444. A Kamen Rider Double Feature review!

                Here are two great Kamen Rider movies from the 70s.  Talk about heroes and monsters, these two movies have them in spades!

Xenorama #56

Kamen Rider V3 is fifty years old in 2023!  Rider V3 Punch!

This issue should be available for order in the next day or so!  It is all about Kamen Rider V3, the most popular Kamen Rider series of all time!  Well, that's what I heard, anyway.  It features his series, a few movies he appeared in and the remake, Kamen Rider The Next.  This edition is only in black and white, though I promise you there will be more color versions in the near future.

V3... Henshin!

I once had a friend describe the 70s series Kamen Rider effects as being drawn by colored pencils.  I have often thought of that when seeing some of the effects.  It was a little harsh, but I can see where he was coming from.  Kamen Rider (and most of Toei's shows at that time) were about the action, rather than the effects.  They did their best with miniatures and rays, but those would not start to improve until about 1978.

Xenorama #34 Rider Punch!

 

The newest issue of Xenorama is being readied for publication (i.e. it's under review) and is a load of Kamen Rider goodness!  It covers the first five series, then several more after that.  The various movies that have been produced from other countries are also in here.  It's taken over two years to finish, but dang, it's a lot of episodes to watch.  In previous years it was a lot easier to watch these shows, but now it takes a lot longer.  Dang jobs always getting in the way!  Still, I am happy to have this one done.  I think the Super Sentai issue will be the next one up, which should wrap up the year.  I am pretty happy with the cover, though perhaps a class on how to use photoshop is in order now.  Maybe next year.

Xenorama #34

Go! Go! Let's go! It's the Kamen Rider issue!  This is the proto-cover I'm working on, so it will be slightly different, but I wanted to get started on it.  It will feature the most of the original Rider Series (Sky Rider is the lone holdout, as no one has subtitled the series as of this writing).  I included several of the newer ones, including Ryuki, Hibiki, Decade and Double.  This issue has been over two years in the making, since that original series has so many episodes, plus two movies and a few interesting spinoffs.  These include many of the Taiwanese movies made from the Rider movies, and even their German versions.

the Globe Meter #12

(I used to write for G-Fan magazine on a regular basis.  This was the name of the column, from Starman's magic watch.  I think this is from the middle of 2006.  And yes, I still like Final Wars, sue me.)

GODZILLA: FINAL WARS (2004): I know you all have been waiting with bated breath (now go brush your teeth) for my review and comments on this movie. Well, wait no more and you can also go ahead and breathe now.  If you stop, it may make you blue, and that would be bad.

Kamen Rider V3 theme song

this is the full size opening theme song to Kamen Rider V3. unlike many US shows, theme songs in Japan can come in two versions, the short minute long one and then a longer 3 minute version. more or less. sometimes they are even longer, like Ultraman Cosmos' theme songs. it has to be a great song to go over 3 minutes. and that's ANY song, not just a tv show. Bruce Springsteen said it best about a "three minute record" and all.

Kamen Rider V3 40th anniversary

it was 40 years ago yesterday that Kamen Rider V3 appeared on Japanese TV for the first time.  it was very popular then and is still popular today. it's a great thing to have it available on R1 DVD.

The Double Riders Return!

after watching The First and The Next, I thought it would be nice to see some of the original Riders in action again. so I found this bit of excitement and drama from the second series, Kamen Rider V3. it's with Baron Fang, and he's finally got V3 where he wants him. he's planned it all out perfectly...

Kamen Rider V3 vs. Machine Gun Snake

here's an excellent battle between Kamen Rider V3 and one deadly snake kaijin. Destron made some great looking monsters for the Riders to battle, that's for sure. there's more action in this two and a half minute clip than in many shows post 1985.

Switch on! Generation Kikaida!

I just noticed that this month marks the tenth anniversary of Generation Kikaida!  that's great. 

I remember watching grainy tapes of NGN's airing of Kikaida, with the less than stellar subs, and it was really cool to see and understand the show all the way through.

then the announcement the show would air again in Hawai'i, and suddenly, there were DVDs, followed by both the sequel, Kikaida 01 and Kamen Rider V3 as well.  top it off with Inazuman and it's still amazing to me.

so happy tenth anniversary! 

Super Rider V3

here's the opening to the German adaption of the Taiwanese version of Kamen Rider V3.  and it's a heckuva lot of fun. anyone who thinks Saban introduced the idea of replacing actors from one country with another one is mistaken.

Kamen Rider V3!

Kamen Rider V3, the first of many sequels had it's premiere on February 17, 1973.

thanks to the fine folk at Generation Kikaida you can still get the show with English subtitles and tons of extras.

it's considered by many fans as the best Kamen Rider series.  it's hard to argue that.  I like it a lot, but it's mainly due to the excellent  Hiroshi Miyauchi as Shiro Kazami.  he's just amazing in the role.