Happy New Years chat, this is my final film review for 2025. And I picked a rather odd choice like I usually do. See, I was going to watch 1987's Ultraman The Adventure Begins, but after 10 minutes I just couldn't do it. Not cause I hated it, I was just not in the mood for watching a film at the time, and I wanted to make up for it with something I was interested in, Kikaider.
Now, I like Kikaider to an extent, I am a Hakaider glazer through and through but I really want to get into Kikaider too. Read the first chapter of the manga and I was going to try and watch the first episode but I didn't feel it. And another thing, I've been reading Guyver lately and I did finish Fire Punch last week (Fujimoto a supervillain bro) so I might drop a review on those two.
As per usual, spoilers ahead. And like with my The Next review, here's a quote from the film I liked.
"All humans are imperfect, to be perfect is to be imperfect, a very human dilemma." - Dr. Maeno.
Needless to say I really liked the film.
So...I'm not a huge Kikaider/Kamen Rider/Ishinomori guy in general, but I did watch Hakaider's film and I did enjoy it so since then Kikaider's always been on my mind. And I do enjoy modern reimaginings of old tokusatsu (i.e Ultraman The Next and the Shin Trilogy) and figured I'd add another one to my list. Kikaider Reboot from 2014. (PS: I didn't watch the Kamen Rider tie-in episode they made to promote the film)
The Film follows 3 central characters, Mitsuko and Masaru Kohmyoji (Children of Dr. Kohmyoji creator of Kikaider) and Jiro, the human identity of Kikaider. With the three facing off against armed forces trying to get the hidden Kohmyoji files from Masaru's lung.
I really liked Mitsuko, she was chill and realistic-ish and I liked how she vowed to rebuild Kikaider one day. Masaru though, eh I wasn't a huge fan.
Jiro, of course, was the 2nd best character in the film. His personality and his origin were really great, being created by Kohmyoji to protect his children, and later the rest of humanity.
His modern design was really good too. He goes from a simple skintight suit with a huge head in the 1970s to this hulking android with a shoulder pauldron and with a equally proportioned head.
One thing I liked about Jiro was the little details they added to him to give him more humanity, he plays guitar (which he does in the final fight with Hakaider), he likes old Japanese band YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra) and likes rock n roll comedy group The Drifters. Who you may know from the Il Yu Da Na song in Death Stranding 1 and 2 when you enter the hot springs.
I also like his sense of justice, he is half red after all. And as we all know, red is a hero's color.
Zoo wee mama. I love Hakaider's portrayal in the film, he's the result of Dr. Gill putting his brain in an android body. And he looks super cool too, he has that cool menacing aura to him like he always had.
I like how he talks, a lot. In his talks with Kikaider, he's always talking how he's an "imperfect machine" who's Circuit is holding him back from his true potential and is mocking him for wanting to protect humans and all souls.
The Hakaider Shot is cool too, shooting out this weird orange blast and having an underbarrel fireball launcher attachment, which absolutely fucks up Kikaider.
And if you were wondering, yes I was rooting for Hakaider in most of the fights.
Easily the best part of the film and the part I was waiting for the most, I think the combat choreography was great. Hakaider was throwing Kikaider into walls and through walls, he shot Kikaider until he was down.
I really liked the part where he controls Kikaider to try and kill Mitsuko but he stops himself and is like "No. I am to protect humans, and all the souls of everyone." before he rips his circuit out to unlock his full potential and started pounding Hakaider until they were all weak and throwing heavy punches and still missing. And I was like WHaT!!!! when I read the electromagnetic end (Kikaider's finishing move) on screen and the absolute amazing visuals for the move.
A decent reboot of a mostly forgotten tokusatsu overshadowed by Kamen Rider, I personally give it a 7.5/10 though objectively I think its a 7/10, and for time, it took me around 3 hours to finish a sub 2 hour film.
Oh and sorry for the sloppiness of this review, I just finished the film and haven't done one of these in a while.
That's all for this year folks, have a happy new year for this December 30th and as a daily reminder.
Just. Be. Ultra!!!
