News / Aug 23, 2026

The Best Secondary Riders of the Reiwa Era, Ranked

A ranked guide to Reiwa's secondary Kamen Riders, judged on character arc, suit design, story function and the quality of available figures.

Keiwa Sakurai's Kamen Rider Tycoon is the best Reiwa secondary Rider so far, followed by Isamu Fuwa's Vulcan and Hanto Karakida's Valen. This ranking weighs character arc, suit design and the quality and usefulness of each Rider's figure representation. It is an editorial ranking, not an official Toei hierarchy.

How were the Riders ranked?

Each annual series uses the “secondary Rider” role differently. Some are the lead's clear partner, some begin as rivals and some share the space with a large ensemble. This list uses the Rider generally marketed and discussed as the second lead for each Reiwa television season.

The three criteria are equal in principle:

Design: a readable base suit and upgrades that develop the same visual idea.
Arc: choices that change the character rather than simply adding power.
Figures: whether released figures capture the suit, move well and provide a sensible route to the character's important forms.

ZEZTZ had not finished when this article was prepared, so Nox receives a provisional placement. Product availability also changes, and the ranking does not treat a high resale price as proof of a better figure.

1. Kamen Rider Tycoon turns a simple ideal into a real conflict

Keiwa begins Geats wanting world peace, an aim so broad that it initially sounds naive. The Desire Grand Prix forces him to define what that wish costs. His losses, anger and Bujin Sword period push the character into darker territory without erasing the considerate person introduced at the start.

Tycoon's green-and-black ninja design is one of Reiwa's cleanest secondary suits. Ninja Form gives him a distinct silhouette beside Geats, while Bujin Sword turns the same fox-and-tanuki design language into something severe. The available articulated figures support both the approachable base look and the later display piece, although collectors should compare edition contents carefully.

2. Kamen Rider Vulcan gives Zero-One its human counterweight

Isamu Fuwa begins as an angry A.I.M.S. officer who distrusts Humagears and dislikes being managed. His best material comes from learning how thoroughly other people have shaped his memories and purpose. The arc can be messy, but Fuwa remains a forceful presence because his response is always active.

Shooting Wolf is direct and readable: blue armour, a wolf motif and a gun-based transformation system. Assault Wolf adds mass without losing that identity. Vulcan also benefits from early Reiwa S.H.Figuarts releases that pose naturally with Zero-One, making him practical for a two-Rider shelf.

3. Kamen Rider Valen earns his place through pressure

Hanto Karakida enters Gavv as a journalist pursuing the truth behind the Granute threat. His path to Valen is built around grief, suspicion and the danger of accepting power before fully understanding the people supplying it.

The chocolate-bar armour could have become a joke, but its hard rectangular surfaces suit Hanto's abrasive determination. Valen looks connected to Gavv's snack language while remaining visually separate from the soft, rounded forms around the lead. His figure representation captures that contrast well enough to anchor a compact Gavv display.

4. Kamen Rider Live and Evil make one secondary Rider into two

Daiji Igarashi's role in Revice is split between Live and the inner demon Kagero as Evil. The two suits turn a psychological division into an immediate visual argument: bright heroism against black, angular hostility.

The idea is stronger than every part of its execution. Daiji's later choices divide viewers, and this is fan criticism rather than a confirmed production judgement. Even so, Live and Evil make excellent paired display subjects because one body and character concept supports opposing poses, colours and weapons.

5. Kamen Rider Blades is at his best as Saber's loyal professional

Rintaro Shindo begins Saber as a disciplined member of the Sword of Logos. His growth comes from testing institutional loyalty against friendships and evidence. He does not dominate the series, but his earnest manner gives its crowded swordsman cast a stable centre.

Blades Lion Senki has a strong blue palette and a water-and-lion theme that reads immediately. The suit's layered storybook details are busier than Vulcan or Tycoon, and that affects both screen clarity and small-scale paint. Collectors who enjoy Saber's ornate aesthetic will rank him higher than this list does.

6. Kamen Rider Majade is historically important but unevenly served

Rinne Kudo became Kamen Rider Majade after debuting the form in the Gotchard winter film and then transforming in the television story. She is widely identified as the franchise's first female secondary Rider, a role with genuine importance beyond one episode.

Majade's moon-and-unicorn design is elegant and distinct from Gotchard. Her lower placement reflects how unevenly the programme balances her development against its other alchemists, not a dismissal of the character. Figure buyers should also note that some transformation and upgrade items were sold through premium channels rather than a simple mass-retail path.

7. Kamen Rider Nox remains provisional

Nox gives ZEZTZ a darker mirror built around dreams, CODE and manufactured Nightmares. The suit's restrained black finish and sharp helmet contrast effectively with ZEZTZ's red-lined agent design.

The S.H.Figuarts release shipped in August 2026, giving collectors a current figure while the story was still reaching its end. Nox ranks seventh only because his completed arc could not be assessed at the same distance as earlier seasons. This placement should be revisited after the finale, not treated as a final fan consensus.

Tycoon wins because all three criteria meet: the character changes substantially, the designs express that change and the figures make the important looks displayable. Vulcan remains the strongest straightforward partner, while Valen shows how quickly a well-built new secondary can enter the top tier.