Kamen Rider Best Collection 25

Kamen Rider (4/3/1971 through 2/10/1973, 98 episodes)

Track   1: Let's Go!! Rider Kick! - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shouaro, vocals: Fuji, Kouichi & Male Harmony
Track   2: The Devil's Shocker - - vocals: Sunny Singers
Track   3: Rider Action - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Shimon, Masato
Track   4: Kamen Rider's Song - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo, vocals: Fuji, Kouichi & Male Harmony

The first 13 episodes of Kamen Rider featured a recording of "Let's Go!! Rider Kick" by Fujioka, Hiroshi, the actor who played Hongo, Takeshi. Starting in episode 14, which introduced Ichimonji, Hayato (played by Sasaki, Takeshi), Kyoichi Fuji's version of Let's Go!! Rider Kick!" was used. Fuji, Kouichi was a stage name used by Shimon, Masato. "Rider Action" was the ending theme for episodes 72-88 and opening theme for episodes 89-98. "Kamen Rider's Song" was the ending theme for episodes 1-71. Other ending themes not included on this CD.

Kamen Rider V3 (2/17/1973 through 2/9/1974, 52 episodes)

Track   5: Fight! Kamen Rider V3 - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Miyauchi, Hiroshi & The Swingers
Track   6: V3 March - vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro & Columbia Cradle Club
Track   7: V3 Action - lyrics: Ishinomori, Sh�tar�; vocals: Shimon, Masato
Track   8: Song of Boys Kamen Rider Squad - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro & Columbia Cradle Club

The main vocalist on "Fight Kamen Rider V3" was Miyauchi, Hiroshi, the actor who played Kazami, Shiro. For the first 42 episodes the ending theme was "Song of Boys Kamen Rider Squad". Starting with episode 43 each episode ended with "Run Hurricane" that song is not included on this CD. I like the original ending song better anyway.

Kamen Rider X (2/16/1974 through 10/12/1974, 35 episodes)

Track   9: Set Up! Kamen Rider X - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro
Track 10: X-Rider Action - vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro
Track 11: Our Riderman - vocals: Columbia Cradle Club
Track 12: I'm X Kaizogu (Kaizogu = underwater cyborg) - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro

Kamen Rider X was usually called X-Rider. "Our Riderman" is actually from episode 51 of Kamen Rider V3 but on this CD it is included with the songs from Kamen Rider X, even though Riderman does not appear in the series (he is in the movie tough).

Kamen Rider Amazon (10/19/1974 through 3/29/1975, 24 episodes)

Track 13: Amazon Rider is Here! - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Shimon, Masato
Track 14: Amazon Rider Action - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Shimon, Masato
Track 15: I Am Tachibana Tobei - vocals: Akiji, Kobayashi & Columbia Cradle Club
Track 16: Amazon-Da-Da-Da! - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Shimon, Masato & Columbia Cradle Club

The first verse of "I am Tachibana Tobei" seems to be about his friendships with Kamen Riders 1 and 2. The second covers V3 and X. The third covers Amazon. As far as I can tell Riderman is not mentioned. He had not met Stronger yet so there is no verse about him. Akiji, Kobayashi played Tachibana, Tobei.

Kamen Rider Stronger (4/5/1975 through 12/27/1975, 39 episodes)

Track 17: Kamen Rider Stronger's Song - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro
Track 18: Stronger Action - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro & Horie Mitsuko
Track 19: Look!! Kamen Rider Stronger - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro
Track 20: Stronger Will Fight Again Today!! - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro & Horie Mitsuko

There were two versions of "Stronger Will Fight Again Today!", the one on this CD is the second one which was used for most of the series (episodes 3-31). This song was a duet between Stronger and Tackle. Besides singing many of the Kamen Rider themes Mizuki, Ichiro also sang "Hakaida's Song" and "Saburo's Song" for Kikaida. Horie Mitsuko provides vocals on the opening theme for "Himitsu Sentai Goranger (Secret Task Force Five Ranger). For episodes 32-39 of Kamen Rider Stronger the ending theme was "Stronger Action".

New Kamen Rider (10/5/1979 through 10/10/1980, 54 episodes)

Track 21: Burn! Kamen Rider - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Mizuki, Ichiro & Cricket '73
Track 22: Run To A Faraway Love - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals; Mizuki, Ichiro & Cricket '73

Although this series was actually called "New Kamen Rider" it became known as "Skyrider", after the main character. The series had two opening and ending themes, the first are on this CD. The second opening theme is "Kamen Rider, You're The Man". The second ending theme is "Shine 8 Rider Men".

Kamen Rider Super-1 (10/17/1980 through 10/03/1981, 48 episodes)

Track 23: Kamen Rider Super-1 - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Takasug, Shunkai & Cricket'73
Track 24: The Fiery Rider Fist - lyrics: Hatte, Saburo; vocals: Takasug, Shunkai & Cricket'73

The main vocalist on "Kamen Rider Super-1" and "The Fiery Rider Fist" is Takasug, Shunkai who played Oki, Kazuya. "The Fiery Rider Fist" was the ending theme for episodes 1-23. The ending theme for episodes 24-48, "Junior Rider Team's Song", is not on this CD.

Kamen Rider #10'S Birth! Riders Come Together (1/3/1984, 9:00-9:54 AM)

Track 25: Dragon Road - lyrics: Ishinomori, Shotaro; vocals: Kushida, Akira

This is the opening theme from the television special which introduced Kamen Rider ZX. The ending theme "Forget Memories" is not on this CD.

Title translations by Wayne Vincent (1-6, 8-10, 13-19, 21-23)
and GamerAmerica (7, 11, 12, 20, 24).