Post by Yuri Petrovitch on Jun 7, 2014 13:41:56 GMT -5
[THE NEW] KAMEN RIDER*
*(a note about the title--Originally, the show was plain old "Kamen Rider," as it was intended as a complete reset of the franchise thus far. Later, to differentiate itself from the first series, it was called either "Atarashii Kamen Rider"--literally 'New Kamen Rider'--or "Kamen Rider Shin--'Shin' meaning either 'new" or "the true.' Given that there's still a 'Shin Kamen Rider' to review, for the sake of my own sanity--given this is the second version of this review I've had to write--I'm just gonna call him "Skyrder" so it's not too horribly confusing, OK?)
SYNOPSIS
Hiroshi Tsukuba is the olny survivor from a camping party that stumbled into the affairs of Neo-Shocker, a vast clandestine army that intends to dominate the world. fatally injured, one of Neo-Shocker's scientists, Keitaro Seido, petitions Neo-Shocker to re-build Tsukuba as a cyborg soldier loyal to Neo-Shocker. But Seido double-crosses them, rebuilding Tsukuba into the powerful, flight-equipped Skyrider, intending him to be the instrument of his revenge against Neo-Shocker. More powerful than any of Neo-Shocker's minions, Skyrider fights a one-man war against the group's operations in Japan.
But Neo-Shocker is a worldwide organisation, and powerful as he is, Tsukuba's only one man. But he's also not alone in his fight. Worldwide, seven other Kamen Riders are battling Neo-Shocker's ambitions, and Tsukuba will encounter each of them in his quest to defeat his enemy. Finally proving himself by taking every previous Rider's Rider Kick at once, Tsukuba is upgraded yet again and stands ready at last for the final reckoning with Neo-Shocker and the Great Leader who controls them . . .
ANALYSIS
Skyrider, or "when is a reboot not a reboot?"
After Kamen Rider Stronger, the Kamen Rider franchise went on hiatus for six years. When it returned at the close of the 1970s, it was decided that Amazon and Stronger, for all their eccentricities, had been a bit too inaccessible and decided to create a brand-new Kamen Rider that went right back to the basics and tried to reboot it for the new decade that was coming.
Did they succeed? Well . . .sorta.
Visually, it looks amazing. While it doesn't have the funky, almost arty touches that the first few Kamen Rider episodes had, Skyrider's first episode really succeeds in establishing a different, more cinematic look than previous series had. There's a lot of on-location shoots and a lot of day-for-night and it gives the episode a much grimmer kinda horror-movie sort of feel, especially in the scene where Tsukuba digs up the bodies of his friends after they've been murdered by Neo-Shocker's soldiers, which is genuinely creepy. In general, this is a great-looking show.
The only regrettable visual element is Skyrider's flying gimmick (added in because the first Superman film had just hit big) which uniformly looks terrible and is ultimately discarded ironically just about the time they start calling him "Skyrider" in the show.
The action is very crisp, and while it may lack the fierce inventiveness of the early series and the more physical stuntwork, the use of locations is much improved and with some sterling camerawork, more amazing motorcycle stunts, manages to acquit itself very well.
Which is good, because the characters and the story are rather wanting. Tsukuba is a good guy and the sort of fellow you want on your side when fighting sinister phantom armies, but he's a bit shallow as a character. He lacks the immediate, personal stake in the war with his enemies that the Riders typically have (a flaw made worse in that he's Seido's instrument of revenge more than he is an independent operator, which makes him a little vestigial, all things considered) The show tries to change this by putting Seido on the bus when the show changes directions after the first three months, but it continues to mark down the series, as Tsukuba is constantly playing second fiddle to someone . . .
. . .because no sooner does Seido leave the show than the Seven Riders start showing up. While it's good to see them again and in a format that doesn't necessarily limit them to showing up in the third act to Rider Kick the enemy of the moment to death (their training/hazing of Skyrider and ultimate rebuild of him forms a somewhat concentrated arc in the middle of the series) the problem is, in making Skyrider the Eighth Kamen Rider after so many episodes of him just being Seido's instrument means that Tsukuba is exactly what the series was working against--he's just another one.
That might have been why Skyrider's success was short-lived. There was enough momentum for a follow-up series the next year, Super-1, but from then on, barring the Birth of the 10th! movie, Kamen Rider lay dormant until 1987, when Kamen Rider Black (also, ironically enough, conceived as a total reboot--there is no indication in Black that there are any other Kamen Riders, but more on that next week) while it's good to see it back, there's a feeling of "and now what?" that runs through it all. Despite it's remit as a ground-floor reintroduction, it's anything but, and I would only suggest you seek it out after you'd seen other Kamen Rider series, so you can appreciate the vintage of the old wine in this new bottle
Bonus bit of trivia: Hiroaki Murakami, who plays Tsukuba, actually wrecked his motorcycle during one of the shoots, as he could not, in fact, ride a motorcycle at the time. This soon led to a standing order that every actor up for consideration for the lead, be a licensed motorcycle rider. Additionally, it was worked into the show as the Rider Break, an attack wherein the Rider just rolls over (or through) the bad guy with his motorcycle. This eventually becomes a trope in the series, culminating in the climax of the 40th anniversary movie wherein EVERY Kamen Rider initiates the All Rider Break on Shocker's Great Leader. From such small things . . .
NEXT WEEK
Six months after the destruction of Golgom, Kotaro Minami is kidnapped by the emissaries of the Crisis Empire, a group of aliens planning to colonise Earth to escape the destruction of their world. They demand Kotaro join them, but when he refuses, they shatter his Kingstone, robbing him of the ability to transform. Set adirft in space, Kotaro's powers are reignited by the sun and Kotaro returns, more powerful than ever. Join us in six as we take a look at the story of the Child of the Sun--Kamen Rider Black RX