If you love Power Rangers , you are probably at least cognizant of Super Sentai , the Spandex - clad Tokusatsu serial publication it borrows its costumes , mechs , and natural action footage from . But Toei , the makers of Super Sentai , are also behind another of Japan ’s most iconic superhero franchises : the legendary Henshin Heroes of Kamen Rider .
Last week , Toei denote a major licensing deal with Shout Factory to officially bring the original Kamen Rider to America for the first time , laying the groundwork for more debut in the esteemed franchise to make their means out of Japan and to the West . It ’s a chance to see the origin story of one of Japan ’s most iconic superheroes , but if you do n’t know what the tiff is all about — or what the difference between Kamen Rider and the the likes of of other Tokusatsu superheroes like theSuper SentaiorUltramanfranchises — we’re here to help .
https://gizmodo.com/kamen-rider-is-officially-coming-stateside-thanks-a-ne-1842357919
Henshin! The gathered Rider heroes of the 21st century.Image: Toei
The Origins of Kamen Rider
While Super Sentai might be better known abroad thanks to its Power Rangers connection , Kamen Rider is actually its older sibling . “ Kamen Rider ” only have in mind “ Masked Rider , ” refer to the Hero of Alexandria ’s helmeted designs , which have often been root on by germ ever since the original ’s grasshopper - themed pattern . Created by mangaka Shotaro Ishinomori and manufacturer Toru Hirayama in 1971 — spin out of a program to adapt one of Ishinomori ’s manga , Skull Man , into live action — the original Kamen Rider followed Takeshi Hongo .
Hongo , played by Hiroshi Fujioka , was a bionic man who would transform ( “ henshin ” in Japanese , activating a clit on his whang with a cry of the word that would become one of Kamen Rider ’s defining basic ) into the paladin Kamen Rider . He battled an external terrorist organization named Shocker , convey to his bicycle , the Cyclone , to chase after them down and enact Department of Justice with another patented movie : the aerial kick , a fetch up move that has now become another of the series ’ enduring element .
A terrible accident in film gave means to one of Kamen Rider ’s other staples . While filming the 10th episode of Kamen Rider ’s debut time of year , Fujioka broke both of his legs after being thrown from a bike . for keep output rolling , the product enter a second Kamen Rider — simply name Kamen Rider 2 to Hongo ’s Kamen Rider 1 — Hayato Ichimonji . This 2d grapheme was played by Takeshi Sasaki who , like Hongo , was a cyborg given similar transformative powers . Kamen Rider 2 would become the defacto Heron of much of Kamen Rider ’s first season until Hongo return in the show ’s 53rd instalment . But Hongo did n’t supersede Sasaki , and rather fought alongside him for the remainder of the show , establishing the conceit that there could be multiple people wielding the power of a Kamen Rider .
Kamen Rider Stronger flexing for the camera.Image: Toei
The success of Kamen Rider lead to more serial , even after the conclusion of Hongo and Sasaki ’s battle against Shocker . Over the course of the 1970s , four more series would aerate — Kamen Rider V3 , Kamen Rider X , Kamen Rider Amazon , and Kamen Rider Stronger — and while each show , like Rider ’s newly get in twin in Sentai ( which start in 1975 with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger ) , make for with it a new radical of Kamen Riders and new villain to fight , there were recurring elements , most notably the character of Tōbei Tachibana , who acted as a wise man figure of speech and intimate for each generation of Rider .
By the end of the ‘ 70 however , Kamen Rider became less of a regularity , unlike its counterpart in Super Sentai , which was on its way as a annual dealership , swapping in Modern teams every series . There was a four - twelvemonth - gap after Kamen Rider strong before the reaching of The New Kamen Rider and then Kamen Rider Super-1 at the turn of the decennary , but in the eighties , Kamen Rider mostly back out from covert . A manga by Ishinomori , Kamen Rider ZX , was followed up by a television special in 1984 that lend the character and the nine prior Riders together , but a new serial publication — Kamen Rider Black , and its sequel serial , Kamen Rider Black RX — wouldn’t arrive again until 1987 . And unlike anterior shows , there were no reference to preceding Kamen Rider serial , until RX concluded with another multi - Rider teamup … because , for TV at least , it would be the last Kamen Rider for a while .
Although there would be episodic endeavour to revive the serial at the Japanese box authority — with moving-picture show like Shin Kamen Rider , Kamen Rider ZO , and Kamen Rider J — as a dealership , Kamen Rider was on hiatus for pretty much all of the ‘ XC . Meanwhile , Toei center on the resurgent success of Super Sentai , which had faced potential cancellation until the landmark success of Chojin Sentai Jetman reignite interest among Japanese audiences . Kamen Rider would n’t give until the turn of the 21st century with Kamen Rider Kuuga , and since then , just like Super Sentai , it ’s become an yearly series for TV Asahi ’s “ Super Hero Time ” Sunday dawn cylinder block of programing . Just like its opposite number , each year lend a new Rider ( and a new gimmick for shaver to grease one’s palms toy of , alongside factor like the champion ’s transformation belted ammunition and weapons ) and premise , all the way up to the currently broadcast Kamen Rider Zero - One , the first Rider of Japan ’s “ Reiwa ” earned run average .
Kamen Rider Kuuga kicked off what is known as the Heisei period (named for the Japanese Imperial era it released in) of the franchise.Image: Toei
https://gizmodo.com/watch-how-japanese-superhero-shows-got-turned-into-powe-1829179956
Unlike Sentai , however , is Kamen Rider ’s want of achiever in being adapted for the west . After Power Rangersbecame a huge hit , Saban did attempt to capture the illusion a 2d time around with 1996 ’s Masked Rider , but it failed to spark the same manic disorder that ferment Mighty Morphin ’ Power Rangers into a sustainable enfranchisement . Other people did eventually try — the CW , of all spot , host Adness Entertainment ’s adjustment of 2002’sKamen Rider Ryuki , call Kamen Rider : Dragon Knight , in 2008 , but pulled the show before its full tally could even nail airing .
So What’s Different Between Kamen Rider and Sentai?
We ’ve talked a muckle about the similarities between Kamen Rider and Super Sentai , right down to the fact that they ’ve share a programming blockage together for two 10 in Japan . So what really sets them apart ? Aside from the obvious one — Super Sentai is about a squad of heroes , while Kamen Rider focuses on one special hero and a fistful of friend — a slew of the remainder are more tonal than anything else .
At least in their modern iterations , Super Sentai is intended for a younger audience compared to Kamen Rider — although not by much , with Kamen Rider aim at quondam pre - adolescent while Sentai is primarily intend for youthful kids . The pre-2000s shows and movies targeted a much wide of the mark category audience and dealt with darker , mature themes in the process ( and could be importantly more violent at time ) . Although mod Kamen Rider can be much more demure in comparison — there are exceptions to this , like the clearly adult - oriented Kamen Rider Amazons spinoff made for Amazon Japan , a phantasmal reboot of the original ‘ 74 show — it still has an on occasion darker and more dramatic event - driven flavour .
https://gizmodo.com/the-io9-guide-to-super-sentai-1769494693
Sometimes they even team up, like 2012’s big crossover movie, Super Hero Taisen.Image: Toei
The series is also more serialized in comparability to Super Sentai — which is much more defined by its particularly unbending “ Monster of the Week ” structure — with long fictitious character arcs and intertwining plotlines interspersed between our submarine ( or heroes ) battle freak . Unlike Sentai ’s emphasis on teamwork and integrity , this often means that the multiple Riders of any give show can be in conflict with one another , either literally or ideologically , making themselves either uneasy associates or friend of opportunity . That can also go for to the villain of a serial publication , who often draw their own superhuman index from either the same or a similar , distorted take on the generator that power the Cuban sandwich . It creates a much cloudy premise than the white - and - black , dependable - versus - evil sort of storyline you get in Sentai .
These are , of grade , still shows for nestling , so do n’t go inexpecting The Boysbut with Nipponese masses in Spandex or something . But if you want your multicolor - costumed activity spectacle with a thin veneering of a more complex sense of maturity , Kamen Rider might be for you Also , it ’s fine to care silly superhero show intended for children , anyway . You ’ll get over it !
How to Watch
So , unremarkably , this would be the bit where I have to inform you that to watch out the franchise in question you ’d have to do something that is kind of , sort of , technically illegal . And , it still is in many way : To watch Kamen Rider , especially the post-2000s iteration of it , you ’re go away to have to wrench to fan groups who self - translate the serial and broadcast it online , either through streams of Nipponese television or purchase of Japanese Blu - ray releases . These are not officially supported in any way , but have that Toei does n’t crack down on them , they ’re pretty much the only path in good order now you could watch the immense majority of Kamen Rider . Even in compare to Super Sentai , which now has a healthy figure of shows officially understand and expel in the U.S.both on DVDand available to rain buckets fromShout Factory , prescribed support for Kamen Rider is minuscule .
That is , gratefully , seemingly slowly changing . Kamen Rider Amazons , Amazon Japan’sgory , adult - orient rebootof the original Kamen Rider Amazon , made its elbow room to Prime Video in the commonwealth asAmazon Riders . And with the promulgation of Shout Factory’sTokuShoutsulinear streaming distribution channel on Pluto TV , for the first fourth dimension ever the very first Kamen Rider series is available subtitled and on - demand in the U.S.
Where that leaves the residue of Kamen Rider , however , remains to be seen . Toei ’s recent declaration of aninternational YouTube channellaunching in April 2020 dedicate to easy but surely subtitling its definitive back catalog of Tokusatsu shows into English could bring some of the Showa - earned run average shows or even the ‘ 90 Kamen Rider movies with it , but without knowing either the extent of Shout Factory ’s deal with Toei , or even the catalog that will be on this unexampled YouTube distribution channel , it ’s hard to say . But these are , hopefully , just the first step in trying to bring the franchise to the West in an officially supported capacity .
You probably won’t be able to watch Zero-One legally any time soon, but…there are ways.Image: Toei
https://gizmodo.com/for-the-first-time-ever-toei-is-releasing-subtitled-cl-1842411283
That say , if you wanna keep an eye on either Masked Rider or Kamen Rider Dragon Knight , those are too hard to track down legally . They did both get videodisk releases in the mid ‘ 00s , but are now both out of photographic print . Womp womp !
For more , make certain you ’re following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom .
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