[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER FOURZE EPISODE 01 - “TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL LIFE”



There’s a quote from JFK, back in the 1960s when America was pursuing the at-the-time quixotic goal of landing a man on the moon. In a speech, he said that America taking on these scientific tasks was “not because they are easy, but because they are hard”. The point of doing something, in his estimation, is to push yourself, to put yourself out there, to take risks, and do something that changes you and grows your abilities.

And that’s Gentarou, right? He wants to make friends with everyone; not be friends with everyone, but make friends with everyone. He specifically chooses Kengo to be his project in this episode not in spite of the fact that Kengo is a petulant asshole in this episode, but because of it. (Kengo’s first scene is him breaking an unnamed girl’s heart because he’s Not Here To Make Friends!) Gentarou challenges himself to find a way to get Kengo to like him, sure, but he’s also challenging himself to find something to like in Kengo. (Uphill battle for this one!) Forging connections and creating friendships is easy when there’s mutual respect and overlapping interests, but it’s more rewarding when it’s achieved by bridging a chasm of teen melodrama and grumpy disaffection.

Which is another way of saying Welcome to Kamen Rider Fourze!

Great first episode. Everything is there, right in the debut. The core trio feels perfectly aligned: flighty, ebullient Yuuji; raging, forceful Kengo; and dedicated, charismatic Gentarou. While we get a look in at the rest of our soon-to-be regulars – JK providing snarky commentary, Miu flirting with a guy that her boyfriend’s about to demolish, Shun showcasing that the filmmakers are not clear on exactly which football position our resident jock actually plays – the specific energy of our main three is what keeps everything orbiting correctly. (Sorry!) The way that any two of the three can collaborate for a scene on a different wavelength than any other configuration bodes well for a show that’ll mix and match a growing and idiosyncratic cast. Like, Gen and Yuuji have this goofy irreverence to how they approach danger, but Gen and Kengo are more locked-in and aggressive, but Yuuji and Kengo are more inquisitive and excited. Each actor/character alters the formula, so no scene ever feels repetitive or unnecessary, even if it’s just to watch some ridiculous flourish. (Yuuji geeking out over the first Fourze henshin!)

It’s also just so much fun to watch? The big setting of a high school makes all of the action pop more for me – this isn’t typical Kamen Rider Geography where a fight at the stadium rolls into the river rolls into the quarry, you know? We’re at a place, and the fights feel like they both affect the place (damage and explosions) and are affected by the place (locker rooms). Amanogawa High School is as much a character on the show as any of the kids or teachers (arguably more than some of the teachers; Sonoda isn’t much to talk about this time, and Chuuta is Wacky) and you really get a sense of it through this episode. Beyond a quick moon-based prelude, and a tiny detour to collect the Fourze Driver later in the episode, we’re just at school for a day, and that’s exactly what I wanted. Keeping the action to the school feels distinct to this series, and I love it.

Doesn’t hurt that this is maybe the signature Sakamoto show, a guy who’s synonymous with Heisei action… and other stuff. This premiere really gets across the duality of Sakamoto, with tons of memorable action, both superheroic and otherwise – Gen jumping off a bridge in his first scene, the brawl with the Zodiart, and some shockingly good CG on the Power Dizer appearances – wedded to some male gaze-y camerawork. (I feel like Sakamoto just did a find-and-replace through the script, switching ESTABLISHING SHOT with LEGS.) The high school setting feels a little weird at times; teens are horny, and that should be part of the story, but the filmmakers shouldn’t necessarily be horny. Still, it’s never too distracting, and if it’s especially noticeable or heightened from what I remember, this is a premiere, and everything’s a little turned up from how it might work on a recurring basis.

It’s, seriously, a hell of a set-up for a show. Gen/Yuuji/Kengo is an engine that reliably moves the plot and creates melodramatic teen tension (Kengo cursing his body; we’ve all been there as teens, bud) while the superhero action and ensemble conflicts are dropped in with just the right ratio and tone. I can’t believe this thing started off better than I remembered it!