[Fredbob392]

My SHF Ichi-Gata arrived yesterday, and posing it has gotten me thinking about fantastic most Showa inspired suits in modern Rider look. The First, Kamen Rider 3, 45th anniversary Kamen Rider 1, now Ichi-Gata and Zero-Two. And that's just updates of Ichigo and Nigo, there's also stuff like Amazons, or Decade versions of Tackle and Apollo Geist that modernize Showa designs. On the ugly side of things, there's also giant CGI abominations Kamen Rider Core and Another Rider 1, but those are the only bad looking ones I'm aware of. What are some other people's favorite modernized showa suits, in Rider or other toku?

[Kurona]

Kickhopper is a massive winner for me. Such a good design

[Switchblade]

I love the First/Next redesigns of Rider 1, Rider 2, and V3. It’s a real pity that we never got to see similar versions of the other early 70s designs.

I’ll also toss out that SIC did some really cool versions of Skyrider, Super-1, and ZX that were never used in live action, but still look fantastic.

[Kiwami]

Kamen Rider 4 is criminally underrated, such a great design.

I think Ichi-Gata is my favorite though. It looks fantastic both as a nod to Rider 1 and a Force-Riser suit, plus, the energy scarf is an amazing touch.

[Enchilada645]

Ichi-Gata is my absolute favorite. We need more energy scarf's in Rider.

I do love Sangou and Yangou though, despite the issues I had with GP and the Yongou Specials, those two were pretty solid in regards to designs. Yongou edges the two out though just for his more unique spin on the classic design.

[Kurona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwami

Kamen Rider 4 is criminally underrated, such a great design.

Oooh yes this one, 4 is AMAZING! Love that they went with a jet fighter suit theme; love how hard he looks; love how he has sentai lips for absolutely no reason. Absolute winner

[Deathryuger321]

I still dislike 45th Rider 1.

But Sangou is one of the coolest Rider suits ever, it's probably in my top 10 toku suits.

[Matrixbeast]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurona

Oooh yes this one, 4 is AMAZING! Love that they went with a jet fighter suit theme; love how hard he looks; love how he has sentai lips for absolutely no reason. Absolute winner

He has the lips because the original 4th Rider, Riderman, has an exposed mouth.

[Fish Sandwich]

Kamen Rider #3 is probably still the Rider#1 tribute I'm most fond of even now. I think all I need to point out about that design to tell you why I love it is that he has literal broken manacles on his wrists.

If we're talking about Showa throwbacks from other toku franchises, though, Zenkaiser and Stacaesar from the currently airing Zenkaiger definitely deserve an immediate mention. Both are utterly fantastic designs, and it's just as much in how they don't modernize their inspirations as it is in how they do.

[ShiShiLeo]

I will offer us W as Showa-inspired suit.

When I first saw it, I immediately felt the Showa vibes. I actually thought it was a Grasshopper theme at first. I also think it made the perfect stepping stone into Heisei phase 2, which to me is very distinct in suit designs alone, if not the gimmicks- because the idea of Heisei phases is silly (there's no way Toei knew Heisei was going to last exactly 20 years and have 20 riders split neatly into 10/10.

In my eyes Double truly represented a new era in Kamen Rider. It still feels more of a significant shift in era than Heisei to Reiwa.