Kamen Rider 1 / No. 1

The first of the Kamen Riders was played by Hiroshi Fujioka, born in 1946, in the 1971 Kamen Rider series.  Aside from playing Takeshi Hongo, he also performed the theme song, "Let's Go! Rider Kick" for the first thirteen episodes as well as performed his own stuns on the show.  However, after a motorcycle accident, he had to temporarily leave the show to recover.  He returned several months later.  To many fans around the world, he's referred to as "Ichi-Gou" (First Unit).

Kamen Rider 2 / No. 2

After Hiroshi Fujioka left the show to recover, Takeshi Sasaki took the role as Hayato Ichomonji, the second Kamen Rider.  He was born in 1947.  When Hiroshi Fujioka was able to return to the Kamen Rider series, he temporarily left the show, only to return much later in the series in the final confrontation against Gel-Shocker.  He also suffers from alopecia areata.  Thus, he wore a wig for during the original filming of the Kamen Rider series.  He's also known by fans as "Ni-Gou" (Second Unit).

Kamen Rider V3 / V3

After the first Kamen Rider series had concluded, a sequel series was released under the name, Kamen Rider V3.  The role of Shiro Kazami (a.k.a. Kamen Rider V3) went to Hiroshi Miyauchi.  Born in 1947, Hiroshi Miyauchi would not only play the part of Kamen Rider V3 but he sang the theme song, "Fight! Kamen Rider V3.  He would also play the role of Ken Hayakawa in the the tokusatsu series, "Kaiketsu Zubat".  He's often referred to by fans as "San-Gou" (Third Unit).

Riderman

In Kamen Rider V3, a rival character was created in Yuki Joji, a Destron scientist who was betrayed by his superior, Admiral Armor.  Thinking that Yuki Joji would usurp his position as a Destron general in the future, Yuki Joji was framed for sedition and sentenced to death.  Yuki Joji would escape though he'd lose his arm in the process.  He would return as the character, "Riderman", and his lost arm was replaced with a mechanical arm.  Over time, Riderman and Kamen Rider V3 would see each other not as rivals but as comrades.  After Riderman sacrificed himself to stop Destron from completing one of their plans, he would be labeled posthumously as "The Fourth Kamen Rider".  He would be played by Takehisa Yamaguchi, born in 1945.  Sadly, he would pass away in 1986 due to liver cancer at age 41.

Kamen Rider X / X

The third Kamen Rider series would be air under the name, Kamen Rider X.  The protagonist of this series, Jin Keisuke, would be played by Ryo Hayama, born in 1949.  Jin Keisuke would be mortally wounded by a gun attack by G.O.D. and would be reborn as a "kaizorg" by his father, Jin Keitaro, at the cost of his own life.

Kamen Rider Amazon / Amazon

The fourth Kamen Rider series, the shortest of all Kamen Rider series, would air as "Kamen Rider Amazon".  The protagonist of this series, Daisuke Yamamoto, would be portrayed by Touru Okazaki, born in 1948.  As a child, Daisuke Yamamoto was on a plane which crashed in the Amazon and stranded without his parents.  He would be adopted by an Incan tribe and become a wild child who lived off the land.  His new life would be cut short when his village was laid waste by Gedon1, lead by Jyumenki.  The last survivor of the village, Elder Bago, would give Daisuke an amulet called the "GiGi Amulet" and performed a ritual on Daisuke before he died.  Thus, Daisuke Yamamoto would become Kamen Rider Amazon.

Kamen Rider Stronger / Strong

The fifth entry in the Kamen Rider series would be known as Kamen Rider Stronger.  In this series, the protagonist is played by the late Shigeru Araki, born in 1948.  Shigeru Araki would play the part of Shigeru Jo, who would secretly allow himself to be operated on by an organization called "Black Satan" who slew his mentor, Goro Numata, so that he could attack the organization from within.  Thus, he would become the character known as Kamen Rider Stronger.  Sadly, Shigeru Araki died in 2012.  His cause of death was from pneumonia.  He was 63 years old.

Skyrider

Kamen Rider Skyrider would be the sixth series in the Kamen Rider franchise though it was originally meant to be a revival of the original 1971 Kamen Series at first.  The role of Hiroshi Tsubaka (the character who would become Kamen Rider Skyrider) would be played by Hiroaki Murakami, born in 1956.  Unlike the other Kamen Riders, Skyrider has the ability to fly.  Furthermore, his Rider motif resembles a locust instead of grasshopper, which was common with the other Kamen Riders.

Kamen Rider Super-1 / S-1

The seventh Kamen Rider series in the franchise would become Kamen Rider Super-1.  The man who would take the role of Kamen Rider Super-1 (a.k.a. Kazuya Oki) would be played by Shinsuike Takasugi, who was born in 1947.  As for the character he played, Kazuya Oki volunteered to undergo cybernetic surgery in the United States to become an astronaut.

Kamen Rider ZX / ZX

Kamen Rider ZX first appeared in the TV special, "Birth of the 10th! Kamen Riders All Together!!"  The role of Kamen Rider ZX (a.k.a. Ryo Murasame) would be played by Shun Sugata in the "Birth of the 10th" TV special.  Unlike other Kamen Riders showcased in Kamen Rider SD, Kamen Rider ZX didn't have a fully-fleshed out TV series of its own.

Kamen Rider Black RX / RX

Kamen Rider Black RX is a direct sequel series of Kamen Rider Black.  The character who'd assume the role would be Kotaru Minata, played by Tetsuo Kurata.  He would also perform the Kamen Rider Black theme song, "Kamen Rider Black".  Coincidentally, Kamen Rider Black would receive its own game on the Famicom Disk System.  That game would be "Kamen Rider Black: Taiketsu Shadow Moon". (Kamen Rider Black: The Shadow Moon Showdown)  

Kamen Rider Black RX would become the last series in the Kamen Rider's "Showa Period", and another Kamen Rider series wouldn't be released until 2000 with the show, Kamen Rider Kuuga.  Also, this would be the first Kamen Rider series adapted into English audiences as the "Masked Rider" by Saban Entertainment in 1995.

Tobei Tachibana

Tobei Tachibana, played by the late Akiji Kobayashi, is the mentor of the Kamen Riders.  In the Kamen Rider franchise, he has appeared in the 1971 Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider V3, Kamen Rider X, Kamen Rider Amazon, and Kamen Rider Stronger.  Prior to the events to the first series, Tobei Tachibana was a racer.  However, his family (wife, two sons and daughter) died while trying to see him race which profoundly devastated him.  Takeshi Hongo, who was around the same age as his deceased children, did help him with his grief.  Thus, the two developed a father/son bond and became very close.  Akiji Kobayashi was born in 1930 and passed away in 1996.  His cause of death was lung cancer.  He was 65 years old.


Ambassador Hell / Hell

Ambassdor Hell was the general of Shocker's Southeast Asian branch in the 1971 Kamen Rider TV series.  He'd take over as general after his predecessor, Doctor Death, for South America's Shocker branch.  His also have a monstrous form in Garagaranda, a rattlesnake mutant with a whip arm as a weapon.  The character would be played by the late Kenji Ushio.  He was born in 1925 and died in 1993.  The cause of death was cirrhosis.  He was 68 years old.

Doctor G / Dr. G

Doctor G is the first of Destron's generals.  Originating from Destron's Germany branch, Doctor G was brought to Japan by Great Leader in an attempt to gain an edge against Kamen Rider V3.  When referring to the hero, Doctor G would often elongate "Rider" in speech, referring to him as "Kamen RAAIIIDAA V3"!  His mutant form is Crablaser where he resembles a crab mutant with a laser affixed to his head.  Doctor G would be played by Joutarou Senba, born in 1931.

Apollo Geist / Apollogeist

Apollo Geist is the Chief of Security of G.O.D. (Government of Darkness)  He views Jin Keisuke (Kamen Rider X) as a strong and formidable rival.  The character would be played by Yasuhiko Uchida, born in 1949.

Jyumenki

Jyumenki (Also known as Jyumenki Golgos) was the leader of the Gedon.  He possessed the GaGa Amulet and wanted Kamen Rider Amazon's GiGi Amulet so that he could conquer the world using Incan science.  This character was portrayed by Ritsuo Sawa, who was born in 1935.  Also, Jyumenki literally means, "Ten-Faced Demon" in Japanese.

General Jark / Jark

General Jark is the main antagonist of the Crisis Empire in Kamen Rider Black RX.  The character was portrayed by the late Seizou Katou, who was born in 1927 and died in 2014.  His cause of death was bladder cancer.  He was 86 years old.

Shadow Moon / Moon

Shadow Moon's true identity is Nobuhiko Akizuki, the adopted brother and best friend of Kohtaro Minami.  Like Kohtaro Minami, Nobuhiko Akizuki was born during a solar eclipse.  When he turned 19, he along with Kohtaro was kidnapped by Gorgom.  Both were to be chosen as Gorgom's newest Creation King.  While Kohtaro Minami would become Kamen Rider Black, Nobuhiko Akizuki would become Kamen Rider Black's enemy, Shadow Moon.  Shadow Moon would be played by Masaki Terasoma, born in 1962.

General Shadow / Shadow

General Shadow, played by Hidekatsu Shibita, was a high ranking general in the organization, Black Satan.  He would later abandon Black Satan and reveal himself as the de-facto leader of the Delzer Army.  His actor, Hidekatsu Sibita, was born in 1937.

Dark Ambassador / Dark

Dark Ambassador was the leader of the Badan Empire in the Kamen Rider TV Special, "Birth of the 10th! Kamen Riders All Together!!"  His also Ambassador Hell's brother.  The character was played by the late Kenji Ushio, the same actor who played Ambassador Hell in the original Kamen Rider TV series.  Kenji Ushio was born in 1925 and died in 1993.  The cause of death was cirrhosis.  He was 68 years old.