Series REVIEW: Kamen Rider Gotchard

Given how merchandise-driven the Kamen Rider franchise (or rather any tokusatsu superhero for that matter) is nowadays it's surprising that it took 53 years for trading cards to be the main gimmick of a show, but at the same time finding a way to incorporate them in a way that still tells a good story is no easy feat. Such a task fell on writers Keiichi Hasagawa, Hiromi Uchida and Akiko Inoue for its 38th series and fifth to debut in the Reiwa era - Kamen Rider Gotchard. Joining Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger (and later Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger) as part of the 2023-2024 Super Hero Time, the series' main theme revolves around alchemy and it is the first to focus on high school life since Kamen Rider Fourze back in 2011. The catchphrase for the series is "Seize it! The greatest Gotcha!".

In a world where the study of alchemy has continued in secret, its advancement has led to the creation of artificial lifeforms known as Chemies. Though usually contained within Ride Chemy Cards, an incident leads to them being unleashed upon the world. Elsewhere, Houtaro Ichinose is a high-schooler who doesn't know where he wants to go in life, but nevertheless dreams of finding his 'Gotcha'. When a mysterious alchemist entrusts Hotaru with the Gotchardriver and the mission to collect all of the Chemies, he enters the strange world of alchemy and finds purpose in establishing co-existence between the Chemies and humanity.

But to realise his dream, he'll need the help of the Alchemist Academy, an organisation operating secretly within his school. Among its members is his classmate Rinne Kudoh - daughter of a powerful alchemist who eventually joins the fight as Kamen Rider Majade, as well as Spanner Kurogane - an alumni of the academy who fights as the warrior Valvarad (later Kamen Rider Valvarad). Together the three Riders fight against dark forces from within the world of alchemy, who seek to fuse the Chemies with human malice and birth powerful monsters known as Malgam. 

The central gimmick is something that can make or break a modern Kamen Rider series, and much like its protagonist Kamen Rider Gotchard is a series that dreamt big right out of the gate. With its 101 Pokemon-like Chemy monsters and the various forms created from specific Chemy combinations, it was immediately clear that Gotchard wasn't just aiming for a far more whimsical tone than its predecessor – it was also going hard on the merchandising. Granted trading cards aren't the most expensive direction the franchise could go in, but with all those different Chemies as well as variant artwork, Rider Chemy cards and the role play toys to make them all work anyone collecting Gotchard was in for an expensive year – especially as said Chemy cards were also blind-packed. But while there are plenty of Kamen Rider shows that have been able to tell good stories without being crushed under the weight of its own merchandising, Gotchard's first half often came dangerously close. Adopting a Chemy-of-the-Week format where Hotaru and co would meet, befriend and capture a new Chemy, as enjoyable as the episodes are they also feel like a barrage of merch-shilling as new forms debut ad nauseum – each one not really getting the time to make a proper impact nor do any of them feel particularly earned. Visually the show takes some getting used to as well, with the various Chemies represented through a mix of physical props, animated CGI models and even just static images floating about. While it does a good job with its key concept of treating these creatures like living things, it almost puts too much stock in them at times. Collectible monster cards are a widely used concept, but the Chemies suffer because there's nothing especially unique about them to detach them from the other things they're very clearly drawing inspiration from. While it's hard to call Gotchard's early episodes bad per se, at times they can feel like the exemplify the worst elements of the modern Kamen Rider format.

However if you can look beyond the shortcomings of these early episodes there are the makings of a good story in there, which makes use of its more light-hearted narrative to give those darker moments more impact. Having it work alongside the alchemy motif means the high school element isn't quite as well utilised here as it was in Fourze, but the cast have the same youthful energy to give it that similarly feel-good vibe. The show also sees a bit of a shakeup around its halfway point, with a slight time-skip starting up a "second arc" which feels far more focused on both the characters and overarching narrative now that the basics of the setting have been established. It's at this point that Akiko Inoue was brought on to join the writing staff, rather fittingly making her Kamen Rider screenwriting debut with the first (in-show) appearance of Kamen Rider Majade. While "it picks up in the second half" isn't exactly the best phrase to sell someone on a series, it's very much true of this. There are still some pacing issues at times, but overall Gotchard becomes a much tighter series with lots of good character dynamics.

The hero of our series is Houtaro Ichinose, who despite also getting off to a slow start has a very clear character progression throughout the show. When we first meet Houtaro he's a boy who dreams big despite his lack of direction, and although he can be childish at times is usually upbeat and excitable. While it can take a bit of getting used to it's the kind of personality that suits a high school-set series perfectly, as well allowing Houtaro to mature into his role as a hero. Being the big personality that he is also means that his character is just much about changing those around him as well, particularly when it comes to treating the Chemies as living beings rather than just tools. Credit to actor Junsei Motojima as he convincingly acts alongside an (admittedly adorable) toy grasshopper and you genuinely believe they have an Ash/Pikachu dynamic going on. While he isn't necessarily the best or most interesting character in the show, he's a good kid with a good heart and often its his ideals that spur the other characters on to develop and be more interesting themselves.

But undoubtedly one of the biggest achievements Gotchard will be remembered for is giving the franchise its first proper secondary female Rider in the form of Rinne/Kamen Rider Majade, whose development and storylines over the course of the series definitely rivals that of Houtaro's. Her ropey introduction as a Kamen Rider aside (the initial debut appearing in the Gotchard/Geats crossover movie and then a half-hearted reprise happening later in the series), Rinne develops from an aloof alchemist bound by the rules into a more compassionate and headstrong heroine. Much of her evolution comes from her insecurities, which are explored both through her friendship with Houtaro and in tandem with other key characters – notably her father Fuga and Atropos of the Three Dark Sisters. While there are elements to her character that could have done with further development (as well as the handling of her in regards to forms and merchandising), Rinne/Majade's prominence in the series marks a big step forward for the franchise and continues the noticeable development of female Riders that's been present throughout the Reiwa era. Rounding off the trio of main Riders is Spanner Kurogane, who despite working alongside him acts as a more consistent foil to Houtaro throughout the series. Stubborn to the core, Spanner takes much longer than the rest of the cast to view the Chemies as more than just tools, as well as seeing himself as the one that'll make the tough decisions and walk a darker path if needed. His cold, self-inflicted edgy attitude often clashes with Houtaro's childish naivety, making him both devil's advocate and at times even a voice of reason even if he can't convey it without being a jerk. That said even he isn't completely detached from the show's sense of humour, and in those rare moments of him letting his guard down he comes across as very likeable. His (unsurprising given the nature of his character) tragic backstory is well done, and although this is mostly loaded into the first half of the show he continues to be a strong presence later on after taking on the Kamen Rider mantle – working alongside the other Riders and the Alchemist Academy even if they don't always see eye to eye.

The focus on only three Riders not only feels like a nice change of pace after Geats' multi-Rider format, but also allows Gotchard to do something that's becoming much more of a rarity in modern Kamen Rider shows - making characters matter without them having to be Riders. From Houtaro and Rinne's upperclassmen Renge and Sabimaru in the Alchemist Academy to Spanner's mentor Kyoka, Gotchard has a rich cast of supporting characters who barely touch a Driver. Not all of them are even alchemists, with Houtaro's Ryo Kajiki frequently getting somehow involved in the action. His is a particularly interesting case, as what initially feels like a running gag (him getting his memory wiped of any Chemy activity) later turns out to be a key plot point for the show. Not all of them have detailed backstories or focus episodes, but even those that don't make their roles clear and remain valued characters right up until the very end. And while there are inevitably more Riders peppered through out the show, the characters that wield those powers don't ever feel defined by them. For example, both Sabimaru and the Academy's teacher Minato take turns as the villainous Kamen Rider Dread, but it's simply a stepping stone in their character development/the overall story rather than their trajectory from there on out. Similarly Rinne's father Fuga being Kamen Rider Wind is simply a footnote in his overall place in Gotchard, with his appearances without transforming far outweighing those where he does. This is without counting the dozens of episodic characters that appear throughout the series as well, many of whom go on to reappear as the show reaches its climax. Gone are the days where a Kamen Rider show can truly only have a handful of Riders but not only does this approach help Gotchard's world-building, it also makes those core Riders feel that little bit more special.

The villains of the series are a similarly interesting bunch, pulling from a range of different archetypes to provide a good variety across the 50 episodes. This all kicks off with Atropos, Clotho and Lachesis, the Three Dark Sisters and the one constant throughout the show. Introduced as the mysterious figures involved in both the release of the Chemies and behind the Malgam, they immediately establish themselves as a credible threat not afraid to get their hands dirty - going so far as to transform in Malgam (and later Riders) themselves on occasion. However it's with the arrival of their master and creator Glion that the Sisters really start to become compelling, with each of their moving onto their own paths that often brings their relationship into question. Between Atropos' unwavering loyalty to Glion and borderline obsession with Rinne, Clotho's lust for power or Lachesis' defection and dream of becoming human, the Three Dark Sisters aren't just the most well-developed characters in all of Gotchard - they're consistently the best and most engaging ones as well. Particular praise should go to Itono Okita - who at only nine years old conveys Atropos' cold mannerisms with perfect precision and gives arguably the show's standout performance. In comparison the show's "big boss" villains aren't anywhere near as interesting or nuanced, but still serve their purposes well. Glion may be a pretty one-note, but nevertheless there's something refreshing about a completely reprehensible villain whose sole objective is something as trivial as transforming the entire world to gold. Rounding the core villains off are the Dark Kings, who again don't really offer much in the way of characterisation (other than some fun in-fighting amongst the antagonists), but fill the quota of having recurring monster villains in addition to humans who may or may not become Riders.

One of the more curious aspects of Kamen Rider Gotchard however is that of Kamen Rider Legend, another new Rider who became more intertwined with the series than was perhaps originally expected. First appearing in the Kamen Rider Gotchard VS Kamen Rider Legend YouTube special, the "gorgeous" golden Rider went on to appear in a further three episodes of the main series as well as having a role in Summer movie Kamen Rider Gotchard: The Future Daybreak. While Ho-Oh Kaguya Quartz' debut is certainly fun and the character proved to have quite an interesting dynamic with Houtaro, Toei's insistence on making "Original character do not steal Decade" a thing is a little perplexing. One can only assume that Mashiro Inoue is getting a bit too busy for regular appearances and Legend's been brought in as a proxy, because there's really very little difference between the two to make Legend all that interesting. Sure the visuals are a little different, but ultimately it's the same transformation/summoning schtick we saw with Decade and Diend with a new coat of paint. Kamen Rider is no stranger to cross-promotion so there's enough else going on in the episodes with the supporting cast to not completely de-rail the momentum, but the sudden pivot to Kaguya's fight with the Hundred and nostalgia for past Riders (a lot of them ones from the Heisei era) feels a bit out of place - particularly when some cross-promotion for Kamen Rider Outsiders is also thrown in for good measure. Had Gotchard's Rider combo forms from the special reappeared then it might have worked better, but as it stands Legend's return feels like either Toei quickly trying to make Legend a thing so he can be used again in the future or believing that the franchise can't go too long without some sort of anniversary-style or nostalgia-based Rider. And as flashy as Legend may be, neither really feel warranted.

But then again, "flashy" is exactly what Gotchard wants to be. 101 Chemies and multiple Kamen Riders means there's quite a lot to talk about in terms of forms and suit design, and it's somewhere that the show dreamt big. While it's common for Kamen Rider shows to lay alternate forms on thick and fast in the early episodes only for them to be largely sidelined once the big upgrades come along, the "collect them all aspect" of the show's first half certainly didn't help matters. It's a shame that many of these forms didn't quite get the focus they perhaps deserved, because aesthetically they follow the series' main themes really well - combining otherwise completely unrelated things into designs that work - embracing bright colours and a cartoonish playfulness that exemplifies the more child-friendly elements of the series. But even amongst the many combos Steam Hopper still remains the best of the bunch, reincorporating the iconic grasshopper motif together with its own unique elements and of course that gorgeous metallic blue finish. Further power ups definitely build upon that, but none of them quite match the sheer screen presence of that base form. Gotchard isn't the only one with strong suit design though, with Majade also making a strong lasting impression and Valvarad's evolution from pseudo-Rider to fully-fledged Kamen Rider a visual parallel to Spanner's character development. The problem here however is that both supporting Riders have their alternate forms completely undersold in comparison to Gotchard, so much so that their final forms debut mere episodes away from the show's finale. Similarly great designs like Kamen Rider Eld (despite mostly being a retooled suit) are barely around long enough to make an impact. While it's great that the show is able to keep delivering great new forms right up until its conclusion, that initial spam of alternate forms in the first half does set a precedent that's hard to recover from.

Coming off the back of a well-received show is never an easy task, and while Kamen Rider Gotchard certainly isn't without its issues it was at the very least able to deliver a more light-hearted series befitting of its setting with some great character work (not to mention a fantastic opening theme song). Though that merchandise-driven first half can be a difficult hurdle to overcome, the second arc marks a considerable improvement even if the show sometimes feels like it's playing catch-up with itself to tick off everything it wants to do. And for all its flaws, the big steps taken forward with characters like Rinne earn it a well-deserved place in Kamen Rider history. If you're "hungry" for more, well Kamen Rider Gavv is just around the corner...