Central Intelligence Agency Agent Max Reed witnesses the murder of Dr. Tetsu Segawa, a researcher for the mysterious Chronos Corporation. Dr. Segawa had stolen an alien device known as “the Guyver” from Chronos, but he hid it among a pile of garbage by the Los Angeles River before his death. Lisker, leader of the thugs that murdered Dr. Segawa, returns the metal briefcase to Chronos' president Fulton Balcus, only to discover that it contains an old toaster. At a dojo, Reed notifies Dr. Segawa's daughter, Mizuki, about the incident, while her boyfriend, Sean Barker, struggles to pay attention in class. Sean follows Reed and Mizuki to the crime scene; there, he stumbles upon the Guyver unit stored inside a lunch box and stuffs it in his backpack. On his way home, his scooter breaks down in the middle of a back alley before a gang corners him. While Sean is being attacked by the gang, the Guyver suddenly activates and fuses with him. Sean, in his newly armored form, dispatches the gang members, but is shocked by his physical appearance before the armor quickly disappears into two scars on the back of his neck.