Takeuchi Kazuo

## Kamen Rider R1

**Takeuchi Kazuo** is a journalist for the Paragon Times who transforms into **Kamen Rider R1** (Short for "Revision One") to fight against the various villain organizations of Paragon City, and the mechanical Robokaijin.

## History

### Becoming Kamen Rider R1

Kazuo goes to a game store in Skyway City holding a publicity event, so that he can write an article about it. When the event is attacked by a mysterious mechanical monster called a Robokaijin, Kazuo helps guide the panicking visitors to the back door of the building to escape. An individual attempting to use a belt and rectangular device to fight the Robokaijin fails to activate it, and is quickly knocked away, dropping both items. Kazuo then dives to retrieve them, using the items himself to transform into Kamen Rider R1. With the enhanced power given to him by the R1 Driver, he is able to quickly defeat the Robokaijin.

He is then approached by a representative of an organization called ALTERS, and is offered a position as the official wielder of the R1 Driver, which he accepts.

### Mythic Force

After some time gaining experience fighting as Kamen Rider R1, Kazuo is sent to interview a recently formed super hero team that was presenting themselves in Atlas Park. Upon arrival, they introduced themselves as the Mythic Force Rangers. Kazuo, feeling an opportunity for both himself and the Ranger squad, asked a variety of questions, intending to give them a chance to prove themselves as a team worth paying attention, as they had already gathered a sizable crowd. With his journalistic obligations covered, he followed the Mythic Force on a mission to sate his personal curiosity, transforming to aid them in the battle and revealing himself as a Kamen Rider to the Rangers.

After the 5th Column cell was defeated by the group, Kazuo became friends with the Mythic Force Rangers, trying to be a role model both in their hero work and outside of it.

### Obtaining the R1 Advance Slate

Some time after this, Kazuo is given a new Rider Slate by a technician at ALTERS, only to find that it does not open. Not being given an explanation or reason for its non-functionality, Kazuo brings the problem to the attention of the Mythic Force, and the Mythic Red Ranger, Riley Jaye Scott, offers to have Andrew "Drew" Kim, the Mythic Wyrm Knight, try and fix it. Opening the Slate and comparing it to the original R1 Slate allowed them to discover the seemingly malfunctioning part and fix it. However, attempting to activate the Slate again caused it to manifest a Robokaijin that absorbed the Slate and began a combat trial. Kazuo and the present members of the Mythic Force Rangers, as well as the Red Jade Ranger, Kaleo Souza, transformed to battle the Robokaijin, eventually destroying it with an **R1 Overdrive Kick** followed by a combined blast from the Mythic Force. After retrieving the Slate, it functioned as intended, allowing Kazuo to achieve his potent Advance Form.

**The Rider Renaissance**

Kazuo investigates a local restaurant whose chefs claim that their toaster suddenly came to life and escaped. Looking to determine the authenticity of the claims, he begins to ask employees of other nearby businesses if they saw anything, resulting in him finding Riley at the Juice Bar. Together with Valorie Crowett and a late arrival by Harper Dawson, they manage to locate the toaster, only to find it aggressive, having grown a fanged mouth and breathing fire. It escapes, but Kazuo manages to place a tracker on it. He later tracks it down again and attempts to defeat it, but it turns into what appears to be a Robokaijin, and the fireballs it shoots prove to be too much for him to handle before it escapes, shaking off the tracker in the process. Kazuo reconvenes with the Rangers and Harper the next day, getting healed by Valorie and receiving a call about a number of 'headless machines', actually Mechazoids, attacking the city. The group go and find not only the Mechazoids, but also High Praetor Be'sad, who claims responsibility for the toaster and names it Black Bread.

As more Rangers begin to arrive for the battle, the group is also joined by a man and woman who leap in front of them and transform into an unnamed Kamen Rider and Striker respectively. Though initially bewildered by the sudden arrival of more Riders, Kazuo expresses a desire to witness their talent, and the fight begins. The Riders, aided by Mythic Orange and later the Rabbit Purple Ranger, deal with the swarm of Mechazoids, allowing the Rangers to defeat Black Bread. During the battle, Kat's Morpher resonates with the power output by Kazuo's Advance Slate, changing forms and causing her to morph into a Rider-like state temporarily, causing further surprise in Kazuo. When Black Bread grows massive and threatens to stomp on the heroes, he grabs Kat and pulls her to safety in a nearby building before returning to help finish the battle.

## Powers and Abilities

### Abilities

* **Expert Martial Artist**: Though the R1 Driver enhances the users physical abilities and offers some knowledge of combat arts through the inserted Slate, Kazuo has trained to be able to stand in a fight without it long enough to find an opening to transform. As a result, he can often handle fighting a small number of basic minions by himself, though anything else requires the use of the R1 Driver.
* **Investigative Skill**: Time spent working as a journalist has honed Kazuo's ability to investigate and gather information.

### Weaknesses

* **Rider Slate Locks**: Rider Slates other than the First Revision Rider Slate have unknown requirements that must be met before they can be used. Initially, Kazuo was not given information on what was necessary to activate the Advance Slate, and was only able to make use of it after accidentally triggering and completing the Combat Trial contained within it.

## Kamen Rider R1

* Standard
* Super

* R1
* Advance

**Kamen Rider R1**

The base form of Kamen Rider R1 can be accessed by using the First Revision Rider Slate in the R1 Driver.

As R1's base form, it has average stats, though this is in comparison to the super-powered individuals of Paragon City. It excels in no particular area, though it does have a slightly higher kicking power.

This form has the following finishers:

* **R1 Overdrive Kick**: R1 leaps into the air and delivers a traditional flying side kick to an enemy, with energy from the Rider Slate gathering around his boot and trailing behind him.

**Kamen Rider R1 Advance**

**R1 Advance** is R1's upgrade form accessed by inserting the Advance Rider Slate into the R1 Driver.

Statistically, Advance is a straight upgrade to R1's base form, with higher attack power, durability, and speed. It retains the affinity for kicking power of the base form, but the gap between it and punching power is much greater now.

This form has the following finishers:

* **Advancing Overdrive Kick**: R1 jumps and does a somersaulting kick, dropping his heel down on the enemy with enough force to crack the ground beneath them.

* Super Form
* Final Form

*TBA*

*TBA*

## Equipment

### Devices

* R1 Driver - Transformation device.
* Rider Slate - Transformation trinkets.

### Vehicles

* ReVision Board - A rocket board given to Kazuo by ALTERS in place of a motorcycle, citing the limitations of ground travel. An autopilot function allows Kazuo to summon it from anywhere.

## Relationships

### Allies

#### Rangers

* Mythic Force
	+ Riley Jaye Scott
	+ Mikey Ortiz
	+ Raya Ortiz
	+ Andrew "Drew" Kim
	+ Carolina Murray
	+ Kat O'Connor - Kat in particular was inspired enough by Kazuo's fighting style that her weapon as the Mythic Orange Ranger became a pair of heavy boots to augment her increasingly kick-based fighting style.
	+ Tracy Harper
	+ Eleanor Fletcher
	+ Gavin "Gav" Chase
	+ Harper Dawson
* Galaxy Force
	+ Ms. Mason
* Jeido Sentai (ジェイド戦隊)
	+ Kaleo Souza
	+ Hisako Ueno
	+ Yume Hayasaka

## Behind the Scenes

### Design

* Kamen Rider R1 was designed with elements of all eras of Kamen Rider in mind.
	+ Showa: The relative simplicity of Showa era Riders was much easier to replicate in City of Heroes than the later, more complex designs. As the first Kamen Rider made for Ranger Force canon, R1's red scarf also acts as a visual callback to the original Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider 1.
	+ Heisei: The use of distinct trinkets to obtain different forms began in the Heisei era, with *Kamen Rider Ryuki*.
	+ Reiwa: The Reiwa riders further inspired certain elements of the suit design and Driver functionality, with particular influence from *Kamen Rider Zero-One*, further strengthening the idea of R1 being the first Kamen Rider in Ranger Force canon.