Kamen Rider: Power Rangers older slightly more mature cousin
So okay, I'm gonna preface this with a little pre-amble.
Kamen Rider was previously inaccessible in america, making it so that the only means to watch it was through streaming sites, but only recently did the franchise begin licencing distribution to america through Shout Factory dvd sales and the TokuShoutsu channel on Pluto TV. So while if you know where to look you can very easily find any entry in the franchise through alternative methods, I would be remiss to say that if you have any chance to support the franchise legally to please do so. And with that out of the way...
In May 1938 Action Comics number 1 unveils to the world SUPERMAN. An alien from another world sent to defend Metropolis Fighting for Truth, Justice, and The American Way.
Nearly a year later in March of 1939 Detective Comics number 27 brings us, Batman. who fights corruption, and crime on the dirty streets of Gotham City so that no one ever have to experience the pains he once did.
50 years ago on april 3rd of 1971 a new show was created. It was not the first in it's genre but it would go on to become one of the monoliths with in it.
The Original Kamen Rider is the story of how Takeshi Hongo was abducted by the evil organization SHOCKER forcefully made into a cyborg, but before he can be brainwashed to do their bidding he escapes and chooses to use the abilities given to him by shocker to fight them and prevent them from taking over the world.
The original Showa era of Kamen Rider was all connected and would run through 9 series additions to the franchise along side 3 original films.
meanwhile, in the modern day of the Heisei and Reiwa era's there are now a total of 20 and 2 series for the two respective eras. All unconnected, but occasionally move crossovers occur
In the spirit of the original each series follows a protagonist who acquire great power from the same source as his respective antagonists, he proceeds to use these these powers for justice and righteousness.
it is kinda like power rangers and in certain series they actually directly cross over once or twice. however Kamen Rider sort of bends in the direction of the 13 and up set, where power rangers and Super sentai are kinda more geared to the 10 to 12 set (though, real talk, age demographics are kinda bullshit, just watch whatever you want friend) People have died. VIolently during the storytelling in Kamen Rider.
The main characters are often goofy, usually relatable and a touch childlike in demeanor. The bad guy is TERRIFYING. typically the Kamen Rider has a couple companions, then eventually a second Rider to fight along side them. along the way they're either collecting or happen across things that will inevitably be sold to the demographic as toys.
It's formulaic, but formulaic isn't bad so long as there's passion in the execution.
Anyway, it's time for the reccomendations part of the essay.
Kamen Rider Fourze For those of you most familiar with the original mighty morphin power rangers and want something bent in that direction. This is your point of entry.
Gentaro Kisaragi wants to make friends with the entire world, and no one is going to stop him. Every one of the 48 episodes are split into a series of two parter's making the show feel much shorter than it is, it rarely gets especially serious, and has so much going for it that I feel like going to deep into it's very basic plot gives too much of it away.
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid: So the world is being plagued by a deadly viru-WAIT NO COME BACK I PROMISE IT'S NOTHING LIKE....real world....Ex-Aid was release in 2017...okay, sit down? okay I'll keep going. So Emu Hojo is a doctor who gets wrapped up in trying to figure out how to cure The Bugster virus, a video games disease that infects people and then eventually becomes a monster that can kill you. Emu teams up with the people of the Computer Rescue team at his hospital and discovers the secrets of how the virus came to be and then some. This is one of the series that look far more Silly on the cover but is like...way more deep than expected.
Kamen Rider Gaim: Did you like Madoka Magicka? Well Gen Urobuchi was involved in the writing for Kamen Rider Gaim, one of the writers of the Dagonronpa series was involved too. So you probably know what to expect from this. Everything is a metaphor until it stops being a metaphor
Kamen Rider Build: TO THIS I OWE BIAS. Build was my point of entry and for that this entry in the reccomends may be longer.
The story begins 10 years ago. The first expedition to mars has successful returned a mysterious stone box named Pandora's box (no. it isn't subtle at all.) Upon touching this box A GIANT STONE WALL splits japan in three with members of Japans government shcisming off and making their own three states and naturally they're in a state of coldwar (because this is not a subtle show). In the modern day Ryuga Banjo has been framed for murder, he meets our protagonist Sento Kiryu, They live in a coffee shop and are very gay together. They fight the evil organization Faust (not subtle) and it just keep going from their.
You should really watch Kamen Rider
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