Are Toy Release Dates Included In The Masked Rider List?

Growing up with the theme songs stuck in my head, I’ve always loved tracing the lineage of the masked heroes. If you want a neat map of who belongs to which era, here's how I sort them in my head—Showa first (the originals and the late-80s tails), then the Heisei renaissance, and finally the Reiwa era that’s still doing wild experiments. I’ll list the headline Riders by era and drop a note about movie- or special-only Riders, because there are a surprising number of one-off Riders that die hard fans obsess over. Showa era (classic TV runs + a few retro/special Riders): 'Kamen Rider' (the original heroes often called Kamen Rider 1 and Kamen Rider 2), 'Kamen Rider V3', 'Riderman' (from the V3 era), 'Kamen Rider X', 'Kamen Rider Amazon', 'Kamen Rider Stronger', 'Kamen Rider Skyrider' (sometimes shown as just Skyrider), 'Kamen Rider Super-1', 'Kamen Rider ZX' (Zerox/ZX is a later Showa-era special character), 'Kamen Rider Black' and 'Kamen Rider Black RX'. Also worth noting there are movie-only/OVA standalone riders that bridge eras like 'Kamen Rider Shin', 'Kamen Rider ZO', and 'Kamen Rider J' — they sit in that fuzzy space between Showa nostalgia and the coming modern revamps. Heisei era (the 2000 relaunch through 2019): this is where Toei exploded the idea with monthly protagonists and massive crossover potential — 'Kamen Rider Kuuga', 'Kamen Rider Agito', 'Kamen Rider Ryuki', 'Kamen Rider 555' (often said as 'Faiz'), 'Kamen Rider Blade', 'Kamen Rider Hibiki', 'Kamen Rider Kabuto', 'Kamen Rider Den-O', 'Kamen Rider Kiva', 'Kamen Rider Decade', 'Kamen Rider W' (Double), 'Kamen Rider OOO', 'Kamen Rider Fourze', 'Kamen Rider Wizard', 'Kamen Rider Gaim', 'Kamen Rider Drive', 'Kamen Rider Ghost', 'Kamen Rider Ex-Aid', 'Kamen Rider Build', and 'Kamen Rider Zi-O'. On top of these TV leads there’s a whole ecosystem of secondary and movie-exclusive Riders — think 'Kamen Rider Eternal', 'Kamen Rider Birth', 'Kamen Rider Meteor', and many others that show up in films, specials, or V-Cinemas. Reiwa era (2019 onward): this modern patch keeps the experiment machine running — 'Kamen Rider Zero-One', 'Kamen Rider Saber', 'Kamen Rider Revice', 'Kamen Rider Geats', and 'Kamen Rider Gotchard' are the main TV-led entries so far. The Reiwa era also leans heavily on gimmick experimentation, character ensembles, and meta crossovers, so new Riders (including guest Riders and film-original Riders) pop up more frequently than in earlier eras. I could happily geek out on the long tail — like all the movie-only Riders, alternate-universe Riders from 'Kamen Rider The First' and 'The Next', or the countless secondary Riders inside each series — but the lists above cover the headline, era-defining Riders. If you want, I can break any era down into TV protagonists vs. movie/special Riders and list the extras by name — I’ve scribbled those lists on the backs of concert tickets and cereal boxes over the years, so I’ve got them ready to share.

I get excited anytime someone asks about how the Masked Rider list is ordered — it’s one of those nerdy little obsessions of mine. The list people usually see follows release order: that means shows are arranged by when they first aired on TV (starting with the original 1971 'Kamen Rider' and moving forward through each subsequent TV series). So you’ll see the classic Showa-era runs ('Kamen Rider', 'Kamen Rider V3', 'Kamen Rider X', 'Kamen Rider Amazon', 'Kamen Rider Stronger', 'Kamen Rider Skyrider', 'Kamen Rider Super-1', 'Kamen Rider Black', 'Kamen Rider Black RX') listed first, then the rebooted modern era that kicked off with 'Kamen Rider Kuuga' in 2000 and continues through 'Kamen Rider Agito', 'Kamen Rider Ryuki', 'Kamen Rider 555', 'Kamen Rider Blade', and so on up to recent entries like 'Kamen Rider Zero-One', 'Kamen Rider Saber', 'Kamen Rider Revice', 'Kamen Rider Geats', and 'Kamen Rider Gotchard'. That release-order approach keeps things simple and historically accurate: specials, movies, V-Cinema titles, and web series that came out between seasons are usually slotted near the year they premiered. It’s worth noting that in-universe continuity doesn’t always match release order. A lot of titles exist in their own universes or alternate timelines (for instance, 'Kamen Rider Decade' intentionally jumps through other Riders’ worlds), and there are crossover films that shuffle characters around arbitrarily. If you’re curating a watchlist, release order is great for seeing how the franchise evolved; if you want clean narrative continuity, you’ll sometimes have to skip around to specific movie tie-ins or spin-offs. For a casual binge I tend to stick with release order, but for deep lore dives I map out which movies and specials actually belong with which series — it’s a satisfying tiny puzzle to solve.

I still get a little giddy when I see a poll about my favorite masked heroes — there’s something about seeing fandoms argue over whether 'Kamen Rider Kuuga' or 'Kamen Rider W' deserves the top spot that feels like a ritual. If you want the most widely recognized and cited lists that rank popular characters, start with official and mainstream Japanese polls: Toei’s anniversary polls (like the 'Kamen Rider' 50th celebration poll) and long-running media outlets such as TV Asahi’s hero rankings and Oricon’s character popularity features. These capture both nostalgia and current trends because they draw from large, mainstream audiences and often factor in merchandise, TV ratings, and actor popularity. For a different flavor, check out web-based ranking sites and fan polls. Gooランキング regularly runs '好きな仮面ライダーランキング' style lists that are easy to find and reflect active online voters. Then there are community-driven lists — Reddit threads, Twitter polls under hashtags like #仮面ライダー人気投票, and dedicated fan sites or wikis — which skew toward hardcore fans and tend to promote newer Riders or niche favorites (I’ve seen 'Kamen Rider Den-O' rocket up Reddit after a viral clip). Magazines like 'Hobby Japan' or 'Figure King' occasionally publish collector-driven rankings, which often favor design-forward riders like 'Kamen Rider Build' or 'Kamen Rider OOO'. Why do these lists differ? Because voter base, timing, and platform matter: an anniversary poll run by Toei will highlight long-term icons, while Twitter polls can blow up a character from the latest series overnight. If I had to recommend one path: for official stature, hit Toei and TV Asahi archives; for current fan mood, check Gooランキング and Oricon; for passionate, sometimes surprising takes, dive into community polls on Reddit and Japanese Twitter. Personally, I love flipping between them — the official one reminds me of childhood weekends, while the community polls bring fresh debates and rediscoveries that make rewatching old episodes fun again.

I've been collecting show lists and printing them for years, so I dug into this one the way I would plan a cosplay reference sheet. Short version: yes, you can definitely get printable 'Masked Rider' (or better-known as 'Kamen Rider') lists, but where you get them and how you use them matters. Official sources are always the safest for high-quality art and correct credits — check the official studio sites or licensed merchandise pages for downloadable guides or pamphlets. They sometimes release season guides or character sheets that are already formatted for print. For fan-made PDFs, fan wikis, community threads on Reddit, and blogs often have compiled lists (titles, debut episodes, suit art, actor names). People also make printable checklists for collecting figures or watching order. If you don’t find exactly what you want, it’s super easy to make your own: grab images (watch copyright!), paste them into Google Docs or Canva, set page size to A4 or Letter, set images to 300 DPI for crisp printing, and export as PDF. I usually add small captions with first appearance and actor, then crop everything to a clean grid so it prints well for binders. One practical tip from my own printing sessions: choose the right paper weight (80–120 gsm is fine for lists, 200+ gsm if you want collector-feel cards), use a local print shop for borderless color, and laminate pages you’ll handle a lot. If you're after a specific country release called 'Masked Rider' (like the 1995 US adaptation), include that in search terms to avoid mixing series. Happy printing — if you want, tell me which riders or seasons you want on the list and I’ll sketch a layout idea for you.

I get excited every time a new Rider shows up, so I check the official lists pretty religiously. From what I've noticed, the official 'Masked Rider' (think 'Kamen Rider' family) rosters are updated primarily whenever there's a new production or announcement — that means the big yearly TV series premieres, plus any major movie or anniversary project. Practically speaking that usually results in a handful of meaningful updates each year: a fresh series launch, mid-season additions when new Riders debut, and then occasional updates tied to films, specials, or crossover events. If you follow the Toei site or the official social accounts, those pages are the ones that get updated first with character pages, images, and specs. Toy and merchandise pages (Bandai or associated stores) also get refreshed in sync with reveals, and sometimes those pages reveal Riders slightly earlier during pre-orders. I personally sip coffee and refresh the official timeline when a teaser drops — it's a ritual at this point. So the short practical takeaway: the list isn't updated on a rigid daily schedule. It's event-driven — updated when a new Rider is announced, debuts on TV, or appears in a major release. If you want near-instant updates, follow the official channels and a reliable fan site that tracks press releases; those two together keep you ahead of the curve and make the waiting for new Riders a little more fun.

Hunting for a reliable, up-to-date list of 'Kamen Rider' titles and characters is something I do way more often than I probably should, and over the years I've gotten picky about sources. My top three sites are: the Kamen Rider Wiki on Fandom (super detailed for characters, episodes, forms, and canonicity), the official Toei/Kamen Rider site (for release schedules, official merchandise, and announcement pages), and Wikipedia's 'List of Kamen Rider series' entry (great for quick timelines and production info). The Fandom wiki is my daily bread — it has episode lists, movie tie-ins, and the little net-only specials that often slip off other lists. The official site is slower to archive older minutiae but is the single-source authority when a new Rider is announced, so I bookmark it. If you want more granular stuff — like movie-only Riders, spin-off exclusives, or promotional one-offs — check fandom pages’ history tabs to see when entries were added, and cross-reference with Toei’s press releases. Japanese sources typically break news first: searching '仮面ライダー 一覧' and following Toei's official Twitter or the show's official Twitter accounts will catch live announcements. I also use the Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club pages and the streaming service notes for web exclusives; those often list the newest Riders and their debut episodes. Another neat trick: look up 'Heisei' vs 'Showa' vs 'Reiwa' grouped lists if you're trying to understand era splits and crossovers — those groupings help when tracking multi-Rider movies like 'Heisei Generations' or reunion specials. Communities are great for catching errors or fan translations too. Reddit’s r/KamenRider and a few Discord servers usually post quick charts when a new Rider or form appears, and YouTube reviewers will timestamp debut scenes so you can see the first appearance. If you're building your own list, I recommend keeping a small spreadsheet with columns for name, debut (episode/movie/web), actor, and source (link) — then you can sort by date and filter out non-canonical cameos. Personally, I keep the Fandom wiki and a bookmark to the official Toei page open whenever a new season is airing; it's satisfying to watch a transformation sequence and immediately pull up the Rider's page to see toy photos and actor interviews. If you want, I can walk you through a quick search string to find specific debut episodes or show you which Twitter accounts I follow for instant updates.

Growing up as a fan who devoured late-night TV and then hoarded DVDs, I learned that the masked rider catalog is happiest when you think of it as layers, not just a straight timeline. Most lists I build (and yes, I have a messy spreadsheet) start with the obvious: divide by era — Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa — because that immediately tells you the production style, target audience, and common themes. Under each era, I put the TV series first in broadcast order: so you'd see 'Kamen Rider Kuuga' sitting before 'Kamen Rider Agito' in the Heisei sequence, and the newer Reiwa entries grouped after 2019. That order makes it easy to follow yearly changes and see how each new Rider responds to what came before. Movies get their own sub-sections beneath each series in my lists. There are recurring movie types I always call out: the standalone theatrical film tied to a season (usually released in summer, titled like 'Kamen Rider [Series] the Movie: ...'), the crossover spectacles (think the 'Movie War' triple-segment films and the 'Heisei Generations' union pieces), and the big event crossovers with 'Super Sentai' such as the 'Super Hero Taisen' collabs. I also label direct-to-video releases (V-Cinema), web exclusives, and specials — these often sit outside main continuity but are invaluable for character epilogues and fun what-ifs. A practical tip from my collection: when a film’s canonicity is unclear, I add a short note — either 'fits in-between eps X–Y', 'post-series epilogue', or 'alternate universe/crossover'. Some movies clearly alter the tone or rules of the show, so I mark them as side stories. Finally, for people who just want a simple reading experience, I provide two sorts: a release-date order (how Toei rolled them out) and an in-universe timeline where possible. Both have value — release order preserves the cultural experience, while in-universe ordering makes bingeing feel cohesive. If you like, I can sketch a printable template that organizes everything this way; it made weekend marathon planning way easier for me.

Whenever I'm trying to settle a fandom spat over who counts as a true Rider, I go digging through the places that actually track the messy details. For sheer breadth and up-to-date cross-referencing, the community-maintained 'Kamen Rider Wiki' (the Fandom one) is the go-to for me. It doesn't feel like someone slapped together a list for clicks — it's full of episode-by-episode citations, production notes, and entries for every form and cameo. The editors there are obsessively thorough: they note first appearances, change logs for forms, toy releases, and even tie-in specials, so if you're compiling a reliable roster, that level of sourcing is gold. That said, I always cross-check with official sources. Toei's own pages and press releases are the canon arbiter when there are grey areas like crossovers or ambiguous transformations. Wikipedia's overview pages are decent for quick scans and linking to broader context, but I wouldn't use them as the final word without checking citations. For meta-info and recent community consensus, the r/KamenRider subreddit often hosts spreadsheet-style lists and polls where fans collate information in real time — really useful for tracking things like limited-time Riders or regional exclusives. If I were to recommend one "most reliable" compiled list recently, I'd point people to a combined approach: start with the 'Kamen Rider Wiki' as the backbone, confirm tricky items on Toei's official site, and peek at the community threads on Reddit or long-running sites like TokuNation for nuance and rumors. I've kept a small private spreadsheet for years (yes, the obsessive fan habits never die), and every time I update it I end up linking back to those three sources. If you're making your own list, that trio will save you headaches and help you sleep at night knowing it's not just hearsay.