#Kamen rider movies series#

The only time this homage was ever truly felt or explored in a meaningful way was in Dino Thunder (or perhaps in the upcoming reboot movie). There are times when Power Rangers likens itself to The Breakfast Club, usually when it revisits its original high school setting. And random ninjas that come out of nowhere and kick you in the face. Prepare yourself for…Īngst a goofy protagonist angst a Yu-Gi-Oh meets Digimon gimmick gravity-defying acrobatics angst and an irritatingly ubiquitous sound effect that will haunt your dreams. This tension permeates throughout each episode of Ryuki, figuratively churning a dramatic butter that’s so rich and dangerous because preys directly upon your binge watching tendencies. The Rider archetype is usually portrayed a fierce individual, a fatalistic anti-hero that’s burning up with so much angst that they can’t even be in the same room with another like them.

Speaking as a long time fan, Rider on Rider action is where the money’s at, and Ryuki has this in spades. The Mirror World elements may often feel mishandled or underutilized – and the conclusion won’t satisfy everybody out there – but if you’re completely new to Kamen Rider and want a glance at its true spirit, the one that lies beneath its recent candy coated exterior – give Ryuki a shot. It set a high standard for most Rider shows that came after it, simply due to how it handled the escalating conflicts between all of its characters.

#Kamen rider movies series#

Ryuki is considered one of the most influential Kamen Rider series from the Hesei era, if not from the franchise’s entire history. So begins a battle royale (of sorts) that pits all of the Kamen Riders (from this particular entry) against each other. If competing over food wasn’t enough, the creator of their henshin devices (aka the Advent Decks) decrees that all Kamen Riders are kind of like Highlanders – there can only be one. In exchange for these abilities, the contractors must feed said monsters the energy from creatures they must destroy in the process. Thirteen people make contracts with monsters from the Mirror World, a dimension we see into when we look at reflections, that give them access to Kamen Rider powers. Zany slapstick antics lighthearted humor juxtaposed with sinister yet wacky technology not so subtle homoerotic subtext people being whacked on the head with shoes giant T-Rex heads secret societies and evil corporations heartwarming lessons that might actually warm your own cold hearts. Kamen Rider series tend to have solid casts in general, but W’s remains unforgettable to this day because their unparalleled chemistry has yet to be duplicated. The supporting cast is a talented bunch, never failing to evoke laughter or sympathy (or both) in the same scene. Philip and Shotaro make a bang-up combo as the two hosts who share the Kamen Rider powers, and their dynamic is the heart of the show. Why any truly great show is good: the characters.Īt its core though, the characters are what drive this series and make it such an addictive watch. And thirdly, Kamen Rider Wis a sci-fi/horror drama that’s told on a scale so large that it’d make a Wachowski gasp in awe. Secondly, it’s a high-octane thriller stuffed with action sequences at every turn that leave you out of breath but ready for more (which is saying a lot for a Kamen Rider series).

Primarily, it’s a mystery/dramedy, a screwball send-up to film noir, Raymond Chandler, and everything hard boiled in general. W(or Double as they pronounce it in the show) is many things. Okay, all that boring intro stuff you probably skimmed through is out of the way. I still recommend giving them a watch, but know that they’re a different experience entirely. This piece will feature contemporary Heisei Rider series, which are considerably more accessible to modern audiences than their ancestors were. So that’s why I’m here today, writing a list of several Kamen Rider series you can watch if you feel like getting your feet wet in this colossal yet beautifully clusterfucked franchise that continues to warp minds with its surrealistic take on the super hero genre.īefore we start, I should mention that there are two separate eras to the Kamen Rider series – the classic Showa Era and the Heisei Era, which we are still in as of the time of this writing.