“Shin Kamen Rider” embraces modernity. A look at good and evil, violence, and power

“Shin Kamen Rider” synopsis

An original work produced as a 50th anniversary project for the Kamen Rider series based on Shotaro Ishinomori, which began airing in 1971. An action adventure that depicts a new story of Kamen Rider confronting the secret society SHOCKER.

Index

• Conceptualized in 2016, completed 10 days before theatrical release
• A work that replaces "Kamen Rider" with modern times
• The existence of SHOCKER, which is not an absolute evil
• Numerous depictions that question the pros and cons of solving problems through violence
• What the “mask” symbolizes
• Relevance to modern hero stuff
• The importance of depicting “mourning” and “mourning” the enemy’s death
• A look at energy issues

Conceptualized in 2016, completed 10 days before theatrical release

“Finally completed.” ``Shin Kamen Rider'' is such a hot topic that its report became big news. This work, written and directed by Hideaki Anno, will be announced on March 7, 2023, approximately 10 days before its theatrical release date, and the first preview screening will be held for interested parties, followed by an invitation screening on March 12. A premiere screening of the system was held. The premiere, held on two reserved screens at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi, was packed with people, and the screening lasted about 20 minutes. It also became a place to prove the attention and enthusiasm of this work.

At this point, it was an unusual schedule with less than a week left until the film's release, which suggests that finishing work was being carried out until the last minute. By the way, according to what Muneyuki Kii, the producer of this work, said at the premiere, additional filming will continue until January 4, 2023. If you think about it, when I interviewed Sosuke Ikematsu and other cast members before the movie's release, they said, ``We're still filming.'' There are times when a work is unfinished during the promotional period, but it is rare that a work is still being filmed.

So, was the production period for "Shin Kamen Rider" short? If you say so, it's not true. The project began in 2016. It is said that this was a memo that director Anno gave to producer Kii, who worked on ` `Evangelion: Rebuild of Evangelion: Q '' (12). After that, this work started moving in the latter half of 2017, and director Anno handed over the plot to associate director Katsuro Onoe at the beginning of 2018. Despite some delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, this work took about seven years to complete.

Director Anno's comments on the release of "Shin Kamen Rider" (Twitter)

The production of this work was announced publicly at the ``Kamen Rider 50th Anniversary Project Announcement'' held on April 3, 2021. At the subsequent joint press conference for the "Shin Kamen Rider vs. Hideaki Anno Exhibition" on September 30th, it was announced that Sosuke Ikematsu would play the main character, Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider, and Minami Hamabe would play Ruriko Midorikawa. And on January 1, 2022, Yu Emoto, who will play the role of Ichimonji Hayato/Kamen Rider No. 2, will be released. A special report was released in May 2022, and a preview was released in February 2023, revealing the cast members including Nanase Nishino, Shinya Tsukamoto, Tooru Tezuka, Suzuki Matsuo, and Mirai Moriyama.

``Shin Kamen Rider'' information is kept strictly confidential, with details of the story not being revealed until (and even after!) its release. In this article, I would like to talk about the overview and features of this work without giving away spoilers as much as possible.

A work that replaces "Kamen Rider" with modern times