Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue
Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (真・仮面ライダー 序章(プロローグ), Shin Kamen Raidā: Purorōgu) is a 1992 Japanese tokusatsu biopunk-horror V-Cinema film directed by Osamu Tsuji. It is a reimagining of the Kamen Rider Series and is also the first standalone film in the franchise. Toei has marketed the film to English speaking markets as "True Masked Rider: Prologue".[1]
Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue | |
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DVD cover art | |
Japanese | 真・仮面ライダー 序章(プロローグ) |
Hepburn | Shin Kamen Raidā: Purorōgu |
Directed by | Makoto Tsuji |
Produced by | Shin Unosawa Satoshi Kubo Nagafumi Hori Shinichiro Shirakura |
Written by | Junichi Miyashita Jo Onodera |
Starring | Katsuhisa Ishikawa Yumi Nomura Akira Ishihama |
Music by | Ryudo Uzaki Kaoru Wada Takefumi Haketa Yoshihiro Matsura |
Distributed by | Toei Company |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
Country | Japan |
Language | Japanese |
Plot
Doctors Kazamatsuri and Onizuka are geneticists, researching cures for diseases such as AIDS and cancer by performing experiments to strengthen the human body. The test subject, Shin Kazamatsuri, races motorcycles and is Doctor Kazamatsuri's son. Unknown to the doctors, their operation is funded by a syndicate group who plans to use the research to have the bodies of men strengthened for their own gain. The Doctors were previously unsuccessful with experiments on cyborg soldiers. However, they did not count on Onizuka's own secret ambitions: he wants to create a new species of soldiers by fusing the DNA of a grasshopper and test subjects to start a new civilization and be their God. He may have tested it on himself, but seems to be having greater success with Shin.
Meanwhile, a creature is stalking the city, killing people, as Shin dreams of that creature. While Shin believes he is the one causing the murders, he eventually finds Onizuka's plan and discovers that Onizuka is 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, making Shin a witness to the murders.
The syndicate learns of Onizuka's plans and they institutionalize him. A CIA agent tracks Shin and wants him eliminated, for he doesn't know the true threat Shin could pose. Repulsed, Shin investigates all he can about the experiment.
Cast
- Katsuhisa Ishikawa as Shin Kazamatsuri
- Yumi Nomura as Ai Asuka
- Akira Ishihama as Daimon Kazamatsuri
- Daijiro Harada as Iwao Himuro
- Reiji Andou as Goushima
- Kouki Kataoka as Giichi Onizuka
- Kiyomi Tsukada as Sarah Fukamachi
- Masanobu Takashima as Takuya Yuki
- Jiro Okamoto as Kamen Rider Shin (suit performer)
- Kazutoshi Yokoyama as Cyborg Soldier Level 2 (suit performer)
Staff
- Creator: Shotaro Ishinomori
- Project planner: Susumu Yoshikawa
- Action Directors: Osamu Kaneda, Kazuyoshi Yamada
- Special Effects Director: Nobuo Yajima
- Executive Producer: Katsushi Murakami
Media
The film's song "Forever" was performed by Noriko Watanabe, with lyrics by Hiroko Kimura, composition by Ryuudou Uzaki, and arrangements by Tooru Yuugawa. The film was released on DVD on April 25, 2008, by Bandai Visual.[2] It was later released on Toei's subscription channel, which featured the film during its Kamen Rider 40th anniversary line up in July 2011.[3][4]
The OST was released by Nippon Colombia on July 6, 2005 as an Animex Special release with a street price of 1, 200 Yen with the tracks composed by Ryudo Uzaki and Kaoru Wada.[5][6]
Shin Kamen Rider makes appearances in the films of the later Kamen Rider Decade television series. He is also the primary focus of one of the All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker comedic webisodes.[7] Kamen Rider Shin also appears as a playable character in 2011 video game in Nintendo DS video game - All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation.[8]
The movie was released on 5 April 2020 on the TOEI TOKUSTATSU WORLD OFFICIAL CHANNEL worldwide (Japan excluded) along with 69 other shows.[9]
References
- "Toei Official English Title List". Scifi Japan. Archived from the original on December 28, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- "生誕20周年記念作品『真・仮面ライダー 序章(プロローグ)』がDVD化". CDJournal.com. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
- "2011年7月のラインナップ". Toei Channel. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
- "真 仮面ライダー 序章(プロローグ)/東映チャンネル". Toei Channel. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
- https://columbia.jp/prod-info/COCC-72183/
- http://www.billboard-japan.com/goods/detail/159695
- "陳情! 真・仮面ライダー第1章!!". Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
- "仮面ライダー総集結のアクションゲーム『ライダージェネレーション』が発売!". Dengeki.com. 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
- https://www.toei.co.jp/release/public/1217460_1140.html