Masked Rider THE FIRST Review

In 2005, Ishinomori Productions and Toei Company, the people responsible for the Kamen Rider Series, decided to remake the original Masked Rider TV show into a theatrical movie, called "Masked Rider THE FIRST", in an effort to reach out to the fans of the older Tv show as well as the new audiences of viewers. It didn't chronicle the entire shows plot, and had several differences from the original, though mostly due to how the plot was more based upon the Manga adaptation by series creator Shotaro Ishinomori, and I'll be reviewing this film today.


It tells the tale of college student Takeshi Hongo(Masaya Kikawada), who is one day kidnapped by then secret terrorist organization Shocker and turned into a cyborg designated as "Hopper". He is soon after sent to assasinate two witnesses of a Shocker attack: journalist Asuka Midorikawa(Rena Komine), who had interviewed him on his research earlier, and her fiance Katsuhiko Yano. However, he has regains his memories and comes to his senses, causing him to fail in killing either, resulting in his assigned partner, Spider, killing Katsuhiko and making him look like the killer in the eyes of Rena.

Not too long after the incident, Katsuhiko is also converted into a cyborg and given false memories to believe he is a man named Hayato Ichimonji(Hassei Takano, who had previously been Masked Rider Raia in Masked Rider Ryuki), and is sent to kill the traitor Hongo as Hopper 2. Hongo and Ichimoji conflict with each other for a while before Asuka is kidnapped by Shocker to become another cyborg, and Ichimonji, who had been actively seeking the love of her, changes his ways to team up with Hongo and rescue Asuka from Shocker.

Amidst the main story is also a sub-plot about two terminally ill hospital patients, Haruhiko Mitamura(Eiji Wentz) and Miyoko Harada(Ryoko Kobayashi), who fall in love during what would seem to be their last days of living until a mysterious benefactor comes to the two claiming he can cure them. This sub-plot comes to the fore later in the movie in a surprising twist.


The acting here is great. Kikawada as Hongo is a terrific lead. He's emotionally conflicted about the loss of his humanity and the gain of his superhuman ability, as well as his hidden feelings for Asuka and how he can't tell her how he wasn't the one who killed Katsuhiko, but also is willing to sacrifice himself for her and conveys the message that life is beautiful, and he wishes to protect beauty. Takano's Ichimonji is played as a spectacular foil to Hongo. He's a selfish womanizer only cares about self-gain, yet has the heart to turn against Shocker, the force keeping him alive, for the greater good. Komine also does a good job in her own way as the love interest Asuka. Though she for a while resents Hongo for being who she thinks killed Katsuhiko, she's able to see the good in the mysteious Masked Rider, and when the time comes, she fogives Hongo completely.Wentz and Kobayashi have good onscreen chemistry, and the two give each other new reasons to hold on to life and live it to the fullest, and what happens to them in the end is something I won't spoil but it can only be described as tragic.

Among the main cast are also some guest stars. Hideyo Amamoto, who played Shocker commander Dr. Shinigami in the original series, reprises his role from beyond the grave through archival footage, and is voiced by Eiji Maruyama, a noted Seiyu(Japanese voice actor) who has had a few other tokusatsu roles. He is joined by actress/singer/model Mayumi Sada and Issa Hentano, lead singer of Da Pump, who performed the movie's theme "Bright! Our Future", and who also performed the themes Masked Rider 555 and THE FIRST's sequel, "Masked Rider THE NEXT", as two unnamed commanders. Another familiar face is Hiroshi Miyauchi, who years ago played Shiro Kazami, the main character of the second rider series "Masked Rider V3", as Tobei Tachibana, a recurring character from several of the Showa rider shows who ran the fictional Tachibana Racing company and regularly supplied riders with their Motorcycles, or Rider Machine as they were known as. They all perform well in their respective roles.


I've also got to give props to the action. It's well choreographed, never obstructive to the plot, and is really fun to watch. The film as a good balance of bike action and good old fisticuffs, with gorgeous-looking bikes and hard hitting fights that include the classic Rider Kick, Rider Punch, and even a Rider Chop. The suits are redesigned from their old looks and to me at least, look a whole lot better for it. This goes for both the rider and villain suits, which just look stunning, especially during night scenes where the the eyes of the Riders' helmet are illuminated among the darkness.

Thee music is all orchestrated and is truly poignant, adding to the cinematic feel it was intended to have. Each piece is used properly and accentuates each scene nicely.

Not to say this film is without flaws. Their are only a few action scenes, and it seemed like there should have been more. The film also forgoes the trademark henshin(transformation) poses as well as the calling of attacks, which, while it does make the film more realistic, removes a bit of the charm and flair of the show. The ending theme also isn't all that good, and seems better fitted for a more romantic film than this.

In the end, though, the pros outweigh the cons, and this is a great film. I think it would appeal to any rider fan at heart, and is a good way to get a feel for the spirit of Kamen Rider. It also has good drama, which means it can appeal to a slightly larger audience. The romance is mainly in the sub-plot, so big time romanctics might want to look for other films. Overall, this film Rider Jump-starts you into a gritty yet exciting time that is definitely enjoyable

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

P.S. This movie was given a Region 1 release by Media Blasters in 2007, and while you might be lucky to find a copy in a video store, your best bet for legally aquiring this film is by renting it from Netflix