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Kamen Rider is one of Japan's most iconic superhero series, known for its special effects and flashy transformations. The tokusatsu franchise has inspired many anime titles to retrofit tropes from the series into their narratives. However, many of these inspirations can be hard to spot for anyone unfamiliar with the series.

Fortunately, more of the Kamen Rider series have become accessible on streaming sites like Tubi. This allows more people to watch the series, and realize its lasting impact on pop culture. Many anime series even directly pay homage through concepts from the original series. It's often overlooked how some of the most iconic anime in history were inspired by the live-action superhero in some fashion.

Samurai Flamenco Is a Modern Love Letter to Kamen Rider's Early Entries Streaming on Crunchyroll

Samurai Flamenco has an insane plot that's reminiscent of the Showa-era Kamen Rider and Sentai series. As Masayoshi...

Kamen Rider is a popular franchise in Japan, with the series being one of the premiere names in the tokusatsu genre. Combining costumed, motorcycle-riding heroes with monsters and mayhem, the series and the heroes who bear its name have remained steadfast staples in Japanese pop culture. That success hasn't been matched in the West, though one TV series certainly tried to make that happen.

Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight was the second attempt to bring the masked motorcycle heroes to Western viewers. Made somewhat in the same vein as the Power Rangers, it sadly didn't do much to make the property mainstream outside Japan. However, was still far better than an infamous predecessor, and it likely could have succeeded with a few changes.

Related: Power Rangers TV Series Departs Production in New Zealand

Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight Was the Second (and Last) American Kamen Rider Series

Running from 2008 to 2009, Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight...

The first Kamen Rider series premiered in 1971, and since then there have been dozens of series with different characters, but the best leave lasting impressions on the audience. The Japanese term "Tokusatsu" refers to films or TV series that make use of a lot of special effects, and they tend to deal with monsters and various sci-fi elements. A prime example of this is the earlier Godzilla films and the Japanese Super Sentai shows that Power Rangers is based on. Besides Super Sentai, there is also the long-running Kamen Rider series.

Going strong for over 50 years and 30 seasons, the cultural influence of Kamen Rider is undeniable. Two minor planets have been named in honor of the series, one of them being "12796 Kamenrider." The cream of the crop from Kamen Rider's franchise range from the early days of the franchise to modern retellings of those original stories and everything in between.