Kamen Rider

As with Ultraman: A Special Effects Fantasy Series (1966), this series, created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori, gave birth to another popular type of modern Japanese superhero: The "Henshin" (Japanese for "transformation") Hero. These are normal-sized superheroes who transform into a cyborg, android or mutant by performing a "henshin pose," and usually fight their enemies with martial arts, minimal weaponry and a finishing attack (usually a flying kick). The Sentai Series (starting with Ishinomori's Secret Squadron Gorenger (1975)), Metal Heroes (starting with Space Sheriff Gavan (1982)) and hundreds of other contemporary Japanese superheroes were an offshoot of this historically-important genre.

Featured in The Toys That Made Us: Power Rangers (2019)