The masked heroes of Kamen Rider have always changed with the times, and they will again with the pandemic. Strong heroes, weak heroes, women heroes, what’s next?

Yasushi Kanematsu, for JAPAN Forward

Kamen Rider (also known as Masked Rider), one of Japan’s popular hero manga series-turned-television and movie series, celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 3.

Since the beginning of the stories, children have been enamored with the strong figure of the Masked Rider who battled a huge evil organization.

Naturally, with the passage of time, the image of the hero has also changed so that it is easier to relate to. However, the basis of Kamen Rider’s search for “good versus evil” remains unchanged, even now.

Prototype of a Life-size Hero

The Kamen Rider TV series was first broadcast in 1971, the year which many in Japan associate with the return of Okinawa to Japanese administration. The main character in the story was such a hit that, even with a change in actors, the popular TV program continued for two more years.

The TV series was revived in 2000 under the name Kamen Rider Kuuga, followed by 22 consecutive movies until the current Kamen Rider Saber became a prototype hero and a model for superheroes of other similar series, such as Android Kikaider and Space Sheriff.

The evolution in battle scenes also enthralled the young audience. In the Showa era, especially the 1970s to 1980s, most of the action scenes were filmed live. But after that the advent of CG (computer graphics) made it possible to depict faster movements, show special techniques such as “Rider Kicks” and other special effects, as well as making the backdrop more varied.

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