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Description
Takeshi Hongo (本郷猛 Hongō Takeshi) is Kamen Rider 1 (仮面ライダー１号 Kamen Raidā Ichigō), or Kamen Rider 1-go, the original Kamen Rider. He first appeared in Kamen Rider, the first installment in the long-running Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu programs. The primary protagonist of the series, Kamen Rider 1 is a motorcycle-riding superhero modeled after a Grasshopper. One of the most recognizable and iconic characters in Japanese entertainment, Kamen Rider 1 is as irrecoverably burnt into the cultural subconscious as the series itself.

Takeshi is a young man who was kidnapped by the secret organization Shocker and forced to undergo a procedure that turns him into a super-powered cyborg. Before he can be brainwashed into doing Shocker's bidding, he escapes and becomes the first Kamen Rider, fighting for humanity's freedom against the evil forces that created him. Each episode sees Takeshi meeting another of Shocker's soldiers, interacting with supporting characters (such as his mentor, Tobei Tachibana), and ultimately defeating the enemy, often with trademark "Rider Kick" or "Rider Punch" attacks.

The series was drastically altered during the filming of episode 10 when, while attempting to perform a motorcycle stunt, Fujioka shattered his leg. The surrounding episodes were quickly altered to account for this, but Fujioka's injury forced him to take a long-term hiatus from acting. In order for production to continue, Toei introduced a new protagonist, Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2, portrayed by Takeshi Sasaki. In the show, it was explained that Shocker had built a duplicate of their original Kamen Rider cyborg in an effort to combat the threat that Takeshi posed to their organization. From episode 11 to episode 13, unused footage of Fujioka was used to gradually phase out Takeshi, and Kamen Rider 2 was officially introduced in episode 14.

By the time Fujioka had fully recovered from his injury, Kamen Rider had become a moderate success, and Fujioka found other work. Sasaki continued as the lead until episode 49 when Fujioka returned to the series. The two characters worked together as the "Double Riders" for a few episodes until Sasaki's character was eventually written out. From episode 53 through the end of the series, Takeshi was again the sole protagonist, but Sasaki periodically returned as Hayato for guest spots, in episodes 72, 73, 93, 94, and the finale.

Description
Takeshi Hongo (本郷猛 Hongō Takeshi) is Kamen Rider 1 (仮面ライダー１号 Kamen Raidā Ichigō), or Kamen Rider 1-go, the original Kamen Rider. He first appeared in Kamen Rider, the first installment in the long-running Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu programs. The primary protagonist of the series, Kamen Rider 1 is a motorcycle-riding superhero modeled after a Grasshopper. One of the most recognizable and iconic characters in Japanese entertainment, Kamen Rider 1 is as irrecoverably burnt into the cultural subconscious as the series itself.

Takeshi is a young man who was kidnapped by the secret organization Shocker and forced to undergo a procedure that turns him into a super-powered cyborg. Before he can be brainwashed into doing Shocker's bidding, he escapes and becomes the first Kamen Rider, fighting for humanity's freedom against the evil forces that created him. Each episode sees Takeshi meeting another of Shocker's soldiers, interacting with supporting characters (such as his mentor, Tobei Tachibana), and ultimately defeating the enemy, often with trademark "Rider Kick" or "Rider Punch" attacks.

The series was drastically altered during the filming of episode 10 when, while attempting to perform a motorcycle stunt, Fujioka shattered his leg. The surrounding episodes were quickly altered to account for this, but Fujioka's injury forced him to take a long-term hiatus from acting. In order for production to continue, Toei introduced a new protagonist, Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2, portrayed by Takeshi Sasaki. In the show, it was explained that Shocker had built a duplicate of their original Kamen Rider cyborg in an effort to combat the threat that Takeshi posed to their organization. From episode 11 to episode 13, unused footage of Fujioka was used to gradually phase out Takeshi, and Kamen Rider 2 was officially introduced in episode 14.

By the time Fujioka had fully recovered from his injury, Kamen Rider had become a moderate success, and Fujioka found other work. Sasaki continued as the lead until episode 49 when Fujioka returned to the series. The two characters worked together as the "Double Riders" for a few episodes until Sasaki's character was eventually written out. From episode 53 through the end of the series, Takeshi was again the sole protagonist, but Sasaki periodically returned as Hayato for guest spots, in episodes 72, 73, 93, 94, and the finale.