Kamen Rider Amazon

is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. The fifth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System. It was the shortest Kamen Rider series ever, lasting only 24 episodes, and starred Tōru Okazaki as the title character.

The series is very distinct among the Kamen Rider programmes. See "uniqueness", below.

Plot summary
A plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest, leaving young Daisuke Yamamoto stranded without his parents. Soon adopted by a native tribe, Daisuke becomes a modern day Tarzan, living off the land. However, Daisuke's idyllic existence is cut short when Gorgos, the Ten Faced Demon, massacres his village, slaughtering everyone except himself. Gorgos is seeking the powerful "GiGi Bracelet", which gives the bearer fantastic power. A witch doctor in the village, sensing the trouble, retrieves the bracelet and gives it to Daisuke for safekeeping. He then uses his knowledge of Incan science and magic to perform a mystical "operation" on Daisuke, transforming him into the powerful "Kamen Rider Amazon".

Daisuke then travels to Japan, where he meets a professor who knew his father. Soon, the minions of Gorgos catch up to Daisuke, murdering the professor. During the process, Daisuke saves a young boy named Masahiko, who obliges to teach Amazon (as Masahiko dubs Daisuke) the ways of the world. Amazon soon receives the "Jungler", his Motorcycle. Amazon also partners up with the Mole Beastman, a former henchman of Gorgos, after Amazon rescues him from execution. Together, the two of them face off against Gorgos himself, eventually destroying him in an atomic blast. However, the "GaGa Bracelet", the counterpart of the GiGi, then falls into the hands of the Garanda Empire, led by the ruthless Great Emperor Zero. Amazon continues his fight against evil, eventually toppling the Garanda Empire and retrieving both bracelets.

His mission now complete, Amazon ventures off to travel the world.

Uniqueness
Kamen Rider Amazon is unique among the Kamen Rider series for many reasons. Amazon's design motif is based on a Komodo dragon rather than the more typical suit basis of a Grasshopper, Beetle, or other insect. However, there is some debate to this&mdash;Some fans have speculated that he is in fact modeled upon a Piranha. Additionally, Amazon's Rider Machine, "Jungler", is much more vibrant and exotic than others, featuring "wings" on the back and a "mouth" and "eyes" on the front.

Amazon transforms biologically, rather than simply donning a mask and armor. Artbooks indicate that his anatomy greatly changes. Literal, biological transformations would reappear in Kamen Rider and Shin Kamen Rider. Amazon's Henshin device was an armband, rather than a belt. He did have a type of utility belt in both his human and rider forms, although it had no relevance to his transformation. The series is also the first not to feature one or more previous Riders.

Amazon is also far more violent and brutal than previous series', Both Amazon and his enemies emit blood-like fluids, and Amazon's combat style is much more harsh, severe, and direct than previous Riders. He also occasionally bites his opponents, virtually unheard of in other Kamen Rider series, except perhaps Kamen Rider from Agito. Of all the Showa Kamen Riders, outside of Riderman who is not fully masked, Amazon is the only Kamen Rider who was able to open his mouth during his Rider form.

Other unique aspects of the series include the fact that no previous Rider characters appear in this series; however, the reason can be attributed to the fact that the series was cut down to only 24 episodes. Tōbei Tachibana, the Kamen Rider mentor, did appear in several episodes.

Another important aspect of the programme is the appearance of the Mole Beastman. He first appears in episode 5. The Mole Beastman is a Beastman, sent by Geddon to kill Amazon, who fails his mission. Geddon, displeased with the Mole Beastman's lack of progress, sentences him to death. Amazon, taking pity on the monster, rescues him from his cruel fate. The Mole Beastman appears intermittently throughout the series, until his final appearance in episode 20. He is killed by the Mushroom Beastman and Black Followers, and dies in Amazon's arms. Amazon brutally slaughters the Mushroom Beastman in revenge, and builds a memorial in the Mole Beastman's honor.

In addition to the main actor shouting the henshin cry, Masato Shimon's voice was sampled in a segment from the theme song shouting "A-MA-ZON!!!"

List of episodes


Movie:


 * Kamen Rider Amazon (theatrical version of episode 16)

The Garanda Empire brings out the Diving Beetle Beastman to terrorize Tokyo by blowing up a fireworks factory and a gas station. Amazon races to the scene and defeats the Diving Beetle Beastman, who flees from the battle. Back at Garanda's base, Great Emperor Zero is about to execute the Diving Beetle Beastman for failure to kill Amazon, but the Diving Beetle Beastman explains that he needs energy from sucking human blood, and he has targeted Amazon's friend Ritsuko as his blood source. With the Diving Beetle Beastman fully revitalized, Amazon must stop the Diving Beetle Beastman from destroying a major oil plant and sending all of Tokyo in flames.

Songs

 * Opening theme
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishinomori
 * Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
 * Artist: Masato Shimon
 * Artist: Masato Shimon


 * Ending theme
 * Lyrics: Saburō Yatsude
 * Composition: Shunsuke Kikuchi
 * Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai
 * Artist: Masato Shimon with the Columbia Yurikago-kai