[Frontier]

What does it mean to become a Kamen Rider? That masked hero who rides into action to save others and protect humanity's freed? Who exacts justice for all? For Tanzaburo Tojima (Katsuyuki Konishi!) that's become the driving question of his life.

A young Tanzaburo LOVED Kamen Rider, watching the original series complete with an animated recreation of the original OP with classic Shocker goons, Kamen Rider Ichigo's original suit, and even featuring his first battle with the Spider-Man Kaijin and OG!Shocker goons! Is it any wonder that he would want to be a Kamen Rider himself?

And yet real life isn't always a Showa Rider show. Like in high school where a girl named Emily is forced by her boyfriend to fake confess to and humiliate Tanzaburo. But he doesn't let that get him down, he's still driven by his desire for justice and to be Kamen Rider, and it's those traits that genuinely attract Emily! Though the fact that he beats up some cocky kids harassing her from another school doesn't hurt either! Because...Tanzburo is genuinely strong!

Of course then said stuck-up kids bring a whole gang to come beat Tanzaburo up and use Emily as a hostage...and despite Tanzaburo's strength, there's only so much a normal human boy can do against a bunch of baddies. Even his passionate belief in Showa era justice can't help him here.

But what can? The Kamen Rider belt he drew with marker along his waist that he uses to transform, Hongo Takeshi style, into KAMEN RIDER! And he delivers RIDER PUNCH after RIDER PUNCH on those goons! He even has a brief romantic moment with Emily before she runs off because his beat up face scares her. Can't win 'em all, Tanzaburo.

Yet beating up schoolkids isn't why Tanzaburo became stronger. How can he become a Kamen Rider if there's no Shocker to kidnap and turn him into a Cyborg? He can't even fight a real Kaijin, just wrestle bears. It's just not the same.

Aw man, he's selling all his Kamen Rider merch! That's how you know the dream is dead.

But Tanzaburo's fate changes when a crime spree breaks out of thugs dressed like Shocker combatants committing crimes. The real Shocker would never commit such petty larceny, but the orchestra tor, Nakao (Kenjiro Tsuda!), is a Shocker fanboy who wants to feel like a Kaijin while having his "combatants" commit crimes for him.

Did...did Tanzaburo's dad abandon him at a festival?

When a festival worker is attacked by "Shocker" and no one else can step in and save him, it's up to Tanzaburo to don his mask and Henshin once more...INTO KAMEN RIDER. Complete with a Rider Punch, a Rider Kick, and a remix of the iconic original theme of Kamen Rider: Let's Go Rider Kick! Tanzaburo finally became a real Kamen Rider!

And he's not alone! It turns out that a woman voiced by Ai Kayano had the same idea he did of stopping the Shocker crooks, and he beat her to it! She even got a full Electronic Wave Humanoid Tackle costume ready! At least the next episode is about her because I need this busty brawny beauty in my life!

The ED is fun and cute with this Kamen Rider Takoyaki (which I'm assuming represents Tanzaburo) doing Kamen Rider things to a bear plushie!