Kamen Rider V3

**Kamen Rider V3** (仮面ライダーV3, *Kamen Raidā Buisurī*?, translated as **Masked Rider V3**) is the second entry of the *Kamen Rider Series*, and the direct sequel to the original *Kamen Rider*.

It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and was shown on NET from February 17, 1973, to February 9, 1974, with a total of 52 episodes.

Every episode of *Kamen Rider V3* begins with a statement: *"Kamen Rider V3, Shiro Kazami, is an altered human. Mortally wounded by Destron, he is rebuilt by Kamen Riders 1 and 2, reborn as Kamen Rider V3."*

## Plot

Shiro Kazami accidentally witnesses a murder by the evil organization Destron, making him their next target. In their first attempt, they planted a bomb pebble into his coffee, but the attempt was foiled when Shiro's sister, Yukiko, surprised him, causing him to spill his coffee. In their second attempt, they attacked him while practicing motorcycle racing with Tobei Tachibana. In their third attempt, a Destron soldier, disguised as a doctor, tried to put a poison shot in Shiro, while he was being transported to the hospital (after Destron's second attempt), but Shirou regains consciousness and kills the soldier.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Junko Tama stumbled upon Destron's base. Suddenly, she was attacked by Destron. While trying to escape, she ran into Shiro, who was heading home on his motorcycle, but Shiro didn't see the Destron soldiers. Surprised, Junko fainted and Shiro took her home. While Junko was being taken care of by Shiro's family, Shiro reported her story to the police. When he returned home, he found his family being murdered by the Hasami Jaguar, a jaguar monster with blades for hands. Hasami Jaguar then prepares to kill Junko and Shiro, but is stopped by Shiro's high school teacher, Takeshi Hongo, who transformed into Kamen Rider 1.

Shortly after he drove off the Destron forces, Kamen Rider 2 shows up, but too late. A vengeance-fueled Shiro asked the Riders to turn him into a cyborg, but the Riders refused, explaining to Shiro what would happen if he *did* get turned into a cyborg: he wouldn't be able to live up to his family. Then the Riders asked Junko for the location of the Destron base she stumbled upon earlier. The next day, the Riders infiltrate the base, only to find no one inside until they heard the voice of their old foe, the Great Leader of Gel-Shocker who revealed that the Gel-Shocker Leader was just one of his forms.

To make matters worse he attempted to kill the Double Riders with the Cyborg Disruptor Ray, Until Shiro shows up and saves their lives, but gets injured in the process. The Riders had no choice but to turn Shiro into a cyborg. When the Riders were attacked, and almost killed, by Kame Bazooka, Shiro shows up as Kamen Rider V3. Now, Shiro uses his new power to protect mankind against Destron.

## Characters

### Allies

* Tobei Tachibana
* Junko Tama
* Shigeru Tama
* Tatsuji Kazami
* Aya Kazami
* Yukiko Kazami
* The Boys' Kamen Rider Squad
* Ken Sakuma
* Kamen Riders

### Destron

* Great Leader of Destron
* Doktor G/Kani Laser
* Baron Kiba/Vampiric Mammoth
* Archbishop Tsubasa/Zombie Bat
* Marshal Yoroi/Zariganna
* Colonel Zol
* Doctor Shinigami
* Ambassador Hell
* General Black

## Episodes

*Main article: Kamen Rider V3 Episodes*
1. Rider No. 3: His Name is V3! (ライダー３号 その名はV3！, *Raidā Sangō Sono Na wa Buisurī!*?)
2. Last Testament of the Double Riders (ダブルライダーの遺言状, *Daburu Raidā no Yuigonjō*?)
3. The Execution of V3 (死刑台のV3, *Shikeidai no Buisurī*?)
4. V3's 26 Secrets!? (V3の２６の秘密！？, *Buisurī no Nijūroku no Himitsu!?*?)
5. Snake-Man With a Machinegun! (機関銃を持ったヘビ人間！, *Kikanjū o Motta Hebi Ningen!*?)
6. Enter, Hammer-Jellyfish! V3 Unleash Your Killing Technique!! (ハンマークラゲ出現! 放てV3の必殺わざ！！, *Hanmā Kurage Shutsugen! Hanate Buisurī no Hissatsu-waza!!*?)
7. The Fury of Rider V3's Special Training (ライダーV3 怒りの特訓, *Raidā Buisurī Ikari no Tokkun*?)
8. Watch Out, V3! Beware the Terrifying Buzzsaw (危うしV3！迫る電気ノコギリの恐怖, *Ayaushi Buisurī! Semaru Denki Nokogiri no Kyōfu*?)
9. What is the Destron Hell Squad!? (デストロン、地獄部隊とは何か！？, *Desutoron, Jigoku Butai to wa Nani ka!?*?)
10. Secret of the Double Typhoon (ダブルタイフーンの秘密, *Daburu Taifūn no Himitsu*?)
11. The Claws of Evil Reach Out for V3!! (悪魔の爪がV3をねらう！！, *Akuma no Tsume ga Buisurī o Nerau!*?)
12. Junko Becomes a Mutant's Bride?! (純子が怪人の花嫁に！？, *Junko ga Kaijin no Hanayome ni!?*?)
13. Terrifying Commandant: Doktor G!! (恐怖の大幹部ドクトル・ゲー！, *Kyōfu no Daikanbu Dokutoru Gē!*?)
14. Secret Memento of the Double Riders (ダブルライダー秘密のかたみ, *Daburu Raidā Himitsu no Katami*?)
15. Rider V3's Deadly Weakness!! (ライダーV3 死の弱点！！, *Raidā Buisurī Shi no Jakuten!!*?)
16. The Missile-Carrying Gecko Mutant! (ミサイルを背負ったヤモリ怪人！, *Misairu o Seotta Yamori Kaijin!*?)
17. The Devilspray is the Reaper's Weapon (デビルスプレーは死神の武器, *Debiru Supurē wa Shinigami no Buki*?)
18. V3, Beware the Evil Traitor! (悪魔の裏切り あやうしV3！, *Akuma no Uragiri Ayaushi Buisurī!*?)
19. Blowfish-Apache's Operation: Torpedo!! (ハリフグアパッチの魚雷作戦！！, *Harifugu Apatchi no Gyorai Sakusen!!*?)
20. Operation: Destron Shikoku Conquest (デストロン四国占領作戦, *Desutoron Shikoku Senryō Sakusen*?)
21. The Double Riders Live (生きていたダブルライダー, *Ikiteita Daburu Raidā*?)
22. Camp of Terror: Mystery of the Underground Canal (恐怖のキャンプ！地底運河のなぞ!, *Kyōfu no Kyanpu! Chitei Unga no Nazo!*?)
23. Terror! Vampire From the Graveyard (怪奇！墓場から来た吸血男, *Kaiki! Hakaba Kara Kita Kyūketsu Otoko*?)
24. Mysterious! Cockroach Manor!! (怪奇！ゴキブリ屋敷！！, *Kaiki! Gokiburi Yashiki!!*?)
25. Mysterious!! The Destron Ranger Corps (怪奇！！デストロン、レインジャー部隊, *Kaiki!! Desutoron, Reinjā Butai*?)
26. Mutant Heater-Cicada's Operation: Mummy!! (怪人ヒーターゼミのミイラ作戦, *Kaijin Hītā Zemi no Miira Sakusen*?)
27. Zol, Death, Hell & Black Rise from the Grave (生きかえったゾル・死神・地獄・ブラック, *Ikikaetta Zoru - Shinigami - Jigoku - Burakku*?)
28. The Five Commandants' All-Out Attack!! (五大幹部の総攻撃！, *Go Daikanbu no Sōkōgeki!*?)
29. Doktor G's Final Challenge! (ドクトル・ゲー最後の挑戦！, *Dokutoru Gē Saigo no Chōsen!*?)
30. Doktor G! The True Form of Evil is...? (ドクトル・ゲー！悪魔の正体は？, *Dokutoru Gē! Akuma no Shōtai wa?*?)
31. Enter, Baron Tusk: Commandant of Curses!! (呪いの大幹部キバ男爵出現！！, *Noroi no Daikanbu Kiba-danshaku Shutsugen!!*?)
32. Spectre of Onibi Swamp: Rider Scouts Annihilated!? (鬼火沼の怪 ライダー隊全滅！？, *Onibi Numa no Kai Raidā Tai Zenmetsu!?*?)
33. V3 in Danger! Riders One and Two Return!! (V3危うし！帰ってきたライダー１号、２号！！, *Buisurī Ayaushi! Kaetekita Raidā Ichigō, Nigō!!*?)
34. Critical Moment! Baron Tusk vs. The Three Riders!! (危機一髪！キバ男爵対三人ライダー！！, *Kikiippatsu! Kiba-danshaku Tai Sannin Raidā!!*?)
35. Baron Tusk's Final Transformation (キバ男爵最後の変身, *Kiba-danshaku Saigo no Henshin*?)
36. The Winged Corps: Demons of the Sky (空の魔神 ツバサ軍団, *Sora no Majin Tsubasa Gundan*?)
37. Mysterious Temple: Curse of the Musasabi Clan! (怪しの寺 ムササビ族の呪い！, *Ayashi no Tera Musasabi Zoku no Noroi!*?)
38. Lone V3 and Cub: Deadly Skydiving! (子連れV3 死のスカイダイビング, *Kotsure Buisurī Shi no Sukaidaibingu*?)
39. Terror of the Carnivorous Fauna: Plantaingan!! (人喰い植物 バショウガンの恐怖！！, *Hitokui Shokubutsu Bashōgan no Kyōfu!!*?)
40. Sudden Death! V3 Mach Kick!! (必殺！V3マッハキック！！, *Hissatsu! Buisurī Mahha Kikku!!*?)
41. Oh! People Are Melting! Enter, Marshal Armor (あッ！人間が溶ける！ヨロイ元帥登場, *Ā! Ningen ga Tokeru! Yoroi-gensui Tōjō*?)
42. The Snail-Man's Human Experiments! (カタツムリ人間の人体実験！, *Katatsumari Ningen no Jintaijikken!*?)
43. Friend or Foe? The Mysterious Riderman (敵か味方か？謎のライダーマン, *Teki ka Mikata ka? Nazo no Raidāman*?)
44. V3 Versus Riderman (V3対ライダーマン, *Buisurī Tai Raidāman*?)
45. Destron's Christmas Present (デストロンのＸマスプレゼント, *Desutoron no Ekkusumasu Purezento*?)
46. Riderman, Where Will You Go? (ライダーマンよどこへゆく？, *Raidāman yo Doko e Yuku?*?)
47. Ambush! The Destron Leader!! (待ち伏せ！デストロン首領！！, *Machibuse! Desutoron Shuryō!!*?)
48. Look! The Face of the Destron Leader!! (見た！デストロン首領の顔！！, *Mita! Desutoron Shuryō no Kao!!*?)
49. A Gunshot Rings Out! Shiro Kazami Falls!! (銃声一発！風見志郎倒る！！, *Jūsei Ippatsu! Kazami Shirō Taoru!!*?)
50. A Little Friendship (小さな友情, *Chiisa na Yūjō*?)
51. You are Kamen Rider 4!! (ライダー四号は君だ！！, *Raidā Yongō wa Kimi da!!*?)
52. The Last Day of Destron (デストロン最後の日, *Desutoron Saigo no Hi*?)

**Movies**

1. *Kamen Rider V3* (movie version of episode 2)
2. *Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants*

## Cast

* Shiro Kazami (風見 志郎, *Kazami Shirō*?): Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内　洋, *Miyauchi Hiroshi*?)
* Tobei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, *Tachibana Tōbei*?): Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二, *Kobayashi Akiji*?)
* Junko Tama (珠 純子, *Tama Junko*?): Hizuru Ono (小野 ひずる, *Ono Hizuru*?)
* Shigeru Tama (珠 シゲル, *Tama Shigeru*?): Hideki Kawaguchi (川口 英樹, *Kawaguchi Hideki*?)
* Joji Yuki (結城 丈二, *Yūki Jōji*?): Takehisa Yamaguchi (山口 豪久, *Yamaguchi Takehisa*?) (Played as Satoru Yamaguchi (山口 暁, *Yamaguchi Satoru*?))
* Doktor G (ドクトルＧ, *Dokutoru Gē*?): Jotaro Senba (千波 丈太郎, *Senba Jōtarō*?)
* Baron Kiba (キバ男爵, *Kiba Danshaku*?): Eiji Go (郷 鍈治, *Gō Eiji*?)
* Archbishop Tsubasa (ツバサ大僧正, *Tsubasa Daisōjō*?): Sachio Fujino (富士乃 幸雄, *Fujino Sachio*?)
* Marshal Yoroi (ヨロイ元帥, *Yoroi Gensui*?): Bunya Nakamura (中村 文弥, *Nakamura Bunya*?)
* Ken Sakuma (佐久間 ケン, *Sakuma Ken*?): Ken Kawashima (川島 健, *Kawashima Ken*?)
* Great Leader of Destron (デストロン首領, *Desutoron Shuryō*?, Voice): Goro Naya (納谷 悟郎, *Naya Gorō*?)
* Narrator (ナレーター, *Narētā*?): Shinji Nakae (中江 真司, *Nakae Shinji*?)

### Suit actors

* Kamen Rider V3 (main), Kamen Rider #1: Tetsuya Nakayashiki
* Kamen Rider V3 (episodes 1-2 only), Riderman (stunts): Hiroshi Nakamura
* Riderman: Akatsuki Yamaguchi
* Riderman (stunts): Hiroo Kawarazaki
* Riderman (stunts): Keisuke Chiyoda
* Kamen Rider #1, Riderman (stunts), Monsters: Kazuo Niibori
* Monsters (Squid Fire et al.): Masaru Okada

## Songs

Opening theme
* "Tatakae! Kamen Rider V3" (斗え！仮面ライダーV3, *Tatakae! Kamen Raidā Bui Surī*?, Fight! Kamen Rider V3)
	+ Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
	+ Composer: Shunsuke Kikuchi
	+ Vocals: Hiroshi Miyauchi and The Swingers (ザ・スウィンガーズ, *Za Swingāzu*?)

Ending theme
* "Shonen Kamen Rider Tai no Uta" (少年仮面ライダー隊の歌, *Shōnen Kamen Raidā Tai no Uta*?, Song of the Kamen Rider Boys Squad)
	+ Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude (八手 三郎, *Yatsude Saburō*?)
	+ Composer: Shunsuke Kikuchi
	+ Vocals: Ichiro Mizuki and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai (コロムビアゆりかご会, *Koromubia Yurikago-Kai*?)
	+ Episodes: 1-42

* "Hashire Hurricane" (走れハリケーン, *Hashire Harikēn*?, Run, Hurricane)
	+ Lyrics: Sukeo Nomi (能見 佐雄, *Nōmi Sao*?)
	+ Composer: Shunsuke Kikuchi
	+ Vocals: Masato Shimon and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai
	+ Episodes: 43-52

## Manga

A manga adaptation was made by Mitsuru Sugaya during the run of the series.

## S.I.C. Hero Saga

Published in *Monthly Hobby Japan* magazine from May to August 2003, the S.I.C. Hero Saga story *Masked Rider V3 & Riderman: Riderman Another After* featured an alternate history of Riderman's creation. It featured the new character called the Destron Rider (デストロンライダー, *Desutoron Raidā*?).

Chapter titles
1. God Station (神ステーション, *Kami Sutēshon*?)
2. Attachment (アタッチメント, *Atatchimento*?)
3. Destron Rider (デストロンライダー, *Desutoron Raidā*?)
4. Joji Yuki (結城丈二, *Yūki Jōji*?)

## Kamen Rider The Next

As of 2007, a reimagined Kamen Rider V3 appears in *Kamen Rider The Next*, a movie loosely based on the TV series, following the reboot of the franchise started with 2005 movie *Kamen Rider The First*.

## External links

* *Kamen Rider V3* at Wikipedia
* *Kamen Rider V3* at Japanese Wikipedia
* Generation Kikaida Hawaii Online Store (English)
* Kamen Rider V3 2011 Online Fan Community Page (English)