Daisuke sneaks inside a ship that is going to Japan. Wait a minute, how did he know that the ship is going to Japan? Anyways, upon arriving to Japan, he goes looking for a scientist who can help him, and there he met Masahiko Okamura who is the first person he befriended. Because Daisuke cannot speak and only growls what he says, he gave him the name, Amazon since he knew that he came from the Amazon thanks to the scientist in which both of them are related.
As the series progressed, we learned the reason why the Ten-Faced Demon wants Amazon’s GiGi Armlet. The said armlet holds great power that once it combined with Gorgos’ GaGa Armlet (Which looked like the GiGi Armlet except its “nose” is inverse from the GiGi Armlet) it would grant the user of both Armlets great power and with it, the Ten-Faced Demon will use it to conquer the world.
He later made friends with the Mole Beastman, one of Geddon’s Beastmen who first aligned with Geddon whose mission is to kill Amazon and get his armlet. However, because of his failures in killing Amazon, he was placed outside the ground and forced to die in a heat stroke but because Amazon saved him, he later aided Amazon in his various adventures and was affectionately called Mogura by Amazon and company.
After the defeat of the Ten-Faced Demon, Gorgos and the fall of Geddon, a new organization appeared called Garanda Empire, led by the Great Emperor Zero who is focused on conquering the world unlike its predecessor. Will Amazon defeat him? That is what I want you to find out.
The series aired back in 1974-1975 so I didn’t expect that the effects are top-notched but during the time that a thing called CGI doesn’t exist in mainstream, the effects team need to be creative in terms of the blood spurting coming from the enemies Amazon will… err, mutilate. Due to their creativity, the effects worked and it really created a huge impression that Amazon is a wild man coming from the depths of the Amazon Rainforest and martial arts is not in his field. Because of its gore, moral guardians have problems with this show considering that Kamen Rider is a superhero show and kids admire superheroes.
A fun factor about the series is that as Amazon slowly becomes “civilize,” his fighting style evolves. First, his fighting style involves him jumping the enemy, biting the hell out from his opponent and involves fewer fists, more grunts and slashing. But as the series progressed, his fighting style evolves. Not only he does his usual tactic to jump, bite and attack, he finally involves more use of his fist and uses more his own style of attacking his opponent. Along with it, he started calling his slash finisher as Dai Setsudan (Trans. Big Slice) and later his kick, Amazon Kick.
In addition, I love the fact that you can keep on guessing which creature Amazon was based. Based on my research, he was based on a chameleon but his fangs gave him an impression that his head more looks like of that of a piranha or a fanged lizard… anyways, Amazon is the first Rider that looks like he never wore a mask. Because of his origins, you can say he transformed into a different creature and it was clearly emphasized in Amazon’s World Arc in Kamen Rider Decade.
On to the two halves of the series, first, I will talk about the first half that involved Geddon. To be honest, I never find Geddon quite a threat in world peace considering that they just want Amazon’s GiGi Armlet and once they get it, this is when their plan for conquering the world will come into fulfillment.
In the build up on their final battle, when Amazon got the chance to be near with Gorgos, he tries his best to attack him but because he flies, it took Amazon some time to defeat one of its faces.
On the second half of the show, after Gorgos’ arm was cut off, but before Amazon got the chance to get the GaGa Armlet that was found in the mutilated arm, Black Followers from a different organization took it. Garanda Empire has just made its presence.
The best thing about the Garanda Empire is the fact that they are bent in destroying the world that they don’t care if Amazon has the GiGi Armlet. They just proceed with their plan. One of my favorite Garanda plots involves the Sea Anemone Beastman in which we saw it suck the blood of its victims and gives his own blood in his victims to turn them into his slaves. Another favorite plot of mine involves the Zero Device, a device that is needed to create a devastating earthquake that will destroy Tokyo once activated.
One of the biggest surprises in this half is the death of the Mole Beastman. Sure was just an aide and probably a prototype of Kamen Rider Den-O’s Taros, he is one of those lovable support characters considering that he is the only kaijin during that time that aligned itself with the good guys… until the Whale Mutant appeared in Kamen Rider BLACK.
As a guy who barely watched a Showa Era Kamen Rider show, (First was BLACK then this.) and based on my research, I learned that they are crossover episodes featuring the previous Rider during this time in the franchise. Much to my disappointment, it didn't happen. This is another first in the series, this series didn't feature an appearance of a senior Rider. This sort of thing also happened in some Showa Kamen Rider shows and pretty much the first 9 years of the Heisei Kamen Rider era. Thanks Decade.
All together, Amazon, tomodachi.
Originally posted on Orends: Range back in August 24, 2010.