Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue
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Shin: Kamen Rider Prologue (真・仮面ライダー 序章 Shin: Kamen Raidā Joshō?) translated as Truth: Masked Rider Prologue is a 1992 direct-to-video entry in the Kamen Rider franchise. Shin is the eleventh production in the franchise, at the time heavily straying from what was expected of the character at that point. As a work celebrating the 20th anniversary of the franchise, the film targeted the now-adult fans of the original, taking the bare essence of the Rider character and his origin, placing it in a violent, realistic and modern setting and conveying the driving sorrow of the Kamen Rider character, who finds himself in the center of conspiracy. Such a drastic change in the franchise put off some viewers and the film wasn't seen as much of a success, therefore eliminating chances of the planned follow-up. On the other hand, some were simply put off by the violence in the film, seeming to be heavily inspired by David Cronenberg's The Fly.
To this day, Shin Kamen Rider is a point of discussion for Kamen Rider fans. Some of the purists cannot get past the fact that Shin does not have the "henshin" movement, wear a belt or ride a motorcycle in his Rider form and denounce the film simply for that. However, it does have a cult following of those who respect it for its fresh attempts and for perhaps being the utmost representation of Ishinomori's original vision.
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[edit] Plot
Doctors Kazamatsuri and Onizuka are geneticists researching cures on diseases such as AIDS and cancer by performing experiments to strengthen the human body. The test subject is Shin Kazamatsuri, motorcycle racing son of Doctor Kazamatsuri. Unknown to them, their operation is funded by a syndicate group, who plan to use this research to have the bodies of men strengthened for their own gain -- they have already been experimenting in the field of cyborg soldiers, to a less-than-successful attempt. However, they did not count on Onizuka's own secret ambitions; the mad Onizuka wanted to create a new species, by fusing a grasshopper's DNA with the test subject's, in order to start a new civilization and be their god. He has tested on himself, but seems to be having greater success with Shin...
Meanwhile, a murderous creature is stalking the city, while Shin dreams of it. While he believes he is the one causing the murders, he eventually finds of Onizuka's plan and discovers that it's Onizuka who has been behind the killings. Onizuka has experimented on himself and altered his genes, making him a humanoid grasshopper; the telepathy of grasshoppers allowed him to communicate with Shin, resulting in his witnessing the murders.
The syndicate learns of Onizuka's plans and have him institutionalized. As if the syndicate were not enough, a CIA agent tracks Shin and wants him eliminated, for he doesn't know the true threat he could pose. The repulsed Shin digs to find out all he can about the experiment he foolishly volunteered to be a part of, which is now altering his body and putting him and his loved ones in danger.
[edit] Characters
- Shin Kazamatsuri/Kamen Rider Shin: A motorcycle racer who gave everything up to volunteer for his father's experiment, not knowing the true ambitions of his father's partner or the organization they worked for. He struggles to uncover the conspiracies, not completely knowing just how much his loved ones are truly involved...
- Ai Asuka: Shin's girlfriend and nurse at the ISS (Institute of Super Science) where the experiments are held. She tells Shin of the conspiracy, only later to be killed while pregnant with Shin's child. With her dying breath, she tells him to protect the child at all costs, for it's now a target of the syndicate due to its mutation (it shares a telepathic bond with its father).
- Daimon Kazamatsuri: Shin's father. Geneticist, not completely aware of the grave situation he put his son in.
- Gen Himuro: The head of ISS and major player in the syndicate. He appears to be a kind gentleman, but is truly a heartless man. He is slaughtered by Shin after he guns down Ai.
- Goujima: Himuro's confidant and henchman. He is truly Level 2, an outdated cyborg model of the reconstructed soldier act (while Shin and Onizuka rate a Level 3). He is decapitated by Shin.
- Yoshikazu Onizuka: Kazamatsuri's partner, with the plan to create a fusion of grasshopper and man and be their ruler. He is killed by CIA agents, while sending a telepathic plea for help to Shin as he dies, burning.
- Sarah Fukamachi: A CIA agent who tracks Shin and those connected to ISS/the syndicate.
- Takuya Yuuki: Shin's friend, who urges him to escape from the experiment while he still can.
[edit] Cast
- Shin Kazamatsuri: Katsuhisa Ishikawa (presently known as Shin Ishikawa)
- Ai Asuka: Yumi Nomura
- Daimon Kazamatsuri: Akira Ishihama
- Gen Himuro: Daijiro Harada
- Goujima: Reiji Andou (presently known as Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi)
- Yoshikazu Onizuka: Kouki Kataoka
- Sarah Fukamachi: Kiyomi Tsukada
- Takuya Yuuki: Masanobu Takashima
- Kamen Rider Shin: Jiro Okamoto (suit actor)
[edit] Staff
- Director: Osamu Tsuji
- Creator: Shotaro Ishinomori
- Producers: Shin Unosawa, Satoshi Kubo, Nagafumi Hori, Shin'ichirou Shirakura
- Writers: Jun'ichi Miyashita, Jou Onodera
- Project planner: Susumu Yoshikawa
- Music: Ryuudou Uzaki, Kaoru Wada, Takefumi Haketa, Yoshihiro Matsuura
- Action Directors: Osamu Kaneda, Kazuyoshi Yamada
- Special Effects Director: Nobuo Yajima
- Executive Producer: Katsushi Murakami
[edit] Main Theme
- "Forever"
- Vocals: Noriko Watanabe
- Lyrics: Hiroko Kimura
- Music: Ryuudou Uzaki
- Arrangement: Tooru Yuugawa
[edit] Trivia
- The movie was cowritten by Jo Onodera, the real life son of Shotaro Ishinomori. As a child, Jou was the one who gave his father the inspiration to base the Kamen Rider character on a grasshopper. Jou Onodera also has a brief role early in the film.
- Shotaro Ishinomori, creator of Kamen Rider, has a brief cameo at the start of the film.
- Kamen Rider Shin was the second Kamen Rider in history to physically mutate into his Rider form, rather than go through an operation to become a cyborg and simply wear a costume and mask. The first Kamen Rider to use this technique was Kamen Rider Amazon, although his mutation was considerably less graphic than Shin's. The next Kamen Rider to use the mutation method would be Kamen Rider Gills from Kamen Rider Agito; the mutation method would become common in Kamen Rider series from that point on.
- Whether a coincidence or if he is fond of the project, the actor who played Shin, Kouhisa Ishikawa, changed his stage name to "Shin Ishikawa" in the late '90s.
- Kiyomi Tsukuda, who plays the CIA agent Sarah, is known to most tokusatsu fans as Anri in the metal hero series Juspion.
- Shin Ishikawa later played Ultraman Hikari's human host, Kazuya Serizawa, in Ultraman Mebius, becoming the fourth actor to play a Kamen Rider and an Ultraman.
- Shin is the only Kamen Rider to have his physical mutation displayed. Unlike Amazon and Gills, where their mutated forms just appear around them, Shin displays his physical change from a human to a Rider, from his jaw splitting to antennae coming out of his forehead.
- First Kamen Rider to not feature a Rider Kick.
- Kamen Rider Shin is also the first Kamen Rider to not ride a motorcycle in Rider mode.
| Kamen Rider franchise created by Shotaro Ishinomori and Toru Hirayama | |
| TV series First Generation | Kamen Rider • V3 • X • Amazon • Stronger • "New" Kamen Rider • Super-1 |
| TV series Second Generation | BLACK • BLACK RX |
| TV series Third Generation | Kuuga • Agito • Ryuki • 555 • Blade • Hibiki • Kabuto • Den'ou |
| Specials | Kamen Rider ZX • Kamen Rider Shin • Kamen Rider SD • Kamen Rider World |
| Original Films | Kamen Rider ZO • Kamen Rider J • Kamen Rider the First |
