I love the emotional high and school/space theme of Kamen Rider Fourze, which ended it's run in Japan not too long ago. I got into along side recently getting into Akibarangers, an otaku Power Ranger show, that makes fun of itself, recently released in Japan from Toei, the same group that's been making Sentai shows for decades. Attending Power Morphicon and the Kamen Rider Vs Sentai Rangers art show, that predicted Power Rangers Vs Kamen Riders as a feature film where the two groups fight each other was released in Japan, had me yearning to check out more series from super hero series from Japan. Watching Kamen Ride Fourze came naturally, spotting the toys at Anime Jungle in Little Tokyo and seeing the new Kamen Rider on the magazine of the Kinokuniya Book Store set me up to get into the series.
Kamen Rider Fourze blasted off into my brain and left a hole filled with friendship in the remnants of my skull. Just from hearing about the people behind it you know it has a great sense of style. People on the crew include: Koichi Sakamoto, who took over American Power Rangers as the 2nd Unit Director in the 3rd Season. The head writer of the series is Kazuki Nakashima who wrote for Gainax in the Gurren Lagann series. This might explain whit Kamen Rider Fourze character being so upbeat like Kamina and having his first major attack being a drill attack.
Kamen Rider Fourze centers on a new upbeat transfer student who wants to be everyone's friend. It's very campy, but it is meant to be a kid show. Like Power Rangers each new series of Kamen Rider seems to center around a gimmick, this series theme is space. So unlike past Kamen Riders, Kamen Rider Fourze outfit looks like a space suit and his helmet a rocket. I have to say the design looks great and sets him apart from past Kamen Riders who usually look like bugs. As much as the show is about space it's also about high school life and the friends Kamen Rider Fourze makes along the way who may at times start off as his enemies, but in typical Japanese story fashion become his allies and friends
Another gimmick different than early incarnations of Kamen Rider other than a high school setting is Astro Switches. Kamen Rider Fourze uses a variety of switches, each with it's own ability. These differ greatly and cause for a variety of different fights to happen.
I'd say check out the series online and maybe try and get it dubbed here for the US through Saban or even Funimation. I hope someone cosplays as Kamen Rider Fourze at the next AX.
