Kamen Rider
1971
Original language: Japanese
- action & adventure
- sci-fi & fantasy
- drama
The story
Takeshi Hongo is a promising young man with a passion for motorcycle racing. However, his dreams are suddenly ruined when he gets kidnapped by Shocker, the evil secret organization planning to dominate the world. After being remodeled into a cyborg, Takeshi escapes and swears to protect the world from the inhuman monsters.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated 1970s tokusatsu color, with flat studio lighting, painted-looking sets and punchy primary reds, yellows and greens against sun-washed Japanese streets, rural roads and dusty industrial lots. Camera work is blunt and practical: fixed medium shots, quick zooms into the hero's face, and handheld swings during fights, with the famous motorcycle chases carrying most of the forward motion. The sound is a bouncy, brassy theme with synth stings, stock-style incidental music and loud, theatrical sound effects for every punch and transformation. The vibe is earnest, goofy and wholesome: a comic-book sincerity that never tips into dread, best suited to a Saturday-afternoon watch, a nostalgic rewatch, or something light to have on while doing chores. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with each instalment building to a monster-of-the-week fight and a tidy resolution, and the hero's arc is simply a young racer hardening into a determined defender. Violence is frequent but cartoonish: stage combat, monsters bursting into flame or dust, and no blood or gore, with the menace kept at a playful, kids'-matinee level. It is for viewers who enjoy retro special-effects spectacle, loyal fans of the genre, and anyone wanting bold, uncomplicated heroism without graphic content.
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