Kamen Rider Amazon

Kamen Rider Amazon 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.

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.

Uniqueness
Kamen Rider Amazon is unique among the Showa Kamen Rider series for many reasons. Amazon's design motif is based on a chameleon 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. 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. 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' as both Amazon and his enemies emit blood-like fluids along with Amazon's combat style being much more harsh, severe, and direct than previous Riders. He also occasionally bites his opponents, virtually unheard of in other Kamen Rider series. 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!!!"


 * Daisuke Yamamoto/Kamen Rider Amazon(rider)
 * Tōbei Tachibana
 * Masahiko Okamura
 * Ritsuko Okamura
 * Mole Beastman (5-20) - A mole monster. He became Kamen Rider Amazon's recurring ally. It died by the Mushroom Beastman's poison spore.
 * Elder Bago

Geddon
Geddon is the evil organization of Amazon led by the Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos who wields the Gaga bracelet, later claimed by Emperor Zero of the Garanda Empire. The soldiers of Geddon are all women. The kaijin utilized by Geddon are called Beastmen, a mix of animal and man created by Geddon. They consist of:
 * Spider Beastman (1) - A spider monster. Destroyed by Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos.
 * Vampire Bat Beastman (2) - A bat monster. Destroyed by Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos
 * Mantis Beastman (3) - A mantis monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon.
 * Centipede Beastman (4) - A centipede monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon.
 * Porcupine Beastman (6) - A porcupine monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Snake Beastman (7) - A snake monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Crocodile Beastman (8) - A crocodile monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Crab Beastman (9) - A crab monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Black Cat Beastman (10) - A black cat monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Snail Beastman (11) - A snail monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon.
 * Ant Beastman (12) - An ant monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Dobsonfly Beastman (13) - A dobsonfly monster in larva form who is defeated by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice before maturing into Dobsonfly Beastman Advanced before finally destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.

Garanda Empire
The Garanda Empire succeeds Geddon as the group who opposes Kamen Rider Amazon. Led by the Ruler (True Great Emperor Zero) ) and with male soldiers, the Garanda Empire also uses Beastmen as their kaijin, which include:
 * Bee Beastman - A bee monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Diving Beetle Beastman - A predaceous diving beetle monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Toad Beastman - A toad monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Spin Kick.
 * Tiger Beetle Beastman - A tiger beetle monster. Destroyed by Kamen Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Owl Beastman - An owl monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice.
 * Mushroom Beastman - A mushroom monster responsible for killing the Mole Beastman. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Big Slice,
 * Sea Anemone Beastman - A sea anemone monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon.
 * Japanese Dwarf Flying Squirrel Beastman - A Japanese dwarf flying squirrel monster. Destroyed by Kamen Rider Amazon's Amazon Kick.
 * Salamander Beastman - A salamander monster who becomes an imitation version of Kamen Rider Amazon. Destroyed by Great Emperor Zero.