Kamen Rider V3

, Masked Rider V3 or Masked Rider Version 3 in English, is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is the second installment in the popular Kamen Rider, and the direct sequel to the original Kamen Rider. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was shown on NET from February 17, 1973 to February 9, 1974, with a total of 52 episodes. This is also the first Kamen Rider show that is officially available on DVD in the west with English subtitles through JN Productions.

Hiroshi Miyauchi, who portrays main character Shiro Kazami, also sings the opening theme. Following the success of V3, Miyauchi starred in several tokusatsu series, such as Himitsu Sentai Goranger, JAKQ Dengeki Tai, Kaiketsu Zubat, Tokkei Winspector, Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain and Chouriki Sentai Ohranger.

The meaning for Kamen Rider V3's name was never clearly depicted in the series. The first meaning suggested it was a pun due to the fact that both Ichigō and Nigō used their powers to energize V3's belt during Shirō Kazami surgery, making him more powerful than its predecessors. However, in the 2007 remake movie Kamen Rider, V3's belt explains it stands for "Version 3" Kamen Rider.

Plot

The series opening featured the following narration in Japanese:

Kamen Rider V3/Shiro Kazami is an altered human. Mortally wounded by Destron, he is reconstructed by Kamen Riders 1 and 2 and reborn as Kamen Rider V3.

Shiro Kazami witnesses the murder of a man by Destron. This makes him a target for Destron. Shiro rescues a young woman named Junko Tama who is also a target for Destron, because she had stumbled on the location of Destron's base. When she faints, he takes her to his family's home.

A Destron mutant breaks into the Kazami home and stabs Shiro's father, mother, and sister to death. Shiro comes home in time to see his family murdered and is attacked. He is saved when his chemistry teacher, Takeshi Hongō, arrives and transforms into Kamen Rider. Kamen Rider 2 also arrives in the place. Looking for revenge, Shiro asks the Kamen Riders to make him into a Cyborg, just like them. The Kamen Riders refuse, arguing it is very hard and sorrowful to live as loner cyborg Kamen Rider.

The two Riders enter Destron's base but are trapped, with a Laser pointed to them. Shiro also finds the location of the base and saves the Kamen Riders, but is fatally wounded by the laser. To save his life, the Kamen Riders have no choice but to change him into a cyborg. The Kamen Riders leave Shiro on the operating table to fight the mutant Bazooka Turtle who is firing on their location. During the battle a new Kamen Rider appears, Kamen Rider V3.

Kamen Riders 1 and 2 appear to be killed in a Kamikaze explosion caused by Bazooka Turtle, but they return alive in episode 33.

In the early episodes, the forces of Destron are led directly by the Great Leader of Destron, who appears only as an unseen voice coming from a scorpion figure. In these episodes, V3 must learn to use his abilities; his inexperience and lack of knowledge about his own abilities is a key story element. Destron monsters are all Cyborgs, named after a man-made item and an animal, such as Television Fly.

Soon, Doktor G is introduced as Destron's new general. The series does not change significantly, though the conflict between Shiro Kazami and Destron now turns into a more personal conflict between Kazami and Doktor G. After many of his plans are stopped by Kamen Rider V3, Doktor G is forced to fight V3 directly, in order to redeem himself in not only in the eyes of Destron's leader, but his own as well. He fights V3 in the form of Crab Laser and, despite putting up a heroic fight, is destroyed.

After Doktor G is killed, a new Destron general, Baron Fang, appears. He is a sorcerer, whose power comes from Black magic. Baron Fang awakens various members of his family, the Fang clan, to fight V3. The monsters of the Fang clan are all based on animals which are known for having tusks or large teeth, such as Skull Warthog and Smilodon. The tone of the show is somewhat darker, involving story elements such as ritual sacrifice. When Baron Fang is in charge, the Destron headquarters is decorated with shields, painted in an African style. The Destron soldiers are armed with tusk-tipped spears and beat jungle drums. In the end, after all of his clan have been destroyed, Baron Fang is forced to fight Kamen Rider V3 directly. V3 fights Baron Fang, who appears in his true form, Bloodthirsty Mammoth.

After the destruction of Baron Fang, another Destron general appears: Archbishop Wing, the leader of the Winged Corps. His monsters are all mutated versions of winged creatures (including one plant with large, wing-like leaves). Most of his monsters can fly, which causes great difficulties for V3, though he defeats him relatively quickly, His time ends when V3 destroys Deadman Bat, the true form of Archbishop Wing.

After Kamen Rider V3 destroys Archbishop Wing, Destron sends in yet another general, Marshal Armor (or The Armored General). His monsters are based on armored animals and animals which are known for having tough skin. This begins the final story arc.

Jōji Yūki is a Destron scientist, who is betrayed by Marshal Armor, and sentenced to death. He escapes, but not before his arm is destroyed. He replaces his lost arm with a mechanical arm, which gives him special abilities. He takes on the identity of Riderman. He vows vengeance on Marshal Armor, but is loyal to Destron leader, who he thinks is a good man. Eventually, V3 convinces Yūki that Destron is an evil organization, and Riderman fights Destron alongside Kamen Rider V3.

The series comes to a close when Crawganna, a cyborg based on a Crayfish, appears. His plan is to use a missile to destroy Tokyo. Riderman is apparently killed when he takes control of the missile and destroys it in mid-air. V3 declares Riderman to be Kamen Rider #4 as a tribute.

V3 continues to fight Crawganna, and eventually defeats him. Crawganna turns out to be the true form of Marshal Armor, who flees into a Destron base. He runs to the carved scorpion which used by the Great Leader of Destron to communicate. He begs Destron's Great Leader to save him, but the Great Leader of Destron kills him instead. V3 follows Marshal Armor. V3 breaks the carved scorpion and finds the hiding place of the Great Leader of Destron, who is revealed as a moving skeleton which contains a living heart. He claims to be the God of Death. V3 kills the skeleton by destroying its heart.

With Destron destroyed, the world is safe. Shiro Kazami, his mission now complete, is seen riding his motorcycle, alone. Tachibana and Junko do not know where he is, but Tachibana assures Junko that Shiro will return whenever he is needed.

Main characters

Shiro Kazami and Allies

• ("V3" or "Rider V3", for short) is a cyborg, who fights Destron. When he encounters a Destron monster, he performs a Henshin V3, and transforms into Kamen Rider V3. V3 has 26 special powers that he uses to fight Destron; he does not know what all of his special powers are. Among his powers are Bulletproof Muscles, the V3 Hopper (that allows him to track enemies) and the V3 Thunder, one of his most powerful weapons. Over the course of the series, only a fraction of his powers are revealed. Others, including the V3 Thunder, were revealed in stage shows, manga and data books. His motorcycle is named "Hurricane"; it also has special powers.

  Shiro's mentor and advisor. This character appeared in the original Kamen Rider series and also appeared in later Kamen Rider.

  A young woman who has a crush on Shiro. Shiro is aware of her crush, but refuses to let her get close to him, to protect her, because he lives such a dangerous life. Despite this, she assists Shiro, often watching the communications station, and eventually becomes a close friend to Shiro. She often enters into dangerous situations, requiring V3 to rescue her.

  Junko's kid brother and a member of the Boys' Kamen Rider Squad. He sometimes acts as Shiro's liaison with the Shonen Rider Scouts.

  A scientist who is betrayed by Marshal Armor. His arm is destroyed and replaced by a special mechanical arm, which gives him special powers. Initially, he distrusts V3, but eventually becomes an ally. V3 declares him to be "Kamen Rider #4" in tribute, after sacrificing his life to protect Tokyo from destruction. Riderman appears in some of the sequels. How he survived is not fully explained in the TV show, but it is explained in detail in the Kamen Rider Spirits manga.

  They are young boys who assist Kamen Rider V3. They have members throughout Japan. They wear medallions which are shaped like the head of Kamen Rider V3. The medallions contain radios which allows them to report suspicious activity to Kamen Rider headquarters.

  A Destron Hunter, from Interpol, who helps V3 for a few episodes. He is Destron Hunter no. 5, and is the last surviving Destron hunter.

Special guest stars

• Kamen Rider 1/Takeshi Hongō from Kamen Rider
• Kamen Rider 2/Hayato Ichimonji from Kamen Rider
• Colonel Zol from Kamen Rider
• Doctor Death from Kamen Rider
• Ambassador Hell from Kamen Rider
• General Black from Kamen Rider

Movies

• 1973: Kamen Rider V3: Movie version for episode 2.

During a battle against Destron's forces, Shiro Kazami helps a priest who has been attacked by the evil organization's kaijin Hasami-Jaguar. Little does he know that the church where the priest resides is a front for a Destron hideout. After finding out the organization's latest motive, Kamen Rider V3, along with the Double Riders, must stop Destron from detonating a nuclear bomb in Tokyo.

• 1973: Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants

A physicist named Tetsuo Okita discovers a new mineral called "Satanium," which is more powerful than uranium and emits destructive effects to anyone exposed to it. However, Destron abducts Okita in hopes of finding the source of Satanium and collecting more of it to expedite their run for global domination. Kamen Rider V3 must act fast in rescuing Professor Okita and preventing Destron from collecting more of the deadly mineral.

Kamen Rider The Next

As of 2007, a reimagined Kamen Rider V3 appears in Kamen Rider, a movie loosely based on the TV series, following the Reboot (fiction) of the franchise started with 2005 movie Kamen Rider.

Cast

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• - (Played as )
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Songs

Opening theme

• • Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Hiroshi Miyauchi and

Ending themes

• • Lyrics:
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Ichirou Mizuki and the
  • Episodes: 1-42
• • Lyrics:
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai
  • Episodes: 42-52

External links

• JN Productions (Hawaii) Kamen Rider V3 home page - Producer of the Region 1 DVD.
• Kamen Rider V3 at "Igadevil's Kamen Rider Page."
• Kamen Rider V3 fan site.