So, I finally saw Kamen Rider Black Sun, which is very good to sum it all ha ha. I mean, Kamen Rider Black the original is the Rider I grew up with, I saw it in local TV and instantly hooked with the story, characters, and especially the design of the Rider(s), I mean Shadow Moon is one of the best design of all time for me personally. I love the sounds he made while walking, the “ka-ching” sounds from his boot always brings shivers to me ha ha (but in this new iteration they didn’t have that!!! Bo!!!!).
Also, I love the darker tone of the original, with Gorgom almost demonic cult like organization (even when the show re-aired in local TV, some parents filed a complaints because the children are scared and crying, a pinnacle of great show of you ask me), Kamen Rider Black somehow become one of the great, with the dire, kinda sad ending that somehow continue with a sequel (a first in Kamen Rider show) that though didn’t share the tragic plot, still packs lots of great action and characters design.
Well, with that said, this new iteration is a “must” list for me. But with the weird cast announcement, even darker and realistic plot, this new show is very intriguing. And the day finally arrived, I binge-watch the whole show and boy what a ride it is!!! I gave it 7.5 or 8 out of 10. It’s very bleak, grim and even nihilistic but somehow it works, for me at least.
To be honest, the design and plot is more like the manga of Kamen Rider Black, with the insect like design of Kamen Rider (even Black and Shadow Moon design isn’t that different besides the color palete) and also the battle is more primal, gory and bloddy (decapatation, mutilation, blood, etc). But the show had it’s own “agenda” to tell, just like any other story in every era, sometimes the new iteration cater to new generation…but somehow this show cater more for the original fans that grew up with the show but matured. It’s like a pervertion of the old adage, sometimes we watch or read the same book but due to the experience, pain and growth we acquired, the show stay the same but our point of view changes and we gain new perspective and new value from that same media we consume. This show, show a new direction of the plot, toward the “adult” plot.
What does the “adult” really stands for? Japanese story telling usually already contains matured plot with twist and turn that makes the viewer gasp or surprised, but this new plot is kinda a more matured theme somehow. In this world, Kaijin (human that can turned into monster) is living with normal human but treated as second class citizen. Some Kaijin decides to take the right way and declared Gorgom party to fight for Kaijin rights and equality but the war doesn’t end there. This discrimination reach a boiling point when some Kaijin finally decideds that “Hey, we’re stronger than human. Why we should abide by their law? They should’ve become our slaves” thus it escalates into real war.
That’s the synopsis of the plot. What intrigues me is the cast, Kotaro Minami is palyed by Hidetoshi Nishijima (the guy whose movie “Drive My Car” is nominated to Oscar) and “elderly” and veteran actor while the rest of the cast is…younger. Even Nobuhiko (the supposed to Rival and best friend) played by a younger actor which is weird…also most people will ask, why didn’t use Tetsuo Kurata, the original cast, he also old if you wanna make Kotaro older (but probably his controversy makes him not visible at the moment of 50th anniversary of Kamen Rider he he).
But yeah, after watch the whole series, understand the reason why he was much older than Nobuhiko or even Gorgom high priests, I kinda dig Hidetoshi as Kotaro. I mean, he already a fine actor, he aged like a fine wine and somehow his bitterness, self-loathe and pessimistic Kotaro really growing on me. Also the fact that watching a 50 plus year guy still playin role as Kamen Rider gave me hope or assuraance that I’m not too old to love Kamen Rider, or cosplay as one ha ha ha.
There are some twist in the tradional lore, and like I mentioned, this is for adult and the world is not black and white. There’s no eternal enemy or friend, only comrade in the same ideal, which happened to be easily twisted in front of reality. I mean,we can saw switching factions, cooperation, betrayal and murder in each characters, but we undertsand because they did it to achieve their goal. An this isn’t like cheap Netflix-way to give side characters extra screentime while diminishing the main character (e.g. The Witcher whith Henry Cavill only be the guy who was there while other characters play the bigger role, which for some people is the way to bring minority and other characters more screen time). In this show, everyone has their own agenda and to see the plot thickens with each action is really mezmerising. Even I understand why Nobuhiko switch side and join Gorgom in this show, unlike the orginal where they are fated to be the next Creation King and only one can be the King (you know what that means, fight to the death he he).
Also, I love the plot where the original Gorgom isn’t some cult or illuminaty cabal type, but some Kaijin that wants equality for them, but somewhere along the way they became cult like (even the three origin members became high priest). Or the Creation King somehow treated as some sort of God for Kaijin though the fact that Kaijin (mostly) only needs his/her essence or meat or liquid to produce “heaven” a substance that makes Kaijin regain their strength or maximize their potential and makes them maintain their youthful looks (that’s why Kotaro is older than Nobuhiko, he refuse to use heaven). It’s a sterotypical “power tend to corrupt” the story is really grim, realistic and somehow grounded.
Sure there are plotholes here and there, like if they can made heaven from human, why they still needs Creation King, just do some coup and enslave humanity, you got more than enough lifestocks to produce heaven.Why at first only Black sun and Shadowmoon can “henshin” (transform) and have secondary evolution more robot like form while other Kaijin only have organic more monstruos like form? But somehow Aoi, the girl Kotaro tried to protect and mutated into Kaijin somehow can also henshin and became more robotic, is this a norm for Kaijin or what? Or how come Kaijin only like an issue in Japan though the matter brought to United Nation and became some global phenomenon but it doesn’t showed what happened in other countries, and more but still, the plot is really good and I love it.
Even as the story ended in a cliffhanger like, or probably not since the fight for equality still raging on and that’s the idea probably. You gotta fight for your right, and what is good or better never comes easy. It needs sacrifice, dedication, sweat and tear and all that jazz. So yeah, the story ended with status quo somehow. Open for sequel? Hardly knowing what happened it’s kinda hard to imagine a continuity.
Still, in all the grim, bleak, nihillistic story, they gave a fan service in finale where they recreate the oepning of the original Kamen Rider, along with the original song. It’s enough to make grown man cry or happy ha ha. Sadly, the uplifting nature of the opening is a donwhill into purgatory somehow ha ha. Then again, I really loves the story, I hope more people can watch it, enjoy it and also learn something from it. This is a very good show.
Sounds of Giberish 