The grasshopper-helmeted superhero returns in a new form in the latest and finale of the “Shin Japan Heroes Universe”.

Takeshi Hongo was once a college student who unwillingly became part of a top-secret experiment. Infused with grasshopper DNA as well as an energy source known as “prana” from his old professor Hitoshi Midorikawa, Hongo has become Kamen Rider. When he witnesses Midorikawa’s death at the hands of the Spider-Aug, he makes a promise to look after the professor’s brash daughter Ruriko. They are both being hunted down by an organization known as SHOCKER, the ones responsible for Hongo’s new form.

Joining forces with an Intelligence agent and a Security agent, Hongo and Ruriko have gotten intel on SHOCKER and form the Anti-SHOCKER alliance. Hongo is tasked with finding the other Augs who have been formed from the organization and take them down at all costs. However, Hongo must learn to harness his prana and the missions themselves will not be easy as the new Augs are close to Ruriko. Will Hongo and Ruriko succeed in stopping SHOCKER?

The final installment of the “Shin Japan Heroes Universe” created by Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno has Anno take the helm and writing this new take on the grasshopper-helmeted motorcycle riding hero. Originally intended to be released on the character’s 50^th anniversary, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed things but he is finally here, and this is an amazing way to end the universe, which began with 2016’s Shin Godzilla, followed by 2021’s Shin Evangelion and 2022’s Shin Ultraman. This is not to be confused with the 1992 V-Cinema film Shin Kamen Rider, where the hero becomes a hybrid human-grasshopper monster who fights evil.

Sosuke Ikematsu, best known in Hollywood as a child actor for his performance in The Last Samurai opposite Tom Cruise, takes on the role of the “Kamen Rider” Takeshi Hongo. The opening moments already start with a chase scene which leads to the debut of the character, who discovers his powers right away and learns why he has been designated to become the hero. This leads to a cameo appearance by actor and director Shinya Tsukamoto, who is only in one scene to explain things before being killed by the Spider-Aug, ironically voiced by Nao Omori, who appeared with Tsukamoto in the acclaimed Ichi the Killer and its prequel, 1-Ichi.

Minami Hamabe is quite an interesting presence in her role of Ruriko, Hongo’s ally who comes off as brash from the very beginning. She seems to want to help Hongo to take down SHOCKER, but seems to come off as crass because she, like Hongo, was a creation of Tsukamoto’s Midorikawa. She is highly intelligent and yet she has a penchant for not being too likable as if she is an automaton which looks like could be the case. It is only at a pivotal moment that starts the third act where we see a non-brazen Ruriko with her even breaking a smile.

The action scenes are a delight to watch as they start within the first five minutes of the film. There is an excellent balance between the action and the dramatic elements as we learn a bit about the backstories of both Hongo and Ruriko throughout. While Ruriko’s backstory is told more and more, we only get a few glimpses of Hongo’s until the third act, where we get a full flashback of why he finds his fate chosen as the Kamen Rider. In terms of the action, we get loads to nifty wirework and VFX that actually look great including the patented “Rider Kick”. What’s interesting though is that the action against the henchmen can very bloody and yet when an Aug is defeated, they become a cloud that slowly dissolves. The third act also features a very amazing and shocking twist that has to be seen to be believed.

Shin Kamen Rider is a fantastic new vision of the character, with Sosuke Ikematsu showing his penchant for both acting and action in the lead role. The action scenes are both great and at times, “bloody marvelous” with a shocking third act that adds a twist. If you are a Kamen Rider fan, then you are going to enjoy the ride with this one.

WFG RATING: A

A Toho Co. Ltd. Production. Director: Hideaki Anno. Producers: Daiki Koide and Kazutoshi Wadakura, Writer: Hideaki Anno; based on the character created by Shotaro Ishinomori. Cinematography: Osamu Ichikawa and Keizo Suzuki. Editing: Emi Tsujita and Hideaki Anno.

Cast: Sosuke Ikematsu, Minami Hanabe, Tasuku Emoto, Nanase Nishino, Shinya Tsukamoto, Toru Tezaka, Suzuki Matsuo, Mirai Moriyama, Nao Omori (voice), Toru Matsuzaka (voice)