Among his best-remembered roles is Takeshi Hongo, the alter-ego of the
famous Japanese TV superhero, Masked Rider/
Kamen Rider (1971), which started the
"Henshin (Transforming) Hero" genre in Japan (heroes who transform by
doing a "henshin" pose, and use martial arts to waste henchmen and
weekly monsters). Masked Rider is the other famous superhero series in
Japan besides Ultraman (first featured in
Ultraman: A Special Effects Fantasy Series (1966)).