Kamen Rider the First
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| Kamen Rider the First | |
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| Directed by | Takao Nagaishi |
| Produced by | Ishinomori Productions Toei |
| Written by | Toshiki Inoue |
| Starring | Kikawada Masaya Takano Hassei Korene Rena Miyauchi Hiroshi Wentz Eiji Kobayashi Ryouko Sada Mayumi Issa Hentona Amamoto Hideyo Itao Itsuji Tsuda Kanji |
| Music by | Yasukawa Gorou |
| Cinematography | Tanaka Issei |
| Distributed by | Toei Co. Ltd |
| Release date(s) | December 5, 2005 |
| Running time | 90 min. |
| Language | Japanese |
| IMDb profile | |
Kamen Rider The First (仮面ライダー THE FIRST Kamen Raidā Za Fāsuto?) is a Japanese tokusatsu film. The film is an adaptation of the legendary 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 Ishinomori Shotaro. Written by Toshiki Inoue and directed by Takao Nagaishi, the film stars Masaya Kikawada as Kamen Rider 1 and Hassei Takano as 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. On September 26, 2006 American Anime Licensor Media Blasters announced that a Region 1 DVD of Kamen Rider the First is planned for release sometime in 2007 (This was then confirmed to be April 3, 2007) as part of their "Tokyo Shock" collection. 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 film in the Kamen Rider franchise.
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[edit] Plot summary
College student Takeshi Hongō is abducted into terrorist organisation Shocker (Sacred Hegemong 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 a 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, portrayed by the late Amamoto Hideyo.[1][2] Hongō 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 Hongō 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 Hongō next to the body. Blaming him for Katsuhiko's death, she begins to follow him, attempting to ascertain why whom 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 Hongō seem to lack the need for the transfusions, he was label a "traitor" 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. Hongō, having now abandoned Shocker, visits Tachibana Tobei, who gives him his motorcycle, the Cyclone. He is then able to defeat Spider. Asuka meets Hayoto Inchimonji, who is identical to her fiancé, whom 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 Hongō 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 underwent 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 a 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.
[edit] Villains
The Inhumanoids in Kamen Rider the First are not non-humans but cyborgs much like the Kamen Riders. There are 3 Inhumanoids seen in the series and are probably higher up in the ranks of Shocker then the normal grunts. It is also unknown if two of the first Inhumanoids where kidnapped prior to the movie and were brainwashed or they serve shocker of there own free will. Also there are three Shocker Commanders.
- Dr. Shinigami: Survived
- Unnamed male Shocker commander: Surivives
- Unnamed Female Shocker commander: Surivives. Take over the position of recruiting new Inhumanoid candidates.
- Hopper: Becomes Kamen Rider 1
- Hopper 2: Becomes Kamen Rider 2
- Spider: Destroyed by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick
- Bat: Destroyed by Kamen Rider 1 and 2's Double Rider Kick
- Cobra: Haruhiko Mitamura. He was mortally wounded by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick and died holding on to the lifeless body of Snake.
- Snake: Miyoko Harada. Killed by Kamen Rider 2's Rider Kick, her body lifeless.
[edit] Returning faces
Several actors in this film have appeared in previous Kamen Rider productions. Hiroshi Miyauchi plays Tachibana Tobei, a character who has appeared in numerous other Kamen Rider shows, acting as a sort of father figure to the Riders. Previously, Miyauchi portrayed Kamen Rider V3 in the 1973 series Kamen Rider V3. Hassei Takano played Kamen Rider Raia in the 2002 series Kamen Rider Ryuki. Eisei Amamoto also digitally reprises his role as Dr. Shinigami 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 many episodes of Kamen Rider Agito and Kamen Rider Faiz. 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.
[edit] 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. Hongō 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 Hongō was able to do the same eventually, the movie version can do it from the beginning.
- 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 Ichimonji Hayato 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 Hongō Takeshi 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 Hongō/Hopper was framed for it. Katsuhiko's corpse was recovered and turned into a cyborg similar to Hongō. His brain was altered to believe he was a man named Ichimonji Hayato in competition for Asuka's affection. Ichimonji originally served as Hongō's enemy, and later a hesitant ally. He disappears at the end of the movie, leaving his helmet on the road.
[edit] Cast
- Masaya Kikawada as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1
- Hassei Takano as Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2
- Rena Komine as Asuka Midorikawa
- Hideyo Amamoto: Dr. Shinigami
- Kenji Tsuda: The Bat
- Eiji Wentz: Haruhiko Mitamura/The Cobra
- Ryouko Kobayashi: Miyoko Harada/The Snake
[edit] References
- Official Kamen Rider the First website.
- Paul "Igadevil" Sullivan, Kamen Rider the First review.
- Kamen Rider the First at the Anime News Network.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Hideyo's appearance in the film is only through various pieces of footage recorded before his death, including several from the original Kamen Rider series.
- ^ The other two Agents are unnamed. The male Agent is portrayed by ISSA, lead singer of Da Pump, who perform the film's theme song, "Bright! Our Future".
| Created by Shotaro Ishinomori and Toru Hirayama | ||
| TV series: | 1st gen.: | Kamen Rider • V3 • X • Amazon • Stronger • Skyrider • Super-1 |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd gen.: | BLACK • BLACK RX | |
| 3rd gen.: | Kuuga • Agito • Ryuki • 555 • Blade • Hibiki • Kabuto • Den-O | |
| Specials: | Birth of the 10th! (ZX) • Prologue (Shin) • SD • Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider • Hyper Battle series | |
| Original films: | Kamen Rider ZO • Kamen Rider J • Kamen Rider World • Kamen Rider the First | |
| Manga: | Kamen Rider Spirits • Card Warrior | |
| American series: | Saban's Masked Rider • Kamen Rider Dragon Knight | |
