Kamen Rider: The First

Kamen Rider The First
File:Kamen rider first.jpg
Directed by	Takao Nagaishi
Written by	Toshiki Inoue
Produced by	Kazuo Katō Shinichirō Shirakura Naomi Takebe Kōichi Yada
Starring	Masaya Kikawada Hassei Takano Komine Rena Hiroshi Miyauchi Eiji Wentz Ryoko Kobayashi Sada Mayumi Issa Hentona Hideyo Amamoto Itsuji Itao Kanji Tsuda
Cinematography	Issei Tanaka
Edited by	Hiroshi Sunaga
Music by	Gorou Yasukawa
Distributed by	Toei Co. Ltd
Release dates	December 5, 2005
Running time	90 min.
Sprache	Japanese

Kamen Rider The First (仮面ライダー　ＴＨＥ　ＦＩＲＳＴ, Kamen Raidā Za Fāsuto, Masked Rider The First) is a 2005 Japanese tokusatsu film. The film is an adaptation of the legendary television series Kamen Rider, though there are many differences between the film and the original programme; some of these, however, are due to a closer reliance on the original Kamen Rider manga by Shotaro Ishinomori. Written by Toshiki Inoue and directed by Takao Nagaishi, the film stars Masaya Kikawada as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 and Hassei Takano as Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2.

The film was released theatrically on December 5, 2005, though it had several early screenings around Tokyo during the previous two months, beginning on October 23, at the Tokyo Film Festival. It was released on Region 2 DVD on April 21, 2006. American anime distributor Media Blasters released the film subtitled-only on Region 1 DVD on April 3 2007.

The film's theme song is "Bright! our Future" by Da Pump, though the opening features a small portion of the original Kamen Rider theme song, "Let's Go!! Rider Kick", sung by Masato Shimon.

The film was produced by Ishinomori Productions and Toei, who have also produced every previous television series and film in the Kamen Rider franchise.

Plot summary

College student Takeshi Hongo is abducted into terrorist organisation Shocker (Sacred Hegemony Of Cycle Kindred Evolutional Realm), at the hands of a cyborg Inhumanoid (Kaijin) known as the Bat. There, he undergoes painful reconstructive surgery, turning him into a Inhumanoid himself. Unlike the original series, he does not escape prior to mental condition by Shocker, and becomes one of their soldiers, nicknamed "Hopper". He carries out a mission successfully, and meets Shocker's Major Agents, including Dr. Shinigami. Hongo receives his orders— Kill those who have seen Shocker's Inhumanoid soldiers. However, what he doesn't realise is that the two witnesses are the journalist who had interviewed him prior to his kidnapping, Asuka Midorikawa (Rena Komine) and her fiancé Katsuhiko Yano (Hassei Takano). Attacking the two along with Shocker soldier Spider, it is here that Hongo remembers his humanity, and has an epiphany with regards to what he should do. Despite his efforts, Katsuhiko is killed by Spider, and Asuka finds Hongo next to the body. Blaming him for Katsuhiko's death, she begins to follow him, attempting to ascertain why whom she thought was a normal college student is a murderer.

Meanwhile, at Shocker headquarters, it is revealed that those who undergo Shocker's treatment need periodic blood transfusions, lest they reject their cybernetic components. Though Hongo seem to lack the need for the transfusions, he was label a "traitor" and must be destroyed. It is here that Dr. Shinigami reveals his plan to create a second soldier based on Hopper's design to do the job. Hongo, having now abandoned Shocker, visits Tachibana Tobei, who gives him his motorcycle, the Cyclone. He is then able to defeat Spider. Asuka meets Hayoto Inchimonji, who is identical to her fiancé, whom she thought was dead. He reveals that "Katsuhiko Yano" was an alias. What he doesn't tell Asuka is that he has been kidnapped by Shocker and turned into the 2nd Hopper. His mission: defeat Hongo at any cost.

The film also features a subplot, interspersed throughout. It involves two terminally ill hospital patients, who get a chance to live after an offer by Shocker. The couple is taken to Shocker's island base, where they laugh and play under the watchful eye of Shocker's sinister bird logo. It is only then that it is revealed that this part of the film has been a flashback, taking place around a year ago. The two had underwent the reconfiguration and surfaced in the current story as Shocker soldiers Cobra and Snake, who branded Ichimonji a traitor for failing Shocker by putting his feelings for Asuka first.

Ultimately, the Riders team up after Bat attempts to kidnap Asuka and turn her into a Inhumanoid, which enrages Ichimonji enough to cause him to turn on his former masters. They defeat Shocker's three cyborg soldiers at their island base, but Shinigami and other Major Agents have survived, and they're already in the fashioning of a new base of operations while plotting a new scheme to eliminate Riders, once and for all.

Villains

The Inhumanoids in Kamen Rider the First are not non-humans but cyborgs much like the Kamen Riders. There are 3 Inhumanoids seen in the series and are probably higher up in the ranks of Shocker than the normal grunts. It is also unknown if two of the first Inhumanoids were kidnapped prior to the movie and were brainwashed or they serve Shocker of their own free will. Also there are three Shocker Commanders.

• Dr. Shinigami: Survived
• "Youth": Surivives
• "Lady": Surivives. Take over the position of recruiting new Inhumanoid candidates.
• Hopper 1: Becomes Kamen Rider 1
• Hopper 2: Becomes Kamen Rider 2
• Spider: Destroyed by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick
• Bat: Destroyed by Kamen Rider 1 and 2's Double Rider Kick
• Cobra: Haruhiko Mitamura. She was mortally wounded by Kamen Rider 1's Rider Kick and died holding on to the lifeless body of Snake.
• Snake: Miyoko Harada. Killed by Kamen Rider 2's Rider Kick.

Returning faces

Several actors in this film have appeared in previous Kamen Rider productions. Hiroshi Miyauchi plays Tachibana Tobei, a character who has appeared in numerous other Kamen Rider shows, acting as a sort of father figure to the Riders. Previously, Miyauchi portrayed Kamen Rider V3 in the 1973 series Kamen Rider V3. Hassei Takano played Kamen Rider Raia in the 2002 series Kamen Rider Ryuki. Eisei Amamoto also digitally reprises his role as Dr. Shinigami from the original Kamen Rider series.

The crew of The First also features many returning faces. Director Takao Nagaishi is a longtime tokusatsu director who has helmed several episodes of 2006s Kamen Rider Kabuto. Nagaishi was also an assistant director on the original Kamen Rider series. The film was written by Toshiki Inoue, a popular fixture in anime and tokusatsu screen writing. He has written virtually every theatrical film in the Kamen Rider franchise, as well as all the episodes of Kamen Rider Agito (except for one) and Kamen Rider Faiz. He also served as a writer on Kamen Rider Kuuga, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Blade, and Kamen Rider Hibiki. Inoue is the son of the late Masaru Igami, who was the chief writer on the original Kamen Rider series, as well as Kamen Rider V3, Kamen Rider Stronger, and New Kamen Rider.

Differences between film and television

• The movie has a great deal of elements from the original television series that spread across from the beginning to end, although several of these conflict with the film's timing. Hongo Takeshi originally had to ride his motorcycle at highspeeds to power his typhoon belt and transform into his Rider form while Ichimonji Hayato was able to power the Typhoon by arm movements. Although Hongo was able to do the same eventually, the movie version can do it from the beginning.

• The Riders' henshin movement is also different from the actual series. In the series, Hongo and Ichimonji perform a series of stylish hand-waving, then jumps into the air to complete the transformation. In this movie, they simply open up their leather jackets (or polo shirt, in one of Ichimonji's cases), revealing the Typhoon Belt (and their body armor), then snap on their helmets and faceplates on their heads to transform.

• Dr. Shinigami appears from the very beginning of the movie, although in the original series, he appeared after the defeat of Colonel Zol, the first Shocker general.

• The character of Ichimonji Hayato was completely rewritten. In the television series, Ichimonji was a photographer who was kidnapped to become Shocker's new Kamen Rider, although he was rescued by Takeshi Hongo before he could be brainwashed; the two were allies from the beginning. In the film, Ichimonji was originally Katsuhiko Yano, the lover of Asuka Midorikawa. Katsuhiko was killed by Spider, and Hongo/Hopper was framed for it. Katsuhiko's corpse was recovered and turned into a cyborg similar to Hongo. His brain was altered to believe he was a man named Ichimonji Hayato in competition for Asuka's affection. Ichimonji originally served as Hongo's enemy, and later a hesitant ally. He disappears at the end of the movie, leaving his helmet on the road.

Cast

• Takeshi Hongo / The Hopper 1 (Kamen Rider 1) (本郷 猛／ホッパー1 (仮面ライダー1号), Hongō Takeshi / Hoppā Wan (Kamen Raidā Ichigō)) - Masaya Kikawada (黄川田 将也, Kikawada Masaya)
• Hayato Ichimonji / The Hopper 2 (Kamen Rider 2) (一文字 隼人／ホッパー2 (仮面ライダー2号), Ichimonji Hayato / The Hoppā Tsū (Kamen Raidā Nigō)) - Hassei Takano (高野 八誠, Takano Hassei)
• Asuka Midorikawa (緑川 あすか, Midorikawa Asuka) - Rena Komine (小嶺 麗奈, Komine Rena)
• Katsuhiko Yano (矢野 克彦, Yano Katsuhiko) - Hassei Takano (高野 八誠, Takano Hassei)
• Tobei Tachibana (立花 藤兵衛, Tachibana Tōbei) - Hiroshi Miyauchi (宮内 洋, Miyauchi Hiroshi)
• Haruhiko Mitamura / The Cobra (三田村 晴彦／コブラ, Mitamura Haruhiko / Kobura) - Eiji Wentz (ウエンツ 瑛士, Uentsu Eiji)
• Miyoko Harada / The Snake (原田 美代子／スネーク, Harada Miyoko / Sunēku) - Ryoko Kobayashi (小林 涼子, Kobayashi Ryōko)
• Shocker Staff: Lady (ショッカー幹部・美女, Shokkā Kanbu Bijo): Mayumi Sada (佐田 真由美, Sada Mayumi)
• Shocker Staff: Youth (ショッカー幹部・若者, Shokkā Kanbu Wakamono): Issa Hentona (辺土名 一茶, Hentona Issa)
• Shocker Staff: Elderly Gentleman (Dr. Shinigami) (ショッカー幹部・老紳士, Shokkā Kanbu Rōshinshi) - Hideyo Amamoto (天本 英世, Amamoto Hideyo)
  • Shocker Staff: Elderly Gentleman (Dr. Shinigami) - Eiji Maruyama (丸山 詠二, Maruyama Eiji)
• The Spider (スパイダー, Supaidā) - Itsuji Itao (板尾 創路, Itao Itsuji)
• The Bat (バット, Batto) - Kanji Tsuda (津田 寛治, Tsuda Kanji)
• The Member of the House of Representatives (代議士, Daigishi) - Renji Ishibashi (石橋 蓮司, Ishibashi Renji)
• The Private Secretary (秘書官, Hishokan) - Hirotaro Honda (本田 博太郎, Honda Hirotarō)
• Megumi (めぐみ, Megumi) - Hitomi Nakahodo (仲程 仁美, Nakahodo Hitomi)
• Shocker Soldiers (ショッカー戦闘(斗)員, Shokkā Sentōin) - Katsumi Shiono (塩野 勝美, Shiono Katsumi)

Suit actors

• The Hopper 1 (Kamen Rider 1) (ホッパー1 (仮面ライダー1号), Hoppā Wan (Kamen Raidā Ichigō)) - Hiroshi Maeda (前田 浩, Maeda Hiroshi) and Mark Musashi (マーク 武蔵, Māku Musashi)
• The Hopper 2 (Kamen Rider 2) (ホッパー2 (仮面ライダー2号), Hoppā Tsū (Kamen Raidā Nigō)) - Mark Musashi (マーク 武蔵, Māku Musashi)
• The Spider (スパイダー, Supaidā) - Akira Ohashi (大橋 明, Ōhashi Akira)
• The Bat (バット, Batto) - Makoto Arakawa (荒川 真, Arakawa Makoto)
• The Cobra (コブラ, Kobura) - Mizuho Yoshida (吉田 瑞穂, Yoshida Mizuho)
• The Snake (スネーク, Sunēku) - Yumi Sunaoshi (砂押 裕美, Sunaoshi Yumi)

References

• Official Kamen Rider the First website.
• Paul "Igadevil" Sullivan, Kamen Rider the First review.
• Kamen Rider the First at the Anime News Network.