An organization that manipulates society from the underworld.
The soldiers they create "Cyborgs", have superhuman abilities that they use for their dark operations.
They keep their feelings and identities secret no matter what.
Thus they wear a "mask".....
In 2005, Toei's latest entry in its Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Hibiki, fell victim to the conflicting desires of executives and storytellers.
Also in 2005, Toei decided to reintroduce the very first Rider to modern audiences. Thus, was born Kamen Rider: The First, a theatrical remake of the first series.
As per the series, motorcyclist and college student Takeshi Hongo is nabbed by agents of the evil Shocker organization. Without Prof. Midorikawa to save him this time, Hongo is inducted into Shocker's ranks as a Super-Soldier called "Hopper." He is instructed to kill all witnesses to Shocker's activities; however, after an encounter with a young woman and her fiancé, Hongo begins to resist his mental reconditioning. He is then double-crossed by Shocker and eventually leaves the organization; but then, he meets Hayato Ichimonji, AKA "Hopper 2"...
Followed by Kamen Rider: The Next in 2007.
See also Shin Kamen Rider (2023) for a similar theatrical retelling of the original series.
This film features examples of:
- Adapted Out: Professor Midorikawa and Kazuya Taki never appeared in this remake film.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Hayato Ichimonji is noticeably a lot meaner than his counterpart in the original show.
- Adaptational Wimp: The Cyclones in this remake are just conventional everyday mtorbikes unlike their original counterparts which they're more technological advance vehicles made by Shocker.
- Alleged Lookalikes: The woman only spots one of the two Hopper operatives in nighttime, making it harder to distinguish their Palette Swap. On top of that, she's seen Hopper no. 1 without the helmet once, but because of aforesaid problems with color perception, she doesn't know that it him who saves her later since he keeps the helmet on this time, AND she comes across Hopper no. 2 in the daytime and thinks that's the one who saved her.
- Alternate Continuity: Of the original TV series.
- Battle Couple: Shocker’s Snake and Cobra were lovers prior to their transformation.
- Calling Your Attacks: Averted by the Double Riders. Old fans can still name them by heart anyway.
- Cybernetics Eat Your Soul: The Kaijin must undergo regular blood transfusions to avoid their bodies fatally rejecting their implants. Somehow, this trope is avoided with Hongo, but played straight with Ichimonji.
- Darker and Edgier: Compared to the original series, which was fairly dark to begin with...
- Dying as Yourself: Cobra, who remembers who he really is after he and Snake are mortally wounded and dies after giving Snake a flower.
- Fake Shemp: Hideyo Amamoto posthumously reprises his role as Dr. Shinigami via archive footage.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: The reason why Hayato maintains his new persona.
- Not My Driver: Spider's Modus Operandi at the beginning of the film, where he captures and kills his victims.
- Pragmatic Adaptation: The film renders aspects of the original series more realistically; for starters, rather than casting People in Rubber Suits as the Kaijin, they are now armored humans like the Riders.
- Phlebotinum Rebel: Much like in the TV series and it's Manga version, the Kamen Riders are cyborgs who defected from Shocker.
- Red String of Fate: Literally, with Haruhiko inadvertently getting hooked on an unraveling thread from Miyoko's red sweater as he tries to run away.
- Remake Cameo: Hiroshi Miyauchi (the original Shiro Kazami/Kamen Rider V3) as Tobei Tachibana.
- Tragic Monster: The Hoppers/Riders, as well as Shocker's agents Snake and Cobra.
- Transformation Sequence: Averted. When Hongo spins the wheel on his Typhoon, we cut to the already-suited Rider as he puts his helmet on. You'll hardly even notice at that point that he is suited, as the suit is less spandexy than the Toku normnote . It fits the darker, more "realistic" film.
- What If?: The film answers the question of what if Hongo didn't escape getting brainwashed by Shocker. Answer: He's still gonna break his own brainwashing and kick their ass anyway.
