Thoughts and opinions on Post Millennial Tokusatsu programs

[Ultraman_Meta777]

Well said! I definitely think the idea of a female Kamen Rider would have to be treated seriously and not played for laughs or 'fan service' the way most toku series with female leads are usually done. Like Cutie Honey or Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (although that did have its bouts of seriousness amidst the high school drama).

 

[lazycoconut]

I can't imagine it not being played for fanservice, given the amount of female characters we've had recently who are basically just there to look "hot" (Maya, Mio, Natsumi, Saeko during the Weather arc, Hina, Satonaka, Mezul ...) But a female Rider would probably not be as OTT as, say, Dogu-chan or Honey wandering around in underwear

The other factor is why go to the trouble to create a well-rounded leading heroine and risk it going down badly with the viewers, when you can stick with your existing format and you know what kind of money you'll be bringing in?

 

[Medivh]

I can't imagine it not being played for fanservice, given the amount of female characters we've had recently who are basically just there to look "hot" (Maya, Mio, Natsumi, Saeko during the Weather arc, Hina, Satonaka, Mezul ...) But a female Rider would probably not be as OTT as, say, Dogu-chan or Honey wandering around in underwear

The other factor is why go to the trouble to create a well-rounded leading heroine and risk it going down badly with the viewers, when you can stick with your existing format and you know what kind of money you'll be bringing in?

Exactly. Really, if I was a Toei exec and I wanted to tackle this (no pun intended), I would try doing a mini-series, maybe a cameo appearance or a manga or something. Something put out to test the waters. If nothing else, and I don't know how this would work in Japan, you pull a Dr. Horrible and you produce a pilot or semi-short film with just people who, above anything else, really want the project to happen. Do the best you can with it under that circumstance and see how it goes. If it catches on and takes off, great! make more. If it doesn't, you've at least lost minimal investment from a money standpoint, and from a creative one you can look back and get fan feedback and go back to the drawing board, more informed and can give it a better shot.

 

[lazycoconut]

Exactly. Really, if I was a Toei exec and I wanted to tackle this (no pun intended), I would try doing a mini-series, maybe a cameo appearance or a manga or something. Something put out to test the waters. If nothing else, and I don't know how this would work in Japan, you pull a Dr. Horrible and you produce a pilot or semi-short film with just people who, above anything else, really want the project to happen. Do the best you can with it under that circumstance and see how it goes. If it catches on and takes off, great! make more. If it doesn't, you've at least lost minimal investment from a money standpoint, and from a creative one you can look back and get fan feedback and go back to the drawing board, more informed and can give it a better shot.

I suspect Kamen Rider Kivaara was an attempt to test the waters. Judging by what we've had since then (Akiko is the ONLY main character in W never to use a Gaia Memory. OOO's female characters are very passive) I think it will be a while before they pursue it again. However, Toei does seem to be playing with the idea of female Red Rangers in Sentai, so perhaps if that works they will consider pushing the boundaries in Kamen Rider too

 

[garfield15]

Akiko is the ONLY main character in W never to use a Gaia Memory.

She became W in the Nightmare arc. A dream, yes, but she did use a Gaia Memory in it.