SOUCHAKU-HENSHIN KAMEN RIDER SERIES

Bandai Chogokin Armor Transformation Masked Rider Kabuto Series (c.2006)

KABUTO

MASKED RIDER

KUUGA

MASKED RIDER

AGITO

CLASSIC

MASKED RIDERS

MASKED RIDER

RYUKI

MASKED RIDER

FAIZ

MASKED RIDER

BLADE

MASKED RIDER

HIBIKI

MASKED RIDER

KABUTO

2006 marks the 35th Anniversary of the Masked Riders franchise and Toei / Bandai return the Masked Rider series back to its original elements. This year there is no more trading cards, cell phones or compact discs but just simple Kamen Rider that transform using his belt. Though Bandai did retain the used the henshin gimmick (hey they still have to sell toys to kids) call "Zector", a mechanical bug that when attach to Zector Device transform the device owners into Kamen Riders. However, overall theme are moving back to the familiar Kamen Rider designs and concepts. Kabuto even return the used of "henshin" phase and the long absence "Rider Kick" finishing move. The riders in Kabuto also refer to again as Masked Rider, as a matter of fact, they have two modes, an armored cocoon called "Masked Mode" and agile form during "Clock Up" (time stop ability) called "Rider Mode".

Bandai released two action figures series for Kabuto, the first series is a larger 8" size figures calls "Cast Off Riders" (COR) series and the second series is the Souchaku Henshin (Armor-Trans) series.  For Kabuto, Bandai return the packaging back to the SH Kuuga and SH Agito series (Japanese versions) with the use of larger long box size and each set come with extra "dummy" body so both mode of the Kamen Riders can be displayed simultaneously. (The Chogokin GD series ended last year, and Bandai re-starts the series with GE designation. Also please note that some Chogokin GE series are not Masked Rider which is why the numbers seem to jump around.)

SOUCHAKU HENSHIN

KAMEN RIDER KABUTO SERIES 2006

GE-04 Masked Rider Kabuto (3/06)

GE-06 Masked Rider TheBee (4/06)

GE-11 Masked Rider Drake (5/06)

GE-12 Masked Rider Sasword (6/06)

GE-15 Masked Rider Gatack (7/06)

GE-17 Masked Rider Hyper Kabuto (10/06)

  Back to bugs and bikes, Kamen Rider Kabuto!

Seven years ago, a small meteor crashed into the city of Shibuya. The impact destroyed most of the city and killed many of its citizens however the destruction did not end there, along with the meteor are alien life forms called "Worms". These Worms take pleasure in attacking selective individuals and take their identities by becoming doppelgangers and then try to eliminate their real human counterpart. A secret organization known as Zect, armed with the Rider Project weapons called Masked Riders begin the war with the Worms.

The Worms are the "kaijin" of Masked Rider Kabuto series. They are insect-like creature and at first appear in chrysalides that break apart to reveal the stronger forms that have the ability call "Clock Up" to move so fast that time appear to stop. The Masked Rider, appear to be the mechanical version of the Worms. The Riders transform using the "Zector", a sentient mechanical bugs that when merged with the Rider Device (belt, bracelet, gun handle etc) into "Masked Form" which can then break apart into "Rider Form" that have the same "Clock Up" ability as the power-up Worms.