Henshin Men

“Death Mushroom!” Not only should that be the name of a Euro metal band, it’s the name of the kaijin-of-the-week featured in today’s episode…sorta. Travis and Nathan discuss a two-parter from Kamen Rider (1971), where Hayato/Kamen Rider 2 battles a convict who is pickled in weird mushroom juices for a week by Shocker to make him into a supervillain only a Matango would love. Yep, you read that rig...

Nathan and Travis discuss two episodes of Kamen Rider (1971), the first of which has a murderous merman—and that doesn’t matter. You came to hear about Musasabeedle, aka Fly-Squidle—with a “d” and not a “t” to avoid a lawsuit from Nintendo. We guesstimate about 50 percent of this episode is your intrepid hosts laughing at this squirrelly kaijin’s expense. So. Many. Jokes! What else is there to tal...

Did you think your intrepid hosts, Travis and Nathan, could not talk about the BIG news that dropped about Shin Kamen Rider (2023)? Not when they’re a quarter of the way through the classic series that inspired it! They discuss the promo video that recreates the original intro as well as the actors playing Takeshi and Ruriko, among other things; make crazy “fan castings” for some of the other char...

Episode 11: This Isn’t Even My Final Form! (Kamen Rider Eps. 20-21) This week, Kamen Rider II battles Mothra! (Moth Man? Mothra Man?) Well, kinda. Your toku-loving hosts, Travis and Nathan, are just as confused by Shocker’s kaijin-of-the-week because, once again, he has two names: Dokugander and Poison-Mothdar! But if that wasn’t enough, Toei tries to upstage Tsuburaya Productions by crucifying Ta...

Last week, you smelled what Nathan and Travis were cooking…and now we’re going to Long John Silver’s. Or maybe Red Lobster? Anyway, Kamen Rider fights Shocker’s monstrous seafood in two episodes featuring Starfish Hitler’s forerunner, Stafinjer, and the ridiculous but deadly Crabubbler. And as usual, both of them have alternate names in the episode listings compared to the subtitles. (Insert Picar...

You don’t have to listen on pay-per-view (“pay-per-listen”?) to hear what the Henshin Men are cookin’! Your tag-team hosts Travis and Nathan discuss two of the most electrifying episodes of Kamen Rider (1971) where Hayato battles Pirasaurus, a champion pro-wrestler-turned-kaijin by Shocker. The least secret of secret organizations disguises the King of Dinosaurs (if you got that reference, you are...

A new phase begins on Kamen Rider (1971)…and the show almost crashes and burns. Nathan and Travis discuss the transitional two-part episode of the series that switches from Hongo to Hayato and from horror lite to “friendly neighborhood Kamen Rider” territory. Sadly, Nathan cringes at the Rider Girls (aka “Tobei’s Angels”), among other things, while Travis explains that the show does get better fro...

Go, Go, Kamen Rider! Kamen Rider hits the big screen! Well, sorta. Your intrepid hosts Travis and Nathan spend an entire episode of Henshin Men discussing one episode of Kamen Rider (1971) because it’s a momentous one. At one point, it might’ve been the last episode of the series (and the franchise?), so Toei pulled out all the stops! Shocker resurrects all of their fallen kaijin and creates Tokag...

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's definitely not a condor! Just when Nathan and Travis thought Shocker’s kaijin couldn’t get more ridiculous than Bee Woman—Gebacondor comes in second place. Mostly because he looks more like a Lord of the Rings Orc than a condor. And he can somehow fly despite that costume not looking like it should be able to do so. Oh, and did we mention he’s awakened b...

If this week’s Henshin Men was an episode of Friends , Travis and Nathan would’ve titled it, “The One with Cobra Man.” This Kamen Rider two-parter isn’t for faint-of-heart dog lovers, though. Cobra Man kills a “Kamen Kenny’s” German shepherd named Dummy (off-screen…apparently). But even after KR goes full-tilt John Wick on him, the Shocker fiend is resurrected by a mad dominatrix scientist using—n...

Nathan wasn’t prepared for this. With no warning from Travis about what was coming, he finally watched the conclusion to Kamen Rider’s two-part fight with Chameleon-Man over the (Yahtzee) treasure—and it might be the biggest “What the henshin?!” moment of the entire series! It could be described using a line from an old hymn: “Up from the grave he arose!” But then the madness continued in the next...

Just when you thought Shocker couldn’t get more evil, it turns out the secret society bent on world domination has ties to another group that rhymes with Yahtzees! Who’d have thunk it? Yes, Travis and Nathan continue their journey through classic Kamen Rider in an episode that risks getting banned on YouTube due to the necessary naming of a certain WWII political party in Germany. This time Shocke...

Newbie Nathan now ventures into uncharted Kamen Rider territory with super-fan Travis as his guide! The duo marvels at the grotesque murder methods of Scorpion Man and wonder what in the heck is a Sarracenian. Also, who let the “Kenny” onto the Kamen Rider set to do the fakest crying ever? All this and more in the latest episode of the harrowing Henshin Men podcast! Kamen Rider (1971) can be strea...

Travis and Nathan begin their henshin hero journey with one of the most popular: Kamen Rider! Toei’s iconic motorcycle-riding grasshopper-inspired superhero burst onto the scene with a classic manga and TV series in 1971. Nathan the noob is educated by super-fan Travis as they discuss Kamen Rider’s origin story and first battles with the evil organization Shocker—against villains confusingly named...

Time for the “Rider Kickoff”! Travis Alexander (Kaiju Weekly) and Nathan Marchand (The Monster Island Film Vault) launch their new spinoff podcast discussing Japan’s transforming, kaiju-fighting superheroes. In this episode, your intrepid hosts introduce themselves and give their history with henshin heroes, starting with the likes of Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad and Saban’s Masked Rider. They d...