Mach Driver Honoh

This article is about a transformation device in Kamen Rider Drive.

File:MachDriverHonoh.png

Mach Driver Honoh, equipped with the Signal Mach Bike.

File:KrDr-Mach Driver Production Model.png

Mach Driver Production Model

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"Mach Driver!"

―DX toy activation announcement^[src]

"Signal Bike!"

―Signal Bike insertion announcement^[src]

"Shift Car!"

―Shift Car insertion announcement^[src]

"Signal Bike, Shift Car!"

―Shift Dead Heat/Tridoron Key insertion announcement^[src]

"Rider: (Signal Bike)! (music)"

―Transformation announcement^[src]

"Signal Koukan: (Signal Bike)! (music/sound effect)"

―Signal Exchange announcement^[src]

"Tire Koukan: (word related to the used Shift Car)! (music/sound effect)"

―Tire Exchange announcement^[src]

"Hissatsu! Full Throttle: (Signal Bike/Shift Car)!"

―Standard finisher announcement^[src]

"Hissatsu! Burst Full Throttle: (Signal Bike/Shift Car)!"

―Finisher announcement for Deadheat Mach & Super Dead Heat Drive^[src]

"Otsukare!"

―Deactivation announcement^[src]

The Mach Driver Honoh (マッハドライバー炎, Mahha Doraibā Honō, lit. "Mach Driver Flame"), or simply the Mach Driver (マッハドライバー, Mahha Doraibā), is Kamen Rider Mach and Kamen Rider Chaser's belt (as well as Kamen Rider Drive's temporary belt during the events of two movies), which they use to transform into their rider forms via the Signal Bikes (or in Drive's case, the Tridoron Key). It was invented by Harley Hendrickson.

The driver was later mass produced into Mach Driver Production Models (量産型マッハドライバー, Ryōsan-gata Mahha Doraibā) by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for the use of Production Model Mach special force to combat the Roidmude threat. These mass-produced drivers are colored entirely blue.

Origin

The Mach Driver Honoh was designed to someday be a successor to the Drive System. It is programmed with an A.I. to handle the tasks Krim Steinbelt does to the Drive System, and as such, boosts the effectiveness of Mach, though this deals a heavier toll on the user's body compared to Drive's as a result. Professor Hendrickson would have had more time to tone this issue down, had Go not run off mid-training with the Mach Driver Honoh and Signal Bikes back to Japan. ^{[Why Won't My Little Brother Put On the Brakes?]}

Modification and Reverse-Engineering

The original belt was critically damaged during Mach's battle against the Shoot Roidmude, but repaired afterwards by Rinna Sawagami. Through learning on how to fix the Driver, she reversed-engineered the belt and created a second one to be experimented on for further upgrades. Go originally wanted upgrades to his Mach Driver, but opted to not want any after he overcame the Berserk State of Deadheat Mach. ^{[What Can Keep Mach Running?]}

The belts were modified to separate humans from Roidmudes during their Fusion Evolution.

The second belt would be given to Chase, who would use it in conjunction with Signal Chaser to become Kamen Rider Chaser. Chase later gives his Driver to Shinnosuke after being critically injured by Dark Drive. Shinnosuke would later try to use Signal Chaser with the Mach Driver, but is unable to, forced to use the Tridoron Key instead to transform into an incomplete "Super Dead Heat Drive". The Driver was damaged by Dark Drive.

It is unknown whether or not the second belt was repaired, but Chase resumes to becoming Kamen Rider Chaser after the events against Dark Drive. The belt was permanently destroyed by Gold Drive.

The belts were sealed with the Kamen Rider arsenal in the aftermath of the Roidmude fight. ^{[Who Will You Entrust the Future to, My Friend?]}

A third Mach Driver Honoh was created by Harley Hendrickson specifically for Shinnosuke to use, allowing him to transform into Deadheat Drive.^[1] ^{[Chou Movie War Genesis]}

During the events of the Mach Saga Novel Rinna Sawagami created a prototype Mach Driver to allow Go to become the complete "Super Dead Heat Mach" utilising the Shift Viral Core Shift Car

Functionality

To transform, the user raises the Signal Landing Panel (シグナルランディングパネル, Shigunaru Randingu Paneru) and inserts a Form Change Signal Bike into it, causing the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Signal Bike" (シグナルバイク, Shigunaru Baiku). Once the Signal Bike is set, the user must push the Signal Landing Panel back down to finish the transformation sequence into either Kamen Rider Mach or Kamen Rider Chaser, right after the Mach Driver Honoh announces "Rider" (ライダー, Raidā) and the corresponding form used. The only Signal Bikes usable to Mach and Chaser untransformed are the ones that assume their default forms (and the Shift Dead Heat Car in Mach's case).

After transforming with a Form Change Signal Bike, the user has the option to switch between different other Signal Bikes. To do so, the user must raise Signal Landing Panel, pull the used Signal Bike out, insert the new Signal Bike back into the Signal Landing Panel, and push it back down. This would change the base Kourin Signal from either Rider, or any previous Kourin Signal used before, and cause the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Signal Koukan" (シグナル交換, Shigunaru Kōkan, lit. "Signal Exchange") and then the corresponding Signal Bike used.

Much like the Shift Brace, the user is able to use any special abilities tied to the Signal Bikes currently in the Mach Driver Honoh by hitting the Boost Igniter (ブーストイグナイター, Būsuto Igunaitā) button on the belt up to four times. Mach can also summon the Zenrin Shooter by hitting the Boost Igniter four times. Alternatively, if Mach already wields the Zenrin Shooter when he initiates this hitting action, he can instead run at an insanely fast speed. ^{[Who Will Control Deadheat?]}

The Mach Driver Honoh also works with the Shift Cars, activating special Kourin Signals tied to that Shift Car. When a Shift Car is inserted into the Signal Landing Panel, it causes the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Shift Car" (シフトカー, Shifuto Kā). Afterwards, once the Signal Landing Panel is pushed back down, it announces "Tire Koukan" (タイヤ交換, Taiya Kōkan, lit. "Tire Exchange") and then a Japanese word related to the ability of the corresponding Shift Car used. Like with Drive, if the Shift Car that is being used happens to possess a Tire Specific Item, Mach or Chaser can wield it. When activating a Shift Car-related Kourin Signal, the sound effects played would be a mix of the Mach Driver Honoh's sounds and the Drive Driver's sounds for that Shift Car.

If the Shift Dead Heat Car is inserted into the Signal Landing Panel, it causes the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Signal Bike, Shift Car" (シグナルバイク, シフトカー, Shigunaru Baiku, Shifuto Kā) as an indication of Shift Dead Heat being a hybrid form of the two miniature vehicles. Whenever Deadheat Mach initiates a Signal or Tire Exchange, instead of permanently changing the DH Kourin or Type Dead Heat Tire respectively, the new Kourin Signal or Shift Tire just briefly replaces them before returning to normal.

To initiate a finishing attack, Mach or Chaser must raise the Signal Landing Panel and press the Boost Igniter, which makes the Mach Driver Honoh announce "Hissatsu" (必殺, "Hissatsu" lit. "Finisher"). Pushing the Signal Landing Panel back down afterwards would then give Mach or Chaser an exceeding amount of power, as well as cause the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Full Throttle" (フルスロットル, Furu Surottoru) and then the corresponding Signal Bike used. Mach or Chaser may now release the power gained in any way they wish.

In order to have the Mach Driver Honoh cancel the transformation, Mach or Chaser must raise the Signal Landing Panel, remove the Signal Bike currently placed in the Mach Driver Honoh, and push the Signal Landing Panel back down. This causes the Mach Driver Honoh to announce "Otsukare" (オツカーレ, Otsukāre, lit. "Good Job" (乙彼, "Good Job")).

Behind the Scenes

Portrayal

Although there is no official confirmation, many Japanese fans have identified that the voice of the Mach Driver Honoh and other related equipment was provided by George Williams, a British-Japanese NHK radio host. ^[2]

Notes

This Driver is the first transformation gear to have a word after the word "Driver".
The Mach Driver Honoh makes a sound effect similar to that of the Double Riders' transformations.
- When the user raises the Signal Landing Panel when Signal Mach is inserted, the music sounds like Let's Go!! Rider Kick, the first and most recognizable opening theme for Kamen Rider.
When the Boost Igniter is hit four times, it makes an announcement, with some Signal Bikes and Shift Cars sharing the same announcements. If Mach initiates this action as Deadheat Mach, the word "Burst" (バースト, Bāsuto) is placed at the beginning of each announcement.

"Much" (ズット, Zutto): Signal Mach, Signal Chaser, Signal Ittsu, and Shift Spin Mixer.
"Suddenly" (急に, Kyūni): Signal Magarl, Shift Dead Heat, Tridoron Key, Shift Max Flare, Shift Massive Monster, Shift Rolling Gravity, and Shift Road Winter.
"Very" (トテモ, Totemo): Signal Kikern, Shift Speed, Shift Technic, Shift Burning Solar, and the Lupin Blade Viral Core.
"Right now" (今すぐ, Imasugu): Signal Tomarle, Shift Midnight Shadow, Shift Dimension Cab, Shift Mad Doctor, and Shift Deco Traveler.
"A lot" (沢山, Takusan): Signal Kaksarn, Shift Fruits, Shift Funky Spike, Shift Hooking Wrecker, Shift Colorful Commercial, and any (Chaser) Viral Core.
"Fairly" (可也, Kanari): Signal Yukkuri, Signal Kattobi, Shift Wild, Shift Formula, Shift Tridoron, Shift Next Special (Special Side), Shift Rumble Dump, Shift Fire Braver, Shift Amazing Circus, and any toy-exclusive Shift Car.
"Absolute" (絶対, Zettai): Signal Tousan, Shift Justice Hunter, Shift Dream Vegas, Shift Mantarn F01, Shift Jacky F02, and Shift Sparner F03.

When using Shift Cars, the Driver announces them by different names:

Type Change Cars
- Shift Speed = Hayai (ハヤーイ, Hayāi, lit. "Fast" (早い, "Fast"))
- Shift Wild = Tsuyoi (ツヨーイ, Tsuyōi, lit. "Strong" (強い, "Strong"))
- Shift Technic = Umai (ウマーイ, Umāi, lit. "Clever" (巧い, "Clever"))
- Shift Formula = Kosoku (コウソーク, Kōsōku, lit. "High Speed" (高速, "High Speed"))
- Shift Fruits = Kudamono (クダモーノ, Kudamōno, lit. "Fruit" (果物, "Fruit"))
- Shift High Speed = Cho Hayai (チョウ・ハヤーイ, Chō Hayāi, lit. "Very Fast" (超早い, "Very Fast"))
  - Shift Next Special (Special side) = Tokubetsu (トクベーツ, Tokubētsu, lit. "Special" (特別, "Special"))
    - The Next side of Shift Next Special gives the same sounds as that of Signal Mach.^[3]
Tire Exchange Cars
- Used in series canon
  - Shift Max Flare = Moerl (モエール, Moēru, lit. "To burn" (燃える, "To burn"))
  - Shift Rumble Dump = Arabull (アラブール, Arabūru, lit. "To roughen" (荒ぶる, "To roughen"))
  - Shift Spin Mixer = Mazerl (マゼール, Mazēru, lit. "To mix" (混ぜる, "To mix"))
  - Shift Mad Doctor = Naorl (ナオール, Naōru, lit. "To cure" (治る, "To cure"))
- Toy-exclusive
  - Shift Amazing Circus = Bikkuri (ビックーリ, Bikkūri, lit. "to (be) surprise(d)" (びっくり, "to (be) surprise(d)")).
  - Shift Burning Solar = Pikaru (ピカール, Pikāru, lit. "To shine")
  - Shift Colorful Commercial = Senden (センデーン, Sendēn, lit. "To advertise" (宣伝, "To advertise"))
  - Shift Deco Traveler = Travel (トラベール, Torabēru, from "Travel" (トラベル, "Travel"))
  - Shift Dimension Cab = Takuru (タクール, Takūru, slang for "To ride in a Taxi" (タクル, "To ride in a Taxi"))
  - Shift Dream Vegas = Atare (アターレ, Atāre, lit. "To win" (当たれ, "To win"))
  - Shift Fire Braver = Nobiru (ノビール, Nobīru, lit. "To extend" (伸びる, "To extend"))
  - Shift Funky Spike = Sasaru (ササール, Sasāru, lit. "To pierce" (刺さる, "To pierce"))
  - Shift Hooking Wrecker = Hippare (ヒッパーレ, Hippāre, lit. "To pull" (引っ張れ, "To pull"))
  - Shift Justice Hunter = Toraeru (トラエール, Toraēru, lit. "To arrest" (捉える, "To arrest"))
  - Shift Massive Monster = Kajiru (カジール, Kajīru, lit. "To gnaw" (齧る, "To gnaw"))
  - Shift Midnight Shadow = Shinobi (シノービ, Shinōbi, from "To hide" (忍び, "To hide"))
  - Shift Road Winter = Hieru (ヒエール, Hiēru, lit. "To chill" (冷える, "To chill"))
  - Shift Rolling Gravity = Tsubusu (ツブース, Tsubūsu, lit. "To crush" (潰す, "To crush"))
  - Shift Mantarn F01 = Ichiban (イチバーン, Ichibān, lit. "No. 1" (一番, "No. 1"))
  - Shift Jacky F02 = Niban (ニバーン, Nibān, lit. "No. 2" (二番, "No. 2"))
  - Shift Sparner F03 = Sanban (サンバーン, Sanbān, lit. "No. 3" (三番, "No. 3"))
- Toy-Exclusive Cars
  - Shift Speed (Televi-Magazine Ver.) = Tele-Maga (Only during the Full Throttle section)
  - Shift High Speed (Televi-kun Ver.) = Televi-Kun (Only during the Full Throttle section)
  - Shift Mega Max Flare (Kindergarten Ver.) = Cho Moerl (チョウ・モエール, Chō Moēru, lit. "To super burn" (超燃える, "To super burn")) / Kindergarten (幼稚園, Yōchien, Only during the Full Throttle section)
  - Shift Rideron/Metal Hero/Kamen Rider = Legend (レジェーンド, Rejēndo)
  - All Sentai Shift Cars = Sentai (センターイ, Sentāi, lit. (戦隊, ))
  - Shift Speed Wild Technic = Hayai Tsuyoi Umai (ハヤーイ・ツヨーイ・ウマーイ, Hayāi Tsuyōi Umāi, lit. "Fast, Strong, and Smart" (早い・強い・巧い, "Fast, Strong, and Smart"))
  - All other toy-exclusive Shift Cars = Tokubetsu (トクベーツ, Tokubētsu, lit. "Special" (特別, "Special"))

When using Viral Cores the Driver announces them by different names:

Cobra = Muchi (ムーチ, Mūchi, lit. "Whip" (鞭, "Whip"))
Spider = Tsume (ツーメ, Tsūme, lit. "Claw" (爪, "Claw"))
Bat = Yumiya (ユミーヤ, Yumīya, lit. "Bow & Arrow" (弓矢, "Bow & Arrow"))
Chaser Spider = Chaser Tsume (チェイサー・ツーメ, Cheisā Tsūme, lit. "Chaser Claw" (爪, "Chaser Claw"))
Chaser Cobra = Chaser Muchi (チェイサー・ムーチ, Cheisā Mūchi, lit. "Chaser Whip" (鞭, "Chaser Whip"))
Chaser Bat = Chaser Yumiya (チェイサー・ユミーヤ, Cheisā Yumīya, lit. "Chaser Bow & Arrow" (弓矢, "Chaser Bow & Arrow"))
Lupin Blade = Warui (ワルーイ, Warūi, lit. "Bad" (悪い, "Bad"))

Unused Sounds:

Type Changes
- Shift Get Wild = Cho Tsuyoi (チョウ・ツヨーイ, Chō Tsuyōi, lit. "Very Strong" (超強い, "Very Strong"))
- Shift Ultra Technic = Cho Umai (チョウ・ウマーイ, Chō Umāi, lit. "Very Clever" (超巧い, "Very Clever"))
- Shift Ultra Fruits = Cho Kudamono (チョウ・クダモーノ, Chō Kudamōno, lit. "Super Fruit" (超果物, "Super Fruit"))
- Shift Dash Formula = Cho Kosoku (チョウ・コウソーク, Chō Kōsōku, lit. "Super High Speed" (超高速, "Super High Speed"))
- Shift Super Special = Cho Tokubetsu (チョウ・トクベーツ, Chō Tokubētsu, lit. "Super Special" (特超別, "Super Special"))
Tire Exchanges
- Shift Unknown F04 = Yonban (ヨンバーン, Yonbān, lit. "No. 4" (四番, "No. 4"))
- Shift Unknown F05 = Goban (ゴバーン, Gobān, lit. "No. 5" (五番, "No. 5"))
- Shift Unknown F06 = Rokuban (ロクバーン, Rokubān, lit. "No. 6" (六番, "No. 6"))
- Shift Unknown F07 = Nanaban (ナナバーン, Nanabān, lit. "No. 7" (七番, "No. 7"))
- Shift Unknown F00 = Reiban (レイバーン, Reibān, lit. "No. 0" (零番, "No. 0"))

Ironically, even though the Driver was invented by an American scientist, most of its phrases are announced in Japanese, in contrast to the "Japan's Kamen Rider"'s Drive Driver, which uses its announcements in English.
It is ironic that the Mach Driver Honoh was designed to succeed the Drive System, as the Drive System continues to receive newer and more powerful upgrades and forms, while the Mach System's only upgrade was Shift Dead Heat, which is shared with Drive. This leaves the Mach System somewhat overshadowed, with the crippling damage of the Driver in episode 23 worsening the issue.
- This is similar to the Genesis Driver used by the New Generation Riders in the previous series which, while originally created superior to the Armored Riders' Sengoku Drivers, would be eclipsed by the Jimber Arms forms and the Kachidoki and Kiwami Lockseeds used by Kamen Rider Gaim.
- However, in episode 24, Go regains his confidence and faith in himself, allowing him to boost Deadheat Mach's power in such a way that it becomes just as powerful as Drive Type Formula.
When Chase transforms into Kamen Rider Chaser for the first time, Mashin Chaser can be briefly seen during the transformation sequence.
Shift Tridoron is the only Shift Car that cannot fit in the DX Mach Driver Honoh, unless one unscrews the bottom part of the Shift Car containing the pins and inserts that part into the driver. The Lupin Blade Viral Core also has this issue, yet it can be easily fixed by letting the blade part face forward, though the result is a very awkward look of the blade sticking out of the Mach Driver.
- It is to be noted that, even if Shift Tridoron is inserted and closed in the DX Mach Driver Honoh, it would simply result in a generic 'vroom' sound with no vocal sounds indicating its name.
When either the Signal Chaser Bike or Tridoron Key are used, they emit the same transformation tune.