1973 - Kamen Rider V3 (Series) - Ultimate Riders Review

Kamen Rider 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 (and only) Kamen Rider TV series 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 Gorenger, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, Kaiketsu Zubat, Tokkei Winspector, Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain and Chouriki Sentai Ohranger.

Publication Information

Title : Kamen Rider V3
Japanese : 仮面ライダーV3
Genre : Tokusatsu
Created by : Shotaro Ishinomori
Narrated by : Shinji Nakae
Composer(s) : Shunsuke Kikuchi
Country of origin : Japan
No. of episodes : 52
Running time : 30 minutes
Original channel : TV Asahi
Original release : February 17, 1973 – February 9, 1974
Preceded by : Kamen Rider
Followed by : Kamen Rider X

Plot

One night, Shiro 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 Shiro'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 attempt, a Destron soldier, disguised as a doctor, tried to put a poison shot in Shiro, while he was being transported to the hospital (after Destron's second attempt), but Shiro 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 Shiro, who was heading home on his motorcycle, but Shiro didn't see the Destron soldiers. Surprised, Junko fainted and Shiro took her home. While Junko was being taken care of by Shiro'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 Shiro, but is stopped by Shiro's high school teacher, Takeshi Hongo, who transformed into Kamen Rider 1.

Episodes

Rider No. 3: His Name is V3!
Last Testament of the Double Riders
The Execution of V3
V3's 26 Secrets!
Snake-Man With a Machinegun!
Enter, Hammer-Jellyfish! V3 Unleash Your Killing Technique!!
The Fury of Rider V3's Special Training
Watch Out, V3! Beware the Terrifying Buzzsaw
What is the Destron Hell Squad!?
Secret of the Double Typhoon
The Claws of Evil Reach Out for V3!!
Junko Becomes a Mutant's Bride?!
Terrifying Commandant: Doktor G!!
Secret Memento of the Double Riders
Rider V3's Deadly Weakness!!
The Missile-Carrying Gecko Mutant!
The Devilspray is the Reaper's Weapon
V3, Beware the Evil Traitor!
Blowfish-Apache's Operation: Torpedo!!
Operation: Destron Shikoku Conquest
The Double Riders Live
Camp of Terror: Mystery of the Underground Canal
Terror! Vampire From the Graveyard
Mysterious! Cockroach Manor!!
Mysterious!! The Destron Ranger Corps
Mutant Heater-Cicada's Operation: Mummy!!
Zol, Death, Hell & Black Rise from the Grave
The Five Commandants' All-Out Attack!!
Doktor G's Final Challenge!
Doktor G! The True Form of Evil is
Enter, Baron Tusk: Commandant of Curses!!
Spectre of Onibi Swamp: Rider Scouts Annihilated!
V3 in Danger! Riders One and Two Return!!
Critical Moment! Baron Tusk vs. The Three Riders!!
Baron Tusk's Final Transformation
The Winged Corps: Demons of the Sky
Mysterious Temple: Curse of the Musasabi Clan!
Lone V3 and Cub: Deadly Skydiving!
Terror of the Carnivorous Fauna: Plantaingan!!
Sudden Death! V3 Mach Kick!!
Oh! People Are Melting! Enter, Marshal Armor
The Snail-Man's Human Experiments!
Friend or Foe? The Mysterious Riderman
V3 Versus Riderman
Destron's Christmas Present
Riderman, Where Will You Go?
Ambush! The Destron Leader!!
Look! The Face of the Destron Leader!!
A Gunshot Rings Out! Shiro Kazami Falls!!
A Little Friendship
You are Kamen Rider 4!!
The Last Day of Destron

Movies

Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants
S.I.C. Hero Saga story : Masked Rider V3 & Riderman : Riderman

Manga

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

Cast

Shiro Kazami / Kamen Rider V3 : Hiroshi Miyauchi
Joji Yuki / Riderman : Takehisa Yamaguchi
Tōbei Tachibana : Akiji Kobayashi
Great Leader of Destron (Voice) : Gorō Naya
Doktor G : Jōtarō Senba
Junko Tama : Hizuru Ono
Shigeru Tama : Hideki Kawaguchi
Baron Kiba : Eiji Gō
Archbishop Tsubasa : Sachio Fujino
Marshal Yoroi : Bunya Nakamura
Ken Sakuma : Ken Kawashima
Narrator : Shinji Nakae

Suit actors

Kamen Rider V3 (main), Kamen Rider #1: Tetsuya Nakayashiki
Kamen Rider V3 (episodes 1-2 only), Riderman (stunts): Hiroshi Nakamura
Riderman: Akatsuki Yamaguchi
Riderman (stunts): Hiroo Kawarazaki
Riderman (stunts): Keisuke Chiyoda
Kamen Rider #1, Riderman (stunts), Monsters: Kazuo Niibori
Monsters (Squid Fire et al.): Masaru Okada

Songs

Opening theme

Tatakae! Kamen Rider V3, Fight! Kamen Rider V3
- Lyrics : Shotaro Ishinomori
- Composer : Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Vocals : Hiroshi Miyauchi and The Swingers

Ending themes

Song of the Kamen Rider Boys Squad
- Lyrics : Saburo Yatsude
- Composer : Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Vocals : Ichirou Mizuki and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai
- Episodes : 1-42

Hashire Hurricane, Run, Hurricane
- Lyrics : Sukeo Nōmi
- Composer : Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Vocals : Masato Shimon and the Columbia Yurikago-Kai
- Episodes : 43-52