Fresh from the beltway around the ceremonial Kamen Rider 50th Anniversary Project Unveiling on Saturday, a new feature installment of the Kamen Rider franchise was announced by way of a teaser art reveal for Shin Kamen Rider, from writer/director Hideaki Anno.
The project reportedly began developing the project six years ago, in the wake of his recent collaborative success with filmmaker Shinji Higuchi on Shin Godzilla, with the only hitch thusfar being the pandemic. Anno, who is no stranger to tokusatsu and whose roots in animation have seen him behind behind properties like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cutie Honey, took to the event to say the following:
“Five decades ago, almost every grade school boy was enthralled by the life-size hero Kamen Rider. I was no exception. I launched this project out of the desire to give back a little for the great gifts I received from the TV shows five decades ago, in the form of a movie five decades later.”
via Anime News Network
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the Kamen Rider franchise launched in 1971 originally featuring actor and stuntman Hiroshi Fujioka in the title role of Takeshi Hongo – a biochem student and motorcycle racer whose alterego sees him transform into the titular superhero to battle the evil Shocker organization and its Nazi minions. Kamen Rider has taken on multiple incarnations over the years through different actors and formats via film and television, some of which would see the Hongo character reappear.
Anno has since paired up with the aforementioned Higuchi for upcoming follow-up, Shin Ultraman, which opens this summer. Shin Kamen Rider is currently dated for March 2023.
Watch the long promo and ceremony announcement below!
祝「 #仮面ライダー」生誕50周年！
— 『シン・仮面ライダー』【公式】 (@Shin_KR) April 3, 2021
【重大発表 会見】
この新たな歴史に刮目せよ！！#KamenRider50thhttps://t.co/BGBDQC0Z83