Seiji Takaiwa

This article is about a suit actor in the Kamen Rider Series.

Seiji Takaiwa (高岩成二, Takaiwa Seiji) is a Japanese actor and stuntman better known as the suit actor for 18/20 of the lead Heisei-Era Kamen Riders (excluding Kuuga and Hibiki, although his role as Decade allowed him to wear the suits). Since the beginning of the Reiwa-Era, Takaiwa has passed on the lead suit acting to Yuya Nawata, while taking on in-suit portrayals of other non-lead Riders.

Biography

When Takaiwa was in middle school, he knew he wanted to have some sort of athletic career and set his eyes on either being a stuntman or a physical education teacher. He was inspired to pick the former by Hiroyuki Sanada and enrolled in Japan Acting Club (now known as Japan Acting Enterprise) in their gymnastics program. Since graduating, he has been the suit actor for many Tokusatsu heroes.

Personal Life

He is married to retired stunt performer and suit actor Rie Murakami, and is the father of Shinta Takaiwa.

Filmography

Stunt/Suit Actor Roles

Kamen Rider Black RX (1988–1989) - Riderman (Episodes 41-47)
Kamen Rider ZO (1993) - Doras
Saban's Masked Rider (1996) - Unnamed Masked Rider Warrior 2
Kamen Rider Agito (2001–2002) - Kamen Rider Agito
Kamen Rider Agito: Project G4 (2001) - Kamen Rider Agito
Kamen Rider Ryuki (2002–2003) - Kamen Rider Ryuki
Kamen Rider Ryuki: 13 Riders (2002) - Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Knight (As Shinji's transform), Kamen Rider Ryuga
Kamen Rider Ryuki: Episode Final (2002) - Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Ryuga (Against Ouja)
Kamen Rider 555 (2003–2004) - Kamen Rider Faiz, Wolf Orphnoch, Centipede Orphnoch (Episodes 14 & 15), Worm Orphnoch, Horse Orphnoch, Kamen Rider Kaixa (Episodes 21 & 22), Kamen Rider Delta (Episode 38)
Kamen Rider 555: Paradise Lost (2003) - Kamen Rider Faiz, Wolf Orphnoch, Kamen Rider Kaixa (As Keitaro's transform)
Kamen Rider Blade (2004–2005) - Kamen Rider Blade, Joker
Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) - Kamen Rider Blade, Beetle Undead, Squid Undead, Albiroachi
Kamen Rider Kabuto (2006–2007) - Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto, ZECTroopers
Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Love (2006) - Kamen Rider Kabuto
Kamen Rider Den-O (2007–2008) Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros
Kamen Rider Den-O: I'm Born! (2007) Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros
Kamen Rider Kiva (2008–2009) - Kamen Rider Kiva, Garulu, Kamen Rider Dark Kiva
Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka (2008) - Kamen Rider Den-O, Kamen Rider Kiva, Momotaros
Kamen Rider Kiva: King of the Castle in the Demon World (2008) - Kamen Rider Kiva, Garulu
Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown (2008) - Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form, Momotaros, Kamen Rider NEW Den-O
Kamen Rider Decade (2009) - Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form, Momotaros
Kamen Rider G (2009) - Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight (2008-2009) - Kamen Rider Dragon Knight
Cho Kamen Rider Den-O & Decade Neo Generations: The Onigashima Warship (2009) - Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros, Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker (2009) - Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider Double, Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros, Riderman, Kamen Rider X, Skyrider
Kamen Rider W (2009–2010) - Kamen Rider Double, Kamen Rider Joker
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010 (2009) - Kamen Rider Double, Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider The Movie: Cho-Den-O Trilogy (2010) - Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros, Kamen Rider NEW Den-O
Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate (2010) - Kamen Rider Double, Kamen Rider Joker, Kamen Rider OOO
Kamen Rider OOO (2010–2011) - Kamen Rider OOO
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider OOO & W feat. Skull: Movie War Core (2010) - Kamen Rider OOO, Kamen Rider Double
OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders (2011) - Kamen Rider OOO, Kamen Rider Den-O, Momotaros
Kamen Rider W Returns: Kamen Rider Accel (2011) - Kamen Rider Double
Kamen Rider W Returns: Kamen Rider Eternal (2011) - Kamen Rider Double
Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful: The Shogun and the 21 Core Medals (2011) - Kamen Rider OOO, Kamen Rider Fourze, Kamen Rider Birth (Eiji Hino)
Kamen Rider Fourze (2011–2012) - Kamen Rider Fourze
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max (2011) - Kamen Rider OOO, Kamen Rider Fourze, Kamen Rider Double, Kamen Rider Joker
Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen (2012) - Kamen Rider Fourze, Kamen Rider OOO, Momotaros/Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form
Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Everyone, Space is Here! (2012) - Kamen Rider Fourze, Kamen Rider Wizard
Kamen Rider Wizard (2012-2013) - Kamen Rider Wizard
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Wizard & Fourze: Movie War Ultimatum (2012) - Kamen Rider Wizard, Kamen Rider Fourze
Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z (2013) - Kamen Rider Wizard
Kamen Rider Wizard in Magic Land (2013) - Kamen Rider Wizard
Kamen Rider Gaim (2013-2014) - Kamen Rider Gaim
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle (2013) - Kamen Rider Gaim, Kamen Rider Wizard
Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai (2014) - Kamen Rider Gaim
Kamen Rider Drive (2014-2015) - Kamen Rider Drive
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle (2014) - Kamen Rider Gaim, Kamen Rider Drive
Kamen Rider Ghost (2015-2016) - Kamen Rider Ghost
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid (2016-2017) - Kamen Rider Ex-Aid (Level 2 and above)
Kamen Rider Build (2017-2018) - Kamen Rider Build
Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018-2019) - Kamen Rider Zi-O, Momotaros, Kamen Rider Decade (Episode 48)
Rider Time: Kamen Rider Ryuki (2019) - Kamen Rider Zi-O
Kamen Rider Zero-One (2019 - 2020): Kamen Rider Horobi, Kamen Rider Ark-Zero (episodes 36-37), Kamen Rider Ark-One (episode 42)
Kamen Rider: Reiwa The First Generation (2019) - Kamen Rider Ichi-Gata, Kamen Rider Horobi
Kamen Rider Zero-One: REAL×TIME (2020) - Kamen Rider Horobi

Non-suit Actor Roles

Kamen Rider Ryuki
- Episode 7 (2002) - Black-suited man
Kamen Rider Ryuki: Ryuki vs. Kamen Rider Agito (2002) - Kamen Rider Agito (voice)
Kamen Rider 555
- Episode 1 (2003) - Smart Brain Scientist
Kamen Rider Blade
- Episode 9 (2004) - Gang member
- Episode 49 (2005) - Jacaranda customer
Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace (2004) - Security guard
Kamen Rider Kabuto
- Episode 41 (2006) - Policeman
Kamen Rider Kiva: King of the Castle in the Demon World (2008) - Policeman
Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders Super Spin-off (2009) - Himself
Kamen Rider OOO
- Episode 15 (2010) - Transporter Driver
Kamen Rider Fourze the Net Edition: Everyone, Class is Here! (2012) - Himself
Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai (2014) - Construction worker
Kamen Rider Ghost (2016) - Gyro
Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018-2019) - Sougo Tokiwa (Previous Timeline)
Rider Time: Kamen Rider Ryuki (2019) - Biker

Notes

Because of his role as the suit-actor for the main primary Heisei Riders, fans have given him the nicknames: "Mr. Kamen Rider" (ミスター仮面ライダー, Misutā Kamen Raidā) and "Mr. Heisei Rider" (ミスター平成ライダー, Misutā Heisei Raidā).

External Links

Agency Profile
Seiji Takaiwa at Wikipedia
Seiji Takaiwa at RangerWiki
Seiji Takaiwa at Metal Heroes Wiki