Henshin Men

What does a mole and a jellyfish have in common? No, this isn’t a joke; it’s actually something Nathan and Travis try to figure out in today’s edition of Henshin Men. Kamen Rider 2 battles a mole kaijin and a jellyfish kaijin in this week’s episodes. Both of them have eyes in weird places—like biological periscopes and at the end of tentacles. Did we mention that the jellyfish looks like Cobra Commander with a Tentacool for a hood? The series also continues its weird obsession with flinging “Kamen Kennys” like sacks of potatoes. These two wacky Kamen Rider adventures inspired multiple episode title ideas, including, “Babydoll Jellydall” and “Rider Jump Cut.” In other words, it’s just another week at Henshin Men!

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

MUSIC:

-“Kamen Rider - Let's Go!! Rider Kick (Cover)” by Eternal Melee

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

Greetings, heroes of the internet! Join me this Saturday (November 6) for a special charity livestream for Extra Life, an organization that raises money for children's hospitals through marathon gaming sessions. I'll be playing Power Rangers: Battle for The Grid! Click the links below for more information and to contribute to my donation goal! Thanks! 

-Extra Life

-Nathan Marchand/Theology Gaming Team Page

-Theology Gaming Twitch Channel

-MIFV YouTube Channel

“Guess who’s back…back again. Trav is back! Tell a friend!” Yes, Travis returns to Henshin Men to talk more Kamen Rider (1971) with Nathan. First up is an episode featuring Antlithunder (which sounds like a pro-wrestler name, so where’s Pirasaurus when you need him?), who’s plotting to destroy Japan’s highways with sandstorms and underground tunnels. So, the spice must flow and we don’t like sand! We also meet the new manager for Shocker’s Japan branch, Col. Zol, who sports a pseudo-Nazi uniform, an eyepatch, and a baton, so he’s totally not evil. But then—oh boy!—comes an episode with a horrifying concept done unintentionally hilarious. The evil Centiperas, who has a long list of weird superpowers, kidnaps children and turns them into hypnotized gun-toting child soldiers—and they make Stormtroopers look like marksmen. It’s the wackiest episode since the one with the flying rage squirrel! Welcome back to Kamen Rider, heroes!

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

MUSIC:

-“Kamen Rider - Let's Go!! Rider Kick (Cover)” by Eternal Melee

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

With Travis still taking time off, Nathan is joined by two of the co-hosts of The Drift Space Podcast, Jack and J.R., for Henshin Men’s first ever Ultraman episode! In this, they discuss the surprisingly cinematic 2010 direct-to-video special Ultra Galaxy Legend Side Story: Ultraman Zero vs. Darlkops Zero. For a tie-in story to the blockbuster movie Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial (a name your hosts can’t agree on how to pronounce), it has shockingly huge stakes and callbacks all the way back to Ultraseven. Get ready for a discussion of technological hubris, greenscreens as tokusatsu, and “drawing French Ultramen.” Yeah, even in context, that last one is weird.

Ultra Galaxy Legend Side Story: Ultraman Zero vs. Darklops Zero is available as part of The Ultraman Zero Collection blu-ray set released by Mill Creek Entertainment.

Hear Nathan and Michael discuss Mega Monster Battle on episode 85 of Kaiju Weekly.

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

Check out Jack and J.R. on The Drift Space.

MUSIC:

-“Ultraman Zero: The Chronicle (Opening Theme) Cover ウルトラマンゼロ” by It Takes 2 to Toku

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

Wait…this isn’t Kamen Rider (1971)! And where’s Travis? Calm down, heroes! Travis needed some time off, so Nathan invited Travis’s Kaiju Weekly co-host, Michael, onto Henshin Men to discuss the unaired pilot for Michael’s favorite tokusatsu show, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. This very rough draft of “Day of the Dumpster” features a different actress for Trini, no Bulk and Skull (sorta), and an interdimensional mentor named Zoltar and not Zordon. Also, the Zords are called “Droids,” and your hosts are amazed George Lucas didn’t sue. Join them as they muse about what could’ve been (but thankfully wasn’t), and stay tuned until the end to hear a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from them!

Episode 0 of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers is available to watch on YouTube (episode only, retrospective special).

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

MUSIC:

-“Go, Go, Power Rangers!” by Niall Stenson

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

“Death Mushroom!” Not only should that be the name of a Euro metal band, it’s the name of the kaijin-of-the-week featured in today’s episode…sorta. Travis and Nathan discuss a two-parter from Kamen Rider (1971), where Hayato/Kamen Rider 2 battles a convict who is pickled in weird mushroom juices for a week by Shocker to make him into a supervillain only a Matango would love. Yep, you read that right. Along the way, your intrepid hosts discuss the episodes’ impressive action set pieces; Shocker’s surprisingly dark and effective plot that hits differently in the post-COVID world; and Hayato and Tachibana’s needlessly sexist rudeness toward the Rider Girls—who finally aren’t useless ditzes, to boot!

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

MUSIC:

-“Kamen Rider - Let's Go!! Rider Kick (Cover)” by Eternal Melee

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

Nathan and Travis discuss two episodes of Kamen Rider (1971), the first of which has a murderous merman—and that doesn’t matter. You came to hear about Musasabeedle, aka Fly-Squidle—with a “d” and not a “t” to avoid a lawsuit from Nintendo. We guesstimate about 50 percent of this episode is your intrepid hosts laughing at this squirrelly kaijin’s expense. So. Many. Jokes! What else is there to talk about in this week’s episode of Henshin Men besides this giant killer plushie that sounds like a farting Indy car when he flies? Shin Kamen Rider news? Nope. The Ishiro Honda-esque theme of weaponizing something meant for scientific advancement? No. The real answer? Nothing, that’s what! Although, we do share some listener feedback at the end.

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod.

Listen to Travis’s main podcast, Kaiju Weekly, and Nathan’s main podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault.

MUSIC:

-“Kamen Rider - Let's Go!! Rider Kick (Cover)” by Eternal Melee

-“Not Your Above-Average Joe [Standing Ovation]” by Ivan Hakštok

Did you think your intrepid hosts, Travis and Nathan, could not talk about the BIG news that dropped about Shin Kamen Rider (2023)? Not when they’re a quarter of the way through the classic series that inspired it! They discuss the promo video that recreates the original intro as well as the actors playing Takeshi and Ruriko, among other things; make crazy “fan castings” for some of the other characters; and discuss what kind of story they’d like to see in this upcoming film being written and directed by Evangelion creator Hikeaki Anno.

The Shin Kamen Rider Promo Video.

Listen to Kaiju Weekly and The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 11: This Isn’t Even My Final Form! (Kamen Rider Eps. 20-21)

This week, Kamen Rider II battles Mothra! (Moth Man? Mothra Man?) Well, kinda. Your toku-loving hosts, Travis and Nathan, are just as confused by Shocker’s kaijin-of-the-week because, once again, he has two names: Dokugander and Poison-Mothdar! But if that wasn’t enough, Toei tries to upstage Tsuburaya Productions by crucifying Tachibana and the Rider Girls on electrified crosses—twice! To say newbie Nathan wasn’t prepared for any of this would be an understatement. But all this isn’t even the weirdest thing discussed in this episode. No, much to Nathan’s chagrin…Travis starts “shipping” Kamen Rider characters…specifically Hayato and Taki. So, this is how Henshin Men ends—with a thunderous facepalm.

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!

Last week, you smelled what Nathan and Travis were cooking…and now we’re going to Long John Silver’s. Or maybe Red Lobster? Anyway, Kamen Rider fights Shocker’s monstrous seafood in two episodes featuring Starfish Hitler’s forerunner, Stafinjer, and the ridiculous but deadly Crabubbler. And as usual, both of them have alternate names in the episode listings compared to the subtitles. (Insert Picard facepalm gif here). Team Kamen Rider also keeps going on vacations in pretty locations. And the kaijin seem to have a new catchphrase: “Rider…DIE!” It’s not very original, but it’s something. All this plus Shocker fanny packs, “Rider dummies,” and chipmunks! Welcome to Kamen Rider (1971) and Henshin Men, folks!

Kamen Rider (1971) is available to stream on Shout!Factory TV and Tubi. Watch there to follow along with us!