Kamen Rider V3


 * For the lead character V3, see Shiro Kazami

Kamen Rider V3 (仮面ライダーV3), Masked Rider V3 or Masked Rider Version 3 in English, is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is the second installment in the popular 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. This is also the first Kamen Rider show that is officially available on DVD in the west with English subtitles through JN Productions' Generation Kikaida.

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"

Hiroshi Miyauchi, who portrays main character Shiro Kazami, also sings the opening theme. Following the success of V3, Miyauchi starred in several tokusatsu series, such as Himitsu Sentai Goranger, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, Kaiketsu Zubat, Tokkei Winspector, Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain and Chouriki Sentai Ohranger.

The meaning for Kamen Rider V3's name was never clearly depicted in the series. The first meaning suggested it was a pun because both Ichigō and Nigō used their powers to energize V3's belt during Shirō Kazami surgery, making him more powerful than its predecessors. It was explained in some sources that the V stood for Victory, but never in the show itself. However, in the 2007 remake movie Kamen Rider The Next, V3's belt explains it stands for "Version 3" Kamen Rider.

Plot
One night, Shirou 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 Shirou'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 atttempt, a Destron soldier, disguised as a doctor, tried to put a poison shot in Shirou, 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 Shirou, who was heading home on his motorcycle, but Shirou didn't see the Destron soldiers. Surprised, Junko fainted and Shirou took her home. While Junko was being taken care of by Shirou'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 Shirou, but is stopped by Shirou'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 Shirou 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 get caught in a trap. Shirou shows up and saves their lives, but gets injured in the process. The Riders had no choice but to turn Shirou into a cyborg. When the Riders were attacked, and almost killed, by Kame Bazooka, Shirou shows up as Kamen Rider V3. Now, Shirou uses his new power to protect mankind against Destron.

Shiro Kazami and Allies

 * Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛): Shirou's mentor and advisor. This character appeared in the original Kamen Rider series and also appeared in later Kamen Rider series.
 * Junko Tama (珠 純子): A young woman who has a crush on Shirou. Shirou is aware of her crush, but refuses to let her get close to him, to protect her, because he lives such a dangerous life. Despite this, she assists Shiro, often watching the communications station, and eventually becomes a close friend to Shirou. She often enters into dangerous situations, requiring V3 to rescue her.
 * Shigeru Tama (珠 シゲル): Junko's kid brother and a member of the Boys' Kamen Rider Squad. He sometimes acts as Shiro's liaison with the Shonen Rider Scouts.
 * Ken Sakuma (佐久間 ケン): A Destron Hunter, from Interpol, who helps V3 for a few episodes. He is Destron Hunter no. 5, and is the last surviving Destron hunter.

Destron
Destron (デストロン) is an international organization bent on conquering the world with terrorist acts, Destron was formed under the Lead of the mysterious Great Leader by surviving members of Gel-Shocker. Although Destron had branches in every country and sought to dominate the entire planet, its main headquarters was in Japan which Destron focused it attention on. Initially the kaijin of the Mechanical Army followed the orders of the unseen High Destron without any direct supervision, but after repeated failures of the kaijin High Destron summoned Doctor G from Destron's German Division to take charge of the day to day operations of Destron's Japanese Division. Strange that although Destron used the scorpion as its symbol it had no scorpion monsters.


 * Great Leader of Destron (デストロン首領) (Except for the last few episodes, he was not seen. Only his voice was heard) - In the earliest episodes he led directly; later he let one of his generals lead for him. His cyborgs are patterned after a combination of a manmade object and an animal (such as Camera Mosquito or Bazooka Turtle). In the last few episodes, he appeared in person for brief periods of time, but he wore a robe with a hood which hid all of his features. When his robe was pulled, a man with his head covered by white bandages and a smiling mask was revealed, but he quickly escaped. In the final episode, he was revealed to be a monstrous skeleton with a living heart, calling himself God of Death. V3 destroyed the monster's heart, apparently killing him, just to hear his voice again, from a tape player inside the skeleton's head. He congratulates V3 for finding his true form, but reveals that V3 would die alongside himself. Immediately afterwards, the Destron headquarters self destructed, but V3 escaped.
 * Doktor G (ドクトルG) / Kani Laser (カニレーザー) - Destron's first general in a knight armor from Germany in charge of Japan. He wields a battle axe, a short sword, and a knife. In the comics, his scorpion-shaped helmet could transform into a deadly scorpion, but this didn't happen on TV. Most of his monsters are cyborgs that are the same type as Destron Leader's cyborgs. Pronounced his enemy's name "Kamen Raaaaida V3!". After numerous failures, Doktor G summoned the spirits of his dead, evil warriors to transform him into Crab Laser for his final battle with Kamen Rider V3. Despite putting up a heroic battle, he was destroyed by V3's V3 Tailspin Return Kick.
 * Baron Kiba (キバ男爵) / Vampiric Mammoth (吸血マンモス) - The leopard-skin wearing witch doctor from Africa, second general of Destron, and leader of the Fang Clan. He wields a spear which could fire explosion charges. His powers are magical in origin. The monsters in his Fang Tribe are mutated forms of wild animals with fangs or tusks that are empowered through blood sacrifices of innocent victims by Baron Kiba. After his Fang Tribe was wiped out by Kamen Rider V3, Baron Fang later called on the spirits of Doovoo to give him the power to transform into the Vampiric Mammoth so that he could take revenge on V3 in his final battle. He was destroyed by V3's V3 Revolving Triple Kick.
 * Archbishop Tsubasa (ツバサ大僧正) / Zombie Bat (死人コウモリ) - The robe-wearing general from Tibet. The monsters in his Wing Unit are all mutated versions of flying animals with the exception of one plant monster. He wields a bird-headed spiked staff. Archbishop Tsubasa later takes on his true form called Zombie Bat in his final battle with Kamen Rider V3. He was destroyed by V3's V3 Mach Kick. Marshal Armor later revived Archbishop Tsubasa's Zombie Bat form in order to ambush Kamen Rider V3. He was defeated by V3 with several punches.
 * Marshal Yoroi (ヨロイ元帥) / Zariganna (ザリガーナ) - Destron's final general in plated armor who comes from Mongolia. Most of his monsters in his Armored Division are mutated versions of armored animals. He wields an oversized spiked mace in one hand and practices dark magic. Pronounces Destron as "Deeestron". He frames scientist Joji Yuki for treason, fearing his position in Destron is in jeopardy, creating a rival in Riderman. Marshal Yoroi became Zariganna in his final battle against Kamen Rider V3. After being defeated by Kamen Rider V3 and despite surviving the encounter, Zariganna was destroyed by the Great Leader of Destron for failing. In Kamen Rider Spirits, he's restored in a new Crab Inhumanoid body and seeks to eliminate his former rival Riderman. He was ultimately destroyed by Riderman's Machine Gun Arm.

Special guest stars

 * Kamen Rider 1/Takeshi Hongō from Kamen Rider
 * Kamen Rider 2/Hayato Ichimonji from Kamen Rider
 * Colonel Zol from Kamen Rider
 * Doctor Shinigami from Kamen Rider
 * Ambassador Hell from Kamen Rider
 * General Black from Kamen Rider

Movies

 * 1973: Kamen Rider V3: Movie version for episode 2.

During a battle against Destron's forces, Shiro Kazami helps a priest who has been attacked by the evil organization's kaijin Hasami-Jaguar. Little does he know that the church where the priest resides is a front for a Destron hideout. After finding out the organization's latest motive, Kamen Rider V3, along with the Double Riders, must stop Destron from detonating a nuclear bomb in Tokyo.


 * 1973: Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants

A physicist named Tetsuo Okita discovers a new mineral called "Satanium," which is more powerful than uranium and emits destructive effects to anyone exposed to it. However, Destron abducts Okita in hopes of finding the source of Satanium and collecting more of it to expedite their run for global domination. Kamen Rider V3 must act fast in rescuing Professor Okita and preventing Destron from collecting more of the deadly mineral.

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).


 * Chapter titles
 * 1) God Station (神ステーション)
 * 2) Attachment (アタッチメント)
 * 3) Destron Rider (デストロンライダー)
 * 4) Jōji Yūki (結城丈二)

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

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.

Cast

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

Songs

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


 * Ending themes
 * "Shōnen Kamen Rider Tai no Uta" (少年仮面ライダー隊の歌)
 * Lyrics: Saburo Yatsude (八手 三郎)
 * Composer: Shunsuke Kikuchi
 * Vocals: Ichirou Mizuki and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai (コロムビアゆりかご会)
 * Episodes: 1-42
 * "Hashire Hurricane" (走れハリケーン)
 * Lyrics: Sukeo Nōmi (能見 佐雄)
 * Composer: Shunsuke Kikuchi
 * Vocals: Masato Shimon and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai
 * Episodes: 43-52
 * Episodes: 43-52