Masked Rider, The – Nostalgia Central

1 9 9 5 (USA/Japan)
40 x 30 minute episodes

Like The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Masked Rider was adapted from Japanese TV shows (in this case, Kamen Rider Black RX, Kamen Rider ZO and Kamen Rider J).

When the evil Count Dregon (Ken Merckx) and his assistant, Nefaria (Jennifer Tung), begin executing their plans to conquer the Earth, an alien Prince from the planet Edenoi named Dex (Ted Jan Roberts) is sent to stop them.

Dex finds shelter on Earth with the multiracial Stewart family – Hal (David Stenstrom) and Barbara (Candace Kita) and their children Molly (Rheannon Silver) and Albee (Ashton McArn) – and, when the need arises, becomes a powerful superhero called the Masked Rider to battle Dregon and his army of Insectivores.

He also uses two superpowered talking vehicles – a car named Magno and a bike named Battle Chopper.

The battle scenes from the Japanese version were incorporated with non-battle sequences filmed for the American version and edited together – albeit quite poorly (background buildings didn’t match, the face of the actor playing Dex in the Japanese version was visible at times) – with little regard for continuity.

Unfortunately, the American version also tried to take a serious Japanese series and turn it into a comical action version of Power Rangers – exhibit one: a teddy bear with a duck bill named Ferbus! – that just didn’t work.

Prince Dex
Ted Jan Roberts
Molly Stewart
Rheannon Silver
Barbara Stewart
Candace Kita
Hal Stewart
David Stenstrom
Albee Stewart
Ashton McArn
Nefaria
Jennifer Tung
Count Dregon
Ken Merckx
Ferbus
Verne Troyer
Paul Pistore (voice)
Cyclopter
Steve Kramer
Fact
Julie Maddalena
Gork
Michael McConnohie
Double Face
Michael Sorich