Rider Break! Episode 25: The Last Ride

For the 45th time, Rider Break! returns as Hiroshi Fujioka returns as Takeshi Hongō, who returns after 45 years (maybe?) in the 45th Anniversary movie Kamen Rider 1, as Kamen Rider returns to the big screen and Rider Break! returns as well.

Hongō returns to Japan, meeting faces old and new. Shocker once again looms large, but is now split in two. Despite a beefy new appearance and an updated version of the Cyclone, something is wrong with our hero, and with each breath and battle, the end draws near...

Is this Rider 1's greatest adventure? Is it Hongo's final day? Is this Rider Break's last episode?

There's only one way to find out!

Kamen Rider on Blu-ray: A (Rider) Breakdown

Announced back at the beginning of the month, the original Kamen Rider (1971~1973) is finally making its way to Blu-ray at the end of the 2015. Obviously this is huge news to yours truly, because— on the off chance that you weren't aware— it's not only my favorite Rider series or my favorite Tokusatsu series, but my favorite TV series ever of all time bar none no question period. 

I love it, all 98 episodes, both all three movies, and every possible permutation thereof including Taiwanese remakes and Malaysian dubs. I have watched it in full more times than I can remember, and in parts more times than any well-adjusted person probably should.  I still recall my first episode (5, with Kamakiri-Otoko) and where I was when I watched the finale with my dad (New Year's Eve in 2001). The show has made me laugh, made me cry, and made me friends It has drained probably a million yen or so from my wallet, and that's a low estimate. I think you get the idea. We all have that one show that's gotta be our favorite, and this is mine. 

So of course I'm excited. Despite owning the show on multiple formats already (VHS, DVD, some of it on LaserDisc, and uh... "digitally archived versions" for when I can't carry the other three with me) I am all in on the Blu-ray releases. I have been so far with all the "box"-style Rider releases, in fact. While from OOO onward Rider series have gotten simultaneous 4-episode releases on DVD and Blu-ray, the shows prior to that have been slowly (sloooooowly) getting the Blu-ray treatment, spread out across 3 months (or 6, since they alternate one newer and one older series.) Thus far we've gotten Kamen Rider W, Kamen Rider Faiz, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider BLACK, & Kamen Rider Kabuto, with Kamen Rider Blade Vol. 1 out last month, and Kamen Rider BLACK RX Vol. 2 out earlier this month (not to mention Kamen Rider Drive, which is also being offered in box form as well as individual 4-episode volumes). And soon, the original show that started it all will join them.

Read on for my analysis of the contents and thoughts on the totally affordable pricing!

Rider Break! Episode 24: Tragical History Tour (Part 3)

Rider 3 confronts his destiny, Drive confronts mind-controlled damn near everyone, and Igadevil confronts trying to keep his food down in the sense-shattering conclusion to the Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 review. After that, Craig and I talk about our hypothetical team-up movies that will probably never happen. Then again, I once thought a movie with Kamen Rider 3 would never happen, so who knows?

Also, Rider Break bids a farewell to Masayuki Izumi, Kamen Rider Faiz's own Yuki Kiba/Horse Orphenoch.

Rider Break! Episode 23: Tragical History Tour (Part 2)

Hey uh, weren't we talking about a movie or something?

Rider Break! Episode 22: Tragical History Tour (Part 1)

In the first of a probable trilogy of episodes, Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 is discussed by one person who hasn't seen the movie yet, and one who has but can barely remember what he did last week. This part is mostly spoiler-free, and just covers my initial feelings, reactions and stuff you'll have already know unless you were without internet access for the past several months.

Who's That Guy: The Kamen Rider 3 Story

As you can probably guess, things haven't exactly been smooth sailing around here at IKRP lately. I totally missed my self-imposed February update mandate after Real Life™ got in the way again. But like V3, I am the immortal man, and like Riderman, I will never give up. And like Rider 3, I... wait, who the hell is Rider 3? There's another third Kamen Rider now?

That's the question that's been on a lot of people's minds for the past few months, ever since it was announced that the upcoming annual spring super hero spectacular would feature the character, in a very big way. He's even in the title (which doesn't feat. Super Sentai, though Ninninger will appear.)

Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 marks the onscreen debut of a character most never knew existed until it was announced he'd be in it (so prematurely, all they had to show for it was production art, and the news still made it into papers!) Heck, I never knew he existed until just a couple years ago, that should tell you something. But who is he, and why is he suddenly a big deal again after 40+ years of obscurity? The answer is even more convoluted than you might think! Read on...

Under Construction, Probably

I rise from the grave once again to give you an update!

We're one month in to 2015, and while not a whole lot has changed visibly here at IKRP, there is a lot going on behind the scenes, and you'll start to see some of that finally come together over the course of February. I'm trying to set up a timetable of sorts for when I make I drop the big one (the update, not the superhero), which will probably end up being... well "some time in the not-too-distant future" is where I'm at right now.

What has changed visibly is the general layout of the site, which I was tinkering with at the start of the month and then got distracted by shiny objects and real-life commitments (and illnesses.) For ages now I've been trying to get something just right, and I think I've almost got it. It's still a work-in-progress and I'll add/tweak things here and there, but a clean, minimalist layout that maximizes content space and makes everything easy to find/get to is what I'm aiming for. I spent hours just trying to get that scrolling social sticky buttons thingie to work- hopefully it still does! As far as a few other things go, read on...