What's ahead in 2012

The Masker World Report

The 70th Anniversary of Ishinomori Shôtarô's birthday is wrapping up, so the longtime Rider supporters at Kodansha (publisher of Terebi-Magazine) helped put together a special event, featuring the work of Oshima Yasuji.

Wait, who? Oshima became an official photographer for Kodansha in 1964 (working on Weekly Boy's Magazine) and then in 1965 became one of the pioneer cameraman for Tokusatsu. His lens has captured everything from Ultra Q all the way up to most recent programs. His wide assortment of publicity and still photos have appeared in Terebi-Magazine (which is nearly as old as Kamen Rider itself), Kodansha-published guide books, the immortal Kamen Rider Snack trading cards, and whatnot. So yeah, he's a name you should get to know. In the future, I'd like to do a more in-depth look into some his most famous shots.

The aforementioned event is called Masker World (仮面の世界, Kamen no Sekai), which takes its name from the final chapter of the original series comic by Ishinomori (a long-running column in Toei Hero MAX also uses it.) As you might have guessed, "Masker" is a portmanteau of Masked Rider.

It's going on in Akihabara, Tokyo, at Akihabara Square (near the JR station) from today until January 4th. And guess who went on opening day? That's right, me! :D It's been ages since I've been able to get out and do much Kamen Rider-related stuff, so this was a welcome break from the stress of work and such. I arrived early, having to make the long trek down from where I live to that wonderful place known as Akiba. After standing in the same spot in line for over an hour (in Japan, people take this sort of thing in stride) we were allowed in.

Unfortunately, on account of all the brand-new not-yet-public stuff on display, as well as the fact that basically all the photos were being sold in a hardcover book at the end of the exhibit, I couldn't take many pictures. Believe me, if I could, I would've brought a crew to videotape the entire thing and me walking through it, but alas, sometimes the suits are stricter than others. Past events I've been to usually don't care as much, but this one was a bit more high-strung based on what was there. I was able to at least snap a few photos at the beginning of the exhibit, since 1) everybody else was doing it and 2) there weren't any "No Photos" signs at that point. So here you go:







That's basically what it looked like. By now, I've seen the Rider 1 suit and New Cyclone costume enough to... aw, who am I kidding? I freaked out as usual. Going to this thing also proved the longstanding myth that I can listen to "Let's Go!! Rider Kick" on a continuous loop for well over 2 hours and never get tired of it.

The entrance area had another line for collecting/selling tickets, as well as purchasing the event-exclusive figure, S.I.C. Kamen Rider X (Original Work version). Y'see, before they settled on the color palette for X-Rider that we know and love, Ishinomori's sketches have him looking a biy different. An early NG (No Good) version of the costume was also made, and like the artwork gave the X-man a shiny silvery suit with blue gloves and red boots.

While it's an interesting look, I prefer what we actually got, because the red/gray/black/silver scheme works a bit better for me. Also, it leads into one of Kamen Rider's deepest-ever philosophical messages: consider that the predominantly gray X-Rider's arch-nemesis is the mostly black and white Apollo Geist. Whereas the gray is representative of free will and balance (where everything has a "shade of gray" and works on multiple levels); black & white are representing a more rigid, narrow-minded world of extremes, absolute rights and wrongs- you play by our rules, or don't play at all. And that's completely true to the characters themselves. And that? That's cooler than ice.

*Ahem.* Anyway, the figure's basically just a repaint of the S.I.C. X-Rider from earlier this year, but I loved that one, so I snapped this up (as did seemingly everyone else. Every member of some families got one!) He comes with all his accessories, save for S.I.C. Apollo Geist and his stuff, but that's okay (I guess they got him right the first time.) I usually don't go for variant color figures*, but this one's got some history to it so I bought in.

*Unless they've got something to do with Rider 1 or 2, of course.

Check out the cool box:




I think I read it will be sold via Toei Hero Net as well.

Following this, it's onto the main event, which I photographed up above. Oshima's work runs the gauntlet from Ultraman to Kamen Rider and nearly everything in between, although this exhibit focused on Ishinomori-related characters. Which is mostly the Riders, of course, although a handful of other classics like Henshin Ninja Arashi, Daitetsujin 17, Robot Keji (Detective), and the every-lovable Kaiketsu Zubat were represented. Even ByCrosser/BiCrosser/ByClosser/BiClosser/BHoweveryouwanttospellitosser.

Riders ruled all though, as Oshima has been covering them all the way from the beginning, up until now. With one notable exception: Kamen Rider BLACK. No, I don't know why. I'd like to know, I really would. But for some reason, BLACK wasn't covered by Terebi-Magazine back in '87~88, so he's left out. BLACK RX, no problem, he's there. But not the original incarnation. It's baffling, but then the magazines are funny like that; one of the others (there's also Terebi-Kun and the now-defunct Terebi-Land) had no coverage of the Ultra series when it started up again in the mid/late 90's. Like, nothing. Strange, but true.

That said, everybody else from Clan Rider was represented by an assortment of old photographs. Now, if I may take a moment to pat myself on the back: being some kind of "Kamen Rider Expert" (a title I take with a mix of humbleness and secret evil glee), I probably take an above-average interest in the off-screen parts of the Riderverse, more than the average fan anyway. I willingly suffer through the worst of the comics (and believe me, some of the comics make the TV series' low points look like Oscar-worthy material.)

I covet the behind-the-scenes materials and Hirayama books loaded with great stuff that you never even see hinted at on TV (like Doctor Shinigami's family.) And I go out of my way to accumulate as many reference books and guides as possible. You're looking at (well, reading about) a man who spent the dough to get a V3 guide book which, honestly, wasn't anything that other books didn't already cover, and they did it better. But I didn't have it, so it was worth the pick-up. Being dirt-cheap helped as well.

So of course, the vast majority of the pictures (on display in over-sized prints of various shapes) were stuff I'd seen before. After all, I do own Oshima's Kamen Rider-related photobooks, including the Terebi Magazine-offshoot two-volume hardcovers which are entirely about the original series.

But there were still a few gems, which is why I picked up the new hardcover they were selling at the event. Yes, it's just stuff like a shot of Tsukuba Hiroshi talking to Stronger and V3 (wearing the wrong-colored gloves. Oh how I love you, New Kamen Rider episode #28.) But y'know what? I live for that stuff, so I enjoyed the heck out of this all the same.

Of course, there was a lot more there than just photos. The entrance area (where we waited in line after waiting in line) had a giant 16-screen monitor display showing off the Opening sequences to every Kamen Rider series (plus ZX's special.) Talk about a nostalgia trip! I had forgotten just how good Kuuga's original OP is (before it starts getting all artsy later on.) It's simple, it's kinda cheap, using footage right out of the show and random battle scenes we never actually see happen, but hey: that's what the best old Rider OPs were! And that shot of Godai behind the barb wire = classic. If you want to really read into it, it's summing up his place in the Kuugaverse in about 2 seconds, but maybe that's just crazy-talk.

The Ryuki opening was also an old favorite too, and it's funny to think back to it now that Dragon Knight is a reality. And then there's the Hibiki OPs (they showed 'em both, as with the other two-OP-song Rider shows.) They're really good, aren't they? Putting aside the fact that it's a bit hard to watch the first one without thinking of dear Kanbe Miyuki (R.I.P.), as well as thinking about how I'll never be able to look at Hitomi the same way again, it's good stuff. The editing, the timing to the music, etc. The bit where Hibiki flies/falls face-first into the camera right before the title is a bit weird, but hey- it makes me smile. The second one though... now that's really a masterpiece. It helps that it was set to a great song too.

But before this turns into me talking about OPs, let's get back to the thing most people will be reading this for. Besides, you don't want me to get started on how *damn* good the Stronger OP really is.

Okay, here's where the real big news comes in: following the Kiva opening was an extended trailer for 2009's upcoming Kamen Rider Decade. All the stuff we've seen in the short TV spots was there, plus a lot, lot more. The (spoilerific) highlights:

-We see more of the main guy, Kadoya Tsukasa, fumbling about with a camera (he's a cameraman. I already like him.) In nearly every scene he seems to have gotten his butt just kicked; he's got blood around his mouth a lot of the time (and no, I don't think he's a vampire.) As with Wataru, a lot of the pre-show pics of the actor just left me wondering "Wait, who?", but he looks to be pretty cool in the clips. And again, the cameraman bit. Ichimonji kicked ass, and Segawa was a tree-huggin' hippie, but he can step on people, and not many Riders can say they can do that. So bring it on!

-We see all the Rider cards Decade gets, but with ghostly images, like the pictures are missing. Sorta like the Blank cards from Blade. I assume as he meets each Rider/"borrows" their powers, the images will be filled in with the complete versions (which, BTW, have the Riders' faces over their respective symbols. Just puttin' that out there.)

-There's a lot of stuff from the dream-sequence "Great Rider War", which is all witnessed by some girl (probably having the dream, natch.) A couple guys I didn't see before (Ibuki & Ketaros) are there too, but I think just about everybody's probably there. This is The Great Rider War, after all! Even the Daleks probably show up.

-During this, Kuuga tries to attack someone (Decade?) on his bike and then gets knocked off, and we see him rising up to face Decade's back. Also some of Decade vs. Kuuga Ultimate Form battle that's probably going to prove highly controversial, because I have a feeling Decade comes out of that one the victor. Well either that, or Kamen Rider Decade is about 2 1/2 minutes long.

-It looks like just about everyone gets blown up real good too. Caucasus & some of the guys are shown running through explosions in slow-motion, and there's nothing about that sentence I don't like.

-Then there's scenes of Decade in the Kuugaverse, appearing before the new Kuuga, Onodera Yuusuke, and a woman in a long coat who almost looks like an Ichijô equivalent. I dunno about new Yuusuke yet, but we see him grabbing Tsukasa and yelling at him. He'll be a very different kind of character than Godai I think; less of a replacement than a reinterpretation. I'd call him Mirror Kuuga (with a goatee) but we already have the Rider Mirrorverse, so maybe I'll just start calling him Kamen Rider Kuuga 2 or New Kamen Rider Kuuga. Or Kamen Rider Kuuga Onodera Form.

-We see new the new Grongi King, and then a ton of old Grongi surrounding Tsukasa, ready to tear him to shreds. I even see the Bean Counter in there! But then Kuuga drives down stairs on Try Chaser to save him!

-Speaking of which, there's LOTS of bikes in this promo. Decade's bike, Kuuga's, and a bunch of others.

-Next we see Wataru, albeit acting similar to Tendô, finger-pointing to the sky and very calm. He meets with Tsukasa. Then it cuts to Kabuto holding a card, and Kabuto fighting. I don't want to make any pre-judgments on this, but I wonder if Wataru is somehow now connected to Kabuto. Possibly because of the whole world-merging business, so reality is getting torn a new one and things are beginning to mush together. It could just be the editing though, but I noticed we don't see Kiva, just Wataru. Probably just the editing. We'll find out soon!

-The most crowd-pleasing moment: We see the Hoppers! Both of 'em, looking up to no good. I'd be really surprised if we don't see Tokuyama (Yaguruma) and Uchiyama (Kageyama) back, cuz they're uber-geeks and loved their roles in Kabuto.

-Next wee see "Decade Faiz" (Faiz with Decade's belt) running up to Auto-Vajin and a girl in a helmet. Mari? If it is her, let's hope Wataru doesn't see her! Kusaka's probably stalking them all.

-Decade Hibiki is shown, wielding his drumsticks and preparing to sling a fireball at something or someone. Probably the people who are still denying that Hibiki is a Kamen Rider.

-Decade is seen driving through a crowd of monsters. See, I told you there were lots of bikes!

-And the final shot is a photo-montage of the main 10, and an announcement of when the show starts (1/25/2009.)

I think that's just about everything. Agito, Ryuki, Blade & Den-O didn't appear, but you know they're going to show up. I expect we'll be seeing this trailer, in full or in part, after the next episode of Kiva airs, or the week after.

The Decade coverage didn't end there though; after going through the main photo gallery there was a special section set up by Bandai. On display was the massive Tamashii Collectors Super Real Heroes Vol. 2 Kamen Rider 1 (Kamen Rider THE NEXT version), which is the follow-up to that super-duper Faiz statue that lit up and stuff. Based on a body scan of the real suit actor, the figure (well, statue) has light-up eyes, a spinning belt fan, and Henshin sound effects. And it's like, $800. And BIG. I think I'll pass on that one, unless I see it really cheap (the Faiz is already down to about half-price at some places) and I suddenly decide I really need a big unmoving NEXTy Rider 1 (classic Rider 1 though, and I'm helpless to resist.) There was also the S.I.C. Hero Saga Vol. 3 DARK SIDE diorama scene, featuring Kuuga Ultimate Form. It's big, it lights up, and it doesn't so much else, but it looks cool.

In the nearby display cases were things of more immediate interest to me. It's here where I curse the no-pictures rule, cuz there was a lot of nice stuff. I'll try to talk you through it though.

All the Den-O S.I.C. figures released so far were set up, including the soon-to-be-released Vol. 44 Kamen Rider Zeronos & Deneb Imagin, next month's Vol. 45 Kamen Rider Den-O Liner Form & Kamen Rider Zeronos Zero Form, and the unpainted prototype of February's Vol. 46 Kamen Rider 1 & Cyclone (Kamen Rider THE FIRST). The event-special X-Rider was on display too.

Okay, I gotta say: While this year's X-Rider/Apollo Geist will be my favorite S.I.C. release of the year, as for the best S.I.C. set, well, hard to say. Because Vol. 44 looks AWESOME. Deneb's face, which looked a bit funky in the photos, is actually great in person. In fact, the S.I.C. figure highlights just how mask-like the golden upper part of his face is. It's almost Phantom of the Opera-ish. Zeronos looks badass too, and the accessories will practically be worth the price of admission alone.

The final forms set ain't half bad either; Liner Form looks pretty close to what was on TV, and Zero Form is a bit more stylized, but in a good way. The Den-Kamen Sword looks cooler here than ever before. As for the Rider 1/Bike combo... whoa. I've seen painted pics by now, but even without the paint it looks like a definite pick-up. I won't care too much if we don't get the others (although they are welcome); Kamen Rider 1 was so iconic by his lonesome in the movie, I can live with just this. It looks like a great set.

They also had every FiguArts figure released thus far, including the brand-new (just out this weekend) Kamen Rider Ketaros and Kamen Rider Hercus. They look rad, and I should have mine to review soon.

The upcoming Twist Action figures (Kuuga, Den-O Sword Form, and unpainted Ryuki) were on display. And now, having seen them in person... hmmm. I think I might get one and see how it is, because based on looks, they aren't so hot. From the waist up, they're pretty good, but the legs are a different story. The material's a bit too loose, and would probably fit some Riders better than others (Blade would be good in this style, with his heavy leathery suit.) It'll really depend on how poseable they are; in a standing neutral pose they look pretty iffy but in an action pose they might fly. I'll probably get Kuuga because he looked to be the better of the two. I don't want to judge 'em too hard yet, but they're not exactly Medicom-quality.

More promising were the upcoming Ganbaride tie-in toys; the Legend Rider Series figures (Wave 1 of which I've gotten, and they're great), as well as next month's HG Gallery Series Heisei Rider Gachapon figure sets. Since they're a mix of new and rehashed figures, Bandai did a bit of tinkering so everyone has painted eyes rather than the clear eyes H.G.C.O.R.E. has been doing (although the most recent Kiva figures have painted eyes.) They still look cool though, and Decade (our first HG Decade) looks really nice.

Lastly, there was the upcoming online exclusive Rider Mask Collection Display Stage, which will feature space for all Riders up to J, and comes with the special exclusive Shin Kamen Rider "mask" (well, head.) It lights up too, so if you didn't get the rare light-up versions of the masks originally, you can give everybody the juice with this. The only real downside is you had to get all the individual masks in the first place to complete the scene, and since the Kamen Rider 2 (New) mask was a Magazine Z exclusive from years ago... I don't have that one. Time to go hunting! The (also) upcoming Complete Selection Henshin Onsa (from Kamen Rider Hibiki) was there too. It's 1/1 scale, comes with 3 (non-transforming) Disc Animals, and looks cool. I assume it'll be electronic too, which will make it worth a pick-up.

We're almost at the end, but before the exit there were three more things of interest: one was the Gift Shop, which had numerous items (both exclusive to the event and available at online retailers like Bandai Fashion & Toei Hero Net.) I got some photo post cards, a clear file set (containing both an original of Rider 1 & the Decade line-up pic) and the hardcover book. You could also get framed prints of some of Oshima's photos, but the price was a bit too steep for me. There was some Fujioka fanclub stuff, but I vowed to wait on those since you get a lot of them free by joining up (something I, shamefully, keep putting off. 2009 resolution!)

There were a couple display cases set up with some very special items pulled from the archives. One contained the original script, storyboard and artwork for Kamen Rider episode #84. Also known as the one Ishinomori wrote and directed (and appears in it in a cameo.) A lot of people tend to think Ishinomori somehow created Kamen Rider with just his own two hands. That he wrote every script, directed every episode, played background guy #3, and even handled all the catering.

Surprise! They're wrong. It took 84 episodes just to get him to do one, but we they did, they got it. This is Ishinomori Unleashed, as true an example of his vision for Kamen Rider as you're gonna get. More than Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue, more than the drug-fueled theory where he planned out Kuuga, Agito and Hibiki (but nothing else.) Possibly even more than his own comics! This is the real deal, baby. And how is it?

Well, it's pretty crazy. But considering the preview for the episode had a more meta-than-meta scene where Black Shôgun talks about (in-character, mind you) how Ishinomori is writing and directing, and we see him getting pointers from Ishinomori while stagehands bustle about, well... it's to be expected. God, I love this stuff.

Anyways, another case featured some of the original Kamen Rider Snack cards (re-released and re-printed umpteen times) and for a Rider fan, seeing them is roughly akin to seeing one of Shakespere's original manuscripts. Lastly, there was a collection of classic Terebi-Magazines, going all the way back to 1971. I learned a couple things from seeing these, namely that 1) 1980 was a pretty awesome year to be in Japan, and 2) it really was called New Kamen Rider back then too. And yes, poor BLACK was nowhere to be seen. Kids reading Terebi-Magazine must've been confused as hell when suddenly this RX guy shows up one month.

And finally, the much-anticipated, long-awaited Ganbaride card game. The machines are going to be appearing nationwide soon (if not already) and they had three set up on "Free Play" mode (usually it costs 100 Yen, and you're "guaranteed at least one card". These were free, and the only cards were on sleeves attached to the machine.) After watching some other people try it, with varying degrees of success (including a poor kid who got his IXA/Rod Form team utterly destroyed by the Double Riders) I gave it a shot.

It's all a bit confusing, but quite fun. You basically have a two-on-two battle with the second character acting as a sort of support guy who gives you bonuses depending on the combination (and cards used.) In this particular case, the opponents were Kiva & IXA. Good team, right? So who did I choose to go up against them?

Who else?

Sadly, there was no Rider 2 card at my machine, so it ended up being Rider 1 & BLACK Not bad though. Kivat liked it (he does A LOT of gabbing away during the game.) I think I got some bonus for awesomeness, or something. To be honest, it all goes by so fast. It's kind of like time travel or being launched into orbit; you get used to it, but it takes a few times (...wait, what?) From what I could gather, it's largely down to timing and luck, although there are multiple modes to play on and I went with "Easy", so for all I know it could've been on auto-pilot.

Needless to say that after three rounds (in which Rider 1 & Kiva kicked the crap out of each other while BLACK and IXA stood around looking cool) I was given the choice to either insert another card or try for a Hissatsu Waza. And who am I to argue with Momotaros logic?

The resulting Rider Kick sent Kiva flying. And then he, um, kind of exploded. So I won! I now plan to collect the cards and build a deck based around the Shôwa Riders. And then go around dispensing a little pre-1989 justice.

And that's basically it. All in all it was an action-packed day, and considering this all took place in like, one lobby outside a cafe divided by black drapes, that's pretty incredible. Decade looks like it's gonna be great, Ganbaride's pretty awesome, there's a lot of great toys on the way, and all things considered, 2008 was a good year for Kamen Rider. And 2009 looks like it'll be too. Even if Ishinomori sadly isn't around to enjoy it, at least we've still got people like Oshima carrying on the legacy. And I don't think he'd ask for much more than that.

***

Legends of the Kamen Riders

Okay, this is literally the first sign of this I've seen or heard so details are still sketchy, but...

No word yet on what Toei plans to do for the 10th Anniversary of Kamen Rider back on TV, but Bandai will be pulling out all the stops. In tandem with the release of the new card battler game "Rider Battle: Ganbaride" (similar to the wildly popular Ultraman version all over the place now), they'll be repeating the success of Ultraman by including cards with all future soft vinyl figures. But that's not the best part.

The best part is that the Rider Hero Series soft vinyl line is getting a big upgrade. In addition to new RH Kiva figures, there's now a spin-off of sorts called Legend Rider Series, which will see past Riders re-released in new packaging including the special cards for use in the game. And what's more, all the older Riders will be all-new figures while more recent ones will be updated repaints.

When it comes to the earlier Riders, Bandai has kept re-using the same old RH molds for well over a decade now, and despite the occasional repainted re-release, they've always still felt a bit... antiquated. I mean we got a good new Rider 1, but that was a special exclusive with the Kodansha Official File magazine binder set. And then Bandai started it's "Sould of Sofubi" line anyway (and that seems to have slowed down after Kamen Rider THE NEXT.) But in other words, the regular, neutral-posed versions you can easily get in any toy shop have been the same old, slightly disproportioned ones from a time before Kamen Rider was even back on our screens.

Ultraman was in the same state until the early 2000's, when new versions were made of almost everybody to modernize the line and make it really worth getting them all again. Kuuga Mighty Form & G3-X got similar treatment not long after their shows ended, but the original versions weren't even that dated. Honestly, from Kuuga onwards RH has been in pretty good shape, although I do think they really should include at least one weapon with most of the figures: Den-O's especially somewhat suffers from the fact that a toy with the word "sword" in its name comes with no sword. Then again, not like there's any shortage of Sword Form toys with swords!

With the figures before that, it's still an aesthetic that's long since gone; in these days of H.G.C.O.R.E. and DX Medicoms, collectors want more accuracy and overall better-looking figures (usually, there is a market for the really retro-looking stuff, but that's usually because it's intentionally meant to look retro.)

So Bandai is finally giving the old Riders much-needed upgrades, and look at the difference:



The old versions are below with the new ones above. In the first wave we've got Rider 1, Rider 2, V3, Stronger, and BLACK. All of them are brand new. We also have Kuuga Mighty Form, Ryuki, Knight, and Den-O Sword Form, all repaints. Still no sword for Sword Form, but hey; he couldn't hold it anyway. No word yet on if Ryuki & Knight will include the weapons their original versions came with, but it'd be nice.

But of course, the important thing is the new molds. They look nice, and while they probably won't be any more poseable than the old ones, it's at least nice that we're getting them, because they're long overdo and I'd like to eventually see all RH Riders brought up to the same level of uniform quality.

I'll probably pick these guys up, repaints and all. I also hear something about possible re-releases of the Henshin Belts, at least the "low-priced" versions of the Typhoon, Double Typhoon, and Kuuga~Faiz era belts. Nice.

***

More Yahoo Japan Exclusives: SH Arc & Rey

That's right: the two new Riders featuring in the upcoming Kamen Rider Kiva movie (only a few days away now!) are getting the Sôchaku-Henshin (also known by the more clunky name "Armor-Trans') treatment.

However, like Den-O Wing Form & Climax Form before them, they're gonna be online exclusives available through B-Shop on Yahoo! Japan Shopping. Which means that, once again, Yahoo! Japan Auctions or ebay are the way to go with these guys if you live out of the country (or if there's another way to get them, let us know!)

Being fortunate enough to be in Japan (in case I don't mention it enough), I'll be already preordering a set or two or three (hey, it'll make a good contest prize some day.) Preorders begin tomorrow, end August 29th, and the set is actually shipped in December. Just in time for Christmas!

Find out more at the official page for Kamen Rider Arc & Kamen Rider ReySôchaku-Henshin

Now where the heck is IXA?!

***

"You're wrong, Doctor. I have life again!"

And now (slightly late) I will resume a regular daily posting scedule. Or at least try to.

Also, because I can, some blatant self-advertising:



***

Secret Origins, Part 4

Previously in this overview of Oda Katsumi & Muraeda Kenichi's "The Men Who Made Kamen Rider", Toei creative producer Hirayama Tôru & manga artist Ishinomori Shôtarô teamed up to create the look for the hero of Toei's upcoming sci-fi/fantasy action series. After going through the names "Maskman K", "Masked Angel" and "CrossFire", the project was about to take on another alias after Ishinomori decided the design (which had won critical acclaim from the Toei & Mainichi Broadcasting heads) was too safe. Too "Been there, seen that". So what did he come up with? This guy:

Skullman! Well, not quite. Skullman was actually a comic Ishinomori put out in 1970 which predated Kamen Rider (both in show and comic form), but Ishinomori liked the design enough that he decided to play around with it and create a sort-of live-action version (albeit with a lower jaw piece, something the comic character's helmet lacked.)

Needless to say, this unconventional (at the time) design strikes a cord with Hirayama. The initial plot he had worked out suddenly requires much re-thinking, and the new hero goes from a crime-fighting wrestler to a more tragic character waging an unending crusade against greater odds (and not wrestling in his spare time.)



The folks at Mainichi Broadcasting are less enthusiastic however. They fail to see what good can come from such an oddball, fearsome design. Hirayam tries to remind them of Golden Bat, a real old-school Japanese hero with a fierce skull-like face, but they're still not convinced.



Furthermore, they feel that the sponsors, who are "run by a bunch of old men", would disapprove of a fearsome, evil-looking character being the star of a children's TV series (see, the 70's really are where everything changed!) Hirayama runs about, guzzling gasoline (and alcohol) as he goes from Tokyo to Osaka like a man without a cause, desperately seeking somebody to approve of the design and back the production that has become his own personal crusade. Without sleep, he soon becomes a total wreck. No really, look at him!



Things aren't looking good for the future of Hirayama's series...

Next Time: Hirayama receives inspiration in the most unlikely of places, and Ishinomori (with some help from his agent) creates the design that would change history.

Bonus: What if the Skullman-inspired hero had taken off after all? He might have looked something like this:

***

Secret Origins, Part 3

Previously in this overview of Oda Katsumi & Muraeda Kenichi's "The Men Who Made Kamen Rider", we were introduced to Toei creative producer Hirayama Tôru, the man who, for all intents and purposes, is as important in the creation of Kamen Rider as Ishinomori is. The task of creating a new super hero/action/fantasy series for kids was placed on Hirayama's shoulders, and after laying the initial groundwork himself, he sought out someone to design the program's titular hero.

That someone was Ishinomori Shôtarô (then just "Ishimori", I'll refer to him by his more recent name) a comic artist who by this point had already gathered critical acclaim and commerical success from his legendary Cyborg 009 comic, which had spawned two film adaptations and a short-lived TV series (the latter of which had future Rider series writer Igami Masaru onboard.) Of course, it would go on to have future series and films, and you might have seen some of the more recent on dubbed in English (or maybe you didn't, but if not, it's worth checking out.) So even here, he's hit the big time (and more than earned his "sensei" title.)

Hirayama was aware of 009's success and knew Ishinomori would definitely be the go-to guy for this project. All the same, he is humbled in the other man's presence and surprised by their close age. He has some good reason to be humbled though: while Hirayama may be a bigshot TV producer, Ishinomori is literally above even him in demand; a guy from Ishinomori's circle (his agent, if I had to guess) keeps reminding him that he's only got 30 minutes; Ishinomori has other deadlines to meet; he was a busy man for much of his life.

Hirayama caves in and says he'll come back next week, but Ishinomori tells him to wait. The flunkie starts to freak, but Ishinomori assures him it'll be quick. Hirayama is surprised that he's already made up his mind on the design (he only just read the "Maskman K" outline.) And Ishinomori, who had it forming in his head from the moment he picked up the script, delivers the goods:

And lo, there shall come a hero...

CrossFire!

Well okay, jumping back for a moment; prior to coming up with this name "Maskman K" became "Masked Angel", and eventually "CrossFire" as a result of the cross-like design of the helmet (which will come back one day, after a fashion...) Hirayama runs this version by Toei TV Vice-Director Watanabe Yoshinori, who eats it up. He takes it to the folks at Mainichi Broadcasting Corp., who also love it to bits. Hirayama wins much praise for the design and concept, and he humbly defers the credit to Ishinomori. This is an extremely important point to note; when Kamen Rider finally became the Kamen Rider we know and love, Hirayama was content to take only "Producer" credit; he gratefully bestowed the title of "Original Work" on Ishinomori, a fact which remains consistent to this day. As a result, it is often believed that Ishinomori created the Kamen Rider franchise; while this is half-right, we can't forget about Hirayama's contributions (nor those other other people like co-producer Abe Seiji, etc.)

So things are looking good... until that evening.

Hirayama gets a phone call, and maybe it's just Muraeda's art idealizing her, but Mrs. Hirayama? Must've been pretty smokin' back in the day.

It's from Ishinomori, and it ain't good.

He's decided he wants to change the design. Hirayama explains that the bosses and Mainichi (which will be the channel running the upcoming program) think it's great as it is. They think it's stylish, good-looking, cool... which is exactly Ishinomori's problem with it.

He wants something more... "grotesque...and fantastic"...

Next Time: A legendary hero is born... but it isn't Kamen Rider!

***

"I think while I draw."

While Friday is now generally reserved for people beating each other up, this week something rather special happened which I thought I should mention.

This day marks the 70th anniversary of Ishinomori Shôtarô's birth, back in 1938. I think it's pretty safe to say that without him, we might have something, but we wouldn't have Kamen Rider, not the way we know it.

Sadly, this coming Monday will also mark the 10th anniversary of his death, at age 60. Which was far, far too soon of course. The question of what Kamen Rider would be like were he still alive will be debated forever, but I like to think it wouldn't be all that different from what we have now. Ishinomori was always ahead of his time, and he recognized the need to keep changing and updating the series even while keeping the same core values, something I think the new shows do more than many give them credit for.

As for what Ishinomori himself would think of the current state of Rider if he could see it, well... if it still keeps the money coming and the kids love it, I think he'd generally approve. But, we'll never really know, will we?

So here's to 70 years of Ishinomori influence, and plenty more to come!

***

Secret Origins, Part 2

Previously, I set the stage for "The Men Who Made Kamen Rider", Oda Katsumi & Muraeda Kenichi's comic recreation of the original Kamen Rider origin story... the origin of the franchise itself. And now, the beginning (of the beginning.)

Chapter 1: Crybaby Producer (Part 1)

The story opens with a flashback to the ruins of a bombed out city. It's not made clear just who it is (yet), but a young boy sits alone, until he looks up and sees... Kamen Rider 1! It's a metaphorical thing, don't worry it'll get explained later.

Jump ahead to the late 1960's, where the Toei staff are screening the final episode of Giant Robo. While most regard it as the end of just another kiddie show, one among them is crying a river. This is Hirayama Tôru, the creative producer at Toei who would have a hand in creating, producing or doing something-ing with many of the company's series from the early 60's all the way up to the early/mid 80's.

Hirayama takes this stuff seriously, even if no one else does (this becomes an extremely important fact later on.) Following the screening, he runs into fellow Toei alumni and old friend Uchida Yuusaku, who takes him on an impromptu trip to see...

Ikuta Studios. The rented space looks like a dump now, but Uchida is convinced that great things are going to be coming from this place! To that end, he explains his vision for the new series, and dumps the responsibility of everything on Hirayama's shoulders. Because he's going to be the producer, after all! Hirayama begins the arduous tasks of pre-series planning; series outlines, early casting try-outs, dashing about trying to get the ball rolling.

By the early 1970's, the next big sensation (even if Toei didn't know how big) was looking... not exactly like what we know it to be. So at this point, it's arguable that Kamen Rider hasn't actually been created yet. More like the show that will become Kamen Rider after many many alterations. At the moment, the show is called Maskman K, and is about a professional wrestler who also fights evil!

And Hirayama needs someone to actually design the hero. So who does he turn to?

This guy.

Next Time: The "trouble" part I mentioned earlier rears its ugly head. And Ishinomori shows us that yes, he was a bonafide genius.

***

Secret Origins, Part 1

Over the next several weeks, I'll be covering, in probable exhaustive detail, the real story of how Kamen Rider came to be.

"Now wait a minute, Igadevil" you say. "Everybody knows that Kamen Rider was created in the early 70's by Ishinomori Shôtarô, that guy who made the Cyborg 009 show that was on Cartoon Network for a while, and if they've really done their homework, they know that he also did that Legend of Zelda comic in "Nintendo Power" where Link had to fight the giant spider in the Mountain Tower rather than that centipede thing from the game that took for-freaking-ever to kill."

You then might go on to say that "Some of the real hardcore old-school fans say that it was actually this guy called Hirayama Tôru who made it, and Ishinomori just drew everything and for some reason he became the creator then." Or perhaps you say that "Magical elves and frogs with funny little hats brought it from the peaceful woodlands of the old country for children everywhere to enjoy and delight in before the evil wizard Ban-Die took control of it." or some such nonsense.

If you said the first two, you're partly right. If you said the third, you probably should get out more. But if you've been under the impression that the Kamen Rider franchise was the work of Ishinomori or Hirayama, you're partway there.

It was, in fact, the creation of both of them, as well as many other people. Like a lot of things in the entertainment industry, Kamen Rider was ultimately a group effort, although it is fair to say that both Ishinomori and Hirayama played especially important roles in bringing it to life.



About this time last year, Shuukan Shônen Magazine (which carried Ishinomori's original series manga back in 1971) got writer Oda Katsumi & artist Muraeda Kenichi (of Kamen Rider Spirits fame) together to produce a four-part comic version of the story behind the original Kamen Rider story, collected the following April in Kamen Raidaa Tsukutta Otoko-tachi ("The Men Who Made Kamen Rider") (ISBN 978-4063722857, by the way.)

Subtitled as "Behind the Scene of HERO Creators", it details the original conception of the original series in the late 60's/early 70's, and then goes on to tell the story of the other men behind the masks: the stunt guys. And did I mention it's a comic? That really adds to the appeal, as suddenly visualizing the events (in a slightly embellished way) becomes that much easier.

I'll be covering the entire collected comic in chunks, and let me say, it's a pretty thorough documentation. Chances are, it will also prove to be a surprising ride.

Next Time: We go back to the very beginning, and learn about the surprisingly troubled pre-development phase that makes any later Rider series' planning stage (and that *includes* Hibiki's) look like a walk in the park. and there's some awesome art. I mean check this out:



***

Review: RS Rider Expansion Belt Collection Box

Rangers Strike: The Masked Rider Expansion "Belt Collection" Box
It's big, bold and mostly black.

Don't ask me how, but through some miraculous turn of events, the Sentai-themed TCG (or maybe it's CCG, I'm not an expert in these things!) Rangers Strike has managed to do the impossible and not only get out several waves but also launch an entire Rider-related expansion which itself just got a second wave. And on top of all that, it's still around! I say this because generally, Rider-themed card games tend to come and go on a whim; remember Rider's Legend? The Kamen Rider vs. Shocker one that was GREAT but nobody knew about it? And the annual series-based ones we now have which, while popular enough, generally are forgotten about by the time the show is over and done with. And they're usually only collected for the cards themselves rather than the game (show of hands: how many people actually learned to play the game they made up for the Rider Tickets last year?)

I wouldn't necessarily say that there is some sort of curse on Kamen Rider where it can never have a long-running card game to go with it, but it is refreshing to see that for once, it doesn't look like it'll be going anywhere any time soon. This is probably due in large part to the fact that even if you don't care about the game aspect of the cards, they look great thanks to a wide variety of talented people doing the artwork. Rangers Strike, and especially the expansion set, have proven popular enough for Bandai to come up with this little number. It's basically a big ol' black box which contains the following:



Well okay, there's a bit more than that. Basically, you get a binder, ten 9-card clear sleeves to put in it, a box for your deck (or in my case, extras) and 40 stylized sleeves to protect the cards you use if you play the game (or for the rest of us, to protect the cards you don't have any other room for!) You also get 18 special cards that are included with this set only, and which I will be scanning the heck out of for use on the site some day (you'll know them when you see them.) They're basically where the "Belt" part of the name comes into it. So basically, this set appeals to both those who want to collect the cards to play the game and those who simply want to collect the cards and have something nice to put them in.

Speaking of collecting the cards, I also picked up a Starter Set and a box of booster packs, and you know, I think it's almost next to impossible to collect all of these without going totally insane. It doesn't help that the number of "rare" cards almost rivals the amount of normal cards, and since it is a game, you tend to get extras quite often since, hey, you can use those extras in the game. If you're just collecting the cards to get 1 of every one though, get ready to hurt. Also, a booster pack has 6 cards. 6! Compared to other card sets (Like the Kamen Rider THE FIRST/THE NEXT Complete Collection with 10 card to a pack) it's tough to get 'em all. But you know what? They look really, really cool. And sometimes that's all that matters.

Although all told, I did manage to end up with all the regulars, a couple of the rare ones (including a very shiny Hasami-Jaguar!) and a ton of extras to be given away in the next contest or something. So it's not as bad as it sounds. But I do hope they up the number of cards-per-pack to offset the cost or something next time.

As for the Belt Collection Box itself, if you like anything Rangers Strike-related, it's a must-have. Unfortunately, Amazon.jp (where I got mine) won't ship it outside of the country, so by all means, if anybody knows where folks outside of Japan can get it, let us know!

***

First Look: Rider Mask Collection Part 4

The fourth wave of Bandai's Candy Toys without-the-candy hit shelves in late January 2008. Collecting these in the past hasn't been easy, as there's a ridiculously high repeat rate if you buy them by the box (trust me, I know) so my only advice is to be sure you like all the guys in this set, because you could get any of them. If you can get any at all, as they come and go quick, so preorder now.

For the uninitiated, they're very accurate little replica masks. About the same/slightly bigger than a Medicom figure's noggin, but not big enough to wear unless you're like, a mouse or something. But they look cool.

The line-up this time includes:

• Kamen Rider Amazon (finally!)
• Skyrider (old version, but expect to see a variant color one. I mean, it's obvious!)
• Kamen Rider ZX
• Kamen Rider Agito (there's probably a "horns open" one as well. Or extra parts?)
• Kamen Rider G3
• Kamen Rider Gai (Hey, where's my Raia & Scissors first!?)
• Kamen Rider Kaixa (Haha! Delta came before you!)
• Kamen Rider Kick Hopper
• Kamen Rider Punch Hopper (I hope everyone saw this coming.)
• Kamen Rider Den-O (Sword Form)
• Kamen Rider Den-O (Rod Form)
• Kamen Rider Den-O (Axe Form)
• Kamen Rider Den-O (Spazz... I mean Gun Form)
• Kamen Rider V3 (THE NEXT version)

All in all, pretty sweet picks. I'm most eager to get Amazon, Skyrider(s), ZX, the Hoppers and the Den-O guys. And V3. Oh hell, all of them!

***

Review: H.G.C.O.R.E. Kamen Rider Part 4

And to finish off the H.G.C.O.R.E. reviews (for now) it's Part 4, which saw release just last month, prior to Kamen Rider THE NEXT hitting theaters. Speaking of which, slight spoilers for that movie contained in the review below.

***


High Grade Collectionfigure Of Real Entertainment: Kamen Rider Part 4
Hey, wasn't V3 in the last one?

There's this strange thing about me and the "revamp" movies Kamen Rider THE FIRST and Kamen Rider THE NEXT: so little stuff related to them comes out (at first) that I find myself getting excited about everything. I mean, under normal circumstances, an expensive Kamen Rider USB flashdrive that has Kabuto's face on it is something I'd probably skip over. But put the Shocker emblem or TRC logo on that sucker, and I'm sold. As a result, anything with the FIRSTy/NEXTy logo on it just demands my attention. This *may* have something to do with the fact that the movies are about a bunch of guys call Rider 1, Rider 2, and V3 (or at least modernized ciphers of them), but I digress. Onto the review!


Kamen Rider V3 (THE NEXT version)

Aside from like, a theater exclusive V3 stamp figure that you could get if you bought an advance ticket (and even then, you got it at the theater when the movie came out), I'm pretty sure this set had the first real Kamen Rider THE NEXT-related figures released. A big deal was made out of this fact: not only do NEXTy characters make up half the set (or more than half if you count the variations), the whole thing is given the subtitle "Kamen Rider V3 Reborn". So fittingly enough, the big V to the 3 is here, and
he compares favorably to his old TV self from the last set.

If you've read any of the other C.O.R.E. reviews, you know by now that really great detailing and clear eye parts on the Riders are pretty much standard issue with these figures, so I won't get too deep into that other than to say that this is one nice V3, although I'm sure we'll see another (Gallery or Rider Kicking) soon enough. As it is though, it's a pretty good one. The pose is yet again a throwback to that of the original High Grader series Part 1's V3, albeit more dynamic now with those seperately-sculpted scarves.

Those green scarves! Yes, looking at this figure really brings out a lot of the color and stylistic differences to the original V3. The lower half of his mask is silver (the original's ranged from white to grey at various points in the series.) His gloves are yellowish-gold, Shocker Rider-style, and not white. His suit's more of an olive drab than the solid green of the original. And we can see his neck and hair. As with the updated Rider 1 & 2 costumes from the movies, I prefer the TV series originals, but the revamps are still pretty freakin' awesome, so no complaints there. All told, V3 2007 looks sweet.

He's got the little Shocker emblems on his back and gloves too. Cuz, you know, V3 starts out on the opposing team this time.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of V3 in the coming year, but if you have to get at least one figure of the new spin on the big green guy, this is a pretty good one to get.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Liner Form)

Bandai's just tearing through those Den-O forms, isn't it? We get not one, but two all-new forms this time around, both of which are conceptually similar but quite unique from a design standpoint. Liner Form is... well, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's sort of less cohesive with the other designs as Climax Form is, but it looks a bit more well-planned. As opposed to just being like "Okay, this goes here, that goes there, and we put one of those right there."

I'm sure the upcoming Sôchaku-Henshin figure will change my opinion a great deal (they always do), but for the moment I have to say this is a pretty good figure for the big red one. Yes, it skims on the paint, and it's a lot more blatant here than on other figures. His belt phone thingy is unpainted, and the big crazy sword thing could use some touching up. But then again, it is just a Gachapon figure, and none but the most absolutely picky of fans should expect perfection when it comes to paint. Also, I like getting extras of HG figures and paintin' them up (or "super-detailing" as I tend to say) so no harm done.

He comes with an extra open hand to switch around with the sword-wielding one. As a result, you can make it appear as though he's surfing (and honestly, the above V3 kind of looks like he could be surfing too.) The clear parts used on the eyes work well enough. The Den-Gasher parts on his belt are removable, and curiously are different than what we've seen with past Den-O figures (they're much smaller, and painted.)

Other than that, there isn't much to say, but (as the alternate ad shows) if you're not buying this for the movie guys, then this is the figure to get excited about this time. Because it is after all this year's STRONGEST FORM EVER!!!1!!1!11one


Kamen Rider Den-O (Climax Form)

Den-O's mid-series upgrade. Known by a number of interesting nicknames which I won't reprint here (it is a family blog, after all), this guy combines the four basic forms into one big supa-dupa form that's still not as amazingly powerful as Liner Form, but not too shabby either. Plus, he has a nasty Rider Punch & Rider Kick, and those are always good things.

Like Liner Form, he's got the new, smaller Den-Gasher parts for his belt. He's got clear eye parts that do the job, and he's got a big red chunky phone on his belt.

The pose is pretty cool. It's not the most action-oriented one, but more like a "Come get some" taunting pose. I bet if you fudged around with it a bit, you could get him to hold some of the Action Pose figures' weapons.

The details are overall pretty spot-on. And this one actually outdoes Liner-Form in the paint department: nice to see somebody remembered Rod Form's eyes this time!

It's also as good a time as any to point out something I forgot in the C.O.R.E. Part 3 review. As of that set (not counting the Action Pose one) the figures all have holes in their feet. This will come into play in the upcoming H.G.C.O.R.E. EX Kamen Rider set, which I'll review at a later date. Like, when it finally comes out!


Chainsaw-Lizard (Without & With Chainsaw)

First off, you should know that there are two figures here. It's another "variation 1/2 assortment" thingy. You can either get the one on the left, or the one on the right. The only differense is the arms, they're both different for either figure. And yes, you can mix & match them!

Now onto the figure itself, which is of course representing the psychotic chainsaw-wielding villainess from Kamen Rider THE NEXT. If you read my review of the film, you probably gathered two things. 1) I like Chainsaw-Lizard and 2) I was rather disappointed that, along with Scissors-Jaguar, she was not responsible for the film's gorier killings. I suppose the reason for this is it makes her character a bit more accessible since kids will now doubt be adding figures of her to their collections, but then again this is a character whose first scene is her and a bunch of other guys standing around wearing very little (and by very little I mean creepy monster helmets and not much more) and later extols upon the audience how killing people really gets her off. Ummm... yeah. So I'm not sure what the deal is exactly, but the point remains that I like Chainsaw-Lizard, even if she wasn't used the way I would have used her (here's a hint: in a movie that has a lot of very violent and bloody deaths, doesn't it sort of, you know, make sense if they're committed by people who have chainsaws and giant blades for hands?)

But onto the figure at hand... whoa. An update of classic V3 villainess Nokogiri-Tokage, I have to say that, along with Scissors-Jaguar '07, I really like the costume. She's slinky, deadly, and decked out in leather, metal, and Shocker paraphernalia. Her "hair" (a bunch of chains shaped into a braid) that comes out the back of her head is really well done, and making it a seperate part paid off. I can't really make up my mind about the paint. While there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of it, based on the film and photos of the character, she isn't incredibly colorful anyway, so it does the job.

Both versions are quite neat. I like the chainsaw one just a bit more because, as mentioned in my review, I like the idea of monsters with chainsaws, because it's such an imposing weapon that it automatically makes whoever's going up them look 1000% cooler (and at least 5000% more doomed) than usual. Also, Bandai did a nice job on the chainsaw arm. All that's missing is the "SHOCKERS" inscription on the side!

And then there's the boots. I once described Chainsaw-Lizard's boots as being able to "kill the sidewalk". And indeed, I don't think it's possible for her to stand without the aid of a base (although I admit I haven't tried it yet.) Seriously, her heels alone are worthy of being considered a deadly weapon, and it's quite amusing to play "watch the boot change" during the movie (as with Kamen Rider Femme, where her heels magically appear and disappear depending on the scene.)

So yeah, this one's a winner. I'm hoping for a Scissors-Jaguar companion piece soon. And Shocker Riders! A whole buncha them hang around with the chainsaw-wielding one. Just no Chiharu please. I'll even take an Ouja Blank Form before her. And I don't often say that.


Gani-Koumoru

I talked about Bandai's seeming indecision about how to properly approach the Shocker Kaijin in a previous C.O.R.E. review. This time, they decided to just jump ahead and do the very first Gelshocker Kaijin (although we're back to Shocker next time.)

Not that I'm complaining. Gani-Koumoru here is known to Rider fans as being one of the biggest badasses of 1972. And that's a year that also introduced us to Jiro, a guy who could drive around on a bright yellow motorcycle with a bright red guitar and *still* manage to look like a stone-cold playa. The crabby bat guy here managed to hang around for 3 episodes (4 if you count the recap at the beginning of #81), go through 2 voice actors and famously had his final showdown with Rider 1 on Toei-favorite Sarushima, a place I've been to before and will talk all about in the future. So it was only natural that, at some point, he'd get a Gachapon figure.

And you know something? For such a colorful character, Bandai really managed to do him justice. The paintjob on this guy is top-notch, and the sculpting is something to write home about as well. Yes, he does look a bit like he's surfing (don't they all) but this one's a real winner. And in a set with new Den-O forms and new Rider movie characters, the fact that I can still get excited over a monster who made biplane noises when he flies just proves to me one thing: I really *am* the biggest Gelshocker fan there is.

Black Shôgun would be proud.


Kamen Rider (THE FIRST verion & THE NEXT version)

Seeing as how Kamen Rider THE NEXT is just as much about Rider 1 & 2 as it is about V3 (and sadly, at times it's more about Chiharu and her @#$%ed-up life than any of them), it's only fitting that we get a Rider 1 figure in this set. But what's this? We get not only the main main in his current, "Sakurajima Rider 1"-inspired threads, but the first version from Kamen Rider THE FIRST, both in "Gallery Form". So yes, it's another variant figure deal.

Looking at the two side-by-side, you can see just how much Rider 1's changed over the course of two years. The newer costume is darker and more beat-up. I like to think it's a result of him fighting a long, difficult battle against Shocker, but it's probably just due to him not taking the costume to the dry cleaner's (where's Takumi when you need him?) While the only real difference in the figures is the color (and clear plastic used for the eyes, pink or red), the current version has some extra "damage" detailing painted onto his helmet, and it looks pretty neato.

Not much else to say other than "Dude, it's a Rider 1, of course I'm going to like it." Hopefully we'll see Rider 2 (in both versions) follow suit soon enough.

***

And that's it for the reviews! I hope you've enjoyed reading them, because I sure enjoyed writing them (even if they take forever!)

Bonus:


The alternate ad/insert for this set, featuring Liner Form as the main selling point.












***

Review: Action Pose Kamen Rider Den-O Part 1

Released in September '07, the annual installment of the Action Pose (High Grade Gachapon figures with increased articulation) takes everything that makes the current H.G.C.O.R.E. line great, and makes it even better. But how does it stack up to the Action Pose sets of the past? Read on:

***

Action Pose Kamen Rider Den-O Part 1: "As soon as I get started, it's the Climax!"
It's like "The Seven Samurai" if five of them were the same guy and one of them was the guy who possesses another guy

Since its inception back in the days of Kamen Rider Ryuki, the Action Pose spin-off line of HG figures has become an annual (or sometimes bi-annual) event, usually linked to the yearly movie or mid-series point through some vague manner. It's also been one of the most variable in terms of overall quality. The original set, featuring all Ryuki characters, was actually more of a half-Action Pose set. Ryuki Survive, Knight Survive, and Zolda were all highly poseable and in the latter's case was pretty much the definitive Zolda figure in that scale. But Knight (normal), Ouja, & Ryuuga were just like your standard ol' HG figures, but then again part of the function of this line was to do also do characters who hadn't been in the regular HG line. In other words, it was to handle all those extra forms/Riders and movie folk who they'd never have gotten around to any way.

The follow-up was a big improvement. Not only was everybody super-articuated now, but it had a really, really good Faiz (and there have been a lot of Faiz figures so far), a couple of the more interestingly-designed Kamen Rider Ryuki alumni (Scissors, Gai, Tiger & Verde), and AutoVajin, who honestly could only have possibly worked as a Gachapon figure in Action Pose form. Faiz got a second helping a few months later with a set that featured his movie Riders (including the best Psyga figure apart from the Sôchaku-Henshin one) and even Rider 1 & 2. So of course you know that went over well. The only real downside is the elbow joints used in these figures were of the hinge-and-swivel kind, and not the faux-ball joints used in the earlier ones. Of course, if you have no idea what the hell that last sentence means, then they're perfect.

Blade's Action Pose set was tied right into the movie, featuring Glaive, Joker & King Form (the latter two of whom arguably made their debut performance in that.) A fairly solid set all around, and the best one up until the Kamen Rider Hibiki set the next year. It was that set which introduced chase figures into the mix (Hibiki Kurenai & Zanki, natch), gave us a really good Hibiki, Ibuki & Todoroki, plus some movie guys (Kabuki & Nishiki, who is an incredible figure on his own.) And they used clear red-tinted plastic for Hibiki's drumsticks, which make them look extra cool.

Kabuto got two Action Pose sets. The first one was decent, but a bit of a step backwards from the majesty of Hibiki's outing, with the figures being a little less poseable by now lacking ball-jointed shoulders (something that sadly has remained since.) The second one was a big leap forward, and the clear eye parts of course led into the H.G.C.O.R.E. line eventually.

So how about Den-O's first foray (as we know a Part 2 is now in the works)? I'm glad to say it's a winner, at least on par with the previous Kabuto set. There's 5 forms of Den-O, a Zeronos, and a very famous Imagin who comes in two flavors. Can't go wrong with that combo.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Sword Form)

This marks the third version of this particular Den-O form this year, and suffice to say there's a notable change from the first one seen in H.G.C.O.R.E. Part 2. Namely, his head's a whole lot bigger now! It seems a bit more in-scale with the older Rider's heads in the C.O.R.E. sets, although it's questionable which one's really more true to reality.

Whatever the case, this guy's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows and wrists. He can do two really good poses (the one seen here and one with his sword slashing down) but with some messing around, you can probably get some other good ones. There's clear parts used for the eyes, and they look quie good. I'd venture to say this is the best Sword Form we've gotten yet, and considering how good the others have been, that's saying a lot.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Rod Form)

With the only other Rod Form being a "Gallery" version, this dynamically-posed one gives you a more action-oriented Rod Form. He's got clear plastic used for his eyes, and it looks even better than on the other figure, which shows some nice progression on Bandai's part. He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. And the Den-Gasher weapon is totally removable, so he can be displayed with or without it, and holding it in one or both hands. The fairly open-ended pose on this guy allows for a lot of different variations. Definitely a highlight of this set.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Axe Form)

Chop chop! The second outing for Axe Form is, like Rod Form, a nice step up from an already good figure. His axe is removable, so you can have him holding it in one hand, both hands, or not at all. He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, right bicep, elbows, and wrists. As with Rod Form (and Gun Form below) his hands are molded so he can be ambidextrous and hold his weapon in either hand. Neat!


Kamen Rider Den-O (Gun Form)

The last of the "updates from the Gallery" figures, the purple one is jointed at neck, waist, shoulders, elbows & wrists. The gun is removable, and can be held in either hand. Considering the lack of bicep articulation, you can still get a lot of nice poses out of this guy, shooting at anything and everything you please. We're already getting another Gun Form in the upcoming H.G.C.O.R.E. EX set, so it should be interesting to see how that one stacks up to this guy.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Wing Form)

What's shiny & gold and briefly in the TV series (as well as popping up in the movie)? You guessed it, it's Den-O's fifth form. He borrows some parts from Sword Form, but also has a surprising amount of newness to him, so he really is more than a variation figure.

His belt has the holes and detachable Den-Gasher parts (which none of the other figures in this set feature aside from the Zeronos) and curiously, his eyes are painted solid blue, and not made of clear plastic as the insert/ad shows.

He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows and wrists. The lack of any weapons for him to hold is a bit of a bummer, but for a "movie-only" (in name) character, just having him is nice enough.


Kamen Rider Zeronos (Vega Form)

We got an Altair Form in the standard C.O.R.E. series, so why not his Deneb-infused self for the Action Pose set?

While he doesn't come with any weapons to hold, remember the detachable bowgun that C.O.R.E. Altair Form had? With a bit of messing around, you can get Vega Form to hold it. Neat! He's got various doo-dads to stick on his belt, including his unassembled weapon parts and the case for his Rider Ticket. Also, clear parts for the eyes, and jeez do they look good.

He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows, and wrists. We'll be revisting this guy in H.G.C.O.R.E. Part 5, but this is a pretty good first run. I wound up getting *a lot* of him too, so... contest prize fodder!


Momotaros

Yep, the "secret" figure not shown in the magazines until the set debuted is the big man himself, who comes in two colors; normal and, er, "sandy".

Each version includes two lower torsos, one of which is a pair of regular legs, and one of which is a big pile of sand. As you can see, I keep them displayed as such, but you can do it either way.

He's only jointed at the neck, elbows & wrists, but you can get a couple nice poses out of that. And it's Momotaros: he could be a solid chunk of plastic and he'd still be cool.

That's it for now. As you can see, this set's another winner, and I await the second installment (featuring Plat Form!) with much anticipation.

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