2018-2019 Kamen Rider

[Black Fang]

On the one hand, it's the guy behind the ****ing terrible second season of Amazons and the writer of Ninninger.

Wait, I thought Amazons Season 2 was supposed to be a vast improvement over season 1?

The problem with Amazon s2 is that clearly the "new characters" and "new story" were just there to look worse than the season 1 ones, to the point that by the end the season 1 cast has taken over again. It's not the first time I've seen a series attempting to do that, and it's always a bad idea. Subverting expectations just to subvert is a mistake and doesn't make for an entertaining story.

This is the first I've seen such negativity toward Amazons 2. I really enjoyed both seasons. (Though I do hope they end it after the latest movie, as there's nothing more you can really do with it.) I hadn't enjoyed watching Rider this much since the early Phase 1 Heisei days, excepting W, Gaim and Build. Especially when you consider the regular shows that were running beside them, Ghost and Ex-Aid (two shows with good ideas and horrible execution), there's no contest.

 

[NeonZ]

There are some new scans for Zi-O floating around, and they really avoided my biggest fear for the show (especially after it was revealed that the Another Riders are made from the stolen power of the past riders).

We are actually getting the past Riders fighting against the Another Riders somehow, not just Zi-O and Geiz. So, this is neither a repeat of Decade (Riders are active characters, but not the "real" ones) or a repeat of Gokaiger (Past actors are there, but they're now powerless and mostly background support rather than heroes).

 

[Toku Prime]

OPEN YOUR EYES
FOR THE RETURN
OF KAMEN RIDER FAIZ
​

So yeah, it looks like the current running order for Zi-O will be having episode one to set up the show's premise, episodes two and three as a Build tribute story, episodes four and five as an Ex-Aid tribute story, and the six and seven will be all about encountering Faiz.

Magazine scans seem to indicate that the Fourze and OOO Ride Watches are being released around the same time as the Faiz one, so it's possible they will be the subjects of episodes eight through eleven.The same scans have suggested that Geiz will already possess the Ghost and Drive Ride Watches right from episode one, so it's unknown whether they will get tributes or what form they will take.


In other news, information about the theme tune was finally released. It is called "Over Quartzer" (yes, like a quartz mechanism in a watch) and will be performed by Shuta Sueyoshi feat. ISSA. Shuta Sueyoshi is a member of the group AAA and as such was one of the singers on Den-O's theme, Climax Jump. ISSA normally works as a member of the band DA PUMP but one of his previous solo projects was Justi φ’s, the theme tune to Faiz.

This is the first I've seen such negativity toward Amazons 2. I really enjoyed both seasons. (Though I do hope they end it after the latest movie, as there's nothing more you can really do with it.) I hadn't enjoyed watching Rider this much since the early Phase 1 Heisei days, excepting W, Gaim and Build. Especially when you consider the regular shows that were running beside them, Ghost and Ex-Aid (two shows with good ideas and horrible execution), there's no contest.

Well, I guess that's just where our tastes differ. I don't really like a good chunk of the early Heisei series a.k.a. the po-faced years.

The first season of Amazons is OK, but it doesn't have too much going for it once you get over the "ooh it has gore" factor. My real issue is with the second season. Again, the suits are pretty. The action is fine, though I don't think they outdid anything from the first season. But the story itself might be my least favourite in all of Rider.

 

[Black Fang]

Amazons is not about the gore. I don't like gore for gore's sake. The gore is just a factor in the story, not to mention a reference to the original Amazon Rider. (In fact I was ready to hate how Fukuda's mother turned into an Amazon for "shock value", but to the show's credit it got tied into the general theme of Season 2, being the consequences of the Exterminators taking pity on M in Season 1).

The story for both shows is pretty much a more fleshed out version of Shin Kamen Rider, which was based on Ishinomori's original vision for Rider. I don't know how you can get closer to what Rider is supposed to be about than that. Unless fans are just so used to the often saccharine style of Phase 2 Heisei and Toei shows in general post-Gaoranger; or if there's a big overlap between anime and toku fans.

 

[ooo5]

I'm curious if they'll actually use time-travel to facilitate a team-up with Takumi and Kusaka given the team-ups with the other Riders look to be set in the relative present-day of the current Rider timeline.

 

[NeonZ]

Based on the information available for Build it seems like they'll jump between present and some point during the show. One of the episode summaries mentions Sogo somehow falling to 2017 when Geiz attacks him in the first episode and then meeting Build and Cross-Z there, but the trailers show him meeting Sento and Banjo with Sento telling him to protect his past self. So, it seems like he'll meet them both in the present and in the past.

As far as Faiz goes though, I think they might do something to bring Takumi back to the present at least. He isn't really even trying to look like how he did in the series (black hair rather than brown) and Heisei Generations Forever is supposed to feature all Heisei Riders, so you'd think they wouldn't write him out just to have to bring him back again in a couple of months.

 

[Toku Prime]

Our opening theme!
​

Please note (before anyone gets disappointed) that these are not the visuals used for the show's OP. It seems we're continuing the dance music trend from the last couple of years.

In other news, Japanese fans have gotten hold of their toy Jiku Drivers, which of course means they've started fiddling with the pin system to see if they can get it to announce any Ride Watches that have not been officially announced yet. There have been instances with previous belts where they included sounds that ultimately didn't appear either in the toy line or the show.

The big news is that there is a setting that gets the belt to announce (and display on the screen) "Tsukuyomi", which is the name of the show's female lead. Also confirmed are that ParaDX, Cronus, and Evol are in the belt. I'll add more if I see any more mentioned.

I'm curious if they'll actually use time-travel to facilitate a team-up with Takumi and Kusaka given the team-ups with the other Riders look to be set in the relative present-day of the current Rider timeline.

Between Heisei Rider vs Showa Rider and Kamen Rider #4, I'm not even sure what these two character's status should be in the "current Rider timeline". Nor that Toei would know or care lol.

...the general theme of Season 2, being the consequences of the Exterminators taking pity on M in Season 1).

It probably would have turned out better if they'd kept that front and center instead of relegating it to an almost forgotten subplot while they concentrate on the tale of a five year old that wants to bang a zombie.

Anyway, if you enjoyed it then more power to ya. I hope you enjoy the movie too. I'll stick to working my way through the Showa Riders.

 

[ooo5]

Our opening theme!
​

Please note (before anyone gets disappointed) that these are not the visuals used for the show's OP. It seems we're continuing the dance music trend from the last couple of years.

I like it, although I don't think it stands out as much or gets me as pumped as "Be The One" did.

The big news is that there is a setting that gets the belt to announce (and display on the screen) "Tsukuyomi", which is the name of the show's female lead. Also confirmed are that ParaDX, Cronus, and Evol are in the belt. I'll add more if I see any more mentioned.

Now I'm trying to figure out what that could mean that doesn't involve Tsukuyomi turning into a female Rider (not that I'm against it, just isn't always the likely option) .

 

[NeonZ]

If anyone here hasn't seen the full list of the screen displays from the belt, it's here. Note these aren't sounds, but rather the name and year shown by the belt when the Watch is inserted into the main slot. The watches have their own sounds, but they can't really add more of these screens.

Spoiler

Zi-O Jingle is a countdown with a ticking clock that becomes increasingly faster until becoming a full symbol.
Geiz Jingle is a binary display with digital entry sounds.
“Upbeat” Jingle is just a bunch of visual noise, but with an actual background music.

An interesting tidbit is that Tsukuyomi, if her sound is actually used in the show, would have an unique display and jingle like the other two Riders, since all other sounds for the Upbeat Jingle seem unlikely to be used as the primary Rider Watch for a future Rider in the tv series at least. And even for movies they seem more likely to be used for future secondary slot additions, like a Rider Armor based on the next Rider.

Zi-O (2018) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (2019) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (2038) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (2058) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (****) – Upbeat jingle
Zi-O (2000) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (Four clocks side by side)– Upbeat jingle
Zi-O (1971) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O (1989) – Zi-O Jingle
RIDER (NEXT) – Zi-O Jingle
Zi-O(らいだー) – Upbeat jingle

Geiz (2068) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (2019) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (2038) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (2058) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (XXXX) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (2000) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (1011 ¹°¹°¹) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (1971) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (1989) – Geiz jingle
Geiz (2020) – Geiz jingle
Geiz(らいだー) – Geiz jingle

Tsukuyomi (2068) – Upbeat jingle
RIDER (NEXT) – Upbeat jingle
RIDER (XXXX) – Upbeat jingle
RIDER (2019) – Upbeat jingle
RIDER(らいだー) – Upbeat display, but no jingle
RIDER (0000) – Upbeat jingle
NEXT (0000) – Upbeat jingle
FUTURE(0000) – Upbeat Jingle
NEW(0000) – Upbeat display, but no jingle

Kuuga (2000) - Zi-O Jingle
Agito (2001) – Zi-O Jingle
Ryuki (2002) – Zi-O jingle
(All main Heisei Riders follow one after another and with Zi-O’s jingle)

Cross-Z (2017) – Zi-O Jingle
Grease (2017) – Zi-O Jingle
Rogue (2017) – Zi-O Jingle
Brave (2016) – Zi-O Jingle
Snipe (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Lazer (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Para-DX (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Poppy (2016) – Zi-O Jingle

Rider 1 (1971) – Zi-O jingle
Rider 2 (1971) – Zi-O jingle
(All main Showa Riders follow one after another and with Zi-O’s jingle)

Genm (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Cronus (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Evol (2017) – Zi-O jingle

Shocker (1971) – Zi-O jingle

Alfa (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Omega (2016) – Zi-O jingle
Neo (2017) – Zi-O jingle

Ride Striker – Zi-O standby display with no jingle

All Riders (らいだー) – Zi-O Jingle
Super Sentai (--SS--) – Zi-O Jingle
Heisei (--HR--) – Zi-O Jingle
Showa (--SR--) – Zi-O Jingle
Kamen Rider (らいだー) – Zi-O Jingle

Evil – Zi-O Jingle
Ancient (0000) – Zi-O Jingle
Game (Game) – Zi-O Jingle
Future (0000) – Zi-O Jingle
X MAS (1225) – Zi-O Jingle
Special (--SP--) – Zi-O Jingle
Rider (0000) – Geiz Jingle
Zi-O (らいだー) – Zi-O display but no jingle
Singular (0000) – Zi-O jingle
Nothing (0000) – Zi-O Jingle
Millenium (2000) – Zi-O Jingle
MAX – Zi-O Jingle

Diend (2009) – Zi-O Jingle

Genius (FIN.) – Zi-O Jingle
Muteki (FIN.) – Zi-O Jingle
It continues with all Heisei Rider Final form titles in reverse order (FIN.) – Zi-O Jingle

Ride Gadget – Zi-O display with no jingle

RIDER (らいだー) – Zi-O display with no jingle

 

[Toku Prime]

Another familiar face returns...but probably not the one you were expecting!

​

Yes, it seems Gentaro's homeroom teacher, Ohsugi, is back. However, as seen above he's expected to appear in the same episodes as the Faiz cast, causing speculation as to whether they are going to sneak Fourze in without dedicating a double episode to it (or getting Gentaro back).