Daisuke Yamamoto


 * For the alternate version from Kamen Rider Decade, see Amazon (A.R. World)

Kamen Rider Amazon (仮面ライダーアマゾン, Kamen Raidā Amazon) is the primary protagonist and eponymous character of the late 1974 Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Amazon.

Amazon
Daisuke Yamamoto (山本 大介) was an infant around the time of the plane he and his family were on crashed in the Amazon rainforest, leaving young Daisuke the sole survivor and grew up as a wild child, living off the land under the name of "Amazon" (アマゾン). However, Daisuke's idyllic existence is cut short when the Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos, massacres the village in search of the powerful "GiGi Armlet", which gives the bearer fantastic power. Elder Bago, last of the Incas, gives the GiGi Armlet to Daisuke for safekeeping while using his knowledge of Incan science and magic to perform a mystical "operation" on Daisuke, transforming him into the powerful Kamen Rider Amazon before he died.

Under Bago's instructions, Daisuke evades Gorgos and searches for Professor Kōsaka, who knew the nature of the Gigi Armlet. Meeting Kōsaka's nephew Masahiko Okamura, who obliges to teach him to speak and the ways of the world, Daisuke is infuriated at Kōsaka being murdered by the Kumo Beastman and drives him off to save Masahiko and his sister Ritsuko Okamura, who blamed him at first for her uncle's death until he made an antidote to the poison her friend Masako got from the Beastman Vampire Koumori. Though in the first half of the series, becaused he was isolated from any human contact as a child, Daisuke could not speak coherent Japanese and say only a few words. But through Masahiko helping him cope with the culture shock, Daisuke learned to speak properly.

While catching fish, Daisuke finds himself at a motocross, frighted by the culture shock before he saves a man named Tōbei Tachibanawho was attacked by Kamakiri Beastman. Paying him back, Tōbei helps Daisuke overcome his fear of motorcycles to save Masahiko from the Akajuusha before Kamakiri attacks them, with Amazon killing the Beastman. But unerved why he is hunted by the Geddon, Masahiko learns of Yamamura, one of the members of Kōsaka's exploration party into the Amazon. Hoping to find the answer, they and Tōbei learn that Yamamura's on the run from Geddon as he holds the secret that Geddon would go to lengths to make silent. When Beastman Omukade captures Yamamura and his daughter, Daisuke pursues with newly built Jungler, saving them before killing Omukade. During the fight, Yamamura is fatally wounded by the Akajusha as Yanamura reveals the "GaGa Armlet", the counterpart of the GiGi, that Gorgos possesses before he died.

During the Mogura Beastman incident, Daisuke is arrested by the police for attacking an officer when they needed to know his identity in spite of his part in helping them get murderer Oshima. Though bailed by Tōbei, a confused Daisuke runs off with a hatred for humans. The next day, Tōbei and Ritsuko find Daisuke as he intends to return to the Amazon. Learning that Masahiko was abducted by Mogura and at Ritsuko's pleas, Daisuke saves his friend and give Mogura a severe beating. Daisuke later finds Mogura being punished for failing Gorgos, saving the Beastman who is shocked. Later, after being told by that Johoku University has gained relics from the Amazon that might shed some light, Daisuke and friends investigate and find the mysterious Quipu which Daisuke could deciefer. But the Beastman Yamaarashi arrives and steals the Keep with Daisuke falling into his trap. But with Mogura's aid, Daisuke learns the story behind the GiGi and GaGa Armlets before killing Yamarashi, now knowing Geddon's goals.

While searching for Geddon, Daisuke receives a radio from Masahiko so he can know when Gedon's up to no good. After saving a woman from Kani Beastman, Daisuke learns that Mogura is forced by the monster of reveal Ritsuko as a potential weakness. Though he attempts to protect Ritsuko, Daisuke is saddeded as she tells him that he's the one Geddon's after and it might be best for everyone if he just goes back where he came from. In spite of this, Amazon saves Ritsuko and friend from Kani and later receives a vest from Ritsuko as her way of thanking him. Eventually, Amazon faces off against Gorgos himself, destroying once he rips the GaGa Armlet off of him. However, the GaGa Armlet 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. With his mission complete, he returns to the amazon forest where he lived because it is his true home, though Tōbei believes that he will come back if evil comes to terrorize Japan again.

Stronger
One years after the destructions of Geddon and Garanda Empire, he returns from South America to backup Kamen Rider X who is in middle fight against Armored Knight. After Armored Knight one sword dissapear when X-Rider throw his Ridol Stick and he manage to escapes, they shake hand together before helping Stronger defeat both Armored Knight and Commander Jishaku. He and X-Rider later rescue both V3 and Riderman and they soon meet Stronger again, who had been joined by Rider 1 and Rider 2 in their absence. The seven riders, which would be known as the Seven Legendary Riders, marched against the Delza Army, who had captured Tachibana Tobei.

JAKQ vs. Gorenger
J.A.K.Q. Dengakitai vs. Gorenger, which teamed up Shotaro Ishinomori's original two Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger and J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, mentioned the whereabouts of three other Ishinomori heroes, although they don't meet the Sentai teams. Amazon is said to be continuing his battle in the Amazon.

Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker
In Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Amazon competes against Decade in the tournament to decide the strongest Rider. His biting maneouver is countered by Decade using the powers of Hibiki and retaliating with a burst of flame. At some point offscreen between losing to Decade in the tournament and arriving for the final battle, he had his Gigi Armlet stolen by Diend. He joins all the Riders in the final battle agaisnt Dai-Shocker, after which Diend returns his Gigi Armlet.

OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders
A mishap caused by the Greeed Ankh unintentionally altered the timeline which enabled Shocker to utilize the Core Medal to create the Shocker Greeed which defeated the Double Riders and seemingly erased the legacy of the Kamen Riders from history. In 2011, after Kamen Rider New Den-O's attempt to repair the damage, he along with Kamen Rider OOO and M-Ankh awaited execution. However, it was revealed the Double Riders had their brainwashing removed by a Shocker scientist.

The Double Riders joined with New Den-O and OOO to fight Shocker's forces, but were eventually defeated. When the order was given to kill everyone, V3 suddenly appeared, asserting that there were more than four riders. V3 was soon followed by all the other revived riders that came after him, including Amazon, as even though Rider history was changed, the people's memories haven't changed.

After the riders were united, they faced off against Shocker's Great Leader. Later, when joined by a force of extra riders, Amazon and all the other riders got on their motorcycles and performed the "All Rider Break", ramming into the Rock Great Leader and defeating it once and for all.

Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max
Amazon, along with the other Seven Legendary Riders, fought against Foundation X to retrive the mysterious meteors that had fallen. By the third part of the movie, it was discovered that the Seven had been captured by Foundation X and transformed into Core Medals and Astroswitches. Amazon, alongside X and Stronger, were freed from the medals by Kamen Rider OOO using a Scanning Charge.

He is last seen fighting with the other original Riders, as well as Kamen Rider Aqua, to defeat the clones of the defeated Greed and the Dopant forms of the Sonozaki family, which Foundation X had created, with Amazon using his signature Great Slice Rider Chop to take down the false Smilodon Dopant.

Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen
He was seen alongside the other members of Seven Legendary Riders, fighting Captain Marvelous (Gokai Red) in his Red One Gokai Change.

Fourze Hyper Battle DVD
At some point during the Kamen Rider Fourze series, Amazon witnessed an object fall from the sky and land in the rainforest. Investigating, he discovered that the object was an Astro Switch and recognized it as belonging to Kamen Rider Fourze. Amazon starts off for Japan in order to give Gentaro the Switch (and because he had taken a liking to the young man during the events of Megamax), sending word to the Kamen Rider Club of his arrival. Gentaro and Yuuki Jojima prepare by learning an Incan greeting dance from Tomoko Nozama and give Kengo Utahoshi a brief history lesson about Amazon. However, when he fails to show up at the designated time, Gentaro worries that he's been blown off, while Kengo says one of the Legendary Seven Riders would never do such a thing, and suggests that Amazon may be in trouble.

When the trio goes to investigate, they're confronted by Suddendath Beta, a new version of the Foundation X Mutamit from Megamax who claims to have defeated Amazon to prevent Fourze from gaining his new Switch. While Gentaro keeps Suddendath Beta busy, Kengo and Yuuki venture to South America to find Amazon, spending twelve days wandering aimlessly and being terrified by the local wildlife. However, on the twelfth day, when Yuuki says "Your friends are looking for you!", Amazon leaps out of the leaves nearby and heads off to Japan. There, he helps fight Suddendath Beta and gives Gentaro the Clear Drill Switch, which enables him to defeat the Mutamit. After the battle, Gentaro does his greeting dance for Amazon, who likes it and joins in.

After meeting, Gentaro and Amazon exchange their gestures of friendship (Amazon's hand sign or Gentaro's handshake), but because the DVD has minor choose-your-own-adventure elements, which gesture is used is determined by the viewer.

GiGi Armlet
GiGi Armlet (ギギの腕輪, Gigi no Udewa?) is a mysterious O-Part of the Incas that was created 120 years ago as one of two keys that would allow the user of the two to rule the world with Incan super science. The GiGi Armlet serves as Amazon's power source along with being the only thing keeping him alive. Grafted onto his left arm, Daisuke is originally unaware of the Armlet's true power until he found the Quipu that revealed it.

Condorer
Condorer (コンドラー, Kondorā?) is Amazon's belt. While not the means of Amazon's transformation like Riders before and after, it has other uses such as a grappling hook.

Jungler
The Jungler (ジャングラー, Jangurā?) is Amazon's motorcycle, built by Tōbei Tachibana based on design specs provided by Kōsaka from his journey into the Amazon. The Jungler is much more vibrant and exotic than Tōbei's previous creations, featuring "wings" on the back and a "mouth" and "eyes" on the front. In Kamen Rider Spirits The Jungler has a hidden grapple cable and winch in the "mouth" of the bike used to scale high terrain.

Kamen Ride Card
Kamen Ride Amazon (カメンライドアマゾン) is the Kamen Ride Card which contains the power of Kamen Rider Amazon. In All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Decade Complete Form Jumbo Formation performed the Final Dimension Kick, a variation of the Dimension Kick, transforming the Shōwa Riders, including Kamen Rider Amazon, and Heisei Riders into Kamen Ride cards for Decade to travel through as opposed to Final Attack Ride cards before hitting the target.

In theory, this card would allow Kamen Rider Decade to transform into Amazon.

Portrayal
Daisuke Yamamoto was portrayed by Tōru Okazaki (岡崎 徹). He reprised his role in the last few episodes of Kamen Rider Stronger. As Kamen Rider Amazon, his suit actors were Kazuo Niibori, Testsuya Nakayahi, and Bunya Nakamura.

In Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker, Amazon was voiced by Tomokazu Seki (関 智一). His suit actor was Eitoku (永徳). Amazon was also voiced by Tomokazu Seki in OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders and Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen, although in Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max (which was released between those two movies), he was voiced by Kōji Tobe (戸部 公爾).

Trivia

 * He is the first Kamen Rider in the Showa period who has design motif that based on a different animal, 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 modeled upon a piranha, while others say a lizard, while others comprimise and say he's a jungle themed chimera.
 * He is the first (and so far the only) Kamen Rider to use a Rider Chop as their primary finishing move.