User Reviews

Takeshi Hongo (Hiroshi Fujioka), a hot-shot motorcycle racer is kidnapped by agents of SHOCKER and is cybernetically enhanced but escapes before they can alter his brain to make him a slave and so becomes SHOCKER's chief nemesis ...Kamen Rider. Apparently the hero is imbued with 'wind power', which gives him super-strength and, by tapping the wind by leaping his bike into the air, can activate his 'Typhoon' belt triggering his transformation into the insectoidal armoured hero (and tarting up his ride at the same time). This is one of many over-the-top Japanese live-action super-hero shows and if you like the others, you'll likely like this one as well. There are lots of acrobatic fights, implausible motorcycle 'stunts', silly-looking costumed villains, and of course, a super-competent caped hero, in this case, one wearing a grasshopper-themed mask. Like many tokusatsu series, the individual shows (which usually revolve around a 'monster of the week') comprise a multi-episode story arc, so the plots are often more complicated than would be expected (this one ends with the hero suspected of murder). The special effects are not very impressive (and less imaginative than those in, for example, 1966's 'Ultra Man') but there are some strange cinematography gimmicks that make for an almost surreal look at times. The acting and script are about what you'd expect (note: I am watching an English subtitled version) from what is essentially a kid's action show (albeit a bit bloodier than what 'Western' kids would be seeing). You'll either like it or won't watch long enough to dislike it.