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Power Rider Talk — Description

Unproduced Power Rider Series — What Could Have Been
Today, we’re going to be talking about the unproduced Power Rider series.
Kamen Rider has had a complicated history internationally. On one hand, the franchise has become more available through streaming releases of older seasons, and newer Kamen Rider content has helped keep the brand alive for international fans. But when it comes to American adaptations, the history is much smaller.
We had Saban’s Masked Rider, which was… not great. It tried to adapt Kamen Rider Black RX but ended up becoming one of the weakest tokusatsu adaptations of the 1990s.
Then we had Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, which was amazing. It adapted Kamen Rider Ryuki and proved that Kamen Rider could work for an American audience when it had stronger writing, better characters, and a more serious story.
But there was almost another adaptation.
That adaptation was called Power Rider.
Power Rider was a trademark filed by Saban Brands in 2011. However, because there were no major updates or evidence of use, the trademark was eventually abandoned in 2014.
The big mystery is that we still don’t know what Kamen Rider season Power Rider would have adapted. It could have been based on a Heisei Rider season, especially since Steve Wang, one of the showrunners of Dragon Knight, had expressed interest in adapting shows like Kamen Rider 555, Kabuto, Fourze, Wizard, and even Decade.
Decade would have been especially interesting because it had a crossover with Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, the Sentai season that became Power Rangers Samurai. Since Saban had Power Rangers back at the time, a Power Rider and Power Rangers crossover could have been possible in an alternate universe.
If Power Rider had premiered around 2012 on Nickelodeon or Nicktoons, it could have aired alongside Power Rangers Samurai and reruns of older Power Rangers seasons like DinoThunder. And that’s actually pretty cool, because DinoThunder’s Sentai counterpart, Abaranger, originally aired in Japan around the same era as Kamen Rider 555.
In my opinion, if Power Rider had been made and became a huge hit, it could have changed everything. We might have gotten a full American Kamen Rider adaptation line, maybe even one season per Rider series, similar to how Power Rangers adapted Super Sentai from Mighty Morphin through RPM.
But sadly, Power Rider never happened. Dragon Knight remains the last fully produced American Kamen Rider adaptation, and since 2009, we haven’t gotten another one.
So now the big question is:
Which Kamen Rider season would you have wanted Power Rider to adapt?
Would you pick 555, Kabuto, Fourze, Wizard, Decade, or another season?
Let me know in the comments below.
My Top Picks for Power Rider
Now, if Power Rider had actually happened, the big question is: which Kamen Rider season should Saban Brands have adapted?
Here are my top picks.
1. Kamen Rider 555
This is probably one of the strongest choices. Kamen Rider 555 has darker storytelling, cool suits, great action, and a futuristic sci-fi tone. It could have worked really well as a teen action drama on Nicktoons.
The Faiz Gear, Kaixa Gear, and Delta Gear would have been perfect for toys, and the Orphnoch monsters could have given the show a more mature but still TV-Y7-FV style.
2. Kamen Rider Kabuto
Kabuto would have been another amazing choice. The suits are awesome, the action is fast, and the Clock Up gimmick would have looked incredible for American kids watching Nickelodeon or Nicktoons.
It also has a strong sci-fi setup with the Worms and ZECT, which could have been adapted into a secret organization storyline.
3. Kamen Rider Fourze
Fourze might be the most Nickelodeon-friendly choice. It already has a high school setting, a friendship theme, and a space motif. That makes it feel like something that could fit perfectly next to Power Rangers Samurai or Power Rangers Megaforce.
It could have been the fun, colorful, school-based version of Power Rider.
4. Kamen Rider Decade
Decade would have had the best crossover potential. Since Decade crossed over with Samurai Sentai Shinkenger in Japan, and Shinkenger became Power Rangers Samurai, this could have been the perfect way to connect Power Rider with Power Rangers.
Imagine Power Rider Decade teaming up with the Samurai Rangers. That would have been huge.
5. Kamen Rider Den-O
Den-O could have worked because it has comedy, time travel, and a lot of personality. The Imagin characters could have been very marketable, and the train/time-travel gimmick would have made it stand out.
6. Kamen Rider Blade
Blade would have been a cool action-heavy choice. The card gimmick would have worked well for toys, and the Undead monsters could have made the show feel like a darker fantasy-action series.
7. Kamen Rider W
W would have been a great pick because of the detective theme and the two-in-one hero concept. It could have worked as a buddy mystery action series, almost like a superhero detective show for kids.
8. Kamen Rider Kuuga
Kuuga would have been a strong serious adaptation, but it might have been harder to adapt for Nickelodeon because of its darker and more grounded tone. Still, the forms and monster battles could have worked if rewritten carefully.
9. Kamen Rider Agito
Agito could have worked as a mystery-based superhero show. It has multiple Riders, a serious story, and a strong sense of evolution and destiny. But like Kuuga, it might have needed a lot of changes for American kids’ TV.
10. Kamen Rider Hibiki
Hibiki would have been one of the hardest to adapt, but also one of the most unique. The music, oni warriors, and training themes could have made it feel very different from Power Rangers. It probably would not have been the safest choice, but it would have stood out.
For honorable mentions, I would include Kamen Rider Kiva and Kamen Rider OOO.
Kiva could have been a modern version of Beetleborgs, but more grounded. It could have played with horror-inspired themes from vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein-style monsters, ghost stories, Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and classic horror films, while still keeping it TV-Y7-FV.
OOO also could have worked because of the animal combo gimmick, colorful suit forms, and toy-friendly medals. It would have been easier to market and could have been a fun action-adventure series.
Final Thoughts
To be honest, I think Kamen Rider 555 and Kamen Rider Fourze are the strongest choices.
555 would be the cool, serious, sci-fi action version of Power Rider.
Fourze would be the fun, colorful, Nickelodeon-friendly hit version.
If Saban wanted something darker and more action-focused, 555 would have been the best pick. But if they wanted something that fit Nickelodeon perfectly in 2012, Fourze probably would have been the safest choice.