Igadevil's Kamen Rider Page

For the 45th time, Rider Break! returns as Hiroshi Fujioka returns as Takeshi Hongō, who returns after 45 years (maybe?) in the 45th Anniversary movie Kamen Rider 1, as Kamen Rider returns to the big screen and Rider Break! returns as well.

Hongō returns to Japan, meeting faces old and new. Shocker once again looms large, but is now split in two. Despite a beefy new appearance and an updated version of the Cyclone, something is wrong with our hero, and with each breath and battle, the end draws near...

Is this Rider 1's greatest adventure? Is it Hongo's final day? Is this Rider Break's last episode?

There's only one way to find out!

• Rider Break! (like somebody in this movie, it turns out) is immortal!

• Once again Craig of The Repacked Podcast joined in to help as I (very badly) recap the movie, and hey, this time we're actually getting it out on time!

• Oh yeah and RIDER SPOILERS!

• Music used includes:

Excerpt from "Let's Go!! Rider Kick -2016 movie ver.-". Get it on Amazon Japan!

A BGM track from the V3 PS1 game.

• As before, Skype recorder was used for most of this, hence the slight drop in audio quality. I wanted to get this one out as soon as possible. This time, I succeeded!

• This episode (which really is 25) marks a transitional phase of sorts for Rider Break!, though it's not going to be immediately obvious here. Wait until next episode (hopefully coming... well, sooner than usual! There may just be a little Q&A involved!)

• Okay, real talk time. As much as I bag on Novashocker's plan for comedic effect, I have only seen the movie once, so it's possible I missed the justification for everything (like why they show up at the beginning to confront actual Shocker in full force yet can still operate as a real company, or what legal loophole they're using to get away with blackmailing everybody face-to-face and not just getting sued/arrested.)

On the other hand, I forgot to mention it at the time, but the way Ghost and Specter are able to locate their base? It's noticed to be the only building with any electric power left and where a huge energy beam is projecting from (this was from the dialogue) so I'm starting to think the rest of Shocker didn't exactly mind losing those guys.

• Yeah yeah yeah I'll do something about Drive in the background (this will make no sense if you're reading this any time after 2016).

00:00 - Speaker-destroying sound time.

Less than a minute in - a badly edited-in appearance from late-afternoon Igadevil.

22:45 - (most) Spoilers for the movie begin!

02:09:25 - The (I believe) longest episode of Rider Break! thus far comes to an end!

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Rider 3 confronts his destiny, Drive confronts mind-controlled damn near everyone, and Igadevil confronts trying to keep his food down in the sense-shattering conclusion to the Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 review. After that, Craig and I talk about our hypothetical team-up movies that will probably never happen. Then again, I once thought a movie with Kamen Rider 3 would never happen, so who knows?

Also, Rider Break bids a farewell to Masayuki Izumi, Kamen Rider Faiz's own Yuki Kiba/Horse Orphenoch.

• Rider Break! is back as promised. A little close to my self-imposed deadline, but at least we don't get bought out by Saban now. PS I am Warrior Leader!

• Things start off on a somber note as I share a few thoughts about the recent passing of Masayuki Izumi, who sadly passed away last month. I'm going to miss him, and I hope I did a good enough job establishing that.

• Part 3 (of 3) the second part of the spoiler-filled review/recap of Kamen Rider x Super Sentai Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 where I told Craig of The Repacked Podcast all about the movie, but months ago so like half of what I say is out-of-date and probably incorrect. Fun times!

• Music used includes:

Excerpt from "Who's That Guy" the movie's theme song by Mitsuhiro Oikawa. Get it on Amazon Japan!

• I often joke about how illness-prone I can be, but I'm not kidding about having a stomach flu or virus literally the weekend I sat down to finish editing this. I spent most of today with my stomach going nuclear and the worst headache of my life. Still, a promise is a promise! Now time to go fall into a ditch and pass out.

• As before, Skype recorder was used for most of this, hence the slight drop in audio quality. I wanted to get this one out as soon as possible. As you can tell, I failed.

• Part 3 is out, which means that the next episode, will, at last, be... wait, there's another movie out now? Well, I'll figure something out. Q&A is still happening!

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

02:27- My thoughts on Masayuki Izumi's passing

15:30 - Back into the review, which picks up right where Part 2 ended.

01:12:34 - Where the plot summary ends, final thoughts and team-up movie discussion begins!

01:41:06 - Another episode in the can!

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Hey uh, weren't we talking about a movie or something?

• Rider Break! took off close to 5 months because my life is a neverending cycle of pain. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you all soon. Soon. Soooooooon...

• Part 2 (of 3) which is actually the first part of the spoiler-filled review/recap of Kamen Rider x Super Sentai Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 where I told Craig of The Repacked Podcast all about the movie, months ago. Confused yet?

• This part of the review contains massive spoilers for the film and basically every Kamen Rider thing that has ever happened, including the finale of the original series. Don't worry though, the movie comes out on DVD/Blu-ray tomorrow, so they won't be massive spoilers much longer!

• Music used includes:

"Fight! Kamen Rider V3" with some...alterations.

A sample of Rider 3 & Drive's Henshin music from Taisen GP.

• As before, Skype recorder was used for most of this, hence the slight drop in audio quality. I wanted to get this one out as soon as possible. As you can tell, I failed.

• If Part 3 doesn't come out within a week, it means I have quit being Igadevil and this becomes Saban's Masked Rider Page, the Second-Worst Rider Website On The Internet. Believe Dat!

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

04:30 - Reviewing begins.

01;11;16 - Reviewing takes a coffee break

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

In the first of a probable trilogy of episodes, Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 is discussed by one person who hasn't seen the movie yet, and one who has but can barely remember what he did last week. This part is mostly spoiler-free, and just covers my initial feelings, reactions and stuff you'll have already know unless you were without internet access for the past several months.

• Rider Break! has now set a record for how many times a podcast can die and return, approximately eleventy-billion.

• I'm once again joined by Craig of The Repacked Podcast (which I'm on a hiatus from at the moment due to work-related stuff, but I will return to!) Craig volunteered to be somebody to bounce off of and keep me focused when going through the film, which really helps, especially when recapping something as long and detailed as this. Next time I'll see if I can't get someone who also saw the film to join in. I do know these guys... Also, I'm always open to having more voices join in on Rider Break! in the future!

• As mentioned, this is mostly just the basics, and the real meat/summary of the movie will be in the next two parts (or one part, I'm still not sure how I'll do it, but it will be soon.)

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

The music from the Taisen GP trailer mentioned.

• As mentioned, Skype recorder was used for most of this, hence the slight drop in audio quality. I wanted to get this one out as soon as possible (and it's already a couple weeks late!) so pardon the half-boiledness of this production.

• Parts 2 (and hypothetical 3) will be coming along soon, and they will be spoiler-filled! And after that... yeah, I do have to do that damned Q & A episode, don't I?

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

16:45 - Around here was where I initially planned to start getting into spoilers for the plot. That doesn't quite happen, though there is some discussion of who appears (and who doesn't appear) in the movie from here on, so listener be aware!

49:23 - End of Part 1

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

You Are The Wheelman.

• Rider Break! has another episode in less than 24 hours! A new record!

• It's another first-reaction commentary, this time for Kamen Rider Drive episode 1, "Why Did My Time Stop?"

• Spoiler Warning because duh.

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

"SURPRISE-DRIVE" TV-size ripped from the episode. CD release forthcoming!

• Not much to say that isn't said in the episode! I got up, sat down with my microphone, and recorded my thoughts. I did go back and edit this one later since there were periods of silence while I took things in (that didn't exactly make for great listening) so the timing may be a bit off and there's no commercial breaks (not that there's much to say. The toy ads are great, the fish sausage ad is deceptively cool, and the gummy ad is still drug-fueled. Can't wait to try the monaka snack though.)

• And that's it! More Rider Break! (and more other stuff) to come eventually!

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

02:30 - Commentary begins and runs a little longer than the actual episode (minus CM breaks.)

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Kamen Rider Drive is just hours away, and Kamen Rider Gaim has had 46 47 weeks (plus a few weekends off for golf, Super Sentai crossovers, etc.) to tell a tale of Armored Riders warring all so that a DJ can make one of them into a space god to save Christmas. Or something. I wasn't really paying much attention, but I did like that Bravo fella.

Fortunately this episode I'm joined by Craig & Nikki from The Repacked Podcast to figure all this stuff out!

• Rider Break! is back. Hey, it was quicker than last time. There's several episodes being edited right now (Kikaider REBOOT, that Damned Q&A, and yet another one that isn't about Kamen Rider at all!) but very likely the next one will be about Kamen Rider Drive episode 1 anyway. But hey, that's a lot of Rider Breakage on the way!

• Yes, actual human contact! Craig makes his return, and our mutual pal Nikki also chimes in as we discuss general thoughts on the most-recently-finished and soon-to-air Kamen Rider series. I still do a lot of the talking (per their choice) but it's always good to get some more voices in the mix. You can hear all three of us talk toys every week over at The Repacked Podcast.

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

"JUST LIVE MORE" by Shōnan no Kaze (TV Size) Get it on amazon.co.jp

Sound & music from the Kamen Rider Drive deluxe belt ad

• As mentioned, this episode was recorded Thursday, October 2nd. More news, reviews & bits of juicy info have been released since then (such as the title of the next Movie War.) During recording we used the Kamen Rider Drive tumblr which compiled all the scans together nicely, as well as The Tokusatsu Network for information (they've got a great interview with Riku Sanjo that just went up not long after we recorded this.) The Drive toy ad mentioned can be found here (At least as of October 2014.)

• We mention HJU Radio here and there; if you want a more comprehensive analysis of Gaim that'll probably be the place to hear it (and probably not from me, because I won't have gotten a chance to rewatch the whole show this time!) This episode's really more of a general thoughts type deal, very free-flowing (which is why we jump around from one show to the other near the end.)

• I think there are two points where I started to form an idea, then went off on a tangent and never returned. One is about episode 46, and if that had been the actual ending. What I was going to say was that I'd still probably be okay with it. But for me, if 46 is the "Gaim" ending, episode 47 feels like the "Kamen Rider" ending for the show (if that makes any sense), and it brings 46 up a little more in my book. Now the penultimate chapter is more like the close of Kōta/Kaito/Mai/Sagara's story, with a 'final battle' that is more bittersweet in nature. Whereas 47 wraps up (most) everyone else, and has that Hell Yeah Rider Final Battle in it. They're two parts of a whole to me.

The other was Marika/Yoko, who I don't think I really gave a clear answer on (she is probably my favorite character in the show, but a lot of that is down to liking the actress. I think Minami Tsukui could lead a series, she's that good.) What I'm trying to get at is that while her ultimate fate doesn't spoil the whole show (for me; but I understand if it does for you) it is one of the parts I'm having the hardest time figuring out. I'd love to know if Urobuchi or anybody commented on it.

• Yes, I know that every non-Rider badass rival villain reminds me of Apollo Geist. That's pretty much down to Apollo Geist being that great and memorable of a character. I like him about as much as I like Doctor Shinigami/Ikadevil, and I like Doctor Shinigami/Ikadevil more than is probably healthy.

• My big thanks to Craig for soldiering it out (he was coming off of a cold) and Nikki as well (who had to jump away from the computer a couple times.) They will return some day. And they're not the only ones! I'm always looking for interesting new voices to come on and talk all things Rider or Tokusatsu. At least, once I get the current crop of episodes squared away.

• And yes, that Q&A episode is STILL actually happening!

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

Around 35 minutes in - Drive talk begins (and eventually returns to Gaim.)

01:32:55 - The end! Man, that Kamen Rider Drive just can't wait to start, can he?

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Can the classic and modern (and guys that are like 15 years old but we'll still pretend they're sorta modern) Riders put aside their vaguely-defined differences in time to save the world? Will Shu reunite with his mother? Will Super Sentai actually show up? Who will survive, and what will be left of them? It's an overlong, incoherent nonsensical monstrosity... but enough about this episode of Rider Break!

Listen in as Heisei Riders vs. Shōwa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai concludes in the only way it possibly could (or at least one of two ways)...

...and stuff like that.

• Did you listen to Part 1 yet?

• You did? Great! Here's Part 2!

• The movie "review" concludes with more Riders fightin', an epic final battle, a REALLY epic cross-generational transformation, and an unbelievable ending that is bound to be super unpopular. And of course, I love it.

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

"Dragon Road 2014" by Akira Kushida & Kamen Rider Girls (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

The eyecatch music cue from Kamen Rider X

• I'll fully admit, I blanked on a few things during the big explanation scene on the bridge, so I'm not kidding when I say it's very likely better than I make it sound. It still doesn't come across as completely in-character to me personally, but I think it's better than the crazy-go-nuts motivations for heroes in previous films. Ultimately it'll come down to a matter of opinion. Some might find it all a load of hogwash; others may be more okay with it than me. Still others will wonder who the hell still says things like "a load of hogwash".

• There are probably tons of mistakes and out-of-order scenes near the end. One I can already recall offhand is that Fourze was just in regular Base States with the Rocket Arm... I think. Guess we'll find out in a few more days!

• For even more laughs though, continue that drinking game of how many times:

- A sentence ends on "...and stuff like that"

- "You know" is used as a bridge between two thoughts

- I stop talking about the actual movie plot to talk about something tangentially related, like the history of X-Rider's transformation or my own theory about the rest of the Faiz cast.

-A character's reaction is described as being "What the he-" or some variations thereof.

-I put off a thought by saying "but I'll get to that..."

• And as mentioned, this is Part 2! Make sure you listen to Part 1 first!

• And yes, that Q&A episode is still actually happening, just as soon as I finish editing Episode 20...

00:00 - Watch those speakers...!?

45:23 - Super Sentai finally appears!

01:37:17 - At long last, it's over!

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

At long last, Igadevil & Rider Break! return for the gajillionth time to bring you the overdue epic mess of a review for Heisei Riders vs. Shōwa Riders: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai... less than 48 hours before the movie comes out on home video! It's a Rider Break! so big, we had to Rider Break! it in half! Exclamation points!

• Rider Break! returns for the second third fourth hundredth millionth bajillionth gajillionth time, utterly failing to produce any new episodes since October 2013 January 2014! Basically in the last few months I have finished one job, started another, moved, had two severe colds and various other injuries, and done a lot of things which aren't as painful but are time-consuming. Also several other movies have come out, including Gaim's. Real life is brutal kids, never grow up.

• I'm back to flying solo this week, but fear not! I hope to have many more guests pop up in the near future! Just as soon as many more episodes start popping up in the near future!

• It's the first half of a long, long, long review of the biggest Rider movie in a while, which was the focus of last episode, will be the focus of next episode, and will probably be the focus of a future episode! There are spoilers for everything under the sun (after a point), including this movie, previous movies, multiple Rider series... heck, probably even some things that aren't Kamen Rider! Part 1 of 2.

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

"Dragon Road 2014" by Akira Kushida & Kamen Rider Girls (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

The eyecatch music cue from Kamen Rider

• Not much to say other than what's in the show itself. As mentioned, this was recorded some time after seeing the movie (and I saw it quite a few times, after a very long break between the first and second time.) So there are a lot of details that may be incorrect or left out. But before editing, this thing wound up being nearly 4 hours long, and even then has been cut down to about 3 hours and 20 minutes split into two halves, so there still is a LOT of talking about this film.

• For laughs though, make a drinking game out of how many times:

- A sentence ends on "...and stuff like that"

- "You know" is used as a bridge between two thoughts.

- I stop talking about the actual movie plot to talk about something tangentially related, like the history of X-Rider's transformation or my own theory about the rest of the Faiz cast.

-A character's reaction is described as being "What the he-" or some variations thereof.

-I put off a thought by saying "but I'll get to that..."

• And as mentioned, this is just Part 1! The rest of the movie, including the infamous ending, will be covered in the next episode (which will go up shortly after this one.)

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

Until 24:22 - Mostly spoiler-free thoughts on the film

01:40:08 - End of Part 1

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Fujioka & Hayami are back to show the new kids how we do it old-school this spring. Igadevil is back and is so excited, he has no clue how to string together a coherent sentence. Fortunately, he has some help from Down Under.

• Rider Break! returns for the bajillionth time, utterly failing to produce any new episodes since October 2013! There's reasons, but I don't get into those this week.

• For the first time ever, the show has a guest host! Craig of the Repacked Podcast joins in to discuss the exciting news about Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai. Primarily this consists of me talking, and him making the episode actually interesting to listen to. Basically, I just recorded and edited down the kind of chats we have every week.

• Various things are touched on, such as the current status of the classic Rider actors, the aging (or lack thereof) of cyborgs, what I like the Kamen Rider name to stand for (most of the time) and the shocking true origin of the Henshin pose! Which I'm sure I've mentioned before somewhere else!

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

"Sega Saturn, Shiro!" by MoJo (yes, that one)

• As the conversation was recorded via Skype Recorder, it's a bit more muffled than the usual level of audio quality for the latest episodes (but probably better than earlier Rider Break! episodes.) This was my decision as it was just an experiment and something I thought up on the quick. I might stick with this in the future, or try the "everybody records and I edit later" approach like the pros! We'll see.

• This was recorded on Saturday, January 18th, and has now gone on the site a few days later, so it was before the first real trailer hit. I had seen a variation of it in theaters, minus the Rider 1 vs. Gaim bit at the end, and I wasn't sure at the time if Haruto was in the movie or not (he is.) Also, we did indeed record that HJU Radio episode the next day!

• The time-displaced Samurai movie I was trying to think of is called Ghost Warrior in the US, and SF Sword Kill in Japan.

• As we mention more than a few times, check out the Repacked Podcast. I'm on it sometimes!

• My deepest thanks again go to Craig for being a good sport and joining in to keep things flowing. As mentioned, this won't be the last episode to feature a guest or two (or more) though I'm not sure yet of the who's, when's, where's and why's.

• That very-long-delayed Q & A episode will finally be next. Like, hopefully before-the-end-of-the-month next After that, the one I originally planned on being about the last two episodes of Wizard will happen at some point, in greatly expanded form. I'll talk a bit about other upcoming and long-overdue episodes in a future post.

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

01:14:30-something - I said it would be short!

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode

Rider Break! is back with another "live" first reaction, this time to the first episode of Kamen Rider Gaim! Is it a fresh new direction for the series, or did the months of waiting just amount to a crate of old fruit rotting in a run-down warehouse? Expect no clear answer to this question, plus more!

• Rider Break! returns to its normal schedule of releasing once in a blue moon, but fortunately in October there will be a few more blue moons. This time, I talk over the entirety of Kamen Rider Gaim episode 1 because if there's one thing everybody loves, it's when people talk over the movie.

• Spoilers for episode 1 of Kamen Rider Gaim because duh.

• And because it's a live first impression commentary recorded at 8 in the morning, expect complete incoherence. You can make a drinking game out of how many times "really" is said in the first 5 minutes alone.

• Music used includes:

"Let's Go!! Rider Kick 2006" by Hiroshi Fujioka (excerpt) Get it on amazon.co.jp

• The show's soundtrack came from the episodes via a captured stream, so there's some short pauses in the audio. This isn't a really big deal because my comments are a bit delayed anyway (i.e. I note Gaim is riding a horse like 5 seconds after we see him on the horse) but if you're actually attempting to watch this alongside video, it probably won't align perfectly. Ultimately I think the podcast just works on its own, watched with the original episode still fresh in one's mind, though if it does actually go along with the video at all, I'd be happy to know!

Note in advance: I paused for the first two commercial breaks, and didn't say anything really interesting after the belt commercial at the end, hence going right into the wrap-up.

• As mentioned, Wizard 52/53 & the long-delayed Q & A episode will be next. This isn't really a note, but it's worth repeating as a reminder to myself!

00:00 - Watch those speakers!

33:30-something - I said it would be short!

• Thanks for listening!

Get The Episode