Launch Trailer for newly released “Shin Kamen Rider”

As I venture down the path of watching more live action Japanese shows, Kamen Rider was one series that I could not avoid. Kamen Rider (aka The Masked Rider) is a tokusatsu superhero show that started in 1971. The opening scroll of the first season highlighted the main protagonist, adorned with a cool, insect inspired costume and helmet, on top of a white motorcycle. From those first few seconds, it’s hard not become intrigued by the show. From the biker gang to the mad science lab, the first episode won me over. The 70’s esthetic also made me love the effort that was placed in the show. Below is the first episode of the original series.

Episode One: The Mysterious Spider Man (originally aired April 3rd, 1971 in Japan).

Now, in 2023, we are introduced to a trailer of a new film in the franchised, directed by Hideki Anno (Evangelion Neon Genesis, Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman). With this being the third entry of Shin (New) films from Hideaki Anno, many were excited to see a modern cinematic look for the Masked Rider. The episodes of Kamen Rider I’ve seen appeared to have a dark undertone and this film seems to ramp up the sinister undertone with harder hitting violence. This film seems to be aimed at an older audience so i would be cautious about younger viewers watching this film. Check out the trailer for yourself:

The film released in Japan on March 18th, 2023, which also happened to be the 50th anniversary of the final episode of the original series. The release was received with overall positive reviews from fans of the series. While the hype is up for this film, American audiences will have to wait since it’s only been released in Japan so far. This week, it was announced that Shin Karen Rider will be released as a one night special engagement in select theaters on May 31st via Fantom Events. Check out the following link if you are interested in finding a theater near you that is showing the film: https://www.fathomevents.com/events/Shin-Kamen-Rider

If you can’t make the showing, keep an eye out for an upcoming release of the film on Blu Ray.