kamen rider !

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• Aired: Jan 30, 2000 - Jan 21, 2001
• Main Cast: 
  • Odagiri Joe as Godai Yusuke
  • Katsurayama Shingo as Ichijo Kaoru
    
• Official YT links:  Ep 1 - Ep 2

This is the 1st Kamen Rider series of the Heisei era.

Kuuga is such a nice journey that lots of fans have appreciated through the years. Despite not being a fast-paced series, it's still enjoyable due to its cast and story. You'll meet well-developed characters who have a personality on their own and are important for the story's progress and for the main character, as Kuuga will concentrate a great part of its plot on the main rider's friends and relationships.

This show has a lot of fights and also includes lots of deaths, some crueler than others. While the choreos are mostly monotonous, their way of filming will let you enjoy clear and smooth moves. Kuuga makes a good use of all the weapons he's given as the episodes go by, and also makes good use of his motorbike, which he'll use during lots of fights. 

Overall, it's a feel good series which, apart from showing you a great hero fighting against monsters, it will present you wholesome characters and interactions that you'll be able to emphasize with that'll be accompanied with great life lessons and a memorable message of how an smile can change other people's lifes.

• Aired: Jan 28, 2001 - Jan 27, 2002
• Main Cast: 
  • Kashu Toshiki as Tsugami Shouichi
  • Kaname Jun as Hikawa Makoto
  • Tomoi Yusuke as Ashihara Ryo
• Official YT links: Ep 1 - Ep 2

If you liked Kuuga, Agito is a must watch as it polishes what Kuuga did miss in its own series and present you a really entertaining and amusing new story. Agito offers you a more mysterious main character, whose origin will be one of the key points to made the story of this show progress. 

Being a more fast-paced series than its predecessor, it's a really enjoyable journey with some interesting characters as well as two new riders apart from the main one. Both of them will also have their own story and will make the series even better by adding more mystery and drama to it. Despite that, it's far from being a dark series, as they'll balance all the drama while offering the viewers a fair amount of comedy scenes

The action is fairly solid and amusing to watch whenever you reach the crucial moments in this series. The camera work is great and you're able to appreciate awesome fights. Not so memorable villains, but this series will show you a great amount of cruel deaths.

While I don't think it's the best starting point, I can say that if you have liked Kamen Rider Kuuga, you'll probably like this one too as the are some similarities between them. However, I found Agito's story more complex and engaging than its predecessor.

• Aired: Feb 3, 2002 - Jan 19, 2003
• Main Cast: 
  • Suga Takamasa as Kido Shinji
  • Matsuda Satoshi as Akiyama Ren
  • Fujisawa Ayano as Kanzaki Yui
• Official YT links: Ep 1 - Ep 2

Battle Royale, Kamen Rider version

This series shows a different concept and story that has never been done on a rider show. While kamen riders were also shown as heroes who'll protect the civilians, here they are chosen to fight with each other until one wins. They'll show different kind of characters, from how good and kind hearted people have to deal with such a cruel situation to interesting and cruel villains, everyone living by different morals. 

The first 1/3 of the series you'll either be so entertained or so bored. I think it takes many episodes to reach some kind of climax in this story. However, the fights are awesome and really well done, with great and memorable sound effects. 

Overall, it's a series who shares darker tone than its predecessors, despite having a good amount of comedy relief scenes and characters that'll make the journey a really worthy one. While I don't think it's a good starting point to the franchise, I'd really recommend to anyone who plans to watch not to hesitate anymore and take a look at the first episodes.

• Aired: Jan 26, 2003 - Jan 18, 2004
• Main Cast: 
  • Handa Kento as Inui Takumi
  • Izumi Masayuki as Kiba Yuji
  • Murakami Kohei as Kusaka Masato
• Official YT links: Ep 1 - Ep 2

I can say that Faiz has one of the darkest plots in this franchise and will show us how captivating as well as tragic can some tokusatsu works be. Being a series that focuses in the dramatic part of this story since the beginning, you can classify this series as an interesting soap opera.

Selfish people who happen to meet in a tragic situation and will change loyalties quickly as the circumstances become different and don't benefit them. The main rider feels like a breath of fresh air, as this series will present us someone different from our typical happy-go-lucky main hero. However, behind such a difficult character, there's a genuine kind heart. 

You'll get a good amount of fighting scenes, the suit actors show great choreos as the episodes go by, so they are entertaining and exciting to watch. While this series relies extremely on the miscommunication trope, it's still well done and the cliffhangers in every episode will keep you on the edge of your seat and invested for a good part of the show. 

It's hard to recommend this series as a good entrance to the franchise, but it is definitely worth giving it a shot once you've checked any others.

• Aired: Jan 25, 2004 - Jan 23, 2005
• Main Cast: 
  • Tsubaki Takayuki as Kenzaki Kazuma
  • Morimoto Ryoji as Aikawa Hajime
  • Amano Hironari as Tachibana Sakuya
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

Blade is AWESOME.

The start may be confusing at first, it doesn't have the typical entrance of a hero who receives their powers in the first episodes, but rather you are thrown in action and fights since the very beginning as the riders in this series have already been fighting for some time. 

It's pretty fast-paced, there are rarely boring moments, and you'll never feel like it lacks in terms of fighting and action scenes. You'll find yourself invested since the very beginning due to how brilliant the story is and how interesting and rich the main characters are. 

The main character, Kenzaki, accompanied by Hajime will present some of the best developments that characters in a rider series can offer. Apart from the riders, the rest of the supporting cast is either a hit or miss in terms of importance and relevancy. However, while you may find some of them annoying, the rest of them definitely make up for it and they will make this ride even more appealing and fun.

I don't think Blade is a good series to start your kamen rider journey, but I'd really recommend anyone to give this series a try if you are either a fan or have watched a few series before.

• Aired: Jan 30, 2005 - Jan 22, 2006
• Main Cast: 
  • Hosokawa Shigeki as Hibiki
  • Tochihara Rakuto as Adachi Asumu
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

This series is one of the most unique Kamen Rider series, starting from the main cast and how the suits of the main rider but also the villains ones look. Hibiki shares a similar feeling of a slice-of-life show. The real main character here isn't the main rider, but the boy, Asumu, who will be his apprentice. 

The main cast has an amazing chemistry, and you'll witness great character developments as the episodes go by. Despite being a slow-paced series, the story is full of interesting and wholesome characters that make this story worth of being given a chance. 

The action is not something I'd highlight from this show, but the fights are surely captivating when they have to be. I must warn that the visual effects here are definitely overused, but it definitely doesn't affect in how entertaining this series can be once you are used to everything.

Finally, another warning I should announce is that the third part of this show (EP 29 till the end) had a production conflict and the writer changed. The pace and overall story may feel different, but if it doesn't bother you, I'm sure you'll enjoy this journey till the end.

 I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point, but it's worth giving it a try if you like Japanese mythology! Try the first episodes and see if it works for you.

• Aired: Jan 29, 2006 - Jan 21, 2007
• Main Cast: 
  • Mizushima Hiro as Tendo Souji
  • Sato Yuki as Kagami Arata
  • Satonaka Yui as Kusakabe Hiyori
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

This series goes from an amazing and interesting start to a nonsensical 2nd half. But if you like the first part, your interest won't die till the end.

There are good fights and the suits are awesome with memorable sound effects. The whole villain concept is also fascinating to see, and this series offers some good twists here and there. Kabuto will present you lots of different characters and lots of intriguing riders that will keep the story exciting since the beginning. 

The main rider is also one of the most unique ones in terms of personality, but also abilities. I'll just say he's just a perfect character who knows and can do everything and has a personality that may infuriate and make people dislike him. Due to him being so near of a Gary-Stu, some tense moments in this series can be ruined, but it's still a fun and engaging watch. 

I wouldn't recommend this series if you want to start your Kamen Rider journey. However, if the synopsis already catches your interest, don't hesitate to give it a shot!

• Aired: Jan 28, 2007 - Jan 20, 2008
• Main Cast: 
  • Sato Takeru as Nogami Ryoutarou
  • Shiratori Yuriko as Hana
  • Nakamura Yuichi as Sakurai Yuuto
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

Behind this extremely comedy-oriented series, touching and emotional moments are hidden in this journey. The friendship portrayed between the main rider and the Imagins is so memorable, and the cast chemistry is delightful. 

The action was really well done. Props to the suit actor for changing his fighting style from one to another when the main rider gets possessed by any of the Imagins. I can't say lots of good things about the villains, they are kind of forgettable and the main one is also a disappointing part of this series. However, that's it. 

Overall, it's a pretty wholesome story. If you enjoy the first episodes, it will definitely grow even more on you as the plot gets developed. The comedy may be a hit or miss sometimes, still, it is a fascinating and fun season. 

It would be a good series to start your kamen rider journey if you enjoy light stories and search for amazing bonds and friendships.

• Aired: Jan 27, 2008 - Jan 18, 2009
• Main Cast: 
  • Seto Koji as Kurenai Wataru
  • Takeda Kouhei as Kurenai Otoya
• Official link: Ep1 - Ep2

The concept of 2 different timelines is pretty interesting. Both of them are well-balanced, and it isn't really confusing to follow the story. The main cast can't be either so memorable or not and the development of the majority of characters takes so long, or sometimes it just doesn't happen. However, they all have a nice touch of different personalities, and it's enjoyable to see them interact.

The fighting scenes are entertaining and the villains suits designs are so original and detailed. And... The OST. THE OST. One of the best ones if not the best of all the Kamen Rider series. The fact that Seto Koji participated in some of those tracks as the main vocalist made it even better, the songs overall are so catchy and memorable.

I wouldn't say this is a good starting point, but it's worth giving it a try if you want to watch some gothic horror aesthetic series with a vampire theme.

• Aired: Jan 25, 2009 - Aug 30, 2009
• Main Cast: 
  • Inoue Masahiro as Kadoya Tsukasa
  • Mori Kanna as Hikari Natsumi
  • Murai Ryota as Onodera Yusuke
  • Totani Kimito as Kaito Daiki
• Official link: Ep1 - Ep2

This is an anniversary season, and it marks the ending of the heisei phase 1 series.

I must warn you that there are a lot of references from the previous shows. However, mostly everything is spoiler free, as the worlds where the main character will travel to meet the previous Kamen Riders are different from the original stories.

The story is kind of a mess, but it has its fun moments. The main character is a unique one and probably one of the best parts of this series. The supporting cast is pretty forgettable, but they had good chemistry in the series. 

It's okay if you watch this before you finish all the previous series and I also think it's not a bad way to introduce yourself to the franchise, as you will meet a good bunch of riders and some of them may catch your interest and make you want to watch the original series.

If you watch this after checking some other series, I'll suggest you not to go with high expectations with any of the tributes and you'll be fine. 

• Aired: Sep 6, 2009 - Aug 29, 2010
• Main Cast:
  • Kiriyama Renn as Hidari Shotaro
  • Suda Masaki as Philip
• Official link: Ep1 - Ep2

W was an amazing start of the Heisei phase 2 era. 

The story is pretty solid, you'll meet main riders who have a remarkable chemistry, and the concept of one Kamen Rider being two people is interestingly executed. Despite that, it follows a similar pattern as most of the series.  

It is difficult to get bored with this series' fights, as the suit combinations and different uses are so entertaining to watch. The villains were honestly awesome and, in my opinion, some of the best ones in this franchise. The comedy scenes were either a hit or miss, but overall it is a really fun series. 

This series is a great starting point if you want to give this franchise a try, either if you are a tokusatsu fan or not! The plot is so enjoyable, not confusing at all, and so amusing that you won't feel like you've watched 49 episodes when you finish it.

• Aired: Sep 5, 2010 - Aug 28, 2011
• Main cast: 
  • Watanabe Shu as Hino Eiji
  • Miura Ryosuke as Ankh
• Official link: Ep1 - Ep2

The plot of OOO is one of the most solid ones you can find in a Kamen Rider series. The main character is so likeable and shares an amazing chemistry with the supporting cast, specially Miura Ryosuke's character. Both of them will definitely offer you a good watching experience with a great amount of funny and exciting moments

Each character that you meet in this series will have their time to shine, and you'll never feel like someone is left out or useless in the story, as most of them contribute from a little part to a huge one in the main story's development. 

The villains and OST are pretty memorable, plus it had Watanabe Shu, the main rider here, participating in a lot of this show's insert songs. The action in this series is so good and offer you nothing but an enjoyable time as the main rider uses everything his suit and belt offers to fight the monsters he meets every episode.

I would definitely recommend this series if you're starting your journey with Kamen Rider!

• Aired: Sep 4, 2011 - Aug 26, 2012
• Main Cast:
  • Fukushi Sota as Kisaragi Gentaro
  • Yoshizawa Ryo as Sakuta Ryusei
• Official link: Ep1 - Ep2

A lot of people say this series is like a shōnen anime.

This series is a good example of ''The power of friendship will make us win in the end''. But I don't say it in a bad way. The plot is so well executed, and you'll find yourself engrossed in the story since the first episodes.

Formidable and memorable villains with excellent designs who make this story more and more interesting as the episodes goes by. The main character is one of the purest, if not THE purest Kamen Rider in the franchise. His good-natured personality is honestly difficult to dislike by the end of the series, and he shares a great chemistry with the supporting cast. 

Each one of the characters have a personality on their own, and while they will find themselves in conflict due to it, it's fascinating to see how all those little conflicts will allow them to gain insights into each other's mind and make them grow as characters. 

I'll recommend you to watch this series if you want to watch a really light series that'll also offer you amazing character developments and memorable friendships.

• Aired: Sep 2, 2012 - Sep 29, 2013
• Main Cast:
  • Shiraishi Shunya as Souma Haruto
  • Okunaka Makoto as Koyomi Fueki
  • Nagase Tasuku as Kousuke Nito
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

While this series has a great and strong start, it may lose its spark in the second half for some people. Still, it's not a season you should avoid. The magic concept is well executed, and this series hides lots of epic and emotional scenes, most of them happening due to the main rider in this series, who you'll notice he's quite different from the previous and following seasons, but still a really interesting one.

I believe in this series the main and supporting cast share a balanced level of importance, and you'll be able to witness developments from both sides due to it. However, while it's great in the beginning, it became a double-edged sword once the secondary rider enters the plot. 

I must mention that the fighting scenes here and choreos are so well done, they are pretty stylish and you'll be able to witness some really cool stunts. The main rider suit also helps to make such action scenes even more awesome, though I must mention the great majority of the designs in this season are amazing too. 

Overall, I don't believe it's a good starting point if you want to get into the franchise, but if the main story seems interesting to you, I'd definitely recommend you to give it a shot!

• Aired: Oct 6, 2013 - Sep 28, 2014
• Main Cast:
  • Sano Gaku as Kazuraba Kouta
  • Kobayashi Yutaka as Kumon Kaito
  • Takasugi Mahiro as Kureshima Mitsuzane
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

Unironically, I could say this series is one depressing ride for sure. Interesting way to mix powered fruits with a samurai theme! If you are interesting by the synopsis, I'd definitely recommend you to give it a shot, there are some good plot twists hiding in this journey. 

The series does a well job keeping the mystery in the beginning. I'd suggest you to watch till the 7-8 episodes, as that's the point where the series starts getting a bit more exciting. Don't get thrown off by the dancing teams they'll show you in the beginning fighting little monsters.

Talking about the villains, isn't everyone one at some point? There are some intriguing ones who'll certainly make a huge impact on how the series will end, and overall, the main ones are pretty memorable. And, about the supporting cast, there are quite a lot of people who are easily forgotten by the end of the series.

Finally, the OST is pretty good and they are lots of catchy songs I'd suggest you to listen to them while watching the series. 

This is honestly a series I would recommend people who want to start with the franchise if they are searching for some darker Kamen Rider show that isn't from the Heisei phase 1. Definitely a must-try if you are already a fan of this franchise!

• Aired: Oct 5, 2014 - Sep 27, 2015
• Main Cast:
  • Takeuchi Ryoma as Shinnosuke Tomari
  • Uchida Rio as Shijima Kiriko
  • Inaba Yu as Shijima Go
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

• Aired: Oct 4, 2015 - Sep 25, 2016
• Main Cast: 
  • Nishime Shun as Tenkuji Takeru
  • Yamamoto Ryosuke as Fukami Makoto
  • Isomura Hayato as Alain
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

You'll either love or hate this show. 

It's not one of the best written seasons, but it shares an overall good and comforting feeling due to it. The main character is a really kind-hearted person and has everything you'll expect from a genuine and good hero. 

However, the series doesn't offer lots of original messages apart from saying that humanity's potential is infinite, don't expect some heavy mess or dark plot in this one even after reading the synopsis. It can become a comfort show if you just want to pass the time, though. 

The villains are forgettable and not impactful, but the suits here are so detailed and pretty. Fighting scenes are good as any you expect them to be in a rider series, but if you have watch Drive before this, you'll agree that Ghost deserved some better choreos. 

I wouldn't recommend this series unless you don't know what to watch. However, if you like the first half, don't hesitate to finish it, as it becomes better in the second one.

• Aired: Oct 2, 2016 - Aug 27, 2017
• Main Cast: 
  • Iijima Hiroki as Hojo Emu
  • Seto Toshiki as Kagami Hiiro
  • Matsuda Ruka as Poppy (<3)
• Official YT links: Ep1 - Ep2

The theme of a gaming and medical show was a good mix, despite them being kind of unbalanced. 

If you go expecting to watch a medical drama, just don't start this. You'll remember a part is supposed to be medical only because the characters will wear their white coats most of the time in the show. And, obviously, there's a virus involved and what's better than a sanitary team to take care of it. 

On the other hand. There are lots of video game references and the character suits are mostly based on it. This show has one of the most unique suits, which you either like them or not, but don't let it make you hesitate to start this. Overall, this season might come off as colorful and bright, but it also shares a dark and corrupted touch that will evolve as the episodes go by.

It's worth giving this a try if you are already a Kamen Rider fan, it's definitely one of those series that prove that you should never judge a book by its cover.

• Aired: Apr 1, 2016 - Jun 24, 2016
• Main Cast:
  • Fujita Tom as Mizusawa Haruka
  • Taniguchi Masashi as Takayama Jin

This is the last Heisei Kamen Rider series. It's an anniversary season and there are lots of references of the past Heisei series. There are spoilers from every size. Some actors from the previous series also reprise their roles here. 

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