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Icon-krThis article is about a movie & series entry (the 11th) in the Kamen Rider Series.
Red alert WARNING: This film contains scenes of graphic violence, body horror, decapitation, blood, disturbing images and nudity. Viewer discretion is advised!

For the 2023 reboot film with a similar name, see Shin Kamen Rider.

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 Japanese superhero Tokusatsu V-Cinema film in the Kamen Rider Series, serving as the 11th production in the franchise while also commemorating the franchise's 20th Anniversary. In the film, a young man is transformed into a mutant grasshopper while he is targeted by the mysterious Institute of Super Science.

Production[]

The film adapts more of the bleak outlook of the manga, yet simultaneously heavily straying from the roots of the franchise. As a work made to celebrate a franchise milestone, 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 a conspiracy and turned into a superhuman being against his will.

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 , the 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 out Onizuka's plan and discovers that it's 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[]

Kamen Riders[]

Movie[]

Kamen Rider Shin Shin Kazamatsuri

Manga-exclusive[]

Kamen Rider ??? Akira Himuro

S.I.C. Hero Saga-exclusive[]

Kamen Rider Shin Shiin Kazamatsuri

Concepts[]

Debatable Riders[]

Transformed Goushima Goushima
Transformed Onizuka Giichi Onizuka

Allies[]

Villains[]

Other media[]

Manga[]

  1. Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (Shonen Sunday manga) (真・仮面ライダー 序章, Shin Kamen Raidā Purorōgu)
  2. Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (CoroCoro Comic manga) (真・仮面ライダー 序章, Shin Kamen Raidā Purorōgu)

S.I.C. Hero Saga[]

  1. The Beginning of The End, The End of The Beginning (終わりの始まり、始まりの終わり, Owari no Hajimari, Hajimari no Owari)

Cast[]

Suit Actors[]

Songs[]

Ending Theme

Release[]

  • The film was released on VHS on February 20, 1992. It was later released on DVD on April 25, 2008 by Bandai Visual. Toei's subscription channel featured Shin during its special Kamen Rider 40th anniversary line-up in July 2011. On April 5th, 2020, the uncensored version of the film debuted on the Toei Tokusatsu World channel on YouTube for viewing in countries other than Japan.[2]

Errors[]

Shin-Kamen-Rider-Prologue-Cyborg-Soldier-Level-2-Kazutoshi Yokoyama
  • At 01:20:05 into the film, Kazutoshi Yokoyama's (Cyborg Soldier Level 2's suit actor) face and chin can briefly be seen when Shin punches him.


Notes[]

  • Before the name "Kamen Rider Shin" was decided, Shotaro Ishinomori, the creator of Kamen Rider, 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 more of 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.
  • Shotaro Ishinomori appears early on in this film as a spy investigating the research of the company.
  • Despite being labeled as a 20th anniversary event, the franchise was actually in its 21st year in 1992. The real 20th anniversary was on April 3, 1991. However, as the movie premiered before April 3, 1992, it is still technically counted as a 20th anniversary project.
  • The film was uploaded on TOEI TOKUSATSU WORLD OFFICIAL on April 5, 2020 as "Masked Rider Shin".
  • Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue is the first V-Cinema film to be released under the Kamen Rider name and is also the only Showa era one.

References[]

External links[]

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