Thursday, 11 August 2016

KAMEN RIDER : THE NEXT

Kamen Rider: The Next (仮面ライダー THE NEXT Kamen Raidā Za Nekusuto?, Masked Rider: The Next) is a 2007 Japanese tokusatsu superhero film directed by Ryuta Tasaki and written by Toshiki Inoue. The film was released on October 27, 2007. The film borrows elements from the Kamen Rider V3 television series and is a sequel to the Kamen Rider: The First movie (which was a film adaptation of the original Kamen Rider series). Actor Kazuki Kato, who had previously portrayed Daisuke Kazama/Kamen Rider Drake in Kamen Rider Kabuto, portrayed Shiro Kazami/Kamen Rider V3.[1] 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.[2]

Plot

Two years after the events of Kamen Rider the First, a strange series of bizarre murders occur with the victims mutilated in a most gruesome fashion while pop star Chiharu's "Platinum Smile" is being played, becoming an urban legend. Meanwhile, Takeshi Hongo has become a high school science teacher with a troublesome class with one student catching his attention; a troubled girl named Kotomi Kikuma who was best friends with Chiharu and is worried about her. By the time Hongo and her find a dying "Chiharu", they learn she's actually an imposter as the Shocker Inhumanoid Chainsaw Lizard arrives with the six Shocker Riders to carry out the task of executing Hongo, forcing him to reveal himself in as Kamen Rider 1 to Kotomi before escaping his hunters. At around the same time, Hayato Ichimonji is shown still alive but slowly weakening due to his body's rejection of the cybernetic changes which made him Kamen Rider 2.
The next day, after saving Kotomi from some punks by exposing his physical ability, Hongo accepts Kotomi's offer to help in finding Chiharu by finding her older brother Shiro Kazami, who is the former president of the rising IT enterprise ExaStream, which is tied to the mysterious disappearance of its staff two months prior. Making their way to his holiday home to meet Kazami, Hongo and Kotomi soon learn that he is in league with Shocker as Chainsaw Lizard and the Shocker Riders battle Kamen Rider Ichigo on as Kazami joins the fray as a Shocker Inhumanoid code-named "V3". After chasing down Rider 1 in a high-speed chase across the countryside, V3 and the Shocker Riders take down Rider 1 until Kamen Rider Nigo re-appears to cover Rider 1's escape. But after realizing his "sister" was another imposter, 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 three riders later learn that Kotomi found the other girl, revealing the gruesome fate the real Chiharu suffered as she and her predecessor were involved, horrifying Kazami as Kotomi is telepathically shown the truth of the real Chiharu's final moments as "Chiharu" runs off and eventually is brutally murdered with the manager and the record dealer who were covering up her death as Kotomi uses Platinum Smile to communicate with Chiharu, learning that she's still alive as the "ghost" takes its leave.
After Kazami reveals to Hongo that Shocker's foreign branch brought a shipment of nanobots to spread them across the nation, Rider 1 arrives to intercept the convoy while battling Scissors Jaguar, the mastermind behind the nanobot operation, with Rider 2 arriving to back him up as the battle ends up in the "Legend of Gathering" restaurant in an all out fight for the nanobots. Though the Double Riders are overwhelmed, the tables are turned as 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, horrifically mutated by the nanobots into a monster as she pleas her brother to put her out of her misery. Though reluctant to do it, Kazami kills Chiharu, honoring her wish to die rather than live as a monster. With Chiharu's death, the Platinum Smile incidents end. After the three Riders escape the burning restaurant, Ichimonji takes his leave to spend his final moments in bliss at a Ginza bar he regulars, while Kazami decides to start a new life for himself. Hongo is forced to quit his job after complaints made for his earlier stunt. The film ends with Kotomi and Hongo walking home together.
A post-credits scene reveals that the curse of Platinum Smile may not have truly ended.

Characters

Heroes

  • Kamen Rider 1
  • Kamen Rider 2
  • Kamen Rider V3 (Originally he is one of Shocker cyborgs, codenamed "Hopper Version Three", who later defects to fight alongside Riders 1 & 2)

Villains

  • The Great Leader of Shocker (cameo voice only like his television series counterpart. He is alive after the movie's ending)
  • Scissors Jaguar (シザースジャガー Shizāsu Jagā?): A warped scissor-bladed jaguar cyborg who can morph his hands into blades, the mastermind behind Shocker's nano-tech project who caused Kazami's transformation into V3. Based at the restaurant Legend of Gathering, Scissors Jaguar intended to turn all of Japan into cyborgs with the nanobots. However, his plans were foiled as he was killed by the Double Riders' Rider Double Kick and Rider Double Punch combo.
  • Chainsaw Lizard (チェーンソーリザード Chēnsō Rizādo?): Formerly Kazami's secretary, she was exposed to the nanobots and became a sensual lizard cyborg who can change her right arm into a regenerable buzzsaw weapon that can cut through anything. She serves as Scissor Jaguar's 2nd in command before being eventually killed by Kamen Rider V3's V3 Return Kick when she attempts to escape with the nanobots.
  • Shocker Riders (ショッカーライダー Shokkā Raidā?): Riders based on Kamen Rider 2. They are mass-produced as soldiers of Shocker, and are enhanced in terms of abilities and powers under nano-technology.

Chiharu

Kazami's younger sister, Chiharu was a Japanese Idol who was exposed to the nanobots the day her brother became V3. Because she left before Shocker quarantined the ExaStream building, Chiharu was unaware of her being infected until it was too late as her rivals pushed her down some stairs into a live electric circuit, severely disfiguring her face. Unable to cope with it, Chiharu attempted suicide after leaving a note to have her wristwatch sent to her brother. However, Tristar Promotions refused to make her death public, and used the very girls responsible for Chiharu's disfigurement to stand in for her as they release her final song, "Platinum Smile". In order to cover up Chiharu's death, the executives at Tristar Promotions disposed of her body in the city sewers, where the nanobots in Chiharu's body malfunctioned as they revived her into a sub-human monstrosity.
The song "Platinum Smile" soon after became a thing of urban legend, as Chiharu's "ghost" brutally murders those who listen to it, as well as those were covering up her demise. In the end, Kazami faces the wretched beast that was once his sister, and in an emotional climax, kills her. Chiharu seemed to finally be at rest. However, it seems that the curse of "Platinum Smile" did not die with Chiharu, as her "ghost" appears again, hate-filled and embarking on a bizarre murder spree.

Cast

Songs

Theme song
  • "Chosen Soldier"
Insert song
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KAMEN RIDER : THE FIRST

Kamen Rider: The First (仮面ライダー THE FIRST Kamen Raidā Za Fāsuto?, Masked Rider: The First) is a 2005 Japanese tokusatsu superhero film. The film is an adaptation of the television series Kamen Rider, though there are many differences between the film and the original programme; some of these, however, are due to a closer reliance on the original Kamen Rider manga by Shotaro Ishinomori[vague]. 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 December 5, 2005, though it had several early screenings around Tokyo during the previous two months, beginning on October 23, at the Tokyo Film Festival. It was released on Region 2 DVD on April 21, 2006. American anime distributor Media Blasters released the film subtitled-only on Region 1 DVD on April 3, 2007, but this version of the film is no longer in print.
The film's theme song is "Bright! our Future" by Da Pump, though the opening features a small portion of the original Kamen Rider theme song, "Let's Go!! Rider Kick", sung by Masato Shimon.
The film was produced by Ishinomori Productions and Toei, who have also produced every previous television series and films in the Kamen Rider franchise. It was followed by a sequel, Kamen Rider: The Next.

Plot summary

College student Takeshi Hongo is abducted into terrorist organisation Shocker (Sacred Hegemony Of Cycle Kindred Evolutional Realm), at the hands of a cyborg Inhumanoid (Kaijin) known as the Bat. There, he undergoes painful reconstructive surgery, turning him into an Inhumanoid himself. Unlike the original series, he does not escape prior to mental condition by Shocker, and becomes one of their soldiers, nicknamed "Hopper". He carries out a mission successfully, and meets Shocker's Major Agents, including Dr. Shinigami. Hongo receives his orders— Kill those who have seen Shocker's Inhumanoid soldiers. However, what he doesn't realise is that the two witnesses are the journalist who had interviewed him prior to his kidnapping, Asuka Midorikawa (Rena Komine) and her fiancé Katsuhiko Yano (Hassei Takano). Attacking the two along with Shocker soldier Spider, it is here that Hongo remembers his humanity, and has an epiphany with regards to what he should do. Despite his efforts, Katsuhiko is killed by Spider, and Asuka finds Hongo next to the body. Blaming him for Katsuhiko's death, she begins to follow him, attempting to ascertain why who she thought was a normal college student is a murderer.
Meanwhile, at Shocker headquarters, it is revealed that those who undergo Shocker's treatment need periodic blood transfusions, lest they reject their cybernetic components. Though Hongo seems to lack the need for the transfusions, he is labeled a "traitor" by Shocker and must be destroyed. It is here that Dr. Shinigami reveals his plan to create a second soldier based on Hopper's design to do the job. Hongo, having now abandoned Shocker, visits Tōbei Tachibana, who gives him his motorcycle, the Cyclone. He is then able to defeat Spider. Asuka meets Hayato Ichimonji, who is identical to her fiancé, who she thought was dead. He reveals that "Katsuhiko Yano" was an alias. What he doesn't tell Asuka is that he has been kidnapped by Shocker and turned into the 2nd Hopper. His mission: defeat Hongo at any cost.
The film also features a subplot, interspersed throughout. It involves two terminally ill hospital patients, who get a chance to live after an offer by Shocker. The couple is taken to Shocker's island base, where they laugh and play under the watchful eye of Shocker's sinister bird logo. It is only then that it is revealed that this part of the film has been a flashback, taking place around a year ago. The two had undergone the reconfiguration and surfaced in the current story as Shocker soldiers Cobra and Snake, who branded Ichimonji a traitor for failing Shocker by putting his feelings for Asuka first.
Ultimately, the Riders team up after Bat attempts to kidnap Asuka and turn her into an Inhumanoid, which enrages Ichimonji enough to cause him to turn on his former masters. They defeat Shocker's three cyborg soldiers at their island base, but Shinigami and other Major Agents have survived, and they're already in the fashioning of a new base of operations while plotting a new scheme to eliminate Riders, once and for all.

Villains

The Inhumanoids in Kamen Rider: The First are not non-humans as their name would suggest, but rather cyborgs much like the Kamen Riders. The organization's ranks are depicted as having three commanding characters (seen only on screens), as well as several special-class soldiers and unidentified grunts.
  • Shocker Staff: Elderly Gentleman (ショッカー幹部・老紳士 Shokkā Kanbu Rōshinshi?): Depicted in the film as the figurehead of Shocker, he is a mysterious elderly man with vampire-like fangs and dons a long black and red cape. During the course of the film, he appears only via satellite on screens in the Shocker headquarters. His physical whereabouts are unknown. He is an adaptation of the original television series' character Doctor Shinigami (死神博士 Shinigami Hakase?).
  • Shocker Staff: Lady (ショッカー幹部・美女 Shokkā Kanbu Bijo?): A female commander in the Shocker ranks, she is responsible for the selecting of new Inhumanoid candidates to be inducted into the organization. Like Dr. Shinigami, "Lady" only appears via satellite on screens in the Shocker headquarters, and her physical whereabouts are unknown.
  • Shocker Staff: Youth (ショッカー幹部・若者 Shokkā Kanbu Wakamono?): A young male commander in the Shocker ranks, he is responsible for the organization of missions and troop deployment. Like Dr. Shinigami and "Lady", "Youth" only appears via satellite on screens in the Shocker headquarters, and his physical whereabouts are unknown.
  • Hopper 1: The brainwashed state of Takeshi Hongo, he is a special-class soldier in the Shocker ranks charged with the carrying out of covert search-and-destroy missions. He later becomes self-aware and defects from Shocker, instead fighting against them as Kamen Rider 1.
  • Hopper 2: The brainwashed state of Hayato Ichimonji, he is a special-class soldier in the Shocker ranks charged with hunting and eliminating the traitor, Hopper 1. He later becomes self-aware and begins fighting against Shocker, alongside Hongo, as Kamen Rider 2.
  • Spider (スパイダー Supaidā?): A field captain in the Shocker ranks, he is responsible for covert assassination missions, and is behind several "mysterious" deaths prior to and during the course of the film. He is eventually destroyed by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick
  • Bat (バット Batto?): A field captain in the Shocker ranks, he is responsible for the "recruitment" (abduction) of potential Inhumanoid candidates. He is the only Shocker soldier depicted as being capable of flight. He is ultimately destroyed by Kamen Rider 1 and 2's Double Rider Kick.
  • Cobra (コブラ Kobura?): The brainwashed state of Haruhiko Mitamura (三田村 晴彦 Mitamura Haruhiko?), he is a special class soldier assigned to Bat's squadron, and later works independently alongside his romantic interest, Snake. He is mortally wounded by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick and dies while holding Snake's lifeless body in his arms.
  • Snake (スネーク Sunēku?): The brainwashed state of Miyoko Harada (原田 美代子 Harada Miyoko?), she is a special class soldier assigned to Bat's squadron, and later works independently alongside her romantic interest, Cobra. She is mortally wounded by Kamen Rider 2's Rider Kick, and dies in Cobra's arms.

Returning faces

Several actors in this film have appeared in previous Kamen Rider productions. Hiroshi Miyauchi plays Tōbei Tachibana, a character who has appeared in numerous other Kamen Rider shows, acting as a sort of father figure to the Riders. Miyauchi is known for portraying the title character in 1973's Kamen Rider V3. Hassei Takano, who portrays Hayato Ichimonji (Kamen Rider 2) in the film, also starred as Miyuki Tezuka (Kamen Rider Raia) in the 2002 series Kamen Rider Ryuki. Hideyo Amamoto posthumously reprises his role as Dr. Shinigami through archival footage from the original Kamen Rider series.
The crew of The First also features many returning faces. Director Takao Nagaishi is a longtime tokusatsu director who has helmed several episodes of 2006s Kamen Rider Kabuto. Nagaishi was also an assistant director on the original Kamen Rider series. The film was written by Toshiki Inoue, a popular fixture in anime and tokusatsu screen writing. He has written virtually every theatrical film in the Kamen Rider franchise, as well as all the episodes of Kamen Rider Agito (except for one) and Kamen Rider 555. He also served as a writer on Kamen Rider Kuuga, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Blade, and Kamen Rider Hibiki. Inoue is the son of the late Masaru Igami, who was the chief writer on the original Kamen Rider series, as well as Kamen Rider V3, Kamen Rider Stronger, and New Kamen Rider.

Differences between film and television

  • The movie has a great deal of elements from the original television series that spread across from the beginning to end, although several of these conflict with the film's timing. Hongo Takeshi originally had to ride his motorcycle at high speeds 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. In the series, Hongo and Ichimonji perform a series of stylish hand-waving, then jump into the air to complete the transformation. In this movie, they simply open up their leather jackets (or polo shirt, in one of Ichimonji's cases), revealing the Typhoon Belt (and their body armor), then snap on their helmets and faceplates on their heads to transform. These movements 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, although he was rescued by Takeshi Hongo before he could be brainwashed; the two were allies from the beginning. In the film, Ichimonji was originally Katsuhiko Yano, the lover of Asuka Midorikawa. Katsuhiko was killed by Spider, and Hongo/Hopper was framed for it. Katsuhiko's corpse was recovered and turned into a cyborg similar to Hongo. His brain was altered to believe he was a man named Hayato Ichimonji in competition for Asuka's affection. Ichimonji originally served as Hongo's enemy, and later a hesitant ally. He disappears at the end of the movie, leaving his helmet on the road.
  • 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 Professor Midorikawa who saves Hongo before he can be subjected to brain surgery by providing the distraction to allow Hongo to escape, only to ultimately be murdered by the Spider. Asuka also shares a similarity with Professor Midorikawa's daughter, Ruriko; both had witnessed the death of their respected loved ones (Professor Midorikawa for Ruriko, who was her father, and Katsuhiko Yano for Asuka, who was her fiancé) with their own eyes and originally thought that Hongo was to blame for it. The both of them ultimately found out the truth and forgave Hongo.

Cast

  • Takeshi Hongo (本郷 猛 Hongō Takeshi?): Masaya Kikawada (黄川田 将也 Kikawada Masaya?)
  • Hayato Ichimonji, Katsuhiko Yano (一文字 隼人, 矢野 克彦 Ichimonji Hayato, Yano Katsuhiko?): Hassei Takano (高野 八誠 Takano Hassei?)
  • Asuka Midorikawa (緑川 あすか Midorikawa Asuka?): Rena Komine (小嶺 麗奈 Komine Rena?)
  • Tobei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛 Tachibana Tōbei?): Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内 洋 Miyauchi Hiroshi?)
  • Haruhiko Mitamura (三田村 晴彦 Mitamura Haruhiko?): Eiji Wentz (ウエンツ 瑛士 Uentsu Eiji?)
  • Miyoko Harada (原田 美代子 Harada Miyoko?): Ryoko Kobayashi (小林 涼子 Kobayashi Ryōko?)
  • Shocker Staff: Lady (ショッカー幹部・美女 Shokkā Kanbu Bijo?): Mayumi Sada (佐田 真由美 Sada Mayumi?)
  • Shocker Staff: Youth (ショッカー幹部・若者 Shokkā Kanbu Wakamono?): Issa Hentona (辺土名 一茶 Hentona Issa?)
  • Shocker Staff: Elderly Gentleman (Dr. Shinigami) (ショッカー幹部・老紳士 Shokkā Kanbu Rōshinshi?): Hideyo Amamoto (天本 英世 Amamoto Hideyo?)[1]
    • Shocker Staff: Elderly Gentleman (Dr. Shinigami, voice): Eiji Maruyama (丸山 詠二 Maruyama Eiji?)
  • Spider (スパイダー Supaidā?): Itsuji Itao (板尾 創路 Itao Itsuji?)
  • Bat (バット Batto?): Kanji Tsuda (津田 寛治 Tsuda Kanji?)
  • The Member of the House of Representatives (代議士 Daigishi?): Renji Ishibashi (石橋 蓮司 Ishibashi Renji?)
  • The Private Secretary (秘書官 Hishokan?): Hirotaro Honda (本田 博太郎 Honda Hirotarō?)
  • Megumi (めぐみ Megumi?): Hitomi Nakahodo (仲程 仁美 Nakahodo Hitomi?)
  • Shocker Combatmen (ショッカー戦闘員 Shokkā Sentōin?, Voice): Katsumi Shiono (塩野 勝美 Shiono Katsumi?)

Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme
  • "Bright! our Future"
    • Lyrics: ISSA
    • Composition: ISSA & YUKINARI
    • Arrangement: YUKINARI & UNAShinji Tanahashi
    • Artist: Da Pump

Sequel

A sequel was produced in 2007 called Kamen Rider: The Next. The film included the rider Kamen Rider V3 who had his own show in 1973, which was a sequel to the original Kamen Rider show. The film is often considered by fans to be one of the most dark, and violent Kamen Rider adaptions in the series. The film was pointed out for its horror elements as well.
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