My Personal Rundown On Heisei Era Kamen Riders From 2000 -- Present

I was reading through Shougo B'Stard's blog and I am inspired to do this post. So I would tackle on the MAIN Kamen Riders -- and not those others that just come and go (and I don't know if I'll write on evil Riders such as Kamen Rider Ouja, Kamen Rider Gemn or Kamen Rider Chronos some other time) but I could talk about the general designs of the shows. Hmmm... what amazes me is that we're near 20 years of the Heisei era assuming a new era hasn't come in yet in Japan.

So what's thoughts? It's no secret that I prefer new school Kamen Rider over the Showa era -- though I haven't really drawn a line between last decade and this decade. For instance, I think about how the current riders are trying to smooth things up (ex. Kamen Rider Gaim vs. Kamen Rider Ryuki). So what's my thoughts? Let's begin, shall we?

Kamen Rider Kuuga

This is no doubt an ambitious plan to revive Kamen Rider from its 11 year hiatus -- which has to be the longest hiatus in years. Think about how there's a gap between Kamen Rider Strong and Skyrider or how there's a six year hiatus between Kamen Rider Super-1 and Kamen Rider Black. Kamen Rider Black RX ended the Showa era -- which allowed Toei to improve on the Metal Hero series but it ended up DEAD with Robotack with its finale in 1998. But two years after -- Kamen Rider Kuuga was finally born.

Kuuga was getting out of the comfort zone for Kamen Rider and we can see where it was going. I really thought of how I wasn't all to ready (at first) and had an instant bias even when I didn't see much of the Showa era Kamen Riders. I wasn't all too ready with the change of the monster of the week taking two or more episodes to die but it was fun to watch it. I mean, I started off with Kamen Rider Den-O, Kamen Rider Decade, Kamen Rider Blade, Kamen Rider Hibiki and Kamen Rider Ryuki to name a few so I decided to check out on Kamen Rider Kuuga. 

Kuuga was pretty much what I'd call a not-too-predictable series. What's important to think about how Kuuga was a successful formula. Sure, it wasn't really perfect and it was the start of a new era. The change may have had some risks such as getting rid of typical nincompoop villains (who keep making one stupid plan after the other for world domination, Super Sentai style) in exchange for more "realistic" villains. Kuuga was aired alongside Mirai Sentai Timeranger. But really, why wasn't a non-canon crossover even done between both shows?

So how did Kuuga change things? Black RX had a lot of creative concepts but the show was badly rejected. Black RX's concepts included allies that helped our hero (ex. Joe and Reiko would later actively participate in the war against Crisis Empire) and multiple forms. But in the case of Kuuga -- he had to learn to master these forms which added some realism and something certain fans could relate on -- that is Kuuga's far less of a superhero than usual while maintaining his heroic virtues of protecting the smiles of others.

This would be Naruhisa Arakawa's big debut. After he had some criticism on how he wrote some Jetman episodes (ex. Dryer Jigen) but he would make good in later shows. Toshiki Inoue also took part to pen this show -- though I wish he wrote more Timeranger episodes instead.

Kamen Rider Agito

Love it or hate it -- I thought about how the show itself can be viewed as a fan favorite, Inoue's Magnum Opus (for some) or something that's a mixed bag like Timeranger's reception was different between older fans and younger fans. For me, it was the start of introducing an unusual Kamen Rider where the real villain is fate itself or how the Lords that once protect humanity may decide to destroy it one day.

It's supposedly set two years after Kuuga but writers decided not to ruin Yuusuke Godai's efforts to protect everyone's smiles. IMO, I would do that sadistic move because this world will always have danger to face as long as it exists. The story of Agito tries to go back to the history of human, human evolution and how the Seed of Agito plays in its role. It doesn't follow a conventional rider as Shoichi (the main hero) doesn't have his past revealed. It just reminds me (in some way) of how Hikari Sentai Maskman got written back in 1987 with its unusual sequencing.

I remembered how Shogo B'Stard called this show an ambitious tapestry and I agree. The show tries to show the dark side of humanity to a whole new level -- which Hojo Toru shows it a lot as if last year's Naoto Takizawa from Mirai Sentai Timeranger wasn't enough. Heck, I even wish that Shinji Kasahara were Hojo instead of Jun Yamasaki. The show featured different conflicts such as the selfless Hikawa vs. the selfish Hojo or the two brothers Light and Darkness. Light played a role in furthering human evolution while Darkness believes that man's evolution should no longer go any further.

The series itself doesn't reveal everything immediately either. It doesn't explain much until later like how Agito Seed bearers came to be and the role they play in the evolution of humanity. There are some weird sub-plots such as why are people getting killed and what's going on -- or some things from the past. It presents some characters' positive and negative traits. But in fairness, the show is too full of douchebags which would only escalate in the next show... NEXT!

Kamen Rider Ryuki

I remembered watching bits and pieces of Ryuki before I watched it further. I thought the idea of a Kamen Rider War with a bunch of "Shadow Moons" was a good way to deviate things. Ryuki introduces the Battle Royale concept and this is where there was going to be a big war. Yes, the whole project was at war. Some say it was a Writer War between Yasuko Kobayashi vs. Toshiki Inoue -- though it seemed it was more of a tag war between Yasuko Kobayashi and Toshiki Inoue vs. the executives. Heck, why do I want to believe this show was full of executive meddling?

I think about how this show can be viewed as the embodiment of everything wrong with Kobayashi and Inoue -- both of them just love to write loads and loads of douchebags. I watched both Timeranger and Agito and man are the shows filled with so many douches. This show is full of it. Shinji's not only an idiot but he's such a douche. Renn is also such a hot headed douche. Shuichi that playboy lawyer is an annoying version of Gai Yuki. This is really the whole issue of the show and both writers were seemingly writing to their heart's content with their love for douchebag characters and they weren't afraid to write in really bloody villains too.

The writing of Kamen Rider Ouja to add in the conflict was totally just ax-crazy. Yes, Takeshi Asakura as Ouja is one crazy villain. He feels like what if Sword Saint Bilgenia from Kamen Rider Black got a King Stone and was later fed an overdose of crack! Jun or Kamen Rider Gai was some spoiled rich kid and the show wasn't even afraid to show the consequences that you can die young as a result of your actions. Ouja is really one evil villain and fortunately he wasn't just written off like Saint Sword Bilgenia when more evil riders came. But it seems that any plot like him feeding people to his Mirror Beasts got scrapped due to executives thinking it's too brutal.

In the end, it seems to be a real war between the writers and executives. Perhaps the best example was the inclusion of Megumi as a comic relief character. Sure, the actress Chisato Morishita is gorgeous but I feel like WTF why is she even there? I even wanted her to just leave or get killed in the middle of the conflict. Worse, it looked like that it was supposed to be a well-written tragedy but instead -- executives hit the reset button BECAUSE they felt things got too far. Not even Inoue's alternate ending really fixed things either.

Kamen Rider Faiz

No doubt that it's Inoue's favorite work and he penned every single episode. He even appeared at the end of it. I thought about it that maybe, it's my least favorite work by Inoue. In fact, I even favor his "worst work" Kamen Rider Kiva over this one. But I could talk about the show's potential such as the whole human vs. Orphnoch war which took it to a new level. It's not like the sanitized version in the X-Men cartoons or how Power Rangers Time Force was trying its best not to get too serious. This one took it too far.

I think Inoue may have still had a hangover after doing Ryuki and this show continued the legacy of idiotic, super annoying douches who ruin your lives. Takumi isn't likable and I think he's an even bigger douche than Tatsuya in Timeranger. The whole show focuses on tragic stories full of blood and gore. There's also the whole dark side of humanity with Orphnochs and Smart Brain with how they show different characteristics. In fact, some of the humans could be worse and others are what they hate. The show had potential but somehow, Inoue was getting so cocky and frustrated at the same time and this happens.

The show did upgrade a human villain to a whole new level of douche. Timeranger's already big time King of Douches Ryuuya Asami graduates to a whole new level in Masato Kusaka. I don't care about how much Masato "cared" about Mari -- it seemed he was motivated by lust and he would probably watch that really stupid Girl's Blood movie all over again to please it. It seems he exceeds my inner darkness to a whole new level. In fact, he's so power hungry he tries to manipulate both sides one way or another. He even played with everyone around and ended up dying as a result of his actions. I can't even decide who's the Bigger Douche between Masato and Ryuuya -- and I wish those two died much more painful deaths than they did!

Kamen Rider Blade

This was way before Sho Aikawa was the head writer the lighthearted Gougou Sentai Boukenger. I admit, I'm sort of a fan of this series' Battle Royale and the battle with the Undead together with multiple Kamen Riders. At the same time, I keep hearing the acting is mocked in this season while I enjoy the season's nightmare fuel fest.

So what's the game? The Undead are released and they have to be resealed by the Kamen Riders who are participating in this deadly game. There's the quest of the heroes to seal them all -- all the while one of the heroes is actually an Undead. The story itself is engaging in some way especially when there's the mission to seal off all of them to save the world. But because someone is an Undead among them then what sacrifice is there to make?

I think that it was good to try and improve Ryuki's concept of a Battle Royale between Kamen Riders and the Mirror Monsters. Fortunately, not too much executive meddling happened though Inoue was writing some silly episodes. I still can't forget that stupid cooking battle contest for two episodes which somewhat derailed the intended nightmare fuel mood. It felt like Inoue was dirty fingering the executives. Also, another flaw is how can a mother just tolerate a little girl's bratty behavior throughout the show? 

Kamen Rider Hibiki

My thoughts? I find this show to be EXTREMELY BORING for my taste. Sure, I do like music but this one really had some issues. Whether it was the midseason change (such as change in producer from Shigenori Takatera to Shinichiro Shirakura and head writer from Tyuyoshi Kida to Toshiki Inoue) -- I found this show to be pretty inconsistent. 

The Makamou had a cool concept but I feel the show lacks depth or conflict. Kida has had some training so why hasn't he learned to make the characters better? I prefer how Inoue brings out conflict but at the same time we get an extremely annoying child character at the same time. I always felt that the show just doesn't do promoting Japanese culture much justice or coolness either.

You can tell how much I still dislike it. The only good thing IMO is the musical score. Otherwise, I'm better off not rewatching it. NEXT!

Kamen Rider Kabuto

Tendou comes out as a Gary Stu and the show took insects to a whole new level. Tendou walks the path of Heaven and I think he's not likable. But the show itself had some interesting turns or how the Worms may end up showing human traits or how some humans end up becoming beneath the Worms.

The show had some interesting Hollywood level throwbacks such as Aliens or maybe for some, Independence Day with the Worms. I like how the idea of the Worms blending in with humanity makes them somewhat more dangerous than the Xenomorphs or the Harvesters from Independence Day. They blend in and seek to take over humanity. It also has some sensitive issues such as sacrificing your own loved ones for power or for the safety of the world. 

For me, this would be what I'd call Shoji Yonemura's one shot wonder because almost everything he does later on isn't my type. There's some nightmare fuel, some interesting plot twists (such as Worm thinking he's a human and later finds out he's a Worm) and the whole idea of humans can be beneath the Worms. It wasn't all too surprising that someone from ZECT was manipulating everyone either.

Kamen Rider Den-O

This may be what some may call as Kobayashi retooling Changerion (though I can't really talk about it much or verify it) in some way. Loser Ryotaro finds himself some purpose in life when he becomes Kamen Rider Den-O. He meets people from the future who choose him (for some reason) to fight some evil Imagins who are threatening the existence of humanity by messing up with time.

Think Timeranger, Time Boukan or Back to the Future can give you headaches from messing up the time fabric? This show has a lot of time travel that even has Ryoma meeting his niece from the future. You also have a lot of time spinning around which can lead to a series of convoluted plots. Kobayashi was also still attempting to find ways to do lighter and softer. Unfortunately, I don't think too highly of her with Kamen Rider (while I have a soft spot for Kamen Rider OOO's silliness) and I think Den-O gives me continuous headaches.

I still think about the show does introduce us to Takeru Sato's brilliant acting. He manages to play different personalities since his Imagin bodies merge with him in different situations. He portrays the loser Ryotaro to the ones merged with the Imagins with ease. It also had the interesting time balance though I feel like the whole show wrapped things up in a so-so way.

Kamen Rider Kiva

So right after Den-O we have Kamen Rider Kiva. Yes, this was considered by some to the lowest point of Inoue's career. I think of the show was entertaining with all the comical humor, throwbacks yet one can't deny Inoue was freaking burnt out! There were some interesting plots such as the backstory that will soon unwrap among Fangires and humans as well as the main protagonist Wataru. It was also a show full of teases and love stories -- and some goofery.

I still can't forget how I watched this show and I couldn't stop thinking about Butch Hartman's Danny Phantom. Heck, I even wanted to compare Taiga with Dash Baxter or Mio with Paulina. I even wanted to imagine crazy scenarios like what if Jack Fenton took away the IXA Drive -- he'd be luckier if he used the current model and NOT the prototype. I thought the approach to have a U-turn from horror to horror-comedy can be a good approach.

On the other hand, there's some really signs that Inoue had no idea on what to do anymore. A good instance is why in the world is he always trying to pair Nago and Megumi while showing them to be always quarreling? Nago for one goes from a parody of Kusaka to a parody of Gai Yuki to a parody of Hikawa. She and Nago don't get along yet Inoue likes to tease them a lot. Also, Inoue tried to spoof some stuff such as Radiguet's amnesia with Rook or the whole battle for the throne with Kamen Rider Black. But I still like this series in spite of all those weaknesses! Hehehehe!

Kamen Rider Decade

Oh boy where do I start? I still can't get over how much I still want to call it, "Saban's Mashed Rider in High Definition" because I'm still so disappointed with both shows -- though I'd still watch this show over the other which sank to a whole new level of worse. Sure, the crossover with Samurai Sentai Shinkenger is miles better than that of "A Friend in Need" but majority of the show is so plagued with what I'd call major headaches.

What I don't like about Decade is how these Alternate Reality worlds are so confusing. While it was an ambitious project but I don't deny how it failed. The show only has Tsukasa and his pals travelling various worlds. I even think that seeing the Alternate Reality Agito as a hobo or Alternate Reality Kuuga makes me dislike the show. I did finish the show but I haven't had a positive view of it ever since.

Oh, if you like the show then watch it and ignore what I think about it, okay?

Kamen Rider W

This show would be where Riku Sanjo came to try his shot to be a head writer. It's also trying to introduce the 2-in-1 Kamen Rider which may remind some of Ultraman Ace and if I'm not wrong, Bycrossers was also another one. The show had Shotaro merge with Philip's spirit to become Kamen Rider W and challenge the Dopants.

The show was more another nice change of direction. The Museum is selling Dopant switches which turn normal civilians into Dopants. Kamen Rider W must defeat the monsters in order to revert them back to normal. We would later get the vengeance crazed Kamen Rider in Ryu Terui/Kamen Rider Accel against a crazy scientist from Foundation X.

What did I think of the show? It was good but some plots didn't click to me. Maybe, just maybe my most hated plot ever was with Nao Nagasawa's guest role. I'm a fan of Nagasawa but her guest role was SOOOOO disappointing. She should have been introduced as a badass ninja instead of some sexy eye candy. Sheesh, I wish Nagasawa didn't accept the role.

Kamen Rider OOO

Like it or not but this show is one of my favorite soft spots. Some may want to point out about Naomi Takebe (and personally, I think she doesn't do Super Sentai right compared to Kamen Rider IMO) and Yasuko Kobayashi can be a bad tandem. For OOO, I thought about the lighthearted approach of Eiji Hino and how he ends up getting chosen to fight the Greeed -- all the while the source of his powers are from a greedy king and he'd later work for Haim Saban Kousei Kogami. 

For me, maybe why I like the show is maybe because of some of the crazy antics or comparisons I could make. One, Kogami's actor Takashi Ukaji freaking looks like Saban and he's the Mr. Krabs of the show. He's shown to be a greedy bastard who only cares about easy cash for most of the time while everyone works their asses off. Oh, should I mention how I wanted to even joke that Dr. Maki is Jonathan Tzachor or how Gotoku is Chip Lynn? I think it's just a coincidence that they got an actor who looks like Saban -- and somewhat displays the same cheapskate attributes.

Kobayashi did succeed with lighter and softer with Samurai Sentai Shinkenger so I thought OOO is another good spot. While I didn't find myself liking Den-O all that much but I think OOO is more watchable for me. I still find myself having a soft spot for this otherwise really goofy series!

Kamen Rider Fourze

It's high school time and this one does kick out Saban's Mashed Rider yet again The story involves "delinquent" Gentaro who becomes a Kamen Rider. I thought of how it was nice to have a lighter and softer Kamen Rider series with some really scary enemies at the same time. Gentaro gets to become Fourze much to Kengo's dismay.

I still can't forget a couple of jokes I threw at the series. I wanted to imagine it where Sheen Estevez tells Jimmy Neutron, "Hey Jimmy, I want to become a Kamen Rider!" Jimmy then says, "Sheen, becoming a Kamen Rider is not a game!" Then Jimmy takes the Kamen Rider belt which has the sign, "Sheen DO NOT use the Kamen Rider Belt!" and he uses it. For that, I did develop some guilty pleasure in watching this show.

Granted, I saw this show first before Kamen Rider Super-1. This show started to take advantage of the digital age's special effects to make a space themed Kamen Rider. Five years later, we would see it in Ucchu Sentai Kyuranger.

Kamen Rider Wizard

At first, I was interested in what could happen if Timmy Turner wished to Cosmo and Wanda saying, "I wish I was a Kamen Rider!" Poof -- Kamen Rider Wizard was born but I soon felt bored along the way when it progressed. Not even how gorgeous Medusa is (and Erina Nakayama is a sexier version of Mei from Zyuranger) could keep me from bashing it. This show for me was more on eye candy than anything.

Maybe, I was expecting something crazy like Medusa would be like Icky Vicky (and sadly, Icky Vicky puts her to shame) or a Denzel Crocker like villain. I wanted some crazy action but the show just didn't give me the funny vibes I wanted. After I finished it, I just decided that I'm done and over with it.

Kamen Rider Gaim

Gen Urobutchi gets his big debut as a Kamen Rider writer. I still think this show has got to be one of the newest, best series to be introduced into the Kamen Rider fandom. Sure, the idea was ridiculous with the fruit-driven theme but WTF -- sometimes, I like the show for its silliness plus I'm a huge fruit eater myself! 

Kouta himself arrives as a silly hero (at first) but he gets silly. The war of the Kamen Riders here is for the Golden Fruit which grants the power to become a god. There's the situation in Zawame City where people are under the control of Yggdrasil. There's also the world of Helheim but in reality the show doesn't seem to have a real enemy but fate itself. This would be a contest to whoever gets the Golden Fruit can change the world for better or for worse.

The contest itself goes to one last remaining Rider. Kouta is at odds with Kaito. Kaito has a very Darwinian view though he doesn't destroy the weak -- he has noble goals to make sure that the weak find a way to become strong. Kouta is naive and the he ends up at odd with Micchy and allies himself with Takatora. There's also the forbidden Helheim fruit that can make you lose your humanity and the Golden Fruit that can make you achieve such power.

For me, this was a huge improvement from Ryuki though I'd miss some super vicious villains. I still think about how the show also showed how many wrong decisions can lead to disastrous actions. One of them involves getting hungry for power and being too naive about one's surroundings. It also filled my void after Go-Busters during that time period.

Kamen Rider Drive

At first, I was somewhat skeptical with how it'd turn out but I do enjoy this series in spite of its flaws. Though the problem can be linked with Takaaki Utsunomiya's tendency to be a sexist against women as a producer. But in spite of that, I had fun with what I wanted -- a police themed Kamen Rider! 

I liked the extra humor especially between Shinnosuke and Kiriko. It was the first time that the police station owns the main stay Kamen Rider -- rather than owning some other Kamen Rider that's not the main hero! I was having lots of fun with the whole Roidmude plot as it shows how unethical experiments can go wrong in several levels -- which resulted to the Global Freeze prior to the start of the series.

On the other hand, I still think that the show should have tried to become a Robocop type of hero. I thought that maybe, a plot where Shinnosuke gets killed during the Global Freeze and gets resurrected as a cyborg could have been done. Sigh, did executives kill it if ever writers wanted to merge Robocop with Kamen Rider? TBH, I still wish the show decided to try and improve the idea of cyborg Kamen Riders way back in the Showa era and make it much better than it started.

So far, I still think this show was worth a watch. I liked all the plots involving humans and Roidmudes -- showing how unethical science can lead to disastrous consequences. 

Kamen Rider Ghost

Sure it's fun to have a historical lesson and if it got an award for doing so then congratulations. But I find myself yawning over this show. Maybe it's because I still think Kamen Rider Drive is WAAAAAY better than this one. Heck, I even still think Kamen Rider Kiva is WAAAAAY better than this show.

If I want a history lesson then I'd get some textbooks or watch National Geographic. I thought this show as mediocre for my taste. Sure the Eyecon concept was interesting but I still think that I don't find myself fond of it.

Kamen Rider EX-AID

It's a fun show with the mixture of video games and medicines. It was fun to think of the nostalgic value such as the Super Nintendo controller designs, the SD modes of the Kamen Riders and old school video game feel. I really enjoyed how the show itself was full of old school and new school references -- or how it tries to explore the medical drama at the same time.

I thought about the conflict between intern Emu vs. the registered doctor Kagami. It also shows the Bugsters aren't just video games -- they can be sentient beings though many of them turn out to be malignant. It also shows the whole idea that life is not a game. This is exactly what happens to both Kuroto Dan and Masamune Dan in the first and second halves of the show.

What disappointed me was the whole cut short run. I wish there were six more episodes instead of 44 to wrap things up further. But there was some change of schedule going on for Super Hero Time -- which may have led to this sudden rushed conclusion. Still, I have some fondness of the show itself with its strange mixture of video games and the medical world.

Kamen Rider Build

So far, I'm enjoying it not because Beverly Caimen is a Filipino singing the opening. Instead, I think about the whole civil war concept which may take place in a very distant future. It's the current, ongoing show so I can't wrap up on it yet. But so far, I'm still enjoying it!

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What about you? What are your personal thoughts on each and every entry? CIAO!