Celebrating 45 years of heroics!
Hello, Aldo The Fox here and I would like to take the time to promote the Wiki I work on, Kamen Rider Wiki!
We are making this wiki so you can get all the information you want on armored belt powered heroes who ride motorcycles and fight terrorists and various things that go bump in the night (and day)!
Location: http://kamenrider.wikia.com
How I became a fan:
The first time I encountered these strange heroes was back in early 2008. I was bored one day randomly browsing YouTube when something caught my eye, an image of a strange Batman-like character with a utility belt. I investigated further by clicking the video and found it very weird, the belt was talking and there was a flying dragon castle and for some reason the guy was so strong he left a bat symbol on the ground when he kicked the weird stained glass monster. I had to know more...
I learned his name was Kiva, and he was the latest in a line of sort-of legacy heroes created by an afro-haired Japanese man who loved superheroes and who was responsible for Power Rangers very existence by creating its original source material. My life was never the same after that.. I dabbled in Den-O, was perplexed by Decade and went absolutely nuts for Double. I basically joined a secret cabal of western geeks who were observing one of the last pop culture frontiers: Japanese Superhero Tokusatsu.
Granted, how I watched them was in a grey area given Japan refuses to release them legally here in the US outside of V3 (due to a Hawaiian fanbase for that show). So I decided the only way to get around that was to try and spread the word and in 2013, I got my chance and gained Admin status for a tokusatsu wiki project. Thus, I have been a madman with a wiki ever since spreading the word of men and women who kill evil with a glowing foot to the face!
What Is Kamen Rider? Good Question! Kamen Rider is a 45 year old franchise that spans TV, movies, crossovers, video games and lots and lots of Moichandising! Created on April 3, 1971, this superhero series has entertained generations of Japanese children and is a mainstay of the nation's culture akin to how Superman is a mainstay of American culture. The basic premise for the show is that an individual is bestowed a belt (or in rare cases sometimes another type of device) that gives them the power to become an armored superhero with fantastic abilities. They use this power to fight selflessly for the sake of others against a group of monsters. This premise would later be used in a variation in 1975 to create Super Sentai, Kamen Rider's sister series and the originator of what would become Power Rangers.
What are the highlights of this series?
What Kamen Rider you end up liking is really up to personal tastes as the series has a sort of fluidity in tone. Some are comedic like Den-O, while others are dark and serious like Faiz and Shin and others strike a nice balance like Gaim and Black. The main highlights though are the Rider Kick, a flying kick attack that has many variations that the hero uses to destroy the monsters. Another is the action and Rider Machines, high tech vehicles such as custom motorcycles that the Rider can use to chase down evil. If you want to know its content on a more parental level, here is the Parent Page.
Ultimately though its greatest strength is that it inspires hope to those who watch it. Among its many morals and themes is its message: Even when the world is full of evil and it seems you are powerless, never give up your strength, courage, determination or kindness and rise to the challenge. Said evil will eventually always fail as compassion for others and self-sacrifice can protect those you care about and make a difference.
Didn't I see something like this before? You may have seen toys of this show's adaptations Masked Rider and Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight at some point if you live in the US. While Masked Rider was not well received for being a Power Rangers clone with an executive mandated annoying character, Dragon Knight was better received by fans and even got a broadcast in Japan where it gained enough popularity for a sequel novel.
If its so great why isn't it on DVD? Aside from V3's DVD set, licensing issues have made that more complicated, especially with the closure of Ishimori Pro's international licensing division Ishimori Entertainment. But given that Super Sentai shows are getting DVD releases here, it is a question if continued and growing consumer support of its sister series will expand the availability of Toei's superhero shows. On the plus side, it is actually raising awareness of the genre, so, hope springs eternal.
The only way to see it, for now, is by visiting fansub groups or grey area websites for streaming. Yes, it isn't technically legal, but a necessary evil for fans until things change. Not that we condone that on our wiki, do so at your own risk. This is something we hope to change in the future by talking about the show and sharing info of our findings to the world. That way enough people know about it to warrant legal releases from licensed live action Japanese film/TV distributors such as Kraken Releasing or Shout! Factory.
How many shows are there? As of this blog post, there are 27 seasons and over 1,000+ episodes, with the current show being the retro video game themed/medical drama Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.
As a Fan, what do you recommend?
- Watch the first series. Yes, its old and the special effects are dated and the plot can be repetitive to some, but it gives you the origins of many of the series staples and tropes. Plus, Kamen Rider 1 and 2 are always awesome!
- Black is the consensus Showa Era favorite for many fans, capturing the core of what a Kamen Rider is while having fantastic music and a sometimes dark atmosphere. My favorite tune is the theme music when Black defeats a monster, triumphant and epic yet also with a hint of somberness and sadness.
- Amazon is another Showa favorite for its cheesy over-the-top blood and gore and jungle theme, basically asking "What if Tarzan had super powers?". It is also noted for being a short and sweet entry as angry parents made the show last only 24 episodes. So you could watch it in only a single day if you have enough free time.
- Kamen Rider Stronger is another short series and one with a fun atmosphere as the main character is a guy who has an eccentric personality and so far is the only hero with a female sidekick. Plus, Stronger is the first beetle-themed Rider and has electricity and magnetism as his superpowers. At one point, he even summoned a bolt of lightning from the sky!
- Kamen Rider W aka Double is a close personal favorite of mine, combining fun characters with neo-noir detective stories and superhero action. It has great use of the toy gimmick that never feels wasted or forced like some of the more recent shows and a world that was well built by the show and promotional materials when it aired.
- Kamen Rider Gaim has become the most recent Rider Series to achieve not only fan acclaim, but praise from several internet news sites for superheroes such as Den of Geek. Written by Gen Urobochi of Purella Magi Madoka fame, this series returns the franchise to its darker roots in some cases. It also has some of the most creative Rider designs in recent memory, being based on fruit and war armors from history such as Japanese samurai armor or Arabian bowmen. If nothing else, you owe it to yourself to get a Gaim Kachidoki Arms figure, EI EI OH~!
Well, I hope you learned something today and feel free to check us out! Thank you for your time! For a shorter version for those who don't want to read this, take a Geek Crash Course with Tokusatsu Network's Micheal Nixon! (old video but gets the point across)
Narrator: Aldo the Fox glowed with pride at his recent Blog entry, but the struggle of the lonely road he walks still burns in his heart! Don't lose hope! Tatakae! Western Kamen Rider FANDOM! Chase the dreams of heroes!