Tokusatsu in Review 03 - Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue (1992)

No, this is not a cool baddy. This is Shin Kamen Rider.

Three years! Three years after the lackluster RX, they gave us this, Shin Kamen Rider, literally "The Real" Kamen Rider, or so they hoped. It is said that this is based on the utmost representation of Kamen Rider as envisioned by its creator Shotato Ishinomori. Well, since he is the creator of Rider, we can't argue, but this show really derive greatly from all other riders.

For a start, it is not a series, but a video special entitled Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue. Since it is a 'prologue', it is safely to deduce that they may want to make a follow up, maybe a feature film or a TV series. But since it is almost universally panned by the purist, they idea never come into reality.

While some embrace the new take on this old franchise, most detest it. Reason being it is too bloody different. The rider in this case is not a cyborg like being, but a mutant. A human being genetically manipulated with some grasshopper DNA and become this mutant. It has a bug like features,along with the iconic tentacles, but unlike other riders (especially No 1 and No 2) where they can be unmasked i.e. take the helmet off, this rider is transformed Incredible Hulk like into this fearsome being. It is not technology based, it is more to organic based.

Another thing is, this rider never rides in its transformed form. He only rides when he is the human form. Thus Kamen Rider, meaning masked rider really cannot be apply to him. Furthermore, he does not have those signature move like rider punch or rider kick, and lacks of the fancy belt which plays a big part is almost all rider story. He doesn't even has a henshin move. He just change when he is pissed off, hence Incredible Hulk like.

Shin Henshin...

The mood of the story is much darker and grimmer than Black, with far more violence scene, and being credited as the first and only rider show to have a topless scene of a woman and nudity. Reason being, this production celebrates the 20th anniversary of the franchise, and the producers think that those kid growing up watching rider shows since this first rider should have enjoy this adult version take.

The bad guys in this video is lacklusterly named "The Syndicate" and a campy take on the American CIA. It does have several monsters but is all the evil cousin of Shin.

Based on this screenshot, one may take as baddies fighting each other.

Overall, the production is not bad. It can be a solid FX flick if the plot got polished up a bit. If you watch it without thinking it is a Kamen Rider show, the special effect really will put you in aw and you will enjoy it. But too bad, thanks to RX, the 90s is the dark age for Kamen Rider, not because the stories take a dark view, but none of the early 90s idea really works...