Five Riders vs. King Dark

A movie for Kamen Rider X

## Episode Guide

***Five Riders vs. King Dark*** (五人ライダー対キングダーク, *Gonin Raidā tai Kingu Dāku*), tentatively titled ***Kamen Rider vs. King Dark*** (仮面ライダー対キングダーク, *Kamen Raidā tai Kingu Dāku*), is the second movie based off the *Kamen Rider* series, *Kamen Rider X*. It unites the first five Kamen Riders.

## Overview

*Five Riders vs. King Dark* is the sole original theatrical work accompanying the TV series *Kamen Rider X*. Earlier in March of 1974, the third episode was trimmed to Cinemesco size and screened as part of the spring box office at Toei Manga Festival. Although the central hero of this movie is indeed Kamen Rider X, the name of a specific Kamen Rider is not attached to the title for the first time in the *Kamen Rider Series*.

In the year of production, 1974 (Showa 49), the "henshin boom" caused by *Kamen Rider* had passed its peak and *Mazinger Z*, produced by Toei Animation for Fuji Television, represented a new exciting phenomenon for young audiences, giant robot animation. As a result, the giant robot King Dark was introduced in the *X* TV series as the leader of G.O.D.. This film reflects the process of conversion as the series' antagonists changed from Shinwakaijin (Mythical Monsters) under Apollo Geist and the G.O.D. Secret Police, to the Akuninkaijin (Villain Monsters) led by King Dark. Chiko and Mako feature as supporting characters.

*Five Riders vs. King Dark* was screened with *Mazinger Z vs Great General of Darkness* as part of the "Play with Finger 5! Toei Manga Festival". Reflecting the trend of the times, *Mazinger* dominated the combined theatrical poster.

In succession, guest appearances are made by the first four Kamen Riders. Having returned to Japan, it is explained that #1 has been in New York, #2 in Paris, V3 in Moscow, while Riderman returns from Tahiti. Though Riderman was previously established as having been seemingly killed at the climax of *X's* preceeding series, *Kamen Rider V3*, this film shows Riderman had survived, leading the way for his numerous reprisals. Notably, Riderman, as the fourth Kamen Rider, introduces himself as "Kamen Rider 4", the name given to him by V3 upon his presumed death.

The past four Riders mostly appear post-henshin; only appearing in human form as they transform at the strange castle. This transformation is composed of archive footage depicting Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 (Hiroshi Fujioka) and Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2 (Takeshi Sasaki) from the 1972 film *Kamen Rider vs. Shocker*, Shiro Kazami/Kamen Rider V3 (Hiroshi Miyauchi) as seen in the 1973 film *Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants*, and the stock transformation sequence of Joji Yuki/Riderman (Takehisa Yamaguchi) from the *Kamen Rider V3* TV series. Curiously, the sound effect used for Hongo's transformation is completely different to the iconic sound used prior and since.

Uniquely, Rider 2, while performing his Rider Kick, calls out "#2 Rider Kick!" and later "Rider #2 Kick!". Riderman is seen with the Power Arm on his left arm, as opposed to his cybernetic right arm, during his fight against Neptune. During the final battle, he is not seen to wear a Cassette Arm at all.

In regards to action scenes, trampoline jumping was performed with the desired effect being achieved with the indoor horizon background against rainy weather. Depending on the cut, the celling of the studio is reflected. The composition of the drama is reversed, and G.O.D.'s "Drought Operation" was never specifically drawn.

Before the premiere, a big "tie-up" event was held at the Isetan Shinjuku store.

In the following year, theatrical releases of succeeding series *Kamen Rider Amazon* and *Kamen Rider Stronger* would be screened as part of the Toei Manga Festival in spring and summer, having been respectfully "blown-up" from *Amazon's* sixteenth episode and *Stronger's* seventh episode. *Five Riders vs. King Dark* would be the last original theatrical production of *Kamen Rider Series* for six years before being ultimately followed by *Kamen Rider: Eight Riders vs. Galaxy King*, attached to *Kamen Rider (Skyrider)*, which was released in spring of 1980.

## Synopsis

During a motocross practice, Keisuke Jin is ambushed by two Myth Cyborgs created by a secret organization that's attempting to control Japan, G.O.D. He transforms into Kamen Rider X, but little does he know that his battle is recorded and analyzed by King Dark, G.O.D.'s commander, to create a super cyborg. Other G.O.D. cyborgs are attacking all over Tokyo and in the middle of the crisis, the original four Riders return to Japan from different countries around the world. The five Riders unite to lead a counter attack against G.O.D. and fight its newest monster.

## Characters

### Villains

* G.O.D.
	+ King Dark
	+ G.O.D. Kaijin
		- Akuninkaijin
			* Neptune
			* Pannic
			* Hercules
			* Medusa
			* Cyclops
			* Icarus
			* Atlas
			* Mach Achilles
			* Prometheus
			* Hydra
			* Chimera
			* Ulysses
			* Chronos
			* Cerberus
			* Alseides
			* Cadeus
		- Shinwakaijin
			* Ghengis Khan-Condor
			* Toad-Goemon
			* Franken Bat (movie-exclusive)

## Continuity and Placement

Its placement isn't clear. Presumably, it takes place after episode 27, Special Edition, Full Force of Five Riders!!, which shows one of the spy cameras featured in the movie and V3's first meeting with G.O.D. forces, with Tachibana explaining them to him as villains similar to Destron. However, in episode 33, Hayato and Keisuke don't recognize each other, although Hayato apparently knew about X Rider already. They never meet each other while untransformed in the movie, which might explain that situation. This is also Joji Yuki's return, and although the characters question where he was, his presumed death is never mentioned.

## Cast

*Movie credit order*
* Keisuke Jin (神 敬介, *Jin Keisuke*) / Kamen Rider X (仮面ライダーX, *Kamen Raidā Ekkusu*, Voice): Ryo Hayami (速水 亮, *Hayami Ryō*)
* Mako (マコ, *Mako*): Miyuki Hayata (早田 みゆき, *Hayata Miyuki*)
* Chiko (チコ, *Chiko*): Chisako Kosaka (小坂 チサ子, *Kosaka Chisako*)
* Masaru (マサル, *Masaru*):
* Etsuko (エツ子, *Etsuko*):
* Masaru's father (マサルの父, *Masaru no Chichi*):
* Masaru's mother (マサルの母, *Masaru no Haha*):
* King Dark (キングダーク, *Kingu Dāku*, Voice): Fumio Wada (和田 文夫, *Wada Fumio*)
* Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, *Tachibana Tōbee*): Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二, *Kobayashi Akiji*)

### Uncredited

* Kamen Rider #1 (仮面ライダー1号, *Kamen Raidā Ichigō*, Voice): Hiroshi Fujioka (藤岡 弘, *Fujioka Hiroshi*)
* Kamen Rider #2 (仮面ライダー2号, *Kamen Raidā Nigō*, Voice): Takeshi Sasaki (佐々木 剛, *Sasaki Takeshi*)
* Kamen Rider V3 (仮面ライダーＶ３, *Kamen Raidā Bui Surī*, Voice): Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内 洋, *Miyauchi Hiroshi*)
* Riderman (ライダーマン, *Raidāman*, Voice): Kazuo Hayashi (林 一夫, *Hayashi Kazuo*)

## Songs

*All songs were composed and arranged by Shunsuke Kikuchi.*
* *Set Up! Kamen Rider X* (From *Kamen Rider X*)
	+ Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
	+ Artist: Ichiro Mizuki

Used as opening and insert song.
* *Let's Go!! Rider Kick* (From *Kamen Rider*)
	+ Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
	+ Artist: Koji Fuji
* *Tatakae! Kamen Rider V3* (From *Kamen Rider V3*)
	+ Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
	+ Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
* *Kaettekuru Rider* (from *Kamen Rider*)
	+ Lyrics: Mari Takizawa
	+ Artist: Masato Shimon

Used as ending theme.
In addition, the instrumental of *Rider Sanka* and *X Rider Action* is used as background music.

## Hanuman and the Five Riders

 File:Hanuman and the Five Riders.jpg
Main article: Hanuman and the Five Riders
***Hanuman and the Five Riders*** (หนุมาน พบ 5 ไอ้มดแดง - *Hanuman pob Har Aimoddaeng* - literally "Hanuman and the Five Ant Men") is a tokusatsu superhero film produced in 1974 by Chaiyo Productions of Thailand. Chaiyo's own Kamen Rider film, half of it uses footage from the *Five Riders vs. King Dark*. Although it has never been released in Japan, Kamen Rider fans in Japan refer to it unofficially as ***Hanuman and the 5 Kamen Riders*** (ハヌマーンと5人の仮面ライダー, *Hanumān to Gonin no Kamen Raidā*).

The film teamed the first five Kamen Riders with the Hindu god Hanuman (fresh from his appearance in *The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army*) against X's adversary King Dark (who appears in his regular giant moving statue form and alternately in a human-sized one), who drinks the fresh blood of young women. He captures a scientist and his girlfriend and threatens to drain her of her blood unless he use his technology to create an army of mutant animal men to confront the five Riders.

Unlike Chaiyo's two official co-productions with Tsuburaya Productions in 1974 (namely *The 6 Ultra Brothers Vs. the Monster Army*and *Jumborg Ace & Giant*), this production was unauthorized by Toei Company, Ltd., which produced the Kamen Rider shows. Chaiyo had initially approached Toei, who turned down their plans for producing their own Kamen Rider movie.

## Notes

 File:X with Rider 2 and V3.jpg
* This is the only real appearance of Kamen Rider #1 and Riderman during the run of *Kamen Rider X*, as only Rider #2 and V3 appeared in the series. However, there's new footage of them fighting in episode 27 through a story told by Tachibana to children.
* Hiroshi Fujioka and Takeshi Sasaki reprised their roles as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider #1 and Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider #2 respectively in this movie, before going on to be absent from the films of the franchise until *OOO, Den-O, All Riders: Let's Go Kamen Riders* (2011), almost 36 years later. This movie also marks, even today, the last movie appearance of Hayato Ichimonji in his human form, although it was done by reusing footage from earlier features. In the tv series, Hongo and Ichimonji would also appear in the penultimate and final episodes of *Kamen Rider Stronger*.
	+ Hiroshi Fujioka would only return in the flesh as Takeshi Hongo along with Ryo Hayami as Keisuke Jin in *Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai* 40 years later.
* Joji Yuki refers to himself as "Kamen Rider No. 4" in the movie.
* Footage from this movie was featured in the 1988 TV special *Kamen Rider 1 Through RX: Big Gathering*, which served as a recap of the ten veteran Kamen Riders up to *Kamen Rider Black RX*.
* *Five Riders vs. King Dark* was originally released on VHS on July 21, 2000.

## Digital Releases

* The DVD Release of *Kamen Rider: The Movie* Volume 2 features *Kamen Rider V3* (film), *Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants*, *Kamen Rider X* (film) and *Five Riders vs. King Dark*.
* The Blu-ray Release of *Kamen Rider: The Movie* Volume 1 features *Kamen Rider Vs. Shocker*, *Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell*, *Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants* & *Five Riders vs. King Dark*.
* *Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants* is included in *Kamen Rider: The Movie* Blu-ray Box 1972-1988, a Blu-ray compilation boxset of Showa Rider movies.

Kamen Rider The Movie Vol 2.jpg*Kamen Rider: The Movie* Volume 2, DVD cover.Rider Movies Volume 1.jpg*Kamen Rider: The Movie* Volume 1, Blu-ray cover.Kamen Rider The Movie Blu-ray Box.jpg1972-88 Boxset.
## References

1. ↑ 仮面ライダー1971-1984 2014, p. 253, 「キングダーク編準備タイトル」.
2. ↑ 映画大全集 1993, p. 133, 「仮面ライダー劇場用映画作品研究」
3. ↑ Ichiro Mizuki's version, originally recorded as a test take, is used here.
4. ↑ Used in lieu of *Ore wa X X Rider*.
5. ↑ http://www.toei-video.co.jp/DVD/ridermovie.html
6. ↑ http://www.toei-video.co.jp/BD/maskedridermovbdbox.html