Say Hello To 'Starfish Hitler', The Weirdest Japanese TV Supervillain Of The 1970s
I admit that I’ve never seen it, but from every indication the 1974 Japanese TV series Kamen Rider X was bloody amazing. Kamen Rider means “masked rider,” and the show was part of a popular “tokusatsu superhero” series created by one of the most prolific practitioners of the genre, Shotaro Ishinomori. The show revolved around the valiant efforts of the technology-fuelled, motorcycle-riding, insect-themed hero to battle the malign machinations of the villainous organization G.O.D.
In “Underworld’s Dictator, Starfish Hitler!!”—the 26th episode of the series, which lasted a single season—Kamen Rider tangles with a superhero that terrifyingly combines the deadly powers of the starfish (??) with the legendary whup-ass martial arts prowess of the singular Führer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler.
The random weirdness of Starfish Hitler has generated a bit of a cult online—there’s even a heavy metal tribute to him.
If you're so inclined (and I'd strongly recommend you are) you can watch a full episode of Kamen Rider X, episode 2 is below.
