Shin Kamen Rider Review

[@Spinster]

I'm very glad I made the time to go see it in theaters twice. The first time, I went with a large group of friends, most of whom had seen an episode or two across the 50+ years of content that exist but largely didn't know Rider like I do (I've been a lifelong fan and have been watching weekly for the past 15 years). I wound up spending a lot of the movie explaining various references and tropes and only really getting to fully engage during the action scenes. When I saw they added a second Fathom Event screening the following week, I immediately bought another ticket. Went by myself to just sit back and enjoy and it was such a better experience on the second viewing. I think all of us Rider fans in the West were really hoping this would be a gateway for our friends to enter into this franchise, but seeing it the second time made me realize this wasn't made for that. It wasn't made with us in mind at all. This was a love letter to the old heads who watched the original series back in 71 and kept their love for Rider alive these past 50 years. This was the culmination of everything Toei cranked out these past few years for the golden anniversary

[@annoying_HK_guy]

For those who aren't aware, this film is based on Shotaro Ishinomori'manga instead of OG TV show, after reading it, I feel like I am watching a manga come alive And the plot, wasn't outdate for a 50 years old product: the last arc 仮面の世界(Kamen no Sekai, Masked World) really predict Chatgpt in a way........

[@SonicPAJ]

It has elements of both the toku and the manga.

[@tsukuneboy]

Bought my first bike because of The First......this movie reignited my love for riding a bike. After ditched bike riding for more comfortable commuting (rain, and tropical heat are no joke), I asked my wife if I can spare my salary for future project of building my own Cyclone in 2-3 years (with smaller engine around 150-250, not 650 like in Shin). It really is the truest rider movie. It uses bike the most as a storytelling tool more than any Kamen Rider products, series, movie or even game. It keeps its Rider name to its heart!!!

[@tk_mitternacht963]

Say what you want to say about Kamen Riders but them moving towards being an excessive toy advertisement kills the franchise's soul for good, Anno's Shin Kamen Rider is not perfect but it captures the essence of what makes Kamen Rider a fascinating show without deviating too much from the source material or taking itself way too seriously. Some people tried to make a mature version of Kamen Rider and boi they are trying way too hard at it they shoved so many unnecessary plots and/violence in it like they don't even know what else they should put to make it interesting. Anno just took something and trace it back to it's source material, add a little sprinkles of modernization and viola, you have a good remake and reimagining of a beloved series.

[@alyxxandyr]

I really enjoyed Shin Kamen Rider, I feel like comparatively I am a less knowledgeable "Japanaphile" than yourself but I found this movie with my lack of Kamen Rider knowledge and even my lack of EVA was still riveting and highly enjoyable. I absolutely loved the Wasp fight you mentioned and it was the best way to show how fast these characters were moving and was immediately what I think of when I think of two bugs fighting, not a bunch of slowed down fluid motions, but very quick, jerky and almost disconnected movements.

[@HyronPH]

When I saw the Wasp-Aug fight, I instantly recognized it as Anno using techniques he had used and refined in his live action Cutie Honey (among other parts of the film) applying elements of animation to the live action medium. I feel like your assessment of the "poor and stunted" special effects during augmented fights to be on point; Anno is a *very* experienced director, and his peers at Studio Khara are not incompetent, despite the many troubles their productions always encounter. If something looks "off," it's because it is trying to evoke a certain thought or cite a specific reference. In Thrice Upon a Time, the "bad CGI" of the fight between Unit-01 and Unit-13 calls back to the stage set in NGE 25 and 26, revealing the artifice of the world. A world constructed by our memories, our feelings, or connections and our barriers between each other and is thus imaginary, illusory, like the sets of a toku film using perspective and special effects to "cheat" the reality of the fantasy. However, this artifice is also what allows anywhere to be paradise, as long as we have the will to live. (Sorry for the pretentious tangent, though I do feel it is relevant) The fights in Shin KR are like this as well, notably the ones against Hiromi and Ichimonji. Thematically, the augs are inhuman, so fast that their actions are like stunted frames, so strong that their jumps look like the sheer effort needed to leap that height wasn't even there; formally, it calls back to the techniques the genre used to achieve the feel they wanted to convey, while applying modern refinements. More than anything, I believe the series of Shin films is an expression of Anno's love for tokusatsu and his desire to reignite interest in the genre. Godzilla, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider were all integral to his formative years as both a youth and as an animation (as we can see from the Kamen Rider doodles at the corners of his elementary school notebooks, and his first ever film with his pals at Daicon Film, Daicon Film's Return of of Ultraman. Aside from the recurring themes Anno has explored across his career, the Shin movies, formally, resemble Eva because Eva itself, beneath the clothes it wears of depression and social anxiety, was also a love letter to things Anno and the team loved growing up.

[@jonecuntapay9561]

best thumbnail used. Shinji Ikari As OG Kamen Rider. Theres also official art of Shin Evangelion characters as Shin Kamen Rider.

[@Blurns]

I remember finding the first 10 minutes or so of the film painful to look at, to the point I was actually considering walking out. The only other problem was that there was a lot of exposition leading to things like the Detective K cameo, which seemed pointless.

[@tsukuneboy]

A little bit expositions correction though. Prana is the term Anno used to modernize the term chi or ki, the stream of energy flowing through every lifeform. And Ruriko is a girl created by artificial insemination using artificial womb as explained by Ruriko herself. And she's kinda a lite Augmented too, opting to change her eyes to read data and information faster.

[@phantomblack5307]

Im just here to say that a long time ago i watched NGE, and i loved it cause I thought it was an amazing mecha anime. As i rewatched it again and again and understanding the characters, the themes and the man who created that series more, I had a different view for his work. As I watch the the Shin series today, I now trully understand that NGE was not a mecha anime, it was a love letter to his child hood passion which is tokusatu and kaijin movies.

[@ProfDragonite]

Always glad to find another Henshin Bro. This is easily my new all-time favorite movie; everything from the action to the theming was fantastic IMO.

[@d4ng3l]

Saw this film not knowing anything about the story nor who directed it. I think Kamen ryder was a playable character in tatsunoku vs Capcom and that is the extent i knew of the character. I saw Eva and the re series. Wasn't a fan of the latter. This film was pretty cool though I can tell that I was missing some details. It reminded me of the Guyver sci-fi live action movies i liked so much from the 90s.

[@DemoniakalMk]

I don't think Kamen Rider has ever been in a Capcom Vs game lol

[@d4ng3l]

@@DemoniakalMk damn you're correct. I thought I recognized some of his moves. From long ago.

[@VezixHaikal]

its refreshing, its unique, flaws and all I'd say i enjoyed it more than shin godzilla and shin ultraman

[@1ittlegs]

Please don't take the shine of modern CGI as half assed, I think its more accurate to say barely had time to cook, especially knowing the state of the VFX industry in america

[@1ittlegs]

Hearts out to those guys they're overworked like hell

[@noravanguard]

I really liked shin godzilla. I still need to watched the others to Shin films. And you sild me on seeing them sooner than later.

[@sengcreate3060]

Shin Kamen Rider early introduction plot kind a less impact or feel empty, they try put all the fight in one movies, feel like they are rushing to finishing it, the idea plot is good if make it into series rather than movies, Cool design appearance, but the final fight scene, like downgrade from preview other fight. Correct me if I'm wrong, it's a this fight scene where KR.01 and KR.02 vs Butterfly -Aug (KR.00), all their Mask Helmet broke ? rather than disarm. Well the Movies had its own good and flaw, still recommended to watch, and yes, i know the movies is based on the manga, not the original TV series

[@TotallyWorkingg]

I gotta be honest it started off really great but the ending felt really underwhelming

[@1ittlegs]

Also the amateur wrestling match is clearly intentional to relect the real motivations of the antagonist being almost childish but reflective of unprocessed trauma unwilling to accept the world

[@alexanderavila4662]

It’s not, the fight just got more intense, Kamen rider has the heart of a kind child and the might of the greatest knight fighting against the acts and beliefs of shallowness contextualizad as right that so many adults grow up to do.

[@TheEcoolarg]

I didnt like the semi copout ending/kamen rider W reference, but other than that this movie is great for rider fans, and a better introduction than kamen rider black sun imo

[@annoying_HK_guy]

To be fair the film ending is directly taken from Ishinomori sensei manga

[@mediahoodreviews4110]

Except Ichigo and Nigo were always recognised as the Double Riders, which is what W itself was referencing due to many character parallels between both series. Also, the “Hongo’s voice inside of Hayato’s helmet” idea is lifted directly from the original manga, where Hongo’s brain ended up stuck in a jar after his body was heavily damaged in battle.

[@aetherdraw]

Double riders were always how Riders 1 and 2 were referred to when teaming up. This wasn't a W reference.

[@TheEcoolarg]

I said W reference beacuse the wind rider y mind and the joker rider(he does have more of a sense of humor than Hongo) is the body, not sure the manga ends that way but I should continue reading

[@mediahoodreviews4110]

Except the “Rider powered by wind” thing was also in the og series and manga, which W was referencing through the use of the Cyclone Gaia Memory. Literally everything you claim to be a reference to W is something present in the og story.