Season Analysis

Kamen Rider

Season 1 Analysis

Season Woke Score

1.4

out of 10

Season Overview

Kamen Rider follows Takeshi Hongo and later, Hayato Ichimonji, both were turned into cyborgs by the evil organization called Shocker, but managed to escape before they were brainwashed by them. With the help of Tobei Tachibana and their friends, they fight the evil Shocker and later, GelShocker from their plans of world domination as Kamen Rider!

Season Review

Season 1 of Kamen Rider is a classic Japanese superhero series from 1971 that grounds its conflict in a straightforward battle of objective good versus absolute evil. The narrative centers on Takeshi Hongo and Hayato Ichimonji, brilliant and capable male protagonists who use their cybernetic enhancements—forced upon them by the nefarious Shocker organization—to protect the world from a world-domination plot. The villains, explicitly founded by former Nazis, are a purely political, scientific, and nihilistic threat. The story emphasizes classic themes of justice, personal sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit against a malevolent totalitarian force. Support characters, both male and female, rally behind the Riders to preserve the public good and maintain a moral order. There is no attempt to inject contemporary social or sexual ideology into the plot, maintaining a focus on action and clear moral lines. The show's low score reflects its age and genre, which predate and are fundamentally antithetical to the themes categorized as the 'woke mind virus.'

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The narrative is driven by character merit, moral conscience, and the need to fight a universal threat. The protagonist, Takeshi Hongo, is selected by the villainous organization Shocker for his genius and athleticism, explicitly valuing his merits. The core conflict is ideological (freedom versus totalitarian world conquest), not based on race or immutable characteristics.

Oikophobia1/10

The central conflict involves Japanese heroes defending their home and the world against a foreign-originated, neo-Nazi terrorist organization. Shocker is the force of corruption, while the heroes and their allies work to preserve society. The institutions of family, civilian life, and nation are framed as being under attack and worthy of protection.

Feminism3/10

Female characters like Ruriko Midorikawa and the 'Rider Girls' are essential, providing support, intelligence, and a base of operations. However, they consistently occupy traditionally subordinate or supporting roles relative to the male heroes. While some display martial arts skills, the primary action and heroic mantle are reserved for the male leads. Masculinity is protective and celebrated, and there is no messaging that disparages family or motherhood.

LGBTQ+1/10

The show is focused entirely on a traditional, morally objective battle between a hero and a world-conquering cult. There is no presence of sexual ideology or deconstruction of the nuclear family. The presentation of relationships and social structure is entirely normative for the 1970s Japanese setting.

Anti-Theism1/10

The conflict is secular, pitting the heroes against a scientific-military terrorist organization. Shocker is founded by former Nazis and seeks world domination, representing a pure, objective evil. The core message is one of objective truth—saving innocent people from evil—with the hero acting as a moral beacon of justice and hope. Traditional faith or moral law is neither attacked nor directly addressed, but an objective moral order is implicitly championed.