Kamen Rider Amazon

Kamen Rider Amazon (仮面ライダーアマゾン, Kamen Raidā Amazon, Masked Rider Amazon in English) is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. The fourth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider Series, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System. It was the shortest Kamen Rider series ever, lasting only 24 episodes due to the show's heavy amounts of graphic violence, and starred Tōru Okazaki as the title character.

Plot summary

A plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest, leaving young Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto) stranded without his parents. Soon adopted by an Incan tribe, Amazon becomes a wild child, living off the land. However, Amazon's idyllic existence is cut short when Gorgos, the Ten Faced Demon, massacres his village, slaughtering everyone except himself in search for the powerful "GiGi Armlet", which gives the bearer fantastic power. Elder Bago, last of the Incas, gives the GiGi Armlet to Amazon for safekeeping while using his knowledge of Incan science and magic to perform a mystical ceremony on Daisuke, transforming him into the powerful "Kamen Rider Amazon" before he died. Arriving at Japan, Amazon battles Geddon without full knowledge of their reason of pursuing him. Befriending the nephew and niece of Professor Kousaka, Amazon learns the nature of the GiGi Armlet as he defeats Geddon and then the Garanda Empire.

Characters

• Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto)/Kamen Rider Amazon (アマゾン（山本 大介）／仮面ライダーアマゾン, Amazon (Yamamoto Daisuke)/Kamen Raidā Amazon)
• Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, Tachibana Tōbei, 3-24): Ally of the original Kamen Riders. Motorbike specialist. He helps Amazon settle in Japan.
• Masahiko Okamura (岡村 まさひこ, Okamura Masahiko): The nephew of professor Kōsaka and Daisuke's first friend in Japan, helping him in any way he can. At the end of Episode 12, Masahiko begins teaching Amazon to speak coherent Japanese. Masahiko attends Jonan Elementary School.
• Ritsuko Okamura (岡村 りつ子, Okamura Ritsuko): Mashahiko's big sister. At first she doesn't trust Amazon due to bringing Geddon to Japan and causing chaos. After being constantly rescued and helped by Amazon she puts her faith and trust in him.
• Mogura Beastman (モグラ獣人, Mogura Jūjin, 5-20): A mole monster, nicknamed "Mogura", able to burrow underground and prone to chant "chu-chu". Mogura was originally working for Geddon and was sent after Amazon only to fall back due to police interference. After getting a chance to redeem himself, Mogura goes after Masahiko to set a trap for Amazon which ended up with his arm dislocated and many other injuries before he escaped. As a result, Mogura gets exiled to the surface and chained up to die of sun stroke. Amazon, taking pity on the monster, rescues him from his cruel fate. Though confused why, Mogura becomes Amazon's recurring ally until Garanda's Tokyo Mold Destruction Operation, where he faked offering his services to Garanda to take mold. However, Kinoko Beastman expected it and poisoned Mogura, living long enough to make his way to the doctor, but too late to be saved by the newly developed antidote. Soon after avenging him, Amazon builds a memorial in Mogura's honor.
• Elder Bago (長老バゴー, Chōrō Bagō, 1): The chief of the Incas who bestowed the GiGi Armlet to Daisuke before he died.
• Professor Kōsaka (高坂教授, Kōsaka-kyōju, 1): The Okamura siblings' uncle and Bago's acquaintance. He was killed by Geddon because he knew their secret.

Geddon

Geddon (ゲドン, Gedon) is the evil organization based in the Amazon before moving to Japan, bent on world dominion and fueled by human blood.

• Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (十面鬼ゴルゴス, Jūmenki Gorugosu, 1-14): The leader of Geddon, Gorgos' boulder-like lower body holds many faces. He possesses the GaGa Armlet and wishes to acquire the GiGi Armlet Amazon possesses in order to achieve his goal of ruling the world with Incan science. After being forced to abandon his base, Gorgos attacks Yurigaoka and starts slaughtering people with his acidic foam until Amazon arrives and battles him until he is forced to fall back when one of his faces is killed. Falling into Hebitonbo Beastman's trap, Gorgos loses his other faces before Amazon uses his Big Slice to rip off his right arm that was wearing the GaGa Armlet, only for one of Garanda's Black Followers to steal it and give it to Emperor Zero, Gorgos explodes into pieces in the sky and Geddon is defeated.
• Akajusha (赤ジューシャ, Akajūsha, "Red Followers"): Geddon's female foot soldiers, serving as his eyes and ears.

Garanda Empire

The Garanda Empire (ガランダー帝国, Garandā Teikoku) makes its appearance prior to Gorgos's death, taking the Gaga Bracelet for their own use as they go on a campaign of terrorist attacks on Tokyo to make it into their seat of power before going after the rest of the world. Led by the mysterious "Ruler" and stationed underground in trap-filled base, the Garanda Empire also uses Beastmen as their kaijin.

• Ruler (Real Great Emperor Zero) (支配者（真のゼロ大帝）, Shihaisha (Shin no Zero-taitei), 24): The true leader of Garanda and Geddon, wearing silvery white robes that hide his true nature. He makes himself known to Amazon when he destroys the Helium Bomb's detonation system, unmasked as the real Emperor Zero he fights Amazon in his throne room before being impaled with one of his spears and having both his arms cut off. He still refuses to go down quietly, forcing Amazon to use Super Dai Setsudan to behead him, causing him to explode with Garanda's base destroyed in the process.
• Great Emperor Zero (ゼロ大帝, Zero-taitei, 14-24): A Body double who poses for the real Zero, using his lance to execute traitors and failures alike. When Amazon arrives to Garanda's base, Zero negates the GiGi Armlet's powers with his lance as the Helium Bomb is installed. However, once the GaGa Armlet is fused to the GiGi Armlet, Amazon become immune to Zero's power as he loses his arm to the Kamen Rider before he gets impaled by his own pit trap.
• Kurojusha (黒ジューシャ, Kurojūsha, "Black Followers"): The Garanda Empire's foot soldiers.

List of episodes

1. Man or Beast? The Cool Guy Who Came From the Jungle! (人か？野獣か？密林から来た凄い奴！, Hito ka? Yajū ka? Mitsurin Kara Kita Sugoi Yatsu!) (Original Airdate: October 19, 1974)
2. Ten-Faced Demon! God or Devil? (十面鬼！神か？悪魔か？, Jūmenki! Kami ka? Akuma ka?) (Original Airdate: October 26, 1974)
3. The Strong, Naked, Fast Guy! (強くてハダカで速い奴！, Tsuyokute Hadaka de Hayai Yatsu!) (Original Airdate: November 2, 1974)
4. Run! The Raging Jungler (走れ！怒りのジャングラー, Hashire! Ikari no Jangurā) (Original Airdate: November 9, 1974)
5. The Weirdo Who Came From Underground!! (地底から来た変なヤツ！！, Chitei Kara Kita Hen na Yatsu!!) (Original Airdate: November 16, 1974)
6. The Inca Rope-Pattern Writing Mystery!! (インカ縄文字の謎！！, Inka Nawa Moji no Nazo!!) (Original Airdate: November 23, 1974)
7. Melt! Melt! The Terrifying Snake Beastman (とける！とける!恐怖のヘビ獣人, Tokeru! Tokeru! Kyōfu no Hebi Jūjin) (Original Airdate: November 30, 1974)
8. The Crocodile Beastman Who Attacked the School (学校を襲ったワニ獣人, Gakkō o Osotta Wani Jūjin) (Original Airdate: December 7, 1974)
9. Go, Amazon! The Crab Beastman's Island! (ゆけアマゾン！カニ獣人の島へ!, Yuke Amazon! Kani Jūjin no Shima e!) (Original Airdate: December 14, 1974)
10. Black Cat Beastman Aiming at the Nursery School! (黒ネコ獣人保育園をねらう！, Kuro Neko Jūjin Hoikuen o Nerau!) (Original Airdate: December 21, 1974)
11. The Golden Snail's the Reaper's Envoy!? (金色のカタツムリは死神の使い！？, Kin'iro no Katatsumuri wa Shinigami no Tsukai!?) (Original Airdate: December 28, 1974)
12. Seen! Geddon's Beastman Modification Room (見た！ゲドンの獣人改造室！！, Mita! Gedon no Jūjin Kaizōshitsu) (Original Airdate: January 4, 1975)
13. Approaching! Ten-Faced Demon! Danger, Amazon!! (迫る！十面鬼！危うしアマゾン！！, Semaru! Jūmenki! Ayaushi Amazon!!) (Original Airdate: January 11, 1975)
14. The Ten-Faced Demon Dies! And a New Enemy? (十面鬼死す！そして新しい敵？, Jūmenki Shisu! Soshite Atarashii Teki?) (Original Airdate: January 18, 1975)
15. He Came Forth! The Terrible Great Emperor Zero (出たぞ！恐怖のゼロ大帝, Deta zo! Kyōfu no Zero-taitei) (Original Airdate: January 25, 1975)
16. Garander's Tokyo Sea of Flames Operation!! (ガランダーの東京火の海作戦！！, Garandā no Tōkyō Hi no Umi Sakusen!!) (Original Airdate: February 1, 1975)
17. Mt. Fuji Big Explosion? The Tokyo Fry Pan Operation (富士山大爆発？東京フライパン作戦！, Fujisan Dai Bakuhatsu? Tōkyō Furaipan Sakusen!) (Original Airdate: February 8, 1975)
18. Zero's Terror! The Massive Earthquake Operation!! (ゼロの恐怖！大地震作戦！！, Zero no Kyōfu! Ōjishin Sakusen!!) (Original Airdate: February 15, 1975)
19. Going into Action, The Garander Youth Squad (出動、ガランダー少年部隊, Shutsudō, Garandā Shōnen Butai) (Original Airdate: February 22, 1975)
20. Mole Beastman's Last Activity!! (モグラ獣人最後の活躍！！, Mogura Jūjin Saigo no Katsuyaku!!) (Original Airdate: March 1, 1975)
21. Cannibal Beastman to Eat the Frozen Rider (冷凍ライダーを食べる人食い獣人！, Reitō Raidā o Taberu Hitokui Jūjin) (Original Airdate: March 8, 1975)
22. Inca Doll's Day to Annihilate Greater Tokyo (インカ人形大東京全滅の日！？, Inka Ningyō Dai Tōkyō Zenmetsu no Hi!?) (Original Airdate: March 15, 1975)
23. Imitation Riders vs. Amazon Rider! (にせライダー対アマゾンライダー！, Nise Raidā Tai Amazon Raidā!) (Original Airdate: March 22, 1975)
24. You Did It, Amazon!! The End of Great Emperor Zero!! (やったぞアマゾン！ゼロ大帝の最後！！, Yatta zo Amazon! Zero-taitei no Saigo!!) (Original Airdate: March 29, 1975)

Movie

The Kamen Rider Amazon movie is a theatrical version of episode 16, depicting Gengoro Beastman's attempt to execute Garanda's Tokyo Sea of Flame plan.

S.I.C. Hero Saga

The S.I.C. Hero Saga story for Amazon as published in the May through July 2004 issues of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine is titled Masked Rider Amazon Edition: Pre-Stage (MASKED RIDER AMAZON -プレ・ステージ-, Kamen Raidā Amazon Pure Sutēji). It serves as a prologue to the Amazon series, and features the original characters Pre-Amazon (プレ・アマゾン, Pure Amazon), the Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (Complete) (十面鬼ゴルゴス（完全体）, Jūmenki Gorugosu (Kanzentai)), Kitty (キティ, Kiti), and the Jungler (Bago Production) (ジャングラー（バゴー製作）, Jangurā (Bagō Seisaku)).

Chapter titles

1. Human-Faced Stone (人面岩, Jinmen'iwa)
2. Meteorite (隕石, Inseki)
3. Armlet (腕輪, Udewa)

Kamen Rider Amazons

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Kamen Rider Series, Toei and Amazon.com collaborated on an original Amazon Video series titled Kamen Rider Amazons (仮面ライダーアマゾンズ, Kamen Raidā Amazonzu), serving as a reimagining of Kamen Rider Amazon in a modern setting.

Cast

• Tōru Okazaki as Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto)
• Akiji Kobayashi as Tōbei Tachibana
• Yōji Matsuda as Masahiko Okamura
• Mariko Matsuoka as Ritsuko Okamura
• Ryūji Saikachi as Mogura Beastman/Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (human rock face) (voice)
• Ushio Akashi as Elder Bago
• Ritsuo Sawa as Ten-Faced Demon Gorgos (voice)
• Hirohisa Nakata as Great Emperor Zero
• Osamu Saka as The Ruler of Garanda Empire (voice)
• Gorō Naya as Narrator

Songs

Opening theme

• "Amazon Rider Koko ni Ari" (アマゾンライダーここにあり, Amazon Raidā Koko ni Ari, "Amazon Rider is Here")
  • Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon

Ending theme

• "Amazon Da-Da-Da!!" (アマゾンダダダ!!)
  • Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai
  • Episodes: 1-14 (1st Verse); 15-24 (2nd Verse)

References