Five Riders vs. King Dark

Five Riders vs. King Dark (五人ライダー対キングダーク), tentatively titled Kamen Rider vs. King Dark (仮面ライダー対キングダーク), is the second movie based off the Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider X. It unites the first five Kamen Riders.

Overview
Five Riders vs. King Dark is the sole original theatrical work accompanying the TV series Kamen Rider X. Earlier in March of 1974, the third episode was trimmed to Cinemesco size and screened as part of the spring box office at Toei Manga Festival. Although the central hero of this movie is indeed Kamen Rider X, the name of a specific Kamen Rider is not attached to the title for the first time in the Kamen Rider Series.

In the year of production, 1974 (Showa 49), the "henshin boom" caused by Kamen Rider had passed its peak and , produced by for, represented a new exciting phenomenon for young audiences, giant robot animation. As a result, the giant robot King Dark was introduced in the X TV series as the leader of G.O.D.. This film reflects the process of conversion as the series' antagonists changed from Shinwakaijin (Mythical Monsters) under Apollo Geist and the G.O.D. Secret Police, to the Akuninkaijin (Villain Monsters) led by King Dark. Chiko and Mako feature as supporting characters.

Five Riders vs. King Dark was screened with Mazinger Z vs Great General of Darkness as part of the "Play with Finger 5! Toei Manga Festival". Reflecting the trend of the times, Mazinger dominated the combined theatrical poster. In succession, guest appearances are made by the first four Kamen Riders. Having returned to Japan, it is explained that #1 has been in New York, #2 in Paris, V3 in Moscow, while Riderman returns from Tahiti. Though Riderman was previously established as having been seemingly killed at the climax of X's preceeding series, Kamen Rider V3, this film shows Riderman had survived, leading the way for his numerous reprisals. Notably, Riderman, as the fourth Kamen Rider, introduces himself as "Kamen Rider 4", the name given to him by V3 upon his presumed death.

The past four Riders mostly appear post-henshin; only appearing in human form as they transform at the strange castle. This transformation is composed of archive footage depicting Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 (Hiroshi Fujioka) and Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2 (Takeshi Sasaki) from the 1972 film Kamen Rider vs. Shocker, Shiro Kazami/Kamen Rider V3 (Hiroshi Miyauchi) as seen in the 1973 film Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants, and the stock transformation sequence of Joji Yuki/Riderman (Takehisa Yamaguchi) from the Kamen Rider V3 TV series. Curiously, the sound effect used for Hongo's transformation is completely different to the iconic sound used prior and since.

Uniquely, Rider 2, while performing his Rider Kick, calls out "#2 Rider Kick!" and later "Rider #2 Kick!". Riderman is seen with the Power Arm on his left arm, as opposed to his cybernetic right arm, during his fight against Neptune. During the final battle, he is not seen to wear a Cassette Arm at all.

In regards to action scenes, trampoline jumping was performed with the desired effect being achieved with the indoor horizon background against rainy weather. Depending on the cut, the celling of the studio is reflected. The composition of the drama is reversed, and G.O.D.'s "Drought Operation" was never specifically drawn.

Before the premiere, a big "tie-up" event was held at the Isetan Shinjuku store.

In the following year, theatrical releases of succeeding series Kamen Rider Amazon and Kamen Rider Stronger would be screened as part of the Toei Manga Festival in spring and summer, having been respectfully "blown-up" from Amazon's sixteenth episode and Stronger's seventh episode. Five Riders vs. King Dark would be the last original theatrical production of Kamen Rider Series for six years before being ultimately followed by Kamen Rider: Eight Riders vs. Galaxy King, attached to Kamen Rider (Skyrider), which was released in spring of 1980.

Synopsis
During a motocross practice, Keisuke Jin is ambushed by two Myth Cyborgs created by a secret organization that's attempting to control Japan, G.O.D. He transforms into Kamen Rider X, but little does he know that his battle is recorded and analyzed by King Dark, G.O.D.'s commander, to create a super cyborg. Other G.O.D. cyborgs are attacking all over Tokyo and in the middle of the crisis, the original four Riders return to Japan from different countries around the world. The five Riders unite to lead a counter attack against G.O.D. and fight its newest monster.

Plot
to be added

Allies

 * to be added

Villains

 * G.O.D.
 * King Dark
 * G.O.D. Kaijin
 * Akuninkaijin
 * Neptune
 * Pannic
 * Hercules
 * Medusa
 * Cyclops
 * Icarus
 * Atlas
 * Mach Achilles
 * Prometheus
 * Hydra
 * Chimera
 * Ulysses
 * Chronos
 * Cerberus
 * Alseides
 * Cadeus
 * Shinwakaijin
 * Ghengis Khan-Condor
 * Toad-Goemon
 * Franken Bat (movie-exclusive)

Continuity and Placement
Its placement isn't clear. Presumably, it takes place after episode 27, Special Edition, Full Force of Five Riders!!, which shows one of the spy cameras featured in the movie and V3's first meeting with G.O.D. forces, with Tachibana explaining them to him as villains similar to Destron. However, in episode 33, Hayato and Keisuke don't recognize each other, although Hayato apparently knew about X Rider already. They never meet each other while untransformed in the movie, which might explain that situation. This is also Joji Yuki's return, and although the characters question where he was, his presumed death is never mentioned.

Cast

 * Movie credit order


 * Keisuke Jin (神 敬介) / Kamen Rider X (仮面ライダーX): Ryo Hayami (速水 亮)
 * Mako (マコ): Miyuki Hayata (早田 みゆき)
 * Chiko (チコ): Chisako Kosaka (小坂 チサ子)
 * Masaru (マサル):
 * Etsuko (エツ子):
 * Masaru's father (マサルの父):
 * Masaru's mother (マサルの母):
 * King Dark (キングダーク): Fumio Wada (和田 文夫)
 * Tōbei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛): Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二)

Uncredited

 * Kamen Rider #1 (仮面ライダー1号): Hiroshi Fujioka (藤岡 弘)
 * Kamen Rider #2 (仮面ライダー2号): Takeshi Sasaki (佐々木 剛)
 * Kamen Rider V3 (仮面ライダーＶ３): Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内 洋)
 * Riderman (ライダーマン): Kazuo Hayashi (林 一夫)

Songs

 * All songs were composed and arranged by Shunsuke Kikuchi.


 * Set Up! Kamen Rider X (From Kamen Rider X)
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
 * Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
 * Used as opening and insert song.


 * Let's Go!! Rider Kick (From Kamen Rider)
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
 * Artist: Koji Fuji
 * Tatakae! Kamen Rider V3 (From Kamen Rider V3)
 * Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori
 * Artist: Ichiro Mizuki
 * Kaettekuru Rider (from Kamen Rider)
 * Lyrics: Mari Takizawa
 * Artist: Masato Shimon
 * Used as ending theme.

In addition, the instrumental of Rider Sanka and X Rider Action is used as background music.

Hanuman and the Five Riders


Hanuman and the Five Riders (หนุมาน พบ 5 ไอ้มดแดง - Hanuman pob Har Aimoddaeng - literally "Hanuman and the Five Ant Men") is a tokusatsu superhero film produced in 1974 by Chaiyo Productions of Thailand. Chaiyo's own Kamen Rider film, half of it uses footage from the Five Riders vs. King Dark. Although it has never been released in Japan, Kamen Rider fans in Japan refer to it unofficially as Hanuman and the 5 Kamen Riders (ハヌマーンと5人の仮面ライダー).

The film teamed the first five Kamen Riders with the Hindu god Hanuman (fresh from his appearance in The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army) against X's adversary King Dark (who appears in his regular giant moving statue form and alternately in a human-sized one), who drinks the fresh blood of young women. He captures a scientist and his girlfriend and threatens to drain her of her blood unless he use his technology to create an army of mutant animal men to confront the five Riders.

Unlike Chaiyo's two official co-productions with Tsuburaya Productions in 1974 (namely The 6 Ultra Brothers Vs. the Monster Army and Jumborg Ace & Giant), this production was unauthorized by Toei Company, Ltd., which produced the Kamen Rider shows. Chaiyo had initially approached Toei, who turned down their plans for producing their own Kamen Rider movie.

Errors

 * to be added

Digital Releases

 * The DVD Release of Kamen Rider: The Movie Volume 2 features Kamen Rider V3 (film), Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants, Kamen Rider X (film) and Five Riders vs. King Dark.
 * The Blu-ray Release of Kamen Rider: The Movie Volume 1 features Kamen Rider Vs. Shocker, Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell, Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants & Five Riders vs. King Dark.
 * Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants is included in Kamen Rider: The Movie Blu-ray Box 1972-1988, a Blu-ray compilation boxset of Showa Rider movies.