The Transformation Belt Mach Driver Honoh (変身ベルト マッハドライバー炎,Henshin Beruto Mahha Doraibā Honō, lit. "Mach Driver Flame"), or simply the Mach Driver (マッハドライバー,Mahha Doraibā), is the transformation device of Kamen Rider Mach and Kamen Rider Chaser. Kamen Rider Drive also uses it to transform into his Deadheat Drive and Chou Deadheat Drive forms. It was invented by Harley Hendrickson.
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 was 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 was unable to do so. Instead, he was 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 being Kamen Rider Chaser after the events against Dark Drive. The belt was permanently destroyed by Gold Drive.
With the emergence of the Revenger Roidmude, Go was given a prototype Mach Driver by Rinna, who had received it as a gift from Hendrickson, as the Drive arsenal was still locked up during that time. Due to its incomplete nature, it can only sustain a transformation for a maximum of five minutes before cancelling. Go used this driver, alongside Shift Viral Core, to transform into Super Deadheat Mach.[1][Novel: Kamen Rider Drive: ~Mach Saga~]
The Mach Driver Honoh is composed of the following parts:
Boost Igniter (ブーストイグナイター,Būsuto Igunaitā): The white button on top of the Driver. By pressing the button up to four times, it is possible to release compressed energy and execute finishing deathblows.
Frame Wing Guard (フレームウィンガード,Furēmu U~ingādo): A guard part that houses the Signal Landing Panel, it is what surrounds the exposed parts of the inserted Signal Bikes, preventing it from accidentally falling off in battle.
Signal Landing Panel (シグナルランディングパネル,Shigunaru Randingu Paneru): A panel inside of the Mach Driver, it reads the abilities of the inserted Signal Bike/Shift Car and transfers it to the Driver. In the DX toyline, it is what allows the Driver to differentiate each Signal Bike or Shift Car inserted.
Core Driviar-M (コア・ドライビア-M,Koa Doraibia-M): The energy generator of the Driver, it is built into the frame of the Driver. It contains an AI system located in the deepest part of the Driver that manages the whole body of Mach during combat.
Ability Window (アビリティウィンドゥ,Abiriti Uindo~u): A circular hole that displays the Signal Bike's Ability Crest on its rear wheel.
Mach Driver Honoh with flames coming through the Energy Backfire.
High Metal Muffler (ハイメタルマフラー,Hai Metaru Mafurā): A silver metal plate which covers a part of the Driver, it shields the flames coming out of the Driver. Dozens of lightweight and resilient metal alloys are used to create this defensive shield, and eliminates damage from affecting vital components of the Driver.
Cylinder Amplifier (シリンダーアンプリファイア,Shirindā Anpurifaia): A red cylindrical ring-like amplification device, it amplifies the energy of the inserted Signal Bike via the energy amplification furnace inside of the cylinder. It is responsible for adding special abilities to Mach/Chaser/Drive Chou Dead Heat's finishing attacks.
Energy Backfire (エナジーバックファイア,Enajī Bakkufaia): A condition meter on the right side of the High Metal Muffler, it displays flames during finishing moves. The colors of the flames vary according to what Signal Bike is inserted.
Driver Webbing (ドライバーウェビング,Doraibā U~ebingu): The belt strap of the Driver. It is composed of highly flexible metal fibres and is designed to combine ruggedness and comfort.
Signal Link Receiver (シグナルリンクレシーバー,Shigunaru Rinku Reshībā): A sensor which receives data from weapons such as the Zenrin Shooter and transmit it to the driver to initiate special attacks.
Functionality[]
To transform, the user raises the Signal Landing Panel and inserts a Form Change Signal Bike or the Tridoron Key before pushing it back back down. Flames are then emitted from the Cylinder Amplifier and the form's Signal Kourin then appears along with the components of the armor that assemble around the user, completing the transformation.
After transforming with a Form Change Signal Bike, Mach may use one of several auxiliary Signal Bikes by raising the Signal Landing Panel, removing the inserted Signal Bike, and inserting the new Signal Bike before pushing it back down. This initiates a Signal Exchange (シグナル交換,Shigunaru Kōkan), replacing the current Kourin Signal with that of the inserted Signal Bike.
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 pressing the Boost Igniter 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 Shift Cars, activating special Kourin Signals tied to that Shift Car. When a Shift Car is inserted into the Signal Landing Panel, and the Signal Landing Panel is pushed back down, a Tire Exchange (タイヤ交換,Taiya Kōkan) is initiated. 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.
Whenever Deadheat Mach initiates a Signal or Tire Exchange, instead of permanently changing the DH Kourin or Type Deadheat Tire respectively, the new Kourin Signal or Shift Tire just briefly replaces them before returning to normal.
To initiate a Full Throttle finishing attack, Mach or Chaser must raise the Signal Landing Panel, press the Boost Igniter, and pushing the Signal Landing Panel back down afterwards.
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.
Go obtained his driver from Harley Hendrickson prior to coming to Japan. Although it was likely stored underground in the Drive Pit, Go would eventually obtain another Mach Driver by Hendrickson in Novel: Kamen Rider Drive: ~Mach Saga~.
An experimental driver created by Rinna Sawagami through reverse-engineering Go's driver, it was planned to be used to test any potential upgrades before it was later given to Chase by Kiriko. This driver was permanently destroyed by Gold Drive.
Shinnosuke borrowed Chase's driver when Krim Steinbelt and the Drive Driver were destroyed, and used it in conjunction with the Tridoron Key to transform into Super Dead Heat Drive. He later gave back the driver when Krim was restored.
The Mach Driver Honoh, along with the Zenrin Shooter and Shingou-Ax, is voiced 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 reason of naming mostly due to copyright problem, since "Mach Driver" in Japan already registered as a golf club's franchise.
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 Deadheat, 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:
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)
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. The same cars also occurs with Shift Heartron.
The Signal Chaser Signal Bike and Tridoron Key trigger the same transformation standby music.
This article is about a transformation device in Kamen Rider Drive.
