How The More Mature Heisei Riders Up To Zero-One May Probably Still Appeal To My Inner Child

I would probably consider it strange that I usually prefer newer Kamen Rider to newer Super Sentai. I would say I even prefer most new school Kamen Rider to old school Kamen Rider. I don't even find myself a fan of old school Showa era Kamen Riders. The oldest I'd actually go back for the now-over Heisei Rider era is with Kuuga and I've actually watched all of the old school Heisei era. Usually, my reasons for not liking most of the old school Showa era is the fact that the kind of felt more "kiddie" even if I'm still willing to check them out. I still wonder how many people want to take more of a look at the old school Showa era or even take the completionist challenge. I'm still willing to but I find the Heisei era up to the present Reiwa era more enjoyable.

Now, it's just time to ask myself (or maybe my readers) if Heisei Riders from Kuuga up to Zero-One still appeal to their inner child. I still can't forget how Japan Info would describe Kamen Rider has more dramatic storylines. However, I'd like to say that I don't find most of the Heisei era that dramatic or "mature". A good example is how I'd probably watch the wacky, lighthearted Kamen Rider Fourze from the Heisei era over Kamen Rider Super-1 from the Showa era. Fourze itself is pretty much lighter and softer but it still appeals to my older self. Kamen Rider Super-1 is just like, "I want to see my missing childhood." Ironic considering that I temporarily took a break from newer Super Sentai to watch older Super Sentai. I would dare say that I feel Showa era Riders tend to be more "kiddie" (at least for my taste). Older Super Sentai entries before Gaoranger tend to feature more mature storylines most of the time.

Is my inner child appealed by the Heisei Riders up to the first Reiwa Rider? I was thinking about rewatching a couple of fantasy films like Santa Claus: The Movie, some Marvel films before the Disney buyout, maybe the Marvel-based cartoons which had Haim Saban involved (all the while I no longer rewatch Power Rangers) to appeal to my inner child. I sometimes watch older Super Sentai for it being more "mature" than the recent ones to appeal to my inner child. I still don't feel any reason why enjoying the Kamen Rider series for being more mature (while retaining a degree of kid-friendly) can't appeal to my inner child either. It's probably because Kamen Rider, like Super Sentai, is a child's show in Japan. It can appeal to older audiences yet you can't deny the target audience are still children!

These days, I still think about how my Kiddie Show Sunday spirit is still triggered. If you happen to be a Tokusatsu fan and you hear, "It's Super Hero Time!" then you think of Kamen Rider and Super Sentai, right? Kamen Rider and Super Sentai are still toylines meant for children. With that in mind - I still feel no reason why I can't enjoy the more mature storylines of Kamen Rider without appealing to my inner child at the same time!