Filipinos have long been exposed to tokusatsu (live action television with heavy special effects) TV shows long before Americans even discovered the Power Rangers.
In the late 1970s and early 80s, shows like Bioman, Ultraman, Shaider, and Masked Rider were a favorite among children. With those children now adults with kids of their own, there’s a whole generation that has yet to experience the joy these shows bring.
For many riders, Kamen Rider was likely one of the first TV shows that got them interested in motorcycles. After all, he was one of the few superheroes at the time to use a motorcycle. The influence can still be seen today with many riders attaching zip ties to the top of their helmets to look a little bit like Kamen Rider’s antennas. Many can probably still do some of the Henshin transformation moves.
Thankfully, the next generation will get to experience it once again with the upcoming live action movie remake of Masked Rider (Kamen Rider). The movie, called Shin Kamen Rider (New Masked Rider), just dropped a teaser trailer earlier this month. The trailer plays out like the opening sequence of the TV series.
Of course, probably one of the most important co-stars of the show is the bike. This time around, it looks like Kamen Rider will have not just one dual sport, but actually two bikes depending on the purpose. There’s one with supersport-like cowling intended for smooth roads, while there’s another more off-road oriented version as well.
The official Twitter account of SKR, which will be producing the movie showed glimpses of the motorcycle itself, as well as a peak at how the bodywork for it was made.
Fans instantly identified the base bike as a CBR650R. The first is dressed up as a supersport for the road, while the second received extensive off-road modifications to take on the rough stuff. It certainly seems like a Honda as the aftermarket LED headlamp is one that’s typically offered as a replacement for bikes like the CB650R or even Rebel 500.
While hard core fans know that this 2021 is Kamen Rider’s 50th anniversary, the movie will not hit theaters or streaming until 2023.
Until then, let’s hope they pay faithful tribute to the original many of us loved so much.
