Akiji Kobayashi

, sometimes credited as Shōji Kobayashi, was a Japanese actor who played Tobei Tachibana ("Oya-san") in the early years of the Kamen Rider Series, starting in the original Kamen Rider in 1971 to Kamen Rider Stronger in 1975. Before Kamen Rider, he was best known for portraying the role of in the 1966-1967 television series, .
In 1993, Kobayashi returned to voice an animated version of his character in Kamen Rider SD: Strange!? Man Spider, making him the only actor in the movie to reprise his original role. This was Kobayashi's final contribution to the Kamen Rider franchise.
Kobayashi died of lung cancer in Yokohama at the age of 65.
==Partial filmography==
* 1962 - Harakiri (Seppuku)
* 1963 - Youth of the Beast (Yaju no seishun)
* 1965 - Etsuraku
* 1966 - as 
* 1970 - Buraikan
* 1971 - Kamen Rider, Return of Ultraman
* 1973 - Kamen Rider V3
* 1974 - Kamen Rider X
* 1974 - Kamen Rider Amazon
* 1975 - Kamen Rider Stronger
* 1976 - 
* 1972 - Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
* 1979 - Moero Attack
* 1979 - Immortal Kamen Rider Special
* 1980 - Shogun Assassin
* 1981 - Kofuku
* 1981 - Yuki
* 1988 - Kamen Norida
* 1990 - Best Guy
* 1991 - 
* 1993 - 
* 1996 - 
* 1996 - (cameo)
==External links==
*Akiji Kobayashi at Wikipedia
* at Wikizilla
* Oyassan: Tachibana, Tobei, fansite
Kobayashi, Akiji
Category:Singers
Category:Deceased Cast and Crew