Kamen Rider 2
~Combat Techniques~
► Kamen Rider, 1971~1973, 98 episodes (Rider 2
starred in episodes #14~52)
► Played by Sasaki Takeshi
► Stunts by Nakamura Bunya, Nakayashiki
Tetsuya, various (Sasaki Takeshi in #21)
仮面ライダー２号の必殺技
Combat Techniques
Contrary to popular belief, Kamen Rider 2 is not simply another version of Rider 1. While they do possess many of the same
basic attacks, over time each has developed their own specialized moves as well. While Rider 1 is known as being the "Rider of
Skill", with a wide range and colorful variety of fancy moves, Rider 2 is the "Rider of Power", with an emphasis on sheer physical
strength. In other words, while he may not have quite as many different killing moves as Rider 1, the ones he does have are very,
very powerful, much like Rider 2 himself (generally seen as the strongest Rider, physically.) Not that he doesn't have a few fancy
tricks himself, just as Rider 1 has his share of heavy-duty, bone-crushing, head-busting, proper adjective-lacking attacks. This list
provides photos & descriptions of many of Rider 2's most famous attacks seen in the original Kamen Rider and later series.
Old Kamen Rider 2 Combat Techniques (episodes #14~52)
►Rider Kick
Initially, if Rider 1 can do it, chances are Rider 2 can do it as well. Rider 2 makes heavy use of the
Rider Kick in many of his episodes, although he also does in a fair amount of opponents through other
means, be they other moves of his own or something a little different (Saboteguron, for example, is
blown to bits when the explosive-cacti-laden villain, er, misses Rider 2 thanks to a Rider Jump out of
the way.) Otherwise, 90% of the time, Rider 2 just uses this trusty standby. And yes, some guide
book actually bothered to calculate that percentage out. Rider 1 defeats 80% of his opponents with
the standard Rider Kick, if anyone really wants to know.
►Rider Punch
Rider 2 is really the first guy to make the Rider Punch into a bonafide killing move, and he does it in
two different ways. In episode #37, he does the old "grab by collar and punch across the face" routine
to Torikabuto, sending the evil walking freaky plant guy off the side of a high-rise apartment complex.
In episode #39, he leaps in the air, and performs a flying variation to Ookami-Otoko, giving the evil
wolf-man a knuckle sandwich he'll never forget. Also seen in episode #19.
►Rider Kaiten (Revolving) Kick
Used in episode #32, against Hae-Otoko. Basically your regular Rider Kick with our hero flipping
around in midair first, to add a little spin on things.
►Rider Gaeshi (Reversal)
You already know the drill with this one, thanks to Rider 1. Rider 2's version is a little bit more refined
(and this will rub off on Rider 1 later): he simply grabs the enemy, leaps into the air, and slams them
headfirst into the ground. Boom!
►Rider Manji (Swirling) Kick
When major bad-boy Arigabari shows up, and makes the regular Rider Kick useless thanks to that
huge claw of his, our hero has to find some other way to defeat the twisted anteater villain. With some
help from Taki Kazuya, that ever-faithful FBI agent, damage magnet and #1 Rider pal (well, next to
Tachibana of course), Ichimonji learns, almost accidentally, how to perform a more powerful version
by twisting his body around in midair, or swirling around as he falls. And as you can probably tell, ol'
Arigabari ain't stopping that!
The name of this attack comes from the word Manjitomoe, which means "Falling in Swirls". The
Rider Manji Kick has become Rider 2's signature move, despite the fact that it's only used once in the
series, as is the case with Rider 1's Denkô Rider Kick. However, it shows up in a lot of spin-off
materials, including getting a seriously cool depiction in Kamen Rider Spirits.
►Rider Ni-Dan (Two-Step) Gaeshi
In episode #45, to defeat sluggy dude Namekujira, our hero performs a slight variation on the Rider
Gaeshi, now spinning the enemy once in midair and them slamming them to the ground. I want to take
a moment to say it's a good thing most Kamen Rider villains are built to be about as tough as a Pinto,
because things would be a lot harder for the good guys if the old "slam into ground/rock/tree/other
really hard thing" trick didn't work.
►Rider Power/Rider Fight
A little explanation is in order for the often-used move that seems to do, well...it doesn't seem to do
anything. At first glance. You see, all the arm-waving that Riders 1 & 2 do isn't just for looks; the
heroes are in fact powering-up when doing so. Not quite in the same sense as Stronger, who actually
"Charges-Up" to a different form, or like the contemporary Riders starting from BLACK RX. With
Rider 1 & 2, their bodies don't really change, they just kind of build up energy, so that they can deliver
that Rider Punch or Rider Kick when the time is right (hence, why they don't just do it at the start of
the fight, aside from the fact that it would make things kind of boring if they just beat the monsters in
one punch.) In any case, Rider 2 has two different variations on this technique, which are really only
set apart by what he says and what pose he uses. "Rider Power" is the one seen here, with the arms
stretched horizontally across the chest, hands open. "Rider Fight" (understand that to say "Faito!" in
Japanese at a sporting event is akin to yelling "Go! Come on!" in English, so it doesn't really sound all
that weird) is the one where Rider 2 makes the distinctive reverse "L" with his arms, and his fists
clenched. Both poses are actually derived from the Rider 2 Henshin pose (Both the OP and ED credit
sequences are good ways to see what I'm talking about.) That's the official differentiation, as from
watching the shows themselves, one can see Rider 2 usually does his full Henshin pose before saying
either "Rider Power" or "Rider Fight" anyways.
It's worth noting that Rider 1, who did this both before and after Rider 2's advent, does a similar thing,
but usually doesn't say anything...most of the time. Rider 1's distinctive battle pose (again, derived from
his Henshin pose) has one arm diagonally across his chest, hand open, and the other at his side, fist
clenched. But in one of the earlier episodes (during that transitional phase when Fujioka Hiroshi was
in the hospital) you see Rider 1 actually do Rider 2's pose, and yell "Rider Fight!" So in a lot of ways,
this is really a Rider 1 move, but if you ask me, Rider 2 is the one who really perfected it, if you want
to say it can be perfected. After his return later in the series, both he and Rider 1 do the poses but
usually don't say anything. And as you probably know, later Riders will have their own distinctive
battle poses, some of which do also serve to power them up for the big finish. However, I should
mention that in Kamen Rider Spirits, Rider 2 performs this very move, saying "Rider Power" and all,
right before he proceeds to open up a can on pretty much every single Gelshocker Kaijin ever.
It was also pretty neat to see Rider 2 do this along with Rider 1 in Kamen Rider THE FIRST, albeit
again without saying anything, which could confuse some as to why the Riders were doing their
Henshin poses in the middle of a fight. But hey, that's what this explanation is for!
►Rider Hôden (Electrical Discharge)
Rider 2 charges his entire body with electricity, and sticks his hand in some nearby water. You can
probably figure out what happens next. Used to fry Hiruguerilla in episode #48.
New Kamen Rider 2 Combat Techniques (episodes #72~73, 93~94, 98)
►Rider Nage (Throw)
When Rider 2 returns in episode #72, aside from the new look, he's considerably powered-up, having
spent time in South America training and strengthening his body (in between trying to figure out where
Doctor Shinigami ran off to.) While he doesn't seem to have updated as much as his comrade in the
moves department (although he and Rider 1 can pull of some new Double Rider attacks) he does have
a couple new tricks, including the one seen here (being used on crabby fiend Shiomaneking in episode
#73), an updated Rider Nage. This is actually Rider 2's first use of the move.
►Rider Kick
Okay, technically that's just Rider 2 giving a revived Ei-Dokuger a regular old kick to the face, as
opposed to some kind of fancy killing blow. But I had to include this picture, because I've actually
stood in that very same place, holding that very same railing and kicking that very same Gelshocker
Kaijin in the face. Well, okay, I made up the last part about Ei-Dokuger. A man can dream...
►Rider Punch
Ei-Dokuger just can't catch a break, can he? Used in episode #98.
►Rider Gaeshi (Reversal)
Okay, I admit it, I goofed. Virtually every Rider reference book I have either uses this or the current
picture (with Shiomaneking) to describe either the Rider Nage, or the Rider Gaeshi. And none of
them seem to agree. Based on the actual episode, I would say the move used on Shiomaneking (once
known simply as "That Spinning Thing") is the updated Rider Nage, and the move seen here, being
used on a revived Saboten-Bat in episode #98, is a new twist on the Rider Gaeshi. Not that anyone
besides me and maybe two or three other people on Earth really cares, but hey, I value what I love.
Basically, Rider 2 catches an already-thrown enemy in midair, chucks them downwards, and upon
touchdown they blow up real good.
Miscellaneous Rider 2 Combat Techniques
►Rider Jump: Fancy name for an extra large jump. As described above, is used to "defeat"
Saboteguron in episode #15. Hey, laugh all you want, but Sabo's one mean needle-spittin' machine the
rest of the time. Also used to destroy Gamagiller (he's riding in a plane, okay?) in episode #34.
►Rider Kirimomi (Tailspin) Shoot: Rider 2 also picked this little technique up, and uses it to take
out Ei-Dokuger in episode #94. Whoosh! And for those of you keeping score, this is the first time Ei-
Dokuger gets killed.
►Rider Chop: Obviously, Rider 2 can chop like an ax anytime he wants, but he doesn't use the
named attack as Rider 1 does until New Kamen Rider episode #40, against Unidemon.
►Rider Hanten (Return) Screw Gaeshi (Reversal): A neat little trick that allows Rider 2 to
escape from Okappa's oversized killer Kappa Maki by jumping into the air and spinning his body
around. Also seen in New Kamen Rider episode #40.
►Nigô Rider Kick: In some later appearances (New Kamen Rider episode #37), a "Nigô-
Raidaa!" ("Second Rider") is added on before yelling the "Kikku" part. While the in-story explanation
is that, since he's doing it in conjunction with Skyrider's own kick, it's the second of two Rider Kicks, I
suspect it's also for those viewers who still can't tell him and Rider 1 apart.
►That Split Kick Thing: It doesn't exactly have a specific name, but Rider 2 does it in New Kamen
Rider episode #40 (you can tell he was training a lot before that one) and it looks really cool.
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