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KR Zero-One - Kamen Rider Shon — Description
I wasn't originally going to immediately go into a Zero-One design, but then I saw the contest held by Tokullectibles and Toku Insider, so I gave it a shot. I'm not yet adding this one to my wiki, and I need to provide context for the contest entry, so all the usual info I would put there is down below - along with design details!

And yes, I will be making Progrise Keys soon enough. This was a good excuse to make a template. Just gotta work out any possible kinks it might have.

Good luck to those entering!

(EDIT: I ended up being a runner-up, neat!)

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Kamen Rider Shon (仮面ライダーション / Kamen Raidā Shon)

Form: Hunting Lioness (ハンティングライオネス / Hantingu Raionesu)

Hunting Lioness Progrise Key (ハンティングライオネスプログライズキー / Hantingu Raionesu Puroguraizu Kī)
Ability: Trace
Transformation: "Trace the source: Hunting Lioneeess!" (源をトレース！ハンティングライオネス！ / Minamoto o torēsu! Hantingu Raionesu!) "The body tenses as the prey becomes clear."

Kamen Rider Shon is a Humagear who works for the A.H.B., or Armored Humagear Brigade (装甲ヒューマギア旅団 / Sōkō Hyūmagia Ryodan), aN organization formed by the government to combat the Magear threat with Humagear of their own. The combat system uses a powerful encryption that forces the Humagear to abide by the law, preventing any intrusion by MetsubouJinrai Net. Kamen Rider Shon is the first of these Riders shown to the public. In the future, the A.H.B. hopes to arm several willing Humagear with their Rider gear to stop the Magear for good.

Shon's transformation gadget is the A.H.B. Deckriser (エイエイチビーデックライザー / EiEichiBī Dekkuraizā), a tapedeck-like device strapped to the left thigh and a belt strap. After a Progrise Key is scanned on the belt attachment part, the Deckriser opens up from the top to insert the key, transforming. The second button triggers the Rider Kick.

The Hunting Lioness form provides Shon with enhanced senses. She can see much farther and clearer, her hearing and smelling becomes clearer, and she is able to identify Humagear with rogue code. Though still imperfect, she also has a cloaking ability. Due to the Humagear hands, she has clawed fingers that she can use to attack. Other forms are in development.

As a civilian, Kamen Rider Shon's real name is Leah (レア / Rea) - she is a Humagear who works as a preschool teacher. As a side-effect from her Rider status, her senses are more keen now, allowing her to keep a more watchful eye on the kids. She's deceptively gentle and docile, but will show a fierce side when she must protect her title as the face of A.H.B., a bright future for Humagear in society.

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So the first thing you might be wondering about is the name Shon. The name would depend on the belt - the two Shotriser users have names relating to mythology, while the two Forceriser users have kanji... which leaves Zero-One - I thought of playing with numbers, but it would seem cliche to use Zero-Two. My preference with Riders is to follow the naming scheme but twist it up a bit.

I decided to be a little meta. Counting the Riders I've made and introduced publicly (an important distinction), I've got 43 to my name, including Styler. This would be my 44th, so... what can I do with 44? Also, if it seems like I'm off by a few, I mmmight be, but there are ones I'm also treating as "This has not yet been properly introduced/finalized". If I'm still off then I guess we can just go with the number 4 as the motif, haha. The number 4 has story relevance anyway.

Anyway, while the number 44 is pretty directly "Yon-jū-yon", the number 4 can be read as "Shi" or "Yon", so I had some options. Immediately my mind went to Shishi, which is the Japanese word for "Lion", so I went with that as the animal motif. The syllable "Sho" is made by combining "Shi" with a small "Yo", so the name we get is Kamen Rider Shon. It mixes both readings nicely.

Lions have popped up in Rider plenty of times, and I have no doubt it will happen in Zero-One - but in this case, it's the overlooked lioness. While male lions have the distinction of having an iconic mane and role as a leader, lionesses are actually known for being objectively better hunters due to them being faster and more stealthy. Since the Magear seem to be using a motif of creatures that prey on insects, Shon is a lioness, a proud hunter.

As for the character, I decided right away I wanted a female Humagear who transforms into a Rider, which gave me the idea for what group she'd be part of. It seems like the names are gonna be non-standard, so I decided to go for another reference to lions with the name Leah, coming from the Latin word for "Lioness": "Lea". I was toying around with a poofier hairstyle than usual and ended up basing her a bit on one of my Pokemon characters. Believe it or not, this is not the first time this has happened.

My initial plan for the belt was to make use of the Zero-One Driver, then make something similar to it. Due to the lioness motif, claws came to mind for weaponry - over the course of the sketch phase, I went through several variations on a belt with a claw weapon that's pulled from the side, similar to Ixa. I tried a few different variants on "Panels on belt accessory flip forward/back to reveal weapon mode underneath", but all of them felt too clunky and bland. In adding design elements from the Humagear body seen in trailers, she has clawed hands, so I decided that was enough. I'd just focus on what the Hunting Lioness form has to offer.

As for form changes, we have yet to see how any of them technically work since we won't see PROPER transformation sequences until the show premieres, but I decided she would have her own aesthetic with swappable armor parts, since the other Riders have their own aesthetics as well. Black and silver is used for the base body, due to the Humagear design, and the armor will be what adds new colors. And no, not taking suggestions.

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