is a Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese tokusatsu

Tokusatsu

is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....

 television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 series. The fourth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider Series

Kamen Rider Series

The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...

, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System

Mainichi Broadcasting System

is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...

. It was the shortest Kamen Rider series ever, lasting only 24 episodes, and starred Tōru Okazaki as the title character.

Plot summary

A plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...

, 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 "operation" 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

Ally of the original Kamen Riders. Motorbike specialist. He helps Amazon settle in Japan.: The nephew of professor Kōsaka and Daisuke's first friend in Japan, helping him in anyway he can. In Episode 13, it is shown that Masahiko teaches Amazon to speak coherent Japanese. Masahiko attends Jonan Elementary School.: 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.: A mole

Mole (animal)

Moles are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the...

 monster, nicknamed , 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 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.: The chief of the Incas who bestowed the GiGi Armlet to Daisuke before he died.

Geddon

is the evil organization based in the Amazon before moving to Japan, bent on world dominion and fueled by human blood.

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 Yurigo University 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's trap, Gorgos loses his other faces before Amazon uses his Big Slice to rip of his right arm, causing Gorgos to explode into pieces he takes into the air.

Geddon's female foot soldiers, serving as his eyes and ears.

Garanda Empire

The 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.:

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 he fights Amazon in his thrown room before being impaled on his spear 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.: A Body double

Body double

A body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, in shots where the character's body is shown but the face is either not visible or shown indistinctly, or in shots where the image of the credited actor's face is joined,...

 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. - The Garanda Empire's foot soldiers.

List of episodes

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.

Super Imaginative Chogokin

Super Imaginative Chogokin is one of Bandai's popular line-up based on the Kamen Rider franchise and other characters created by Shotaro Ishinomori and his production company. The figures are usually modified and differ from its counterpart as seen in the series...

 Hero Saga story for Amazon as published in the May through July 2004 issues of Monthly Hobby Japan magazine is titled . It serves as a prologue to the Amazon series, and features the original characters , the , , and the .

Chapter titles

Cast

: : : : : : : : : :

Songs

Opening theme

• • Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
    Shotaro Ishinomori
    was a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...
    
    
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
    Shunsuke Kikuchi
    is a prolific Japanese composer from Hirosaki. He specializes in incidental music for media such as television and film.Active since the early 60s, he has been one of Japan's most highly demanded film and TV composers, working principally on tokusatsu and anime productions for children, as well as...
    
    
  • Artist: Masato Shimon
    Masato Shimon
    is a retired Japanese vocalist from Meguro, Tokyo. He is most known for his contributions to the theme songs of various anime and tokusatsu series. In his career, he has sung under the names and . "Masato Shimon" is also his recording name, as he was born with the name...
    
    

Ending theme

• • Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
    Saburo Yatsude
    is a collective pen name used by Toei Company television producers when contributing to their various anime and tokusatsu series, whereas Izumi Todo is solely Toei Animation...
    
    
  • Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai
  • Episodes: 1-14 (1st Verse); 15-24 (2nd Verse)