Live action TV
Description
Mitsuru Sano is a young man from a wealthy family who entered the Rider War as Kamen Rider Impaler. His father, a successful industrialist, sent him out into the world to learn the hardships of life and avoid being spoiled by privilege. As a result, Sano worked a menial job at a parking garage, occasionally cleaning expensive cars, and lived in a modest apartment. His upbringing left him with a skewed worldview: he genuinely believed that friendship, respect, and love could be purchased with money. This belief drove his actions throughout the series.
When he was offered the chance to become a Kamen Rider and have any wish granted, he accepted eagerly, hoping to become rich and lead a happy life. After his father died and Sano unexpectedly inherited the family business, he suddenly gained the wealth and status he had always wanted. He then tried to withdraw from the Rider War, but was warned that if he quit, the herd of Gazelle-type monsters he was contracted to would kill him. Terrified, he decided to use his newfound money to buy the protection and alliance of the other Riders.
Sano’s personality is marked by naivety and desperation. He approaches other Riders with an eager, almost puppy-like enthusiasm, handing out business cards that identify him as Kamen Rider Impaler. He attempts to ally with Shinji Kido and Ren Akiyama, but Shinji is moved by his sincerity while Ren is immediately distrustful. He later seeks out Shuichi Kitaoka, who toys with him by pretending to accept a contract, and also tries to approach the violent Takeshi Asakura, unaware of Asakura’s reputation. Ultimately, Sano places his trust in Satoru Tojo, another Rider, whom he takes in and cares for when Tojo is injured. Tojo later betrays him, nearly killing him. Impaler is then mortally wounded by Ouja, who destroys his card deck. Trapped in the Mirror World, Sano staggers toward a mirror and sees a young woman waiting for him in the rain, a sign of a possible happy life he had just begun to build. He dies holding a mirror shard, anguished by what might have been.
In terms of relationships, Sano’s interactions are shaped by his attempts to buy loyalty. He offers money to Shinji and Ren, but Shinji rejects the idea outright, while Ren is briefly tempted but lets the cash go. Kitaoka manipulates him, and Tojo betrays him. The only genuine connection he forms is with the daughter of a business associate, a sincere young woman who seems to like him for who he is. This relationship is cut short by the Rider War.
His role in the story is that of a late-arriving Rider who is ultimately a tragic figure—neither heroic nor truly villainous, but a product of his misled values. His development shows a brief moment of hope when he inherits wealth and meets the girl, followed by a swift and cruel fall.
Notable abilities as Kamen Rider Impaler include his reliance on a herd of contract monsters: Gigazelle, Megazelle, and Omegazelle, which travel together and attack in groups. His Advent cards are limited compared to other Riders. His Spin Vent equips a double-drill gauntlet called Gazelle Stab, and his Final Vent, Drive Divider, directs the gazelle herd to strike the opponent before he lands a powerful knee attack. In terms of raw physical stats, he has a punch rating of 200 attack points and a kick rating of 400. His fighting style lacks the brute force of some other Riders, so he depends heavily on his monsters to wear down enemies before he finishes them.
When he was offered the chance to become a Kamen Rider and have any wish granted, he accepted eagerly, hoping to become rich and lead a happy life. After his father died and Sano unexpectedly inherited the family business, he suddenly gained the wealth and status he had always wanted. He then tried to withdraw from the Rider War, but was warned that if he quit, the herd of Gazelle-type monsters he was contracted to would kill him. Terrified, he decided to use his newfound money to buy the protection and alliance of the other Riders.
Sano’s personality is marked by naivety and desperation. He approaches other Riders with an eager, almost puppy-like enthusiasm, handing out business cards that identify him as Kamen Rider Impaler. He attempts to ally with Shinji Kido and Ren Akiyama, but Shinji is moved by his sincerity while Ren is immediately distrustful. He later seeks out Shuichi Kitaoka, who toys with him by pretending to accept a contract, and also tries to approach the violent Takeshi Asakura, unaware of Asakura’s reputation. Ultimately, Sano places his trust in Satoru Tojo, another Rider, whom he takes in and cares for when Tojo is injured. Tojo later betrays him, nearly killing him. Impaler is then mortally wounded by Ouja, who destroys his card deck. Trapped in the Mirror World, Sano staggers toward a mirror and sees a young woman waiting for him in the rain, a sign of a possible happy life he had just begun to build. He dies holding a mirror shard, anguished by what might have been.
In terms of relationships, Sano’s interactions are shaped by his attempts to buy loyalty. He offers money to Shinji and Ren, but Shinji rejects the idea outright, while Ren is briefly tempted but lets the cash go. Kitaoka manipulates him, and Tojo betrays him. The only genuine connection he forms is with the daughter of a business associate, a sincere young woman who seems to like him for who he is. This relationship is cut short by the Rider War.
His role in the story is that of a late-arriving Rider who is ultimately a tragic figure—neither heroic nor truly villainous, but a product of his misled values. His development shows a brief moment of hope when he inherits wealth and meets the girl, followed by a swift and cruel fall.
Notable abilities as Kamen Rider Impaler include his reliance on a herd of contract monsters: Gigazelle, Megazelle, and Omegazelle, which travel together and attack in groups. His Advent cards are limited compared to other Riders. His Spin Vent equips a double-drill gauntlet called Gazelle Stab, and his Final Vent, Drive Divider, directs the gazelle herd to strike the opponent before he lands a powerful knee attack. In terms of raw physical stats, he has a punch rating of 200 attack points and a kick rating of 400. His fighting style lacks the brute force of some other Riders, so he depends heavily on his monsters to wear down enemies before he finishes them.