Henshin Power V3

In this Henshin Men re-upload, you’ll hear Jake’s first podcast appearance. He joined Nate to discuss Masked Rider: The First (aka Kamen Rider: The First), which is now getting a blu-ray re-release from Media Blasters.

The first episode of our Kamen Rider Faiz coverage is coming soon!

The original shownotes:

Henshin Men goes from a reimagining of the original Kamen Rider (1971) to a reimagining of Kamen Rider Black and now back to what Nathan says is the superior reimagining of the 1971 series and manga: Masked Rider: The First (2005). He’s joined by aspiring podcaster Jake Hambrick to dive into this unique Japanese superhero film. It borrows more from Shotaro Ishinomori’s manga than the TV series, so it lacks tropes like the iconic henshin pose, and has an almost Sam Raimi Spider-Man flair to it. What truly makes it stand out, though, is its theme: the power of beauty. Throw in some great practical effects and solid fight scenes, and you have a winner in the remake debate.

This episode was edited by Christopher Riner with Nathan Marchand.

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod. Join the official Facebook fan page for this and The Monster Island Film Vault, The Markalite Lounge.

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

Henshin Men is a proud member of the Kaiju Ramen Podcast Network.

MUSIC:                                                                                          

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

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

As we catch up on our episode production (sorry!), we’re re-uploading a few episodes from one of HPV3’s precursors, Henshin Men. This one is Chris’s first ever podcast appearance—and it’s the much-referenced discussion of the last two-thirds of Kamen Rider Black Sun. We have a few more coming before, hopefully, we drop our next new episode!

The original show notes:

Last fall, Nathan guest hosted on Tomi Trembath’s podcast, Giant-Sized Violence, as part of a crossover discussing Kamen Rider Black and its new remake, Kamen Rider Black Sun. Sadly, plans to discuss episodes 4-10 of Black Sun with Tomi fell through, so Nathan invited Christopher Riner, a hardcore listener of all his podcasts, to join him to suffer through, er, complete the coverage. This is by far the most violent and political tokusatsu Nathan has ever seen, and he’s not sure the Japanese filmmakers fully understood the cultural weight of the controversies they borrowed from American politics. It doesn’t help that the show has the subtlety of a sledgehammer with its themes and social commentary. But is it a worthy remake of a henshin hero classic? Chris and Nate don’t think so. Listen to find out why!

Listen to coverage of episodes 1-3 on Giant-Sized Violence (Apple) (Spotify).

This episode was edited by Christopher Riner with Nathan Marchand.

Follow Henshin Men on Twitter: @HenshinMenPod. Join the official Facebook fan page for this and The Monster Island Film Vault, The Markalite Lounge.

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

Henshin Men is a proud member of the Kaiju Ramen Podcast Network.

MUSIC:

-“Kamen Rider Black Sun OST” (Orchestra Rearranged by Fancheizhar) 

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

Nathan sits down with a fellow another fellow author! This time it's the writer of the new book Kaiju Unleashed, Shawn Pryor. Not only did he write this crash course in all things tokusatsu, he's also created his own toku-inspired comic book, written for Boom Studios' Power Rangers comics, and written children's books. We have a lot to talk about!

New discussion episodes are coming!

Podcast Socials:                

Nate (“The TsuBro”) and Chris (“Sentai Guy”) are hanging out trying to find Jake (“The Metal Don”) to get started on recording Kamen Rider Faiz. Suddenly, Jake comes running up to them with briefcases in hand he says he was given by an employee of Smart Brain before she died….

Podcast Socials:                

Hello, Henshin Heroes! Since there are five Wednesdays in January, and we want to give you something to tide you over while Chris edits the next few episodes, here’s the audio from our Christmas livestream that aired December 21, 2024, on the HPV3 YouTube channel. Enjoy!

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Join Nate (The TsuBro), Chris (Sentai Guy), and Jake (The Metal Don) as they celebrate Christmas the Japanese way: with KFC, gifts, and holiday episodes of Ultraman Ace, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Space Sheriff Shaider and...something else. (The Great Leader might be involved...).

Watch the original full-video version on the Henshin Power V3 YouTube channel.

Podcast Socials:                

All right, Henshin Heroes! For your bingeing pleasure (or disdain for us eating up your cellular data and device storage), here’s “Ultracut #2” with all 12 hours(!) of us discussing Ultraman (1966)! I guess Nathan (The TsuBro) keeping all that exuberance for this franchise bottled up for four years of podcasting just spilled all over the show and broke our format. Enjoy!

Podcast Socials:                

Nathan (“The TsuBro”), Chris (“Sentai Guy”), and Jake (“The Metal Don”) weren’t prepared for a double-whammy of Akio Jissouji in their last batch of Ultraman (1966) episodes—and Nathan’s seen them before! It doesn’t help that they recorded way past the witching hour. Rockets up the anus?! On episode 34?! All of this broke the show’s format worse than any other before it. That’s the power of Jissouji! Regardless, it’s a bittersweet episode for Nathan as he closes this chapter of the HPV3 tokusatsu journey, but he gets to talk about Mefilas, the second death of Pigmon, and other high points. The boys also give out series awards at the end. (Here’s a hint: #IdeSweep).

Next time: Kamen Rider 555 (Faiz)!

Our apologies for the lateness of this episode. Life, uh, found a way to delay postproduction.

Podcast Socials:                

The tables have turned—Nathan is interviewed on his own podcast! Why? Because he “Mel Gibson’d” (wrote, directed, edited, produced, and starred in) a one-shot origin episode for Scyther Podcasts’ Power Rangers: The Audiodrama titled “Origins: Rito Bandora.” Nathan explains how he got the role of Rito Bandora (or Rito Revolto, depending on who you talk to) and how this special episode came about. Also, the Snarky Bonehead himself hijacks the show for a few minutes—and he’s so powerful, it actually messes up the recording slightly!

Listen to “Origins: Rito Bandora” on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Additional music: “Game Over” by Jacob Lizotte.

Podcast Socials:

Nate (“The TsuBro”), Chris (“Sentai Guy”), and Jake (“The Metal Don”) get into some controversial topics that will definitely get them letters! Their coverage of Ultraman (1966) brings them to a point where the show has found its stride…for the most part. Episodes 20-29 feature “My Home is Earth,” which may be the best episode of the show, and the series’ one-and-only two-parter with “The Monster Highness”—which Chris says fumbles the script-writing ball with the Kenny-est Kenny. He even demands Nate apologize to Hoshino! Also, Ide continues to be awesome (#IdeSweep). All this and more in the latest Henshin Power V3!

Sorry this episode is late. Chris ran into some life and technical issues while editing; plus, you know, Thanksgiving happened.

Podcast Socials:

A lot happens in this batch of episodes. As the title implies, we get a crossover between Godzilla and Ultraman…sorta…not really. Several iconic and incredibly weird Ultra Kaiju appear, including Pestar (who’s literally two suit actors holding hands), Gavadon (who’s a pillow waiting to happen), the return of the Baltans (so the genocide debate is moot), and more! Also, Nate (“The TsuBro”) introduces Chris (“Sentai Guy”) and Jake (“The Metal Don”) to seminal Ultra director Akio Jissoji, because they cover his first two episodes. Toss in a visit from the Great Leader and HPV3’s trademark awards, and you another great podcast from the guys. (For the record: Ide is the hero of this series).

Sorry this episode is late. Chris ran into some life and technical issues while editing.

Podcast Socials:

• Twitter/X: @HenshinPowerV3