Kamen Rider: Japan's Masked Hero Franchise

From a grasshopper-themed cyborg on a motorcycle in 1971 to a global franchise, here is how Japan's masked hero grew up.

Published October 26, 2026 at 9:15 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Kamen Rider is a Japanese live-action hero franchise created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori, first broadcast on April 3, 1971. Its heroes are masked riders with insect-inspired designs who transform with a belt and a shouted word, "Henshin," then fight monsters, often on motorcycles. New series have appeared across the Showa, Heisei and Reiwa eras.

Few characters are as recognizable in Japan as a masked rider striking a pose beside a motorcycle. Kamen Rider, which means "masked rider," began as a television series in 1971 and has since become one of the country's long-running pop culture traditions. Children grow up with the latest season, and adults who watched earlier series return for movies, toys and anniversary events. This guide explains who created the heroes, what the key ideas are, how the eras differ, and why the franchise keeps finding new fans at home and overseas.

The creator and the original idea

Kamen Rider was created by Shotaro Ishinomori, a prolific manga artist, together with Toei Company, the film and television studio. According to Wikipedia, a Toei producer named Toru Hirayama proposed a "Masked Hero Project" in 1970 and asked Ishinomori to design the characters. The first television series was meant to adapt Ishinomori's manga Skull Man, and the idea developed into the hero fans know today.

The first series premiered on April 3, 1971, and ran for 98 episodes until February 10, 1973. It aired on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET, which is now TV Asahi, as part of the ANN network. Ishimori Productions and Toei both look after the franchise, and Ishinomori's influence remains visible in the clean, bold costume design that fans still admire.

What makes a Kamen Rider

Several signature elements appear again and again. The hero is usually a person who gains powers through technology, and the first Rider is described as a cyborg whose look was reworked to resemble a grasshopper. Insect motifs have remained a theme in many designs, though later series explore animals, fruit, cars and other ideas. The enemies are often called kaijin, a Japanese word for strange creatures or monsters.

The transformation is the heart of the show. Riders usually wear a belt, often called a Driver, and trigger it while shouting "Henshin," which means "transform." The signature finishing move is the Rider Kick, a dramatic flying kick heard in the original theme song title. Motorcycles, called Rider Machines, are a classic partner for the hero, though a later series such as Drive in 2014 used a car instead.

The 1971 boom and the first Riders

The first series made a huge splash. Wikipedia credits it with launching what is sometimes called the Henshin Boom in early 1970s Japanese television, and sales of related items such as transformation belts and bikes grew quickly. The show also introduced the idea that more than one Rider could appear, when Hayato Ichimonji arrived as Kamen Rider 2, played by Takeshi Sasaki.

This pattern of new Riders joining the team shaped the franchise. Later series often feature several heroes with different looks and abilities, and special crossover films bring them together. For many Japanese families, the original series is a shared memory that parents and grandparents introduce to the next generation, alongside toys and snacks tied to the characters.

Showa, Heisei and Reiwa eras

Fans often divide the franchise by Japan's imperial eras. The Showa era runs from 1971 to 1989 and ends with Kamen Rider Black RX, which aired from October 1988 to September 1989. The Heisei era began with Kamen Rider Kuuga, which premiered on January 30, 2000, and ended with Zi-O, which began on September 2, 2018.

The Reiwa era started with Kamen Rider Zero-One, which premiered on September 1, 2019. Modern series usually run from around September to the following August, and each year brings a new hero with a fresh concept. This yearly structure gives the franchise a sense of renewal, while familiar ideas, such as the belt, the pose and the kick, tie each new story to the earlier ones.

How it relates to Super Sentai and tokusatsu

Kamen Rider belongs to a wider tradition called tokusatsu, a Japanese term for live-action shows that use special effects. It is a separate franchise from Super Sentai, the team hero series that Western audiences know through Power Rangers, but the two sometimes meet. According to Wikipedia, the first big crossover film, Super Hero Taisen, was released in 2012, and from 2013 each year's Rider has teamed up with that year's Sentai heroes in a spring special.

These crossovers are popular because they let fans see favorite characters share the screen. If you want a broader introduction to the genre, a separate guide on tokusatsu covers Ultraman, Super Sentai and Japan's other hero shows. Within that world, Kamen Rider stands out for its single masked hero and its motorcycle-driven action.

Toys, belts and merchandise

Merchandise is a big part of the fun. Bandai sells transformation belts that light up and speak, along with figures, collectibles and model kits. Wikipedia reports that Bandai Namco had sold 14.50 million Kamen Rider transformation belts since February 2000, as of March 2021, a number that shows how much children and collectors enjoy playing the hero.

Toy shops, hobby stores and character shops in Japan stock the current season's items, and older series are collected too. Release schedules change from year to year, so the best approach is to check official announcements. Many fans enjoy comparing different belt designs across eras, since each one reflects the theme of its series.

Kamen Rider around the world

The franchise has also traveled. In the mid 1990s, the American company Saban adapted Kamen Rider Black RX into a series called Masked Rider. Later, Kamen Rider Dragon Knight in 2009, adapted from the series Ryuki, won a Daytime Emmy for stunt coordination. Hong Kong and Taiwan studios also dubbed or produced related shows over the years.

More recently, the franchise has aimed at a global audience. Wikipedia notes that the series ZEZTZ, which began in September 2025, was the first Rider show with an official simulcast at launch, and that Toei announced new labels for movies and animation at a press conference marking the franchise's 55th anniversary in April 2026. Availability varies by country, so check official streaming pages for the latest options.

How to start watching

A friendly way to begin is to pick one era or one series that appeals, rather than trying to see everything. The original 1971 series shows where the style began, while a Heisei or Reiwa series gives a more modern look with bigger effects. Because each series tells its own story, newcomers can start almost anywhere.

Fans also enjoy visiting museums, exhibitions and character shops during trips to Japan, where hero exhibits sometimes appear. As with any pop culture event, dates and locations change, so confirm details on official sites. Whatever the entry point, the pose, the belt and the shout of "Henshin" are easy to learn and fun to share.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style How Japan Works is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created Kamen Rider?

Kamen Rider was created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori together with Toei Company. A Toei producer proposed a Masked Hero Project in 1970, and Ishinomori designed the characters. The first television series premiered on April 3, 1971, and the franchise is looked after today by Ishimori Productions and Toei.

What does Henshin mean in Kamen Rider?

Henshin is the Japanese word for transformation. In the shows, heroes shout it as they activate their belts and change into their armored forms. The pose and the word became a signature moment of the franchise and are widely imitated by fans, especially children, who enjoy playing the hero with toy belts.

Is Kamen Rider the same as Power Rangers?

No. Power Rangers was adapted from Super Sentai, a different Japanese franchise about teams of color-coded heroes. Kamen Rider usually centers on a single masked hero, often with a motorcycle. The two franchises are separate, though they sometimes appear together in crossover films and specials produced in Japan.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Tokusatsu: Ultraman, Super Sentai and Japan's Hero Shows, Kaiju: Japan's Giant Movie Monsters and Osamu Tezuka and the Birth of Modern Anime.