Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue

Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue
DVD cover art
Directed by	Osamu Tsuji
Produced by	Shin Unosawa, Satoshi Kubo, Nagafumi Hori, Shin'ichirou Shirakura
Written by	Jun'ichi Miyashita, Jou Onodera
Starring	Katsuhisa Ishikawa Yumi Nomura Akira Ishihama
Music by	Ryuudou Uzaki, Kaoru Wada, Takefumi Haketa, Yoshihiro Matsura
Distributed by	Toei Co. Ltd
Release date(s)	1992 (1992)
Running time	88 minutes
Language	Japanese

Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (真・仮面ライダー 序章(プロローグ), Shin Kamen Raidā: Purorōgu^?, translated as True Masked Rider Prologue) is a 1992 V-Cinema film in the Kamen Rider Series. Shin is the eleventh production in the franchise, at the time heavily straying from the roots of the franchise. As a work celebrating the 20th anniversary of the franchise, the film targeted the now-adult fans of the original, taking the bare essence of the Rider character and his origin, placing it in a violent, realistic and modern setting and conveying the driving sorrow of the Kamen Rider character, who finds himself in the center of conspiracy and turned into a superhuman being against his will.^[1] Series creator Shotaro Ishinomori makes a cameo appearance in the film.

Shin was released on DVD on April 25, 2008, by Bandai Visual.^[1] Toei's subscription channel featured Shin during its special Kamen Rider 40th anniversary line up in July 2011.^[2][3]

The film's protagonist Kamen Rider Shin makes appearances in the films of the later Kamen Rider Decade television series, and is the primary focus of one of the All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker comedic webisodes in which he seeks out a sequel to his film.^[4] Kamen Rider Shin also appears as a playable character the 2011 Nintendo DS video game All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation.^[5]

Plot

Doctors Kazamatsuri and Onizuka are geneticists researching cures on diseases such as AIDS and cancer by performing experiments to strengthen the human body. The test subject is Shin Kazamatsuri, motorcycle racer son of Doctor Kazamatsuri. Unknown to them, their operation is funded by a syndicate group, who plan to use this research to have the bodies of men strengthened for their own gain—they have already been experimenting in the field of cyborg soldiers, to a less-than-successful attempt. However, they did not count on Onizuka's own secret ambitions; the mad Onizuka wanted to create a new species, by fusing a grasshopper's DNA with the test subject's, in order to start a new civilization and be their god. He has tested on himself, but seems to be having greater success with Shin.

Meanwhile, a murderous creature is stalking the city, while Shin dreams of it. While he believes he is the one causing the murders, he eventually finds Onizuka's plan and discovers that it is Onizuka who has been behind the killings. Onizuka has experimented on himself and altered his genes, making him a humanoid grasshopper; the telepathy of grasshoppers allowed him to communicate with Shin, resulting in his witnessing the murders.

The syndicate learns of Onizuka's plans and have him institutionalized. As if the syndicate were not enough, a CIA agent tracks Shin and wants him eliminated, for he doesn't know the true threat he could pose. The repulsed Shin digs to find out all he can about the experiment he foolishly volunteered to be a part of, which is now altering his body and putting him and his loved ones in danger.

Characters

• Shin Kazamatsuri/Kamen Rider Shin (Cyborg Soldier Level 3) (風祭 真／仮面ライダーシン（改造兵士レベル3）, Kazamatsuri Shin/Kamen Raidā Shin (Kaizō Heishi Reberu Surī)^?): Shin is a motorcycle racer who gave everything up to volunteer for his father's experiment, not knowing the true ambitions of his father's partner or the organization they worked for. He struggles to uncover the conspiracies, not completely knowing just how much his loved ones are truly involved.

Before the name "Kamen Rider Shin" was decided, Shotaro Ishinomori originally planned for the character to be called "Kamen Rider Gaia" (仮面ライダーガイア, Kamen Raidā Gaia^?). The design of this Kamen Rider Gaia was originally of more a traditional Kamen Rider appearance, before later designs switched to a "Kamen Rider Style Reform" version (resembling a man in a motorcycle helmet and modified riding jacket), and then the mutated insect-like human that would become Kamen Rider Shin.^[6]

• Ai Asuka (明日香 愛, Asuka Ai^?): Shin's girlfriend and nurse at the ISS (Institute of Super Science) where the experiments are held. She tells Shin of the conspiracy, only later to be killed while pregnant with Shin's child. With her dying breath, she tells him to protect the child at all costs, for it is now a target of the syndicate due to its mutation (it shares a telepathic bond with its father).
• Daimon Kazamatsuri (風祭 大門, Kazamatsuri Daimon^?): Shin's father. Geneticist, not completely aware of the grave situation he put his son in.
• Iwao Himuro (氷室 巌, Himuro Iwao^?): The head of ISS and a major player in the syndicate. He appears to be a kind gentleman, but is truly a heartless man. He is slaughtered by Shin after he guns down Ai.
• Goushima/Cyborg Soldier Level 2 (豪島／改造兵士レベル2, Gōshima/Kaizō Heishi Reberu Tsū^?): Himuro's confidant and henchman. He is actually a Level 2 cyborg, an outdated cyborg model. He is decapitated by Shin before his head opens up to reveal a bomb and self-destructs.
• Giichi Onizuka/Cyborg Soldier Level 3 (鬼塚 義一／改造兵士レベル3, Onizuka Giichi/Kaizō Heishi Reberu Surī^?): Kazamatsuri's partner, with the plan to create a fusion of grasshopper and man and be their ruler. He is killed by CIA agents, while sending a telepathic plea for help to Shin as he dies, burning.
• Sarah Fukamachi (セーラ 深町, Sēra Fukamachi^?): A CIA agent who tracks Shin and those connected to ISS/the syndicate.
• Takuya Yuuki (結城 卓也, Yūki Takuya^?): Shin's friend, who urges him to escape from the experiment while he still can.

Cast

• Shin Kazamatsuri (風祭 真, Kazamatsuri Shin^?) - Shin Ishikawa (石川 真, Ishikawa Shin^?) (Played as Katsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 功久, Ishikawa Katsuhisa^?))
• Ai Asuka (明日香 愛, Asuka Ai^?) - Yumi Nomura (野村 裕美, Nomura Yumi^?)
• Daimon Kazamatsuri (風祭 大門, Kazamatsuri Daimon^?) - Akira Ishihama (石濱 朗, Ishihama akira^?)
• Iwao Himuro (氷室 巌, Himuro Iwao^?) - Daijiro Harada (原田 大二郎, Harada Daijirō^?)
• Goushima (豪島, Gōshima^?) - Reiji Andou (安藤 麗二, Andō Reiji^?)
• Giichi Onizuka (鬼塚 義一, Onizuka Giichi^?) - Kouki Kataoka (片岡 弘貴, Kataoka Kōki^?)
• Sarah Fukamachi (セーラ 深町, Sēra Fukamachi^?) - Kiyomi Tsukada (塚田 きよみ, Tsukada Kiyomi^?)
• Takuya Yuuki (結城 卓也, Yūki Takuya^?) - Masanobu Takashima (高嶋 政伸, Takashima Masanobu^?)

Suit actor

• Kamen Rider Shin - Jiro Okamoto (岡元 次郎, Okamoto Jirō^?)
• Cyborg Soldier Level 2 - Kazutoshi Yokoyama (横山 一敏, Yokoyama Kazutoshi^?)

Staff

• Creator: Shotaro Ishinomori
• Project planner: Susumu Yoshikawa
• Action Directors: Osamu Kaneda, Kazuyoshi Yamada
• Special Effects Director: Nobuo Yajima
• Executive Producer: Katsushi Murakami

Song

• "Forever"
  • Lyrics: Hiroko Kimura
  • Composition: Ryuudou Uzaki
  • Arrangement: Tooru Yuugawa
  • Artist: Noriko Watanabe

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "生誕20周年記念作品『真・仮面ライダー 序章（プロローグ）』がDVD化". CDJournal.com. 2007-12-12. http://www.cdjournal.com/main/news/-/17504. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
2. ^ "2011年7月のラインナップ". Toei Channel. http://www.toeich.jp/backnumber/2011/1107.html. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
3. ^ "真 仮面ライダー 序章（ﾌﾟﾛﾛｰｸﾞ）／東映チャンネル". Toei Channel. http://www.toeich.jp/backnumber/2011/1107/1TT000002062.html. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
4. ^ "陳情！ 真・仮面ライダー第1章!!". http://www.dcd-shin.jp/netmovie/02.html. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
5. ^ "仮面ライダー総集結のアクションゲーム『ライダージェネレーション』が発売！". Dengeki.com. 2011-05-23. http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/367/367332/. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
6. ^ Kamen Rider Art Collection: Hero Edition (仮面ライダーアートコレクション ヒーロー編). Page 75, June 2003. ISBN 978-4840223737

See also

Preceded by Black RX

Kamen Rider 1992

Succeeded by ZO