon to have multiple forms/states.
 * 4th shortest running show in the franchise (35 episodes).

Kamen Rider Amazon

 * First non-insect themed Rider.
 * The only Rider TV series which contained graphic violence such as excessive amounts of blood and scenes of decapitation and dismemberment.
 * Shortest series in the franchise (24 episodes).
 * First Bio-Type Rider.
 * First Mystic-Type Rider.
 * First Rider whose powers aren't technology based.
 * First series to not feature the previous Riders.
 * First Rider that doesn't use a belt to transform.
 * First Monster to aid a Rider.
 * Final series to air before the start of the Super Sentai series.
 * 200th episode of the Kamen Rider Series: He Came Forth! The Terrible Great Emperor Zero.
 * First Rider series to have a full-series reboot instead of just movies (Kamen Rider Amazons).

Kamen Rider Stronger

 * First Female Hero of the series.
 * First series to air on another network (TBS rather than NET).
 * First Rider to have a beetle motif.
 * A prototype example of Form Changing/Final Form.
 * First series to air at the same time as a Super Sentai series ().
 * Last series to feature Tobei Tachibana.
 * Last series of the original run of the Kamen Rider Series, the five series of the Seven Legendary Riders collectively lasting from April 3rd, 1971 to January 3rd, 1976.
 * 5th shortest show in the franchise (39 episodes).

Kamen Rider (Skyrider)

 * 2nd longest running show of the franchise (54 episodes).
 * First Rider to have the ability of flight as a superpower.
 * Was meant to be a reboot but was later changed to be a continuation of the series.
 * Second series to change the opening theme.
 * 300th Episode of the Kamen Rider Series: Hiroshi's Father Had Lived! As Altered Human FX777?.

Kamen Rider Super-1

 * First villains that come from space (Dogma Kingdom).
 * First and only Rider to use an American brand motorcycle.
 * Most Rider Kick variations used by a single Rider (26).

Kamen Rider ZX

 * First Rider to debut in a Manga & TV Special.
 * First Rider to not get his own TV series.
 * First amalgamated villain group.
 * Last appearance of the original TV actors out of costume (until Neo-Heisei Era crossover movies for several of the Riders).

Kamen Rider Black

 * First standalone series, with no connection to the previous Riders.
 * First set of villains without Foot Soldiers.
 * Second Monster to aid a Rider.
 * First series in which a Rider dies but comes back to life.
 * First non-clone or imposter evil Rider.
 * 400th Episode of the Kamen Rider Series: The Creation King's True Identity?.

Kamen Rider Black RX

 * First in the series to fully utilize the concept of form changing and Form-exclusive Weapons.
 * First Rider to be the same person as a previous one.
 * The first series and the only one in the Showa Era where a Rider drives a car.
 * Final Rider series to be created and produced by Shotaro Ishinomori before his death in 1998.
 * This series is both a Showa and Heisei one due to the passing of Emperor Hirohito taking place during its original broadcast.
 * Final crossover team-up of the Ishinomori Rider series.
 * Final villains to utilize Foot Soldiers in the Showa Era.
 * First Rider series to be adapted in the USA (Saban's Masked Rider).
 * Final Rider Series to air on TBS, all future Kamen Rider shows would return to being broadcast on its original network, TV Asahi.

Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue

 * Labeled as the 20th anniversary of the franchise, when in fact it was in its 21st year.
 * First Rider not to use a belt in any way.
 * The only Bio-Type Rider whose powers don't come from a mystical source.
 * First Rider of the 90's Movie Rider Trio.
 * First Rider feature to be aimed at an older audience.

Kamen Rider ZO

 * Labeled as a 20th anniversary production, when in fact it was the 22nd year of the franchise.
 * Second Rider not to use a belt in any way.
 * Second Rider in the 90's Movie Rider Trio.
 * Second Rider of the franchise to not get a proposed TV series spinoff.

Kamen Rider J

 * First Rider to have size manipulation as a superpower.
 * First pure Mystic-type Rider.
 * Third Rider in the 90's Movie Rider Trio.
 * The last Kamen Rider production of Shotaro Ishinomori's career before his death in 1998.

Kamen Rider Kuuga

 * First Kamen Rider Series to be produced after the death of Shotaro Ishinomori and thus the official start of the Heisei era, introducing the following trends:
 * First series to air with a Super Sentai series on TV Asahi.
 * First villain group to be a race as opposed to an evil organization.
 * Debut of the Super Form.
 * Debut of the Final Form.
 * First series to have a Hyper Battle special.
 * First installment not to use the term "Kamen Rider" to refer to its transformed heroes in-universe.
 * First Rider to have a pre-Form to the Rider's main form.
 * First (and currently only) main Rider whose final form does not wield a weapon.
 * The last series to feature only one Rider throughout the entire run of the show.
 * Highest rated show of the Heisei Era averaging at 11.7% of the Japanese TV viewing audience.
 * First series to have a standardized format for its episodes' titles (one word each).
 * First Heisei Generation 1 Riders that don't have "Masked Rider" for English translation.

Kamen Rider Agito

 * 30th anniversary of the franchise.
 * First series to have more than two Riders.
 * First series where the Secondary Rider appears before the Primary Rider.
 * First Series to have at least one of each kind of Rider type:
 * Agito & Another Agito: Mystic Riders
 * G3/G3-X & G4: Tech Riders
 * Gills: Bio/Mystic Rider.
 * First main Rider whose final form weapon is a new state of a previous weapon.
 * 2nd longest Heisei series (51 episodes).
 * First series with a summer movie shown alongside those of Super Sentai.
 * First series to replace its theme song with a remixed version of itself instead of a new song.
 * Last series to use the traditional transformation belt.
 * First series that uses a voiced weapon.
 * First series in which a Rider dies and doesn't come back to life (Kamen Rider Another Agito).
 * First Heisei Rider to reappear in a production with the following Rider.
 * First time a Rider not referred to as "Kamen Rider" in their own series is referred to as such in a production from another series.
 * First Heisei Generation 1 Riders that have "Masked Rider" for English translation.

Kamen Rider Ryuki

 * First Heisei series where the term "Kamen Rider" is used to describe the transformed warriors in-universe.
 * First series where the Riders commonly use cards.
 * First Heisei series that foregoes the traditional Ishinomori transformation belt, introducing a modular system.
 * First series where Kamen Riders use monsters to aid them in battle and enhance their fighting capabilities.
 * First Heisei Rider to battle a giant monster.
 * First series to feature a female Rider (Kamen Rider Femme).
 * First series to feature Evil Riders that aren't just clones of the main Rider and one that is.
 * First series to feature a Rider that isn't human (Kamen Rider Odin).
 * First series where the Riders' powers are based on a point system.
 * First series where all Riders have voiced equipment.
 * Second Rider series to be adapted in the USA (Kamen Rider Dragon Knight).
 * First series to have a Rider as the final opponent.
 * First Heisei series to include the Primary Rider meeting a previous Heisei Primary Rider.
 * First main Rider whose final form weapon is an altered state of something that was not previously a weapon.
 * First and only series where the Primary Kamen Rider doesn't win because he was killed, but the Secondary Kamen Rider does.

Kamen Rider 555

 * First Kamen Rider series to air in the Super Hero Time block with a Super Sentai.
 * First series to feature Riders that are also Monsters (Orphnochs).
 * First series to feature a Rider that doesn't speak Japanese (Kamen Rider Psyga).
 * First Heisei series to feature an evil organization (Smart Brain).
 * First Heisei Rider to battle a giant monster that had first been a regular-sized monster.
 * First series to feature voiced transformation equipment.
 * First series to refer to its transformation belts as "Drivers".
 * First main Rider whose final form weapon is a truly new piece of equipment.

Kamen Rider Blade

 * Second Heisei series where the term "Kamen Rider" is used to describe the transformed warriors in-universe.
 * Second series where the Riders commonly use cards.
 * Second series where the Riders' powers are based on a point system.
 * Second series to feature a female Rider (Kamen Rider Larc).
 * Second series to feature Riders that are also Monsters.
 * Second series to have a Rider as the final opponent.
 * First series where the hero does not kill the monster-of-the-week.
 * First series where an Extra Rider appears before the official Secondary Rider.
 * First series to have a Rider under 18 years of age (Kamen Rider Leangle).
 * Third series to change the opening theme.
 * First series where a Supporting Rider gains a Super Form (if only prior to an S.I.C.-only Final Form).

Kamen Rider Hibiki

 * The only series that does not feature the Rider Kick as a primary finisher.
 * The first series to use music and Japanese folklore as a theme.
 * A prototype example of the Support Robots.
 * First Rider to use a breath attack.
 * First Heisei Rider to fight giant monsters on a regular basis.
 * Fourth and last series to change the opening theme.

Kamen Rider Kabuto

 * 35th anniversary of the franchise.
 * First Heisei series to feature an enemy from space.
 * First series where the Primary Rider always first transforms into a pre-form before changing to their Base Form.
 * Third series to feature Riders that are also Monsters.
 * First, Second, Third and Fourth Riders in space (Kabuto, Ketaros, Gatack, and Caucasus).
 * First Rider to time travel.

Kamen Rider Den-O

 * Most popular and successful entry in the franchise with 49 episodes, six movies, an anime spin-off, and numerous cameos and crossovers with other Riders many series later.
 * First series to use time travel as a recurring plot element.
 * First series that the Riders use a pre-battle catchphrase.
 * Second series to use elements of Japanese folklore as a theme.
 * First Heisei Rider to have a special armament to fight giant monsters.
 * First Heisei series whose summer movie is clearly in continuity with the main show.
 * First Heisei Rider to have a crossover movie with the following Rider.
 * First series to release a movie only featuring its own story elements during the run of a later series.

Kamen Rider Kiva

 * This series aired on the year of what would have been Shotaro Ishinomori's 70th birthday.
 * First Rider to have a horror themed motif inspired by the classic (Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, The Wolfman, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon).
 * First series to have a collection of Net Movies attached to its summer movie.
 * First Rider of the Heisei Era to meet one of his predecessors in a movie.
 * Third Rider to time travel.
 * First Heisei series to make use of stock footage sequences on a CGI backdrop, for Kiva's Arms Monster form changes and Rising Ixa.

Kamen Rider Decade

 * 3rd shortest running series in the franchise and shortest Heisei series (31 episodes).
 * First crossover with its sister franchise.
 * Most Riders featured in a single season (41 Riders).
 * First main Rider whose final form uses the same weapon as their main form.
 * First Heisei series to feature Showa Riders.
 * Third (and currently last) series where the Riders commonly use cards.
 * First series to establish the concept of parallel universes.
 * Kamen Rider Hibiki's Rider Kick is shown.
 * First series in which the next Rider saves the current one. This becomes a standard in most future Rider series.
 * Introduces the arcade game Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbaride which as well as including past Kamen Riders, is also updated to include shows after Decade.
 * First series to have a Climax Heroes video game.

Kamen Rider W

 * First series of the Neo-Heisei era, introducing the following trends:
 * First Rider to debut in the summer movie of the previous series.
 * First series to have a Movie War film with the previous series.
 * First series to fully utilize Support Robots. This becomes a standard for all future Rider series, except Kamen Rider Gaim.
 * First time in the Heisei Era that the second season in a row has used the term "Kamen Rider" to describe the transformed warriors in-universe.
 * First Rider to be two people.
 * Second series where the hero does not kill the monster-of the-week.
 * First use of partial Form Changes where multiple powers can be used at once and switched individually.
 * Therefore the first series where the main Rider needs more than one collectible device at once to transform at all.
 * First series where the collectible devices that cause transformations can be moved from the belt to the weapon and trigger a finishing move.
 * First series to have follow-up adventures of non-Primary Riders.

Kamen Rider OOO

 * 40th anniversary of the franchise.
 * The series reached its 1,000th episode on the day of its 40th anniversary.
 * Largest number of form changes in a Rider series with 131 forms in total (OOO's 129 forms + Birth's 2 forms).
 * Also, the first Rider to surpass 100 forms.
 * First Rider to be made with only CGI (Kamen Rider Core).
 * First series to have three movies during its run.
 * First series to have a handheld video game which teamed-up with All Primary Riders.

Kamen Rider Fourze

 * First Rider to have a base of operations in space.
 * First series to have a Super Hero Taisen movie during its run.
 * Third series where the hero does not kill the monster-of-the-week.
 * First series in which the main Rider is under 18.
 * The only series to use the ending song from a video game on two occasions.

Kamen Rider Wizard

 * First series where the protagonists' powers are purely magic based.
 * First team-up with other Ishinomori heroes not from Kamen Rider or Super Sentai.
 * First Rider whose Super Form is completely computer generated instead of a suit.
 * 3rd longest running show of the franchise and longest Heisei series (53 episodes).
 * First to have a new game to team up with all Heisei Riders (Battride War).
 * Last series to have a Director's Cut of the movies.
 * First Neo Heisei collectible device to not directly attach to the transformation belt.

Kamen Rider Gaim

 * First series in the Neo Heisei Era to not use the two-part episode format.
 * First Rider series to use food and plants as a motif (fruits, nuts, and flowers).
 * Only series since Decade to not use Support Robots.
 * First series where a Secondary Rider gains a Super Form.
 * First series where a Secondary Rider doesn't gain a Final Form (although Kaito gains the pseudo-Final Form: Lord Baron).
 * First series since Agito to have a Supporting Rider gain a Final Form.
 * First series where an Evil Rider gains a Final Form.
 * First series to show Riders being recklessly transformed into Monsters.
 * Lowest rated show in the franchise, averaging at 5.2% on the TV ratings scale.
 * 3rd shortest Heisei series (47 episodes).
 * First time since Den-O to not feature a series of Net Movies to promote the films.
 * First series where the main Rider can use either one collectible device to take a main form, or two at once to take a stronger form (Jimber Arms).

Kamen Rider Drive

 * The 25th entry in the franchise and the 16th Heisei Era series.
 * First series to use cars and road signs as a motif.
 * Second protagonist in the franchise and the first in the Heisei Era to use a car as a Rider Machine.
 * First series to have the titular character debut in his own series since Decade.
 * First Rider Machine car to be made by a European company rather than a Japanese brand.
 * First series where the main protagonist is a police officer and works within the boundaries of the law rather than as a vigilante.
 * First Rider to fuse with their Rider Machine to access a form.
 * First time a transformation device was both a belt, and a bracelet.
 * First time the transformation device's DX toy used Infrared to connect its components.

Kamen Rider Ghost

 * 45th anniversary of the franchise.
 * First Rider Series whose motif is based off of actual real world historical figures (and one ), spirits, eyeballs, and fashion.
 * First Riders to wear an article of clothing that is part of all their main forms and covers the masks (in this case, a ).
 * First protagonist who is a non-corporeal member of the deceased to become a Rider.
 * First Secondary Rider to fuse with their Rider Machine to create a new form.
 * First Heisei series to make use of stock footage sequences on a CGI backdrop for the initial transformation, though also using the Rider-standard on-location transformations.
 * Second time in the Heisei Era that the second season in a row has used the term "Kamen Rider" to describe the transformed warriors in-universe.

Kamen Rider Amazons

 * First unnumbered entry to be a full series instead of one or more movies or specials.
 * First full Kamen Rider series to debut during the run of another Rider series (Ghost).
 * Second standalone production based on a Showa Era Rider produced during the Heisei Era (after the Reboot movies).
 * First full series based on a Showa Era Rider produced during the Heisei Era.
 * First series to debut on instead of on television.
 * First series to get a true second season of the same show with the same name.
 * Shortest single season of a Kamen Rider series (13 episodes).
 * 2nd shortest Rider series (26 episodes, including season 2).
 * Only series to have episodes longer than 24-25 minutes (standard of 30 minutes, but as long as 46 and 40 minutes for episodes 1 and 2; therefore also the only series to have episodes of wildly varying lengths).
 * First series to feature multiple central Riders named after the show's title (Kamen Rider Amazon Alpha, Amazon Omega, Amazon Sigma, and Amazon Neo).

Kamen Rider Ex-Aid

 * First Rider Series to have a theme revolving around retro video games and video game genres.
 * First time in the Heisei Era that the third season in a row has used the term "Kamen Rider" to describe the transformed warriors in-universe.
 * First ever Heisei Series to use the Showa era concept of using surgery to become Kamen Riders.
 * First series to incorporate medical drama stories as the weekly focus.
 * First series to use the Summer movie as a definitive ending to the show.
 * First crossover with a non-tokusatsu Bandai property.
 * First series since 555 to not have any secondary writers.
 * First series to have the main villain commit suicide instead of being killed off by the heroes.
 * 2nd shortest Heisei series (45 episodes).
 * Final Heisei series to have a male vocalist.

Kamen Rider Build

 * This series will air through the year of what would have been Shotaro Ishinomori's 80th birthday (2018).
 * First series since Wizard to premiere on September.
 * Last series to have its full run during the real-world Heisei Period.
 * This is the 3rd series with Mix and Match forms after W and OOO.
 * This is the 2nd double-sided rider after Kamen Rider Double.
 * First series in the entire franchise to have a Non-Native Japanese singer sing the intro.

Kamen Rider Zi-O

 * First protagonists to have clocks and hiragana as a costume motif and the second to use the powers of past Riders as their main abilities after Decade and Diend.
 * First Rider to use the power of a previous anniversary Kamen Rider to access an enhanced form and use enhanced, unique variants of past weapons and gear from the Heisei Rider franchise as part of their main arsenal.
 * 20th Heisei Rider protagonist
 * First series to run past the abdication of Emperor Akihito into a new era.
 * First secondary protagonist to be from the future