Saturday, September 25, 2010

My own Rendition of a Female Kamen Rider OOO



Here is my rendition of Kamen Rider OOO was a girl. Yes, I went with purple, pink and cyan, because I wanted to do something different. The pink obviously is a butterfly, cyan are seashells and purple is a reindeer. I went with seashells because of the style I want the legs to be. I mixed up the purple one by giving her pink legs.

Kamen Rider Love Interest/Girl Fridays/Damsel in Distress


The following is to cover the tradition for having a girl character in every series. Sometimes they serve as love interests, girl fridays (assistants) or just a friend who just happens to be a girl and is the only girl in the series. Most of the time in the beginning these women serve as the 'damsel in distress.' I am covering only the major ones. I am not that familar with some of te Showa Era series so I might be wrong. There is an unspoken rule that they are not suppose to become Kamen Riders, the only exceptions being Human Tackle and Natsumi becoming Kamen Rider Kivara.

Ruriko Midorikawa
The first 'love interest' girl character in Kamen Rider. The daughter of Prof. Midorikawa, blaming Hongo for his death.

Junko Tama
In V3 (1973), a young woman who has a crush on Shirou. He is aware of her crush, but refuses to let her get close to him, to protect her, because he lives such a dangerous life. Despite this, she assists Shiro, often watching the communications station, and eventually becomes a close friend to Shirou.

Ryoko Mizuki
In X (1974), Keisuke's fiancee, Keitaro's assistant, and a G.O.D. member. She is an Interpol investigator and executes undercover operation in the G.O.D. She became a cyborg by G.O.D.'s operation. Her true identity was exposed protecting a child from Strong Arms Atlas and she was destroyed by the General of G.O.D.

Ritsuko Okamura
In Amazon (1974), Mashahiko's big sister. At first she doesn't trust Amazon due to bringing Geddon to Japan and causing chaos. After being constantly rescued and helped by Amazon she puts her faith and trust in him.

Yuriko Misaki
In Stronger (1975), she is a modified human by Black Satan like Stronger and becomes Human Tackle. She had feelings for Stronger and died for him.

I skipped Skyrider because I am unfamiliar with it and have no info or pics on it.

Harumi Kusanami
In Super-1 (1981), Tani Motor Shop employee. I haven't seen the series, so I am not that familiar.


Kyoko Akizuki and Katsumi Kida
I really didn't know which one to cover the most, so I did both. Right is Kyoko is Nobuhiko's younger sister, targeted a number of times by the High Priests as her lifeforce could awaken Shadow Moon. And at Left is Katsumi (Nobuhiko's girlfriend). She assists Kotaro quite a few times to persuade Shadow Moon to remember his human-side. After the defeat of Black (1987) at the hands of Shadow Moon, she and Kyoko left Japan to start a new life abroad.

Reiko Shiratori
Reiko was Kotaro's girlfriend in Black RX (1988). She was also a photojournalist, she helped him before and after learning he is RX. After learning that Kotaro is RX, she begins to train herself in order fight Crisis's minions.

Ai Asuka
In Shin (1992), she is his girlfriend and nurse at the ISS where the experiments are held. She tells Shin of the conspiracy, only later to be killed while pregnant with Shin's child. With her dying breath, she tells him to protect the child at all costs, for it is now a target of the syndicate due to its mutation.

Sakurako Sawatari
In Kuuga (2000), she is friend of Godai who translates the ancient "Lintonese" transcripts that tell of Kuuga and the Grongi. At first she was against helping because she was worried about Yuusuke, but now she believes in him fully and works hard to help Yuusuke understand his powers by deciphering the writings.

Sumiko Ozawa
In Agito (2001), she is the system's monitor engineer and was behind the G-3 system. She was in constant rivalry with Toru Hojo. She is very glad when learning that Shoichi is Agito. In the series epilogue, she left the police force after the Overlord incident and moved to England to work at a university.

Yui Kanzaki
In Ryuki (2002), she is a very central character. Initially helping out both Ren and Shinji, she could see the Mirror Monsters even though she wasn't a Kamen Rider and looking for her lost brother. It later turned out she was her own mirror self and when she died as a little girl, her brother had made a deal so her mirror self could live in her place and she forgot. It was hinted she had feelings for Shinji but nothing ever happened.

Mari Sonoda
In 555 (2003), a member of the Ryusei School who was sent the Faiz Gear and Auto Vajin by Hanagata, but was unable to use them because she's not a Orphnoch. She is not as good-willed as she initially appears, and will often agree with Takumi when Keitarou suggests they use Faiz to help more people. She always believes the good in her friends, even Sawada and Takumi after she found out they were Orphnochs as well.

Shiori Hirose
In Blade (2004) she is one of the few remaining BOARD members after it was attacked by the released Undead. She helped the Riders by detecting the Undead on her Undead-searching computer. She seems to care for Kenzaki very much.

Kasumi Tachibana
In Hibiki (2005), the elder of the Tachibana sisters. A very intelligent individual, like her father. She is usually acts a field support for the Oni providing supplies and extra disc animals. She is liked by Ibuki, though early on she just ignores him. She previously played Succubus in Dekaranger.

Hiyori Kusakabe
In Kabuto (2006), she was involved in the meteor crash seven years ago along with Tendou. Due to the accident, her parents were killed. During the epilogue, she returns to her normal life in working at the Bistro, and now has Juka as a sister.

Hana/Kohana
In Den-O (2007), she is a Singularity Point and the first DenLiner passenger Ryotaro met, convincing him to become a Kamen Rider while explaining the uses of the Rider Tickets and the Rider Pass. She keeps the Taros in line, especially Momatoras. She later regresses in age when the timeline changes. She is later to be revealed to be the daughter of Den-O's sister and a version of Zeronos.

Megumi Aso
In Kiva (2008), she is a famous model who is a Fangire Hunter and her duty was to hunt down the Fangire as well as finish her mother's unfinished affairs, such as the Rook. She meets Wataru and develops a liking towards him until she finds out he is Kiva. While Ixa had expressed his interest in her, she couldn't stand him. After the final battle was over, she would marry Nago a few days later. After marrying Ixa she tried to fight the future threat with Ixa.

Natsumi Hikari
In Decade (2009), she was Tsukasa's traveling companion, they travel in her grandfather's photo studio. She did seem to care for Tsukasa and cared for his well-being but never admitted she loved him. She kept him in control with a family pinch move to make him laugh, he used it on others too. She is the only lead girl to ever become a Kamen Rider, albeit only in a movie and not in the series.

Akiko Narumi
In Double (2009-2010), Akiko Narumi is Shotaro's boss and landlord at the Narumi Detective Agency. She come to continue in her dad's place, then he found out he died in the Begins Night film. She serves as a personal assistant while on the job as well as keeping Shotaro on the right track. She has a black and white view of the world. Akiko harbors a crush on Accell, but her advances are ignored as he maintains a professional demeanor towards her.

Hina Izumi
In OOO (2010), she is very interested in in both professional wrestling and judo, and has superhuman strength. She began working at the Cous Coussier restaurant as the Greeed awaken, worried for her brother (his body has been hijacked by a Greeed). Eiji sends her a message stating Shingo is on an undercover mission and won't be home for a long time.

Let me know if I missed another important gal.

Kamen Rider the First and the Next



Kamen Rider THE FIRST
Kamen Rider THE FIRST is an adaptation of the first Kamen Rider series, though there are many differences between the film and the original program; some of these, however, are due to a closer reliance on the Kamen Rider manga (written after the show) by Shotaro Ishinomori. Written by Toshiki Inoue and directed by Takao Nagaishi, the film stars Masaya Kikawada as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 and Hassei Takano as Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2. The film was released theatrically on Dec 5, 2005, though it had several early screenings around Tokyo during the previous two months, on Oct 23, at the Tokyo Film Festival.

Differences include:
  • Hongo Takeshi originally had to ride his motorcycle at highspeeds to power his typhoon belt and transform into his Rider form while Ichimonji Hayato was able to power the Typhoon by arm movements. Although Hongo was able to do the same eventually, the movie version can do it from the beginning.
  • The Riders' henshin movement is also different from the actual series. The movements from the show are implemented later in the movie, but are mostly just showy poses that have no connection to their transformation.
  • Dr. Shinigami appears from the very beginning of the movie, although in the original series, he appeared after the defeat of Colonel Zol, the first Shocker general.
  • The character of Hayato Ichimonji was completely rewritten. In the television series, Ichimonji was a photographer who was kidnapped to become Shocker's new Kamen Rider and were friends. In the film, Ichimonji was the lover of Asuka Midorikawa. Ichimonji originally served as Hongo's enemy, and later a hesitant ally.
  • Asuka Midorikawa shares the same last name as one of Hongo's professors who had worked for Shocker, Professor Midorikawa. In the original series, it is the Professor saves Hongo before surgery and was murdered. Asuka also shares a similarity with the Professor's daughter, Ruriko; both witnessed the death of their loved one and thought that Hongo was to blame for it. The both of them ultimately found out the truth and forgave Hongo.

Kamen Rider The Next
The film borrows elements from the Kamen Rider V3 television series and is a sequel to the Kamen Rider The First movie. Actor Kazuki Kato, who portrayed Daisuke Kazama/Drake in Kamen Rider Kabuto, portrayed Shiro Kazami/V3. Both Masaya Kikawada and Hassei Takano reprise their roles as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 and Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2, respectively. It was given a PG-12 rating for its brief nudity and violence. The film was released on October 27, 2007.

Two years after the events of Kamen Rider the First, murders occur while pop star Chiharu's "Platinum Smile" is being played, becoming an urban legend. Meanwhile, Hongo is a high school teacher with one girl Kotomi catching his attention, who was best friends with Chiharu. By the time Hongo and her find a dying "Chiharu", they learn she's actually an impostor as Shocker to kill Hongo, forcing him to reveal himself in as KR 1. Meanwhile, Hayato's body is rejecting of the cybernetic changes which made him KR 2. Hongo and Kotomi locate her brother Shiro Kazami, former president of ExaStream, which is tied to its staff's mysterious disappearance. The Shocker Riders battle Kamen Rider on as Kazami arrives as Shocker Inhumanoid code-named "V3". V3 and the Shocker Riders take down KR 1 until KR 2 re-appears to cover KR 1's escape. But after realizing his "sister" was an impostor, Kazami reveals the incident at ExaStream was a Shocker experiment of Nanobots designed to convert all humans in Japan into cyborgs, with him being a survivor of the experiment.

The 3 Riders later learn that Kotomi found the other girl, revealing what happened to the real Chihar, horrifying Kazami. Kotomi uses Platinum Smile to communicate with Chiharu, learning that she's still alive as the "ghost". After Kazami reveals to Hongo that Shocker's foreign branch brought a shipment of nanobots to spread across the nation, KR 1 arrives to stop the convoy while battling Scissors Jaguar, who controlled Nanobot Operation, with KR 2 backing him up in an all out fight for the nanobots. Though the Double Riders were overwhelmed, V3 arrives to support them. While the Double Riders kill Scissors Jaguar, V3 manages to destroy Chainsaw Lizard and the nanobots before coming face to face with Chiharu, mutated into a monster as she pleas her brother to kill her. Though reluctant to do it, Kazami executes the V3 Punch to honor his sister's wish to die.

Den-O Movie Spin-Offs


Kamen Rider Den-O is an anomaly in the Kamen Rider dome, maybe even more so in the Heisei Era. It is the first and only series to be so popular to have multiple spin-offs (those Taro shorts included) and have movies that introduce new Riders.

Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: I'm Born!
Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: I'm Born! was directed by Takao Nagaishi and written by Yasuko Kobayashi. This is the second Heisei era film in the Kamen Rider Series to be part of the storyline of its television series since Kamen Rider Agito. The film introduces Kamen Rider Gaoh who takes control of the DenLiner to bring it to the Edo period to find his own train, the GaohLiner, so he can take over all of time and space. The movie takes place between episodes 27 and 28 of the series. It also introduced Sieg and Den-O's Wing Form. It was a double bill with Juken Sentai Gekiranger: Nei-Nei! Hou-Hou! Hong Kong Decisive Battle, both of which premiered on August 4, 2007.

Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva The Movie: Climax Deka
Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva The Movie: Climax Deka debuted in theaters on April 12, 2008 during the run of Kamen Rider Kiva. It features a meeting between the characters of Den-O and the characters of Kamen Rider Kiva. The animated short Momotaros's Let's Go Kiva! was shown as double feature. Climax Deka grossed 730 million yen ( over double the normal revenue for a Kamen Rider film) in box office and DVD sales. This premiered before the Kiva movie. In its first weekend, it took the top spot at the Japanese box offices, unseating the Japanese release of Cloverfield. The movie teams up Den-O and Kiva and introduces Negative Den-O.

Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: Final Countdown
A third film (first time a Kamen Rider series has a third movie) was made called Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: Final Countdown was released in Japanese theaters on October 4, 2008. The film features characters such as Kamen Rider New Den-O, Kamen Rider Yuuki, the Imagin Teddy, and the Ghost Imagin, the Phantom Imagin, and the Shadow Imagin. The animated short Imagin Anime: Be Forever Momotaros -Imagin Terminal Station-/The Movie was shown as double feature. The film was originally intended to be the end of Den-O, until the development of the Cho-Den-O Series.

Cho Kamen Rider Den-O & Decade Neo Generations: The Onigashima Warship
The Onigashima Warship is the first of the films to be part of the Cho-Den-O Series, a new multimedia franchise featuring the characters of Den-O and many new characters. Also to be featured in the film are several cast members of the current Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Decade and some of the cast members of Kamen Rider Kiva. It opened in theaters on May 1, 2009.

Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider The Movie: Cho-Den-O Trilogy
It was released beginning on May 22, 2010, with each subsequent chapter of the trilogy released in two week intervals. (2010-05-22)May 22, 2010 (Red), (2010-06-05)June 5, 2010 (Blue), (2010-06-19)June 19, 2010 (Yellow) Red was about a love story between Ari and Kamen Rider Zeronos, Blue features Den-O and New Den-O attempting to regain control of the DenLine; and Yellow featured Kamen Rider Diend (also his Complete Form) and introduced Kamen Rider G Den-O. This is also considered a Cho Den-O movie.

Momotaros's King of the Burning Red Castle
As a tie in with Kamen Rider Kiva: King of the Castle in the Demon World, the Tarōs starred in a series of 4 short episodes called Momotaros's King of the Burning Red Castle, where they get into another crazy adventure as they take the Go-Onger's Ginjiro out for a spin. The 1st 3 episodes are one-minute-long, airing from July 20 to Aug 3 after the Go-Onger and Kiva movies, the Taros in reviewed the movies before Ryutaros is kidnapped by Kamen Rider Rey. The 4th two-minute-long episode showed in theaters after the Kiva and Go-Onger movie double billing, with Ryutaros found by Momotaros as reenactments of the two movies by the Taros are played on the movie screen. There was a "Burning Red Ver." and a "Yellow Ver." of the short film, shown at specific theaters based on the announcement that Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown would be playing at that theater.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Masked Rider / Kamen Rider


The Toei Company has Kamen Rider in knaji for the most part in promotional stuff, the show, movies, toys and manga. But sometimes they romanize it in English as 'Masked Rider.' This was done before Saban's Masked Rider and continued to be after the series. I believe Toei owns the copyright to the words Kamen Rider and Masked Rider. Most of the logos in the Heisei Era has the words in English letters 'Masked Rider' under the Kanji of Kamen Rider.


But when Kamen Rider Ryuki was going to be adapted by Adness Entertainment, Toei wanted to separate the name 'Masked Rider' from the adaption from Saban's Masked Rider and romanized the Kanji to 'Kamen Rider.' Some fans were upset CW4Kids chose to say 'a uncommon hero' to go along with the pronunciation of 'Kamen' as Common. Above is a picture where you can clearly see English letters 'Kamen Rider' in official merch.

Kamen Rider Motorcycles - Dragon Knight


Motorcycles are very essential to Kamen Rider, even thoug they are not as focused on in Heisei Era as they were in the Showa Era, cycles are still part of the DNA of the Kamen Riders. In Kamen Rider Dragon Knight, the Riders had a whole lot of personal motorcyles. But only Dragon Knight and Wing Knight's bikes changed into these forms when they were transformed. None of the other Riders road their motorcycles while they were transformed, other than Strike.

Len and Kit's Bikes
Len's Kawasaki ZX-14 was totally black. Kit's Suzuki Katana 600 was blue and white.

Dragon Cycle and Wing Cycle
Kit's Suzuki Katana 600 became the Dragon Cycle and Len's Kawasaki ZX-14 became Wing Cycle, the cycles were the toy names.

Richie's Bike
The Earth Incisor Kamen Rider, Richie, had a bike but we never saw it in action. We saw it later with the Cho Brothers, taking parts from it, but that's all we saw of it. It was an all orange bike, I don't know what kind it is, all I know from my source who worked on the show was that the bikes were not rented but they bought them.

Drew's Bike
Drew, the Earth Kamen Rider Torque had a red bike, I would have liked if his bike was green. Even though it would be criticized that the Power Rangers had color-coded things but the Kamen Riders were hard to keep track of. The only Earth Rider who didn't have a bike was Camo.

Brad's Bike
Brad, the Earth Kamen Rider Thrust was a motocross racer and he had a thinner bike, I don't know what kind.

Chris' Motorcycle
We didn't see it much but it was black, I don't know what kind.

Vic and James' Motocycles
Above left is Xaviax in Vic Fraser's body/Wrath and right is James (JTC)/Strike. I couldn't find the picture of Strike transformed on is bike, he's the only Rider to ride his own bike when transformed. In the toys, they were planning to release a cool purple corba bike but it never was released. Vic's Bikes looked a bit like Chris'.

The Cho Brother Bikes
Danny/Axe and Albert/Spear had yellow and red bikes. They would steal parts from other motorbikes.

Kase's Motorcycle
A beautiful white motorcycle to match with Kamen Rider Siren as her armor was white. Unfortunately we never see her in her armor on the bike, that would have been cool.

Kamen Rider Motorcycles - Showa Era


Motorcycles are very essential to Kamen Rider, even thoug they are not as focused on in Heisei Era as they were in the Showa Era, cycles are still part of the DNA of the Kamen Riders. I am only covering the motorcycles.

Cyclone/New Cyclone
The Cyclone is a machine given to the first Kamen Rider by Professor Midorikawa. The New Cyclone is a new machine designed by Hongo, Taki and Tachibana. Both versions were given to the second Kamen Rider.

Hurricane
The Hurricane is V3's motorcycle which was used in his rider form. It can execute the Hurricane Dash and the Hurricane Last Dash in mid-air.

Ridermachine
Riderman uses a regular Suzuki 250cc motorbike, dubbed the "Rider Machine".

Cruiser
The Cruiser is X-Rider's motorcycle, able to travel land, sea, and air. X-Rider can use the Cruiser to execute the "Crusier Big Loop"/"Crusier Attack" combo to take out his opponents.

Jungler
Jungler is Amazon's motorcycle, built by Tobei Tachibana based on design specs provided by Kosaka from his journey into the Amazon.

Kabutoroh
The Kabutoroh is Stronger's motorcycle and can perform the Kabutoroh Thunder.

Tentoroh
The Tentoroh is Human Tackle's motorcycle.


Sky Turbo
The Sky Turbo is Skyrider's motorcycle and can perform the Rider Break.


V-Machine/Blue Version

Kamen Rider Super-1's Bikes.

Helldiver
The Helldiver is ZX's personal motorcycle.

Battle Hopper
The Battle Hopper is a living motorcycle created by Gorgom, made specifically for Creation Kings Black Sun and Shadow Moon.

Road Sector
The Road Sector is a motorcycle created by Yoichi Daimon for Gorgom.



Acrobatter
Acrobatter is the revived version of Black's old motorcycle, the Battle Hopper in response to Black's transformation to RX. It had a bug form in Saban's Masked Rider. It became Roboizer for RoboRider with two Balkan Gun blasters mounted at its rear and the Mach Jabber for BioRider.

Ridron
The car of light, Ridron. Able to reach speeds up to 1500 km, Rideron can travel over land and sea. It had a male voice, in Saban's Masked Rider, it had a female voice.