Movie REVIEW: Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained

Milestone anniversaries are something that rarely go uncelebrated in the Kamen Rider franchise, and when it's a series as popular as Kamen Rider 555 of course something big was going to happen for its 20th birthday. Though a series that has continued to endure in parallel universe, crossover and/or spin-off material, there is one thing that it has constantly been denied - a proper resolution. All this could change however with the release of Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained, a V-Cinext reunion film penned by original writer Toshiki Inoue (fresh off his work on Avataro Sentai Donbrothers) and directed by Ryuta Tasaki (who has worked on nearly every Kamen Rider series since Agito). The film's production was initially announced on the 5th May 2023, which was dubbed "Faiz Day" in celebration of the 20th anniversary.

In the years following the events of Kamen Rider 555, Mari Sonoda has continued life working Keitaro's cleaning shop. After Takumi Inui disappeared without a word, she now works alongside Keitaro's nephew Jotaro and a mysteriously alive Masato Kusaka. However the group also have another purpose - aiding in the hiding and rehabilitation of Orphnochs before they're hunted down by the now government-controlled Smart Brain.

As Smart Brain send their newest enforcer Rena Kunami to exterminate Orphenochs, she encounters Mari and her allies. To turn the tide in their favour, Smart Brain send back up in the form of Takumi! What has happened for Takumi to suddenly ally himself with Smart Brain? 

The further you get away from a show's original airing, the harder it must become to put together a proper anniversary reunion special. This feels particularly true of the Japanese entertainment industry, where it seems many young actors retire far younger than their contemporaries do in the West. As such while Paradise Regained most importantly brings back the core trio of Kento Handa (Takumi), Yuria Haga (Mari) and Kohei Murakami (Masato), it's much less an extensive reunion than you might think. It's by no fault of the production itself however, with several key faces from the original unavailable for reasons beyond their control. For example Ken Mizorogi (Keitaro) retired from the industry in 2022, but more significantly Masayuki Izumi (Yuji) tragically passed away in 2015. However even considering the unfortunate loss of these two principle characters, the returning roster in Paradise Regained seems surprisingly small - with only Mitsuru Karahashi (Naoya) and Ray Fujita (Kitazaki) returning alongside that core trio. That in itself isn't inherently a bad thing as it allows Paradise Regained to tell a much more intimate story, it is surprising that overall reference to the wider cast or even events of Kamen Rider 555 are surprisingly scarce. Keitaro is swiftly explained away with a few lines of exposition, but to not mention Yuji, as well as characters like Rina or Mihara (the Delta Gear just having a whole new user in the film), in any capacity feels strange given how important he was to the original series. Similarly Maybe Inoue just felt that it was more respectful not to include him whatsoever, but nevertheless it means Paradise Regained can never quite shake the sense that something is missing.

In their absence the film brings with it a whole new generation of characters alongside the returning faces, as well as a story that in some respects might make it more approachable to an audience that either has never watched Kamen Rider 555 or at the very least hasn't seen it in a very long time. However that perhaps isn't all that helpful to those crowds, because if there's one thing Paradise Regained does it's give fans the full Kamen Rider 555 experience. From a plot that lacks a whole lot of context to an emphasis on human drama that could often be solved with a simple conversation, Toshiki Inoue clearly hasn't forgotten just what made the series tick in the first place. While its overwhelming popularity can't be denied, 555 is the kind of Kamen Rider show that you really have to vibe with to get the most out of. But even if you don't count yourself amongst that crowd, it's still possible to respect what it's trying to do.

As such even though Paradise Regained is a direct sequel to the original series (none of that alternate universe stuff here) it's still very much throwing its audience in at the deep end with a whole new landscape. The Japanese Government has now taken over Smart Brain (presided over by a seemingly alive Kitzaki), Takumi has disappeared whilst a similarly suddenly alive Masato is helping Mari and Naoya save Orpenochs from their hunting squads. Though it doesn't need it quite as desperately as Kamen Rider OOO 10th did, it follows the similar pattern of V-Cinext movies not having quite enough time to establish themselves (in Paradise Regained's case, 65 minutes) - particularly when there's been some sort of time skip. While the film doesn't necessarily need that extra time to get its point across because said point is very much character-based, the vagueness of 555's (and to a larger extent, Inoue's) storytelling can be one of its more frustrating aspects. Paradise Regained is also a film that offers up resolutions, but it doesn't necessarily offer up conclusions. The wider story is left just as opened ended as it was previously, and whether that's actual set-up or just Inoue spitballing is anyone's guess.

To account for this new era (as well as the lack of returning characters), Paradise Regained brings with it quite a lot of new characters, though admittedly most of them do feel like window-dressing rather than an integral part of the story. Jotaro is brought in as proxy Keitaro - bringing that same cheery energy his uncle did to the original series much not much else outside that. The new Orphnoch characters are there to help properly set up Mari and Naoya's new Orphnoch refugee side-hustle, and then following that are mostly despatched to show off the tensions between humans and Orphnochs, the ruthlessness of Smart Brain and/or that Kamen Rider Delta is still pretty useless if the audience knows their identity. The only new character really worth a damn is Rena, who notably acts as the show's newest Rider Kamen Rider Muez. While the parallels she has to Masato are interesting (only being obsessed with Takumi rather than Mari), again there isn't really enough time to develop her personality to satisfaction. There are odd little quirks that don't really go with the rest of her (such as her embarrassment at being watched the transforming), and as soon as she begins to get a little more nuanced she's out of the picture entirely. While it is a fair argument that anniversary specials like this should focus more on the returning characters and that is true of Paradise Regained, that little bit of extra development could have definitely made a difference.

So when it comes to the returning cast of the film, it doesn't take long to work out where the heart of Paradise Regained lies. While it's nice to see Naoya back ultimately he's more or less a plot convenience too, and so unsurprisingly much of the story is shouldered on Takumi and Mari. Mari in particularly gets a lot of focus here, marking a rather significant turning point with her as a character even if it still frustratingly doesn't let her be a Rider despite having the perfect opportunity too. That said, having her finally become the Cat Orphnoch does feel like a good progression (and potential endpoint) for her - not only allowing Mari to become a more active participant for the rest of the film but also create more parallels and a deeper dynamic with Takumi. Meanwhile the reasons behind Takumi's disappearance and then return working alongside Smart Brain feel a little melodramatic, but what's 555 without some forced melodrama? Nevertheless it's great to see him back, and honestly middle age has perhaps never suited a Kamen Rider better.

If there's only one true constant with this show though, it's just how wonderfully devoted Kohei Murakami is to making Masato Kusaka the most unlikeable person possible. Even when working as an alongside Mari and the Orphnochs he plays it with a unsettling (and at times predatory) creepiness toward Mari, and then later when he later gets to go into full Kusaka mode it's clear why he's become one of the most popular characters in the whole franchise. All he has to do is that grin and everything is right in the world. It's one of the few instances where a character not having much to contribute to the overall story is okay, because Masato Kusaka has basically become a force of nature. As long as he's causing trouble, then his purpose is served. While the reveal of Smart Brain using robot duplicates isn't all that interesting (particularly as a means of bringing back Kitazaki), Masato being one of them is comedy gold.

If there's one thing 555 does do well though it's convey its themes, even if you do perhaps have to dig a little deeper than usual to get to them (something I don't feel like I gave the full series enough credit for when first reviewing it). This is also true of Paradise Regained, even if it's something as simple as not that much having changed actually changed in 20 years. Despite a whole new landscape when it comes the Orphenoch struggle and all these new characters, our leads seem just as unsure of themselves as they did two decades ago. Whether it's finding their place with each other or as part of the wider world, Takumi and Mari's uncertainty is perhaps more relatable as they grow older. Not only can fans find catharsis in Paradise Regained finally bringing them together (even if Inoue shows off his hornier side in doing so), but relate to the fact that you don't necessarily find your purpose when you hit middle age. In some respects Paradise Regained is very much "the more things change, the more things stay the same" - these characters still aren't great at communicating, Masato Kusaka is still a creep, Kamen Rider Delta still sucks...at it's core it's still the same Kamen Rider 555 from 2003, and maybe there's comfort to be taken in that.

But wherever you may land on the narrative of Paradise Regained, one thing that definitely deserves commendation are the visuals. Ryuta Tasaki has done an incredible job at recreating the visual style that makes the early Heisei era such a distinct part of the franchise - one that often feels more like a "proper" J-drama series than it does a superhero show. That such much of that early Heisei feel also comes from the fight choreography, which very much keeps to the rougher brawling style of combat the original show had. In some respects it even feels like active defiance against the slicker, more effects-laden choreography of modern Kamen Rider shows, which again is not only respectable but also helps carry that sense that even though the show has been gone for so long that not all that much has changed.

There are some things that have changed in those 20 years though, most of all technology - and in a technology-based show like 555 that definitely isn't going to go unchecked. No Kamen Rider production is ever passing through without some sort of new suit or gimmick to highlight, but Paradise Regained's handling of these remains just as much a talking point as it did with the original show. Smart Brain's switch to smartphone technology for the NEXT generation of suits (which come in Faiz, Kaixa and Muez flavours) makes perfect sense, but it isn't so clear cut as to say "new" necessarily means "better". Sure they look really slick, but overall there's less a sense of them being considerably more powerful, and at least in Faiz's case they definitely don't match up to the originals. There's also potentially some commentary buried in the narrative about the use of AI and how it doesn't match up to real people with Muez' AI abilities and the various robot duplicates, but much like the overall narrative it's a little undercooked and more open to interpretation than a solid theme.

For better and for worse, Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained is just about the most authentic 20th anniversary celebration the show could have. What the film lacks in story development it makes up for in its strong themes, and while it's disappointing that only a fraction of the cast return the chemistry between its three leads remains just as potent as ever. As tends to be the case with these V-Cinext releases an extra 20 minutes or so on the runtime might be enough to elevate the film further, but with Inoue at full strength that really is anyone's guess. One thing is clear throughout though, and that's the love both he and the cast still have for Kamen Rider 555 even two decades later. Judging by that ending, it's doubtful this will be the last we ever see of them.