Site FAQ

General Kamen Rider Questions

►Who created Kamen Rider?

Kamen Rider is really a joint effort. The original idea of what was to become the first Kamen Rider series was a collaboration of
Toei producer Hirayama Tôru & various other Toei staff members. For various reasons, in part because they’re all such nice
guys, the official credit of “Original Concept” goes to Ishinomori Shôtarô, the manga artist who did much of the preproduction
design work as well as creating the final look for the original Kamen Rider, and who continued on to design Riders & enemies
(and other hero programs) for many years after, as well as contributing largely in a creative sense. The Kamen Rider franchise is
co-owned by Toei & Ishimori Pro, Ishinomori’s estate/company.

►Who makes the new Kamen Rider series?

It’s still Toei & Ishimori Pro. While Ishinomori passed away in 1998, the Kamen Rider franchise continues to sally forth, with
Ishinomori still getting the “Original Concept” credit for each successive series (and there is actually some truth to it; prior to his
death, Ishinomori worked on the initial designs for what would later become Kamen Rider Kuuga.) His son, Onodera Jô, also
oversees all Rider productions.

►Has Kamen Rider ever come to America?

It has! Kamen Rider V3 was shown with English subtitles in Hawaii in the 1970's, and was recently re-aired there. A super-cool
DVD box set, loaded with extras and fully subtitled in English, is available for purchase here.

Kamen Rider BLACK RX was also “Sabanized” (ala Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers) simply as Masked Rider. Most fans
agree that the less said about it, the better, although to its credit it did have a pretty cool idea in introducing Masked Rider in the
Power Rangers’ show, although it’s pretty funny to see random guys in gas masks (Masked Rider’s alien buddies) hold their own
against the Rangers in a fight. Yes, the hero in the show was the prince of some alien planet. And the villain (BLACK RX’s Jaaku
Shôgun) was supposed to be his uncle! I've read the other Riders do appear (via the BLACK RX episodes where they all showed
up) but have never seen the actual episode(s).

It was announced in October 2006 that Kamen Rider Ryuki may be adapted for American television in a similar manner. Noted
action director & creature designer Steve Wang is helming the project, but otherwise details are vague at this time.

►How about other countries?

Oh, you betcha. Kamen Rider does have a loyal following all around the world. I've gotten mail from places as diverse as Hong
Kong, Kuwait, Italy, Thailand, Brazil, Singapore, and others. So I can't even begin to name all the places it's gained fans.

Site-Specific Questions

►Okay, so why Kamen Rider anyway?

For about as far back as I can remember, I have always loved the live-action science-fiction/fantasy films & TV series of Japan. I
grew up on the movies & shows of Godzilla, Gamera, Ultraman, and of course, Kamen Rider. My first real exposure to the
original Kamen Rider was probably a couple episodes of the original series (#5~8); and to the other Riders, the Ultraman vs.
Kamen Rider video special. At the young age I was at, most of it went over my head, and it didn’t make much of an impression
until I revisited it a few years later, thanks to bolstered interest as a result of the Kamen Rider PS1 game. The fact that my
comprehension of Japanese had improved a bit by then probably didn’t hurt either.

It was about when I was first entering high school, and don’t ask me why, but that time, Kamen Rider struck a major chord with
me. I went back and started from the beginning, with episode #1, and was instantly hooked. Perhaps it was that I could now
appreciate the darker, grittier storyline mixed with the hard-hitting action scenes & outrageous stunts. Perhaps it was that I found,
for all the low production values and sometimes inerrant silliness of some of the effects, the show had some serious heart, and the
cast & crew clearly put everything they had into it. Perhaps it was the unusual, even bizarre appearance of the heroes and creepy-
yet-cool look of the villains that just caught my eye. Perhaps it was simply the fact that Shocker is the coolest evil organization
ever, period. Whatever the case, Kamen Rider shot to the top of my list, and even after watching the multitudes of sequels and
spin-offs, the original series is still my all-time #1 favorite Kamen Rider as well as Tokusatsu series.

So why make a website devoted to the Kamen Rider franchise? I guess it was sort of accidental– originally, “Igadevil’s Page”
was only going to cover some of the Kamen Riders (1 & 2, X-Rider & Amazon, and some Kuuga.) Somewhere along the line, I
said “Hey, why not do the others?” A big factor in this decision was my Kamen Rider Sigma fanfic, which until recently had seen
three rewrites but never gotten beyond 8 or 9 episodes (out of a planned 50+ !!!) After all, it would make it easier for those new
to Kamen Rider to read it if they had some prior knowledge, right?

And along the way, it just sort of hit me: I simply love Kamen Rider that much. Basically everything; all the series and movies, to a
degree. While there are some I like more than others, I’ve yet to see a Rider show or movie that totally let me down. Which is
pretty good, because there’s more to love. Yes, even Shin Kamen Rider, which I often joke as having only 5 or 6 fans in the
whole world (ironically, that's not too far off from the truth.)

So that’s basically it– I love Kamen Rider, and I want to share my enjoyment with all of you. And that’s why there is Igadevil’s
Kamen Rider Page. Well, that, and I just love talking about how utterly insane New Kamen Rider is.

► What exactly does this site cover?

The main focus of this site is to cover all of the official Kamen Rider series, movies, and most of the TV/video specials, with
profiles for all the Riders & their various weapons/arsenals (fighting abilities, motorcycles, etc.), as well as the enemies & their
Kaijin armies. Plus episode title guides, movie overviews, and all that good stuff. I will devote a little space to the comic versions
(mostly the Ishinomori original series, Kamen Rider Spirits, and a couple that fall in between) as well as the more recent video
games such as Genealogy of Justice. Additionally, I'll be doing a lot of coverage on Kamen Rider merchandise, and have some
stuff about the songs & music, and more. In short, a little bit of everything.

►What’s up with all these funny words like “Kamen”, “Henshin” and “Kaijin”?

While I generally provide a translation for most every Japanese term used on this site, for various reasons, I like to keep some of
Japanese words used on this site in romaji all the time. The above three are good examples of these.

When written in English, “Kamen Rider” is usually written in as “Masked Rider” in Japan. I like to stick with “Kamen Rider” to
avoid confusion with the Americanized version of Kamen Rider BLACK RX, and just cuz it sounds cooler to me. In any case,
Kamen means “Masked”. I sometimes slip up and use Masked, mainly for dramatic emphasis, as it's taken on that meaning in
Japan as well.

Ditto with “Henshin!”, which I like better than “Transform!”, “Metamorphosis!”.

And as for “Kaijin”, it’s just less clunky than “Strange/Mysterious Person” (the literal meaning.)

►How about the italics? And the accented vowels? Or the all caps for Kamen Rider BLACK?

I generally use italics for the following things:

1. Specific series & movie titles (Kamen Rider refers to the original series, Kamen Rider for the franchise as a whole)
2. Japanese words and spellings (aside from the ones mentioned above, among others, which have kind of become part of my
own little English lexicon. Also, words like "anime" and "manga" are so commonplace in English now, I just take the lazy route
with them.)
3. Emphasis (because I really want you to get it!)

The accented vowels (like “ô”) are usually the equivalent of a lengthened sound (i.e. the “ô” is read as “ou”.) I do this mostly
because I like to, and it looks better than “Hongou” and “Shoutarou” to me. Of course, I break my own rules in a few places– but
“Tokyo” is so commonly written that way in English, I don’t see the need to write it as Tôkyô all the time. Same with Toei, which
is really Tôei if you want to get technical about it.

And the all caps for BLACK & BLACK RX, as I explain elsewhere, is because in Japan the series title is always written that way
(that, or as Burakku when in Katakana), and I just kind of like doing it too.

Why do I do any of these things? Because I can!

More Boring Stuff About The Webmaster

►Who is Igadevil?

Igadevil, aka Paul Sullivan, is a student of Japanese, sometimes film maker, aspiring artist, crazed Gashapon (among other stuff)
collector and webmaster of this very site. Although currently based in the US on the east coast, I recently spent close to year living
in Kobe, Japan and studied Konan University. I have been to Japan twice now, and will hopefully be returning sometime soon. In
addition to Kamen Rider and other Tokusatsu, I enjoy...well, too much to list right here, so I'll just say "a lot."

►Wait, I thought it was “Ikadevil”?

It is! Ikadevil is the name of the Kaijin in Kamen Rider episode #68, and the mutated form of Doctor Shinigami. So where’d
Igadevil come from?

I usually tell people that it’s either a pun (since k’s & g’s are often switched around in Japanese– for instance, Gamera is derived
from Kame, or turtle) or that it’s the “Iga” from “Iga Ninja”. Honestly though?

I have no clue. It just kinda happened. Over the years, I have been referred to as “Iga”, “IgaDevil”, “Iga Devil”, “Ikadevil”, “Ika
Devil”, “Igadebiru”, “Aigadevil” (no, I don’t think they knew how it was pronounced.) Hey, my nickname at one point was going
to be “Hell Chameleon”, so be happy with what you get!

►What other stuff have you done?

I wrote a Henshin! Online article on Kamen Rider Ryuki waaaay back in 2002. I also penned an episode of Ultra Theresa (the
original story featured on the now sadly-defunct Absolute! Ultraman website, which was a big inspiration for this one) and did
artwork for several monsters and aliens featured in that story.

As for stuff that you can actually still see...I have a couple Kamen Rider movie reviews over at Japan Hero, and am always trying
to make the time to do more. Most recently, I helped write some of the bonus material featured on the subtitled Kamen Rider V3
DVD box set released by JN Productions in Hawaii. Check out my name in the credits, just mere pixels away from Miyauchi
Hiroshi's!

►What are your top 5 favorite Rider series?

1. Kamen Rider: The original series. The longest, the grandest, and still the best.
2. Kamen Rider X: When asked how this can edge out V3, my responses are usually "Apollo Geist" and "the dart launcher."
3. New Kamen Rider: Has risen considerably over the years to become a contender for even the #2 spot. Yeah, amazes me too.
4. Kamen Rider Agito/Kamen Rider Blade: Both have entered into this sort of eternal struggle as my favorite Heisei series.
5. Kamen Rider V3: How could V3 not make the list?

Kamen Rider BLACK is now secured firmly at the #6 spot, and most all the others tie for #7 (^_^), although chief among them
are Kamen Rider Amazon, Kamen Rider Stronger, and Kamen Rider Ryuki.

►What are your top 5 favorite Rider movies?

1. Kamen Rider vs. Shocker: Everything you love about the TV show, except even bigger and with more explosions!
2. 8 Riders vs. Milky Way King: Absolute insanity, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I dare say it could be #1 some day.
3. Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell: Not quite as mind-blowing as Shocker, but still a great romp, and a must for Taki fans.
4. Kamen Rider THE FIRST: Everybody seemed to have their own take on this film, and mine was "It's pretty awesome."
5. Kamen Rider Hibiki & the 7 Fighting Demons: The series has ups and downs, but the Hibiki movie is utter greatness.

After that, you better believe it's the 5 Riders vs, King Dark movie, Kamen Rider ZO, and Kamen Rider Blade: Missing Ace.
If one was to count TV specials, ZX's one and only spectacular more than makes the cut.

►Who are your top 5 favorite Riders?

1. Kamen Rider 1/Kamen Rider 2: You just can’t choose between the Double Riders!
2. Kamen Rider X: Imagine V3 with every possible odd stacked against him, even fewer allies, and a handy poison dart launcher.
3. Skyrider: Possibly my favorite Rider costume-wise, and definitely my favorite human alias. Plus the flying thing is just cool.
4. Kamen Rider Gills: Gills has attitude, but beneath it he's also a lonely guy pained by no longer being human (sound familiar?)
5. Kamen Rider Amazon: Even after fellow wild Riders Gills, Shin & Chalice, he's still unique; nobody's been quite like him.

Kamen Rider V3, Riderman and Kamen Rider Blade & Garren usually come next. If you were to include “evil” Riders, Kamen
Rider Verde would be near the top.

►Who are your top 5 favorite major villains?

1. Doctor Shinigami: With little more than a cape and good acting, Shinigami is both cool and truly frightening at the same time.
2. Apollo Geist: Unquestioned King Badass Supreme of the Rider franchise. Don't mess with this dude, unless you're X-Rider!
3. Black Shôgun: As much as I love him when he's alive and up to no good, it's really his death scene that puts him on this list.
4. Baron Fang: Edges out his other Destron compatriots because the gimmick worked, and it was gone so quickly, I missed it.
5. Colonel Zol: The first major "human" villain of them all, Zol is proof that sometimes the simplest ideas work the best.

Doktor G, Marshal Armor, and Ambassador Hell come next. Of course the big guy himself, the Great Leader, is in there
somewhere too. Some newer favorites include La Dorudo Gu and Isaka/Peacock Undead.

Kamen Rider Sigma

►What is Kamen Rider Sigma?

Kamen Rider Sigma is an original "fanfiction" series written & illustrated entirely by me. While the project has been around since
March/April 2001, it has only recently finally begun to get the attention it really needs from yours truly. After a couple attempted
launches and numerous rewrites, it's finally gotten to the point where I feel it's ready to start rolling again. And good thing too,
because everyone who has read what little of it there is keeps telling me how much they like it, and the story's barely even begun!
Considering that a lot of the time, fan stories are dropped almost as soon as they begin, I feel lucky that I still have the drive to
keep the story going, even when it seems to be going nowhere. My hope is that by Fall 2006 I'll be down to posting episodes on
a regular basis, because trust me– you haven't seen anything yet! For more information on Sigma, go here.

►I also have a Rider fanfic. Can I use characters from Kamen Rider Sigma in my story?

While I appreciate the thought, I'd rather you don't. I have big plans for Kamen Rider Sigma, and I'm a bit of a stickler when it
comes to continuity (as anyone who's read the story knows by now, the continuity is going to be complex enough as it is) so I am
currently not interested in doing any crossovers, and I feel the characters have not been developed enough to allow anyone else to
use them (actually, I don't feel some of them will be developed enough at all until the whole project is finished, but that's another
story.) Especially considering many of them have...you'll have to read the story! Obviously, this does not cover characters that I
did not create, like Rider 1, 2, V3, etc., but it does apply to any and all original characters created by me. Thanks for
understanding.

►How about Kamen Rider Sigma fan art submissions?

Yes! By all means, I would love to have some more fan art, as I have already received some fantastic submissions, and am
currently working on getting up a gallery page. Drop me an e-mail and we'll talk.

The Questions People Really Care About

►Where can I buy Kamen Rider on video/DVD?

Check out my Links page for some places to buy Kamen Rider videos & DVDs!

►Where can I buy Kamen Rider toys?

Also check out my Links page for some places to buy Kamen Rider toys!

►None of the places on your Links page have what I’m looking for. Where else can I look?

Online auction sites like ebay are a good place to find all sorts of Kamen Rider videos, books & toys. Also, Amazon Japan and, if
you can figure out how to use it (please don’t ask me), Yahoo! Japan Auctions might be worth looking into. As far as I know,
Amazon Japan will currently ship DVD, CD, Magazines & books but not toys outside of Japan. And sites such as Shopping Mall
Japan can be used to purchase on Yahoo! Japan Auctions if you don't live in the country.

►Where can I download Kamen Rider episodes? (Raw or Subtitled)

I don't know much about the whole fansub thing, so I'm not the guy to ask, but from what I've read sites such as TV-Nihon,
Mishicorp & Tokuplex are good places to start. Century Kings is also doing Kamen Rider BLACK, which I think is the earliest
Kamen Rider show currently being subbed online (but I would kill to see anyone actually attempt to do the entire original series!
All 98 episodes plus the movies!)

As for "Raw" (original Japanese with no subtitles) episodes, there's a number of programs out there such as WinMX or Winny,
but once again, I'm no expert, so try some of the forums found on my Links page. Ditto on that for better information about finding
fansubs.

►What’s so great about Shocker anyway?

They lasted longer than any Kamen Rider enemy group ever (79 episodes, 98 if you count Gelshocker), they have the coolest
Major Officers & Kaijin, the most kinds of henchmen, the biggest budget, their own licence plates, and they get all the chicks.