Kamen Rider Stronger is awsome...

[Ryuutaros]

The fight scenes were some of the best in the Showa Era IMO.

 

[MattComix]

I've been watching some more of the show myself and even though I knew Miskai Yuriko/Tackle was cool, I've really grown to like her in these eps I have seen. Definitely one of the best female characters in Rider.

I was wondering if anyone had any solid background on the actress who played her, Kyoko Okada. There seems to be very little about her on the net and what little I have found seems to contain conflicting reports of how she died. Some say an asthma attack while others say cancer. Did she do anything before or after Stronger? Was it always planned for her character to be killed in ep. 30 or was this the result of something behind the scenes?

 

[Igadevil]

It was asthma, I think there's often confusion with Yamaguchi (Riderman) who had liver cancer, but then again they both passed away in 1986, apparently the same year that also the beginning of post-fire Sasaki Takeshi hitting rock bottom with no work/divorce/alcoholism/homelessness/etc.

Okada's career is pretty short. She's in a couple movies, a guest spot here or there, and Stronger. She retired from acting in 1976 and married the guy in charge of make-up from Stronger. I read something about her managing an izakaya and at some point she had a daughter. It really is one of Rider's biggest tragedies that she's gone; not only for the fact that we lost a talented actress (17 when she was in Stronger- that blows my mind) but also how it's left the character in this sort of void; I kind of have to wonder if Tackle never coming back for real has anything to do with Okada's passing. I know there's Movie War, but that's AU baloney (though I do like Alice and she became a fan watching Stronger to prepare- can't ask for more than that.)

As for Tackle, it had long been the plan that she'd "die" in the early 30's, though Stronger was at one point planned to run 52 episodes, have more episodes of him solo and spread the Rider reunion out over a longer period, which leads a lot of credence to the "she'd have come eventually back" theories (the really early episode breakdowns also imply this as being an idea at one point.) This would have likely been before they actually got around to writing/filming her last episode though, when they knew it was only going to run a few more episodes after that so it became more of a permanent ending.

 

[VideoKidVsTheVoid]

It's very likely you're talking about the Riders' Henshin Hall of Fame page (which overwhelmed me too).

Yes, that's the site!

And last I remembered, I watched it in HK subs via Veoh (hey that sounded funny).

Are there HK subs of STRONGER? I couldn't find any on Veoh, just RAWs. Can I find them somewhere else?

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

Ooh, that sounds interesting, Iga, do you have any idea why Stronger's episode count was changed? I assume it might have to do with the franchise probably becoming more expensive and less profitable, and probably why there was no sixth series right after Stronger.

 

[MattComix]

It was asthma, I think there's often confusion with Yamaguchi (Riderman) who had liver cancer, but then again they both passed away in 1986, apparently the same year that also the beginning of post-fire Sasaki Takeshi hitting rock bottom with no work/divorce/alcoholism/homelessness/etc.

Good god. It's a wonder Sasaki is around at all. I hope he's seeing better days now.

Okada's career is pretty short. She's in a couple movies, a guest spot here or there, and Stronger. She retired from acting in 1976 and married the guy in charge of make-up from Stronger. I read something about her managing an izakaya and at some point she had a daughter. It really is one of Rider's biggest tragedies that she's gone; not only for the fact that we lost a talented actress (17 when she was in Stronger- that blows my mind) but also how it's left the character in this sort of void; I kind of have to wonder if Tackle never coming back for real has anything to do with Okada's passing. I know there's Movie War, but that's AU baloney (though I do like Alice and she became a fan watching Stronger to prepare- can't ask for more than that.)

Sadly, I'm not familiar with what an izakaya is. I hated hearing that Okada died so young. I honestly think if she had lived and been in other toku roles, especially as a lead I'd gladly check them out.

I have to agree with you about being mindblown regarding her age. I was thinking 19 at the absolute youngest. Not even because she looks older but more that she had a mature look to her. She was both cute yet at the same she's tall and had this solid yet slender build that made it very easy to buy her as a fighter. Both in physicality and her performance she was like this really cool combo of girly and kickass that just fits the character perfectly.

With the Movie War version I loved how they updated the outfit. I don't even know if updated is the right word. It's kinda like the Firsty outfits where they keep to the original in the basics and just make it all more sleek and give it some needed texture. ...but I hated how the character was written, but that speaks more to Decades writing problems in general than the performance by the actress.

As for Tackle, it had long been the plan that she'd "die" in the early 30's, though Stronger was at one point planned to run 52 episodes, have more episodes of him solo and spread the Rider reunion out over a longer period, which leads a lot of credence to the "she'd have come eventually back" theories (the really early episode breakdowns also imply this as being an idea at one point.) This would have likely been before they actually got around to writing/filming her last episode though, when they knew it was only going to run a few more episodes after that so it became more of a permanent ending.

I could see that. I could even see them bringing her back as part of some Delza plot to just completely **** with Jou but then maybe her mind would be freed from their control.

 

[KamenGrappler]

Stronger is SUCH a kick ass series.

"The heavens call...
The earth cries out...
The crowds roar...
All calling on me to strike back against evil.
Now listen up, villains!
I am the warrior of justice,
Kamen Rider Stronger!"

 

[Igadevil]

Ooh, that sounds interesting, Iga, do you have any idea why Stronger's episode count was changed? I assume it might have to do with the franchise probably becoming more expensive and less profitable, and probably why there was no sixth series right after Stronger.

I think it was something along those lines. I dunno how affected Kamen Rider was by the Oil Shock, which was actually in 1973, but I've always ready that they were still feeling the effects in other Tokusatsu from the same time, so I could believe that being a cause. Declining ratings might've also a factor- I'd have to see what Stronger was running up against, but the age-old sentiment was always that the rise of super robot anime contributed to the decline and brief absence of Ultraman and Kamen Rider.

On the other hand, even when the show was going to run for 52, they seemed set on the "everybody comes back, fights the big guy at the end" thing for the final arc of the series, so I have to wonder if they were always planning to end Kamen Rider then and there, at least for the time being.

Good god. It's a wonder Sasaki is around at all. I hope he's seeing better days now.

He's doing pretty great now. He's even meeting with famous people!

Sasaki's an amazing guy, we're lucky he's still around and I really, really hope Toei does something with him and the other old crew before it's going to be too late. Apparently he was good friends with Okada despite never meeting onscreen, and really took her passing hard.

Sadly, I'm not familiar with what an izakaya is. I hated hearing that Okada died so young. I honestly think if she had lived and been in other toku roles, especially as a lead I'd gladly check them out.

Basically, it's a bar/tavern/pub-sort of place. Randomly: where did you guys eat at anyway when you were here? :laugh:

I agree, Okada struck me as one of those actresses who, were she still around, we'd probably be seeing all over the place. I've always wanted to see Toei use one of the old Rider girls as the person running the cafe/coffee shop/photo studio/whatever in a new series; either Ono Hizuru (Junko) who is awesome, or if she were still with us, Okada.

With the Movie War version I loved how they updated the outfit. I don't even know if updated is the right word. It's kinda like the Firsty outfits where they keep to the original in the basics and just make it all more sleek and give it some needed texture. ...but I hated how the character was written, but that speaks more to Decades writing problems in general than the performance by the actress.

I did like the new outfit, in the same sort of way I like Decade-era Apollo Geist: as a design it keeps everything important and builds upon the original. I don't have any evidence to back it up outside of one or two vague comments I've read, but I would not be at all surprised if those partly came out of unused stuff for any further revamp movies, since THE NEXT basically killed any chance of a third one. That post-credits scene is surprisingly prophetic!

 

[Ryuutaros]

Stronger's chapter in Spirits is awesome as well....

Have you guys seen it? What did you think of it?

I particularly liked...

[HIDE] When a battle-damaged Stronger rose from the 'grave' and called out his trademark phrase before taking on 13 ZX soldiers.[/HIDE]

 

[RidermanX]

stronger is the 1st powered up rider