Live-Action TV
Description
Ichirō Midorikawa, also known as Kamen Rider 0, is a central figure in the narrative of Shin Kamen Rider, serving as the primary antagonist and the true leader of SHOCKER. He is the biological son of Dr. Midorikawa and the older brother of Ruriko Midorikawa. As the first human to be augmented with the mysterious energy known as prana, he holds the designation of Kamen Rider No. 0.
His background is marked by a profound childhood tragedy that shapes his entire worldview. After his mother was killed by a criminal, Ichiro developed a deep-seated hatred for violence and a belief that human conflict is inevitable due to the inability of people to truly understand one another. This traumatic event drove his family to become involved with SHOCKER, and following a power struggle that left him severely injured, his father performed the surgery that transformed him into an Augment. Unlike Kamen Riders No. 1 and No. 2, who absorb prana from the air, Ichiro’s method involves extracting it directly from living organisms, making his power source fundamentally different and more predatory.
Ichiro’s personality is calm, intellectual, and disturbingly serene, even in the face of his sister's death. He is not motivated by malice or a desire for power, but by a twisted, messianic desire to save humanity from itself. His core motivation is to implement the Habitat Project, a plan to liberate the prana, or soul, of every human being from their physical bodies and gather them into a single collective consciousness. He envisions this as a happy utopia where death, injustice, and the misunderstandings that lead to violence no longer exist, as the boundaries of individual ego would be erased. In his view, this is the ultimate form of salvation.
In the story, Ichiro acts as the mastermind, directing SHOCKER’s Augments to retrieve his sister Ruriko while he remains behind to finalize his plan. His role culminates in a final confrontation with Takeshi Hongo (Kamen Rider No. 1) and Hayato Ichimonji (Kamen Rider No. 2). He demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, easily dispatching other Augments and blocking the Rider Kicks of the two protagonists without transforming. Even after transforming, his power is so immense that he toys with both Riders in a two-on-one fight, and they are unable to land a single effective counter-blow.
His key relationships are defined by family and ideology. His bond with his sister Ruriko is central, as she once agreed with his goals but eventually escaped SHOCKER, harboring resentment because his plan would erase not just bodies but the very concept of the individual self. Despite this, her faith in him ultimately plays a role in his redemption. His relationship with Takeshi Hongo represents a clash of philosophies. While Ichiro seeks to change the world to eliminate suffering, Hongo argues for changing oneself from within, insisting that nothing in life is meaningless.
Ichiro’s character development is the film’s emotional core. He begins as an unshakable, god-like figure who believes he has found the only solution to human suffering. However, as his plan fails and his prana supply is cut off, he is forced to confront Hongo’s persistent appeals and, through a broken helmet, communicate with the spirit of his sister. Ruriko’s persuasion, combined with Hongo’s willingness to sacrifice his life for another’s soul, finally reaches him. He abandons his plan, acknowledging that he has lost too much and that the future he envisioned is too small. In the end, he sits on his throne, his prana exhausted, and dissolves into foam.
His notable abilities are extraordinary, befitting his status as the first Rider. He handles prana with the same proficiency as No. 1 and No. 2 but through his unique extraction method. His strength is far beyond any other Augment; he can casually block a Cyclone attack from Ichimonji and break both of his arms with a single hand, even while weakened. In his transformed state as Kamen Rider No. 0, his power is nearly absolute, forcing the two protagonists to cough up blood and leaving them unable to fight back. His transformation is also notable for its unique visual, which follows a complete metamorphosis process like an insect.
His background is marked by a profound childhood tragedy that shapes his entire worldview. After his mother was killed by a criminal, Ichiro developed a deep-seated hatred for violence and a belief that human conflict is inevitable due to the inability of people to truly understand one another. This traumatic event drove his family to become involved with SHOCKER, and following a power struggle that left him severely injured, his father performed the surgery that transformed him into an Augment. Unlike Kamen Riders No. 1 and No. 2, who absorb prana from the air, Ichiro’s method involves extracting it directly from living organisms, making his power source fundamentally different and more predatory.
Ichiro’s personality is calm, intellectual, and disturbingly serene, even in the face of his sister's death. He is not motivated by malice or a desire for power, but by a twisted, messianic desire to save humanity from itself. His core motivation is to implement the Habitat Project, a plan to liberate the prana, or soul, of every human being from their physical bodies and gather them into a single collective consciousness. He envisions this as a happy utopia where death, injustice, and the misunderstandings that lead to violence no longer exist, as the boundaries of individual ego would be erased. In his view, this is the ultimate form of salvation.
In the story, Ichiro acts as the mastermind, directing SHOCKER’s Augments to retrieve his sister Ruriko while he remains behind to finalize his plan. His role culminates in a final confrontation with Takeshi Hongo (Kamen Rider No. 1) and Hayato Ichimonji (Kamen Rider No. 2). He demonstrates overwhelming physical strength, easily dispatching other Augments and blocking the Rider Kicks of the two protagonists without transforming. Even after transforming, his power is so immense that he toys with both Riders in a two-on-one fight, and they are unable to land a single effective counter-blow.
His key relationships are defined by family and ideology. His bond with his sister Ruriko is central, as she once agreed with his goals but eventually escaped SHOCKER, harboring resentment because his plan would erase not just bodies but the very concept of the individual self. Despite this, her faith in him ultimately plays a role in his redemption. His relationship with Takeshi Hongo represents a clash of philosophies. While Ichiro seeks to change the world to eliminate suffering, Hongo argues for changing oneself from within, insisting that nothing in life is meaningless.
Ichiro’s character development is the film’s emotional core. He begins as an unshakable, god-like figure who believes he has found the only solution to human suffering. However, as his plan fails and his prana supply is cut off, he is forced to confront Hongo’s persistent appeals and, through a broken helmet, communicate with the spirit of his sister. Ruriko’s persuasion, combined with Hongo’s willingness to sacrifice his life for another’s soul, finally reaches him. He abandons his plan, acknowledging that he has lost too much and that the future he envisioned is too small. In the end, he sits on his throne, his prana exhausted, and dissolves into foam.
His notable abilities are extraordinary, befitting his status as the first Rider. He handles prana with the same proficiency as No. 1 and No. 2 but through his unique extraction method. His strength is far beyond any other Augment; he can casually block a Cyclone attack from Ichimonji and break both of his arms with a single hand, even while weakened. In his transformed state as Kamen Rider No. 0, his power is nearly absolute, forcing the two protagonists to cough up blood and leaving them unable to fight back. His transformation is also notable for its unique visual, which follows a complete metamorphosis process like an insect.