Anime REVIEW: Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider

Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is available on Crunchyroll

With the release of Fuuto PI back in 2022 there was the fleeting hope that it may result in more Kamen Rider anime series, but while an adaptation of Kamen Rider Spirits is still nowhere to be found in the meantime Liden Films (Cells at Work! CODE BLACK, Tokyo Revengers, Goblin Slayer II) have come along with the next best thing. Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is a 24-episode adaptation of Yokusaru Shibata's ongoing manga series of the same name, made in cooperation with both Toei and Ishimori Productions - giving it official recognition as a spin-off (of sorts) of the wider franchise. With its release also coinciding with the main show taking its first steps in wider streaming on YouTube, newcomers who discover Kamen Rider through this show also might want to consider checking out current series Kamen Rider Zeztz as their first steps into the wider world of this iconic franchise.

As a child Tanzaburo Tojima idolised Kamen Rider - aspiring not just to become like the titular hero, but to be Kamen Rider. To this end he's spent his whole life training, but now a 40-year-old man he's faced with the reality that it's just a television show and that Shocker; the evil organisation Kamen Rider battles against, do not exist. However one night whilst attending a nearby festival, he sees a stall owner being harassed by a gang of thugs wearing Shocker masks. Donning a Kamen Rider omen mask, Tojima defeats the criminals and takes his first step toward becoming the hero he always dreamed of.

But as Tojima continues to thwart the recent string of Shocker crimes, he's shocked to discover these aren't copycat criminals - Shocker are real. He's not the only person who wants to take them down either. Together with Yuriko Okada, a schoolteacher enamoured by Kamen Rider Stronger's Electro-wave Human Tackle; Ichiyo Shimamura, Kamen Rider V3's greatest fan; Mitsuba Shimamura, Ichiyo's brother and Riderman to his V3; and Yukarisu, a former Shocker combatant freed from brainwashing; Tojima sets out to do the unthinkable and defeat Shocker's shadowy forces.

Whilst scenes such as a teenage Tojima beating down a group of thugs with Kamen Rider's Typhoon belt drawn onto his stomach or his adult self taking down a bear as part of his training give you a good idea of what kind of series you're in for, the first episode of Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider carries a very relatable message for anyone who's carried a love for superheroes into their adult life. From a young child Tojima is unabashed in his love for the original 1971 Kamen Rider series, idolising his hero to the point where simply emulating him isn't enough. Though he remains steadfast in his mission, his quest to become Kamen Rider has pushed people away from him - and now as a 40-year-old man he's faced with the possibility that it may have all been for naught. The thought of what will happen to their collection when they die is something that'll have undoubtedly crossed most collectors' minds, and the scenes of Tojima selling his collection because he can't bear the idea of dying alone and it being thrown away by strangers is thoroughly relatable. It's a surprisingly poignant opener for a comedy-action series, but a clear sign that creator Shibata-san doesn't just know his audience - he's one of us as well.

But those scenes aside, it doesn't take long for the viewer to be drawn into the weird and wonderful world that is Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider. Although there are qualities to Tojima that Kamen Rider (or any superhero for that matter) fans will relate to, his fanaticism is taken the extreme lengths - those aforementioned scenes showing just how ridiculous his quest to become Kamen Rider can be. Despite Tojima's insane feats of strength, the opening episode to the series otherwise remains fairly grounded - the Shocker to Tojima's Rider simply being a gang that picked the wrong group of villains to base their identity on. There are obvious parallels to 2013's Samurai Flamenco, an often-forgotten series but held up as the gold standard by its fans for this kind of superhero story. Where Tojima differs however is that it takes much less time for things to get crazy, and at least as far as this anime adaptation goes there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Unfortunately Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider comes with the usual proviso of any seasonal anime series - you're only getting part of the story here. It's quickly established that Shocker is in fact real, but just where they came from, whether Kamen Rider is also real or how they relate back to being from an old television show is never really discussed. To its credit the story is both able to move along perfectly fine without these answers and ends on a somewhat satisfying note for the time being, but Tojima is far from the first anime adaptation to only cover a portion of the series and will be far from the last - we can but hope it was popular enough to warrant more episodes, but if not fans will have to turn to the manga to find out how it actually ends.

Once the threat of a real life Shocker is established, Tojima's mission is solidified and the story is a straightforward one - defeat the bad guys. At its core this may not be all that complex, but it's that simplicity that both makes it true to Kamen Rider and more approachable to newcomers. The strengths of the series come from both the absurdity of ordinary people so strong in their delusion that they're able to take on a fully-fledged evil organisation with monsters and augmented soldiers amongst its ranks, and the way it's able to apply its knowledge of Kamen Rider - both in terms of story structure and how the characters can use their own knowledge of it to exploit it. For example, when the Riders are forced to retreat from a strong foe they train - coming back stronger than ever.

The constant references to Kamen Rider suggests that Tojima is aimed squarely at those already enamoured with the franchise, but this isn't strictly true. While there's no doubt that existing Kamen Rider fans (particularly those familiar with the original six series run from the Showa era) will get more from it, many of these concepts are universal to anyone with an interest in superheroes - said references working perfectly fine as simply a "show within a show" concept. Similarly Tojima features a cameo from a character from Air Master, another of Shibata's creations - however knowledge of this isn't required at all and simply a fun nod for anyone familiar with them. That said, it is the level of detail that Tojima puts into the scenes that makes it stand out from similar shows - displaying a knowledge of the material that matches the passion of its characters. Little details like denoting how Tackle would introduce herself as "Electro-wave Human Tack'" rather than "Tackle" show the level of detail the show is working to, and go a long way in helping the passion of its creators rub off on the audience as well. Toei's involvement in the series gives it a lot more to play with as well, recreating key moments from the show in animation complete with original dialogue clips and music to make it feel that much more connected to the main franchise. A fanatical level of Kamen Rider may be an important part of Tojima's DNA, but it certainly isn't an entry requirement. If Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider makes people want to seek out the main series then that's wonderful, but if not it still stands as enjoyable (albeit maybe not quite so much) in its own right.

Much of that ability to enjoy the series without an encyclopaedic knowledge of Kamen Rider comes from how great the characters are, all of whom are varying degrees of self-aware when it comes to the ridiculousness of their situation. At the far end of the scale you have Tojima and Ichiyo, both of whom take their fanaticism for their respective heroes to extreme lengths. Their embodiment of Kamen Rider 1 and V3 respectively may make them somewhat unhinged, but there's a real earnestness to their passion and it is evident that they've taken the right lessons from their heroes. Young Tojima's exclamations that fighting should be used to thwart evil rather than schoolyard squabbles feels like it could have come out of the mouth of Takeshi Hongo himself. They're loveable losers whose first instinct is to punch something, and if that doesn't work than the only answer is to punch it harder next time. 

A somewhat more divisive character but just as important to the story Yuriko, who has devoted her life to succeeding Kamen Rider's first transforming heroine. Whilst Yuriko is a little more self-aware than the men she finds herself working with, she's certainly no less brazen in the way she goes about it - stripping down in the middle of the street to don her combat suit. Between this and the stupidly buxom proportions of Tojima's female characters there's a level of fanservice to the series that understandably not everyone is going to get on board with, but it's important to note that at least not all of them are solely defined these aspects. Yuriko proves herself to be just as capable fighter as the men, what she lacks in raw strength by comparison she makes up for in strategy and level-headedness to a point where she's in some ways more skilled than her companions - something the show isn't afraid to spell out either. But in addition to just acknowledging her strength, Yuriko represents a very important part of the Kamen Rider fandom. Her love for Tackle mirrors so many other female fans that would have finally saw themselves in the show upon her introduction in Kamen Rider Stronger, and her lament at her sacrifice is something that's many fans empathise with 50 years later. Despite her legacy Tackle doesn't always get the respect she deserves, and though it'll never fix the crime of her never having the title of "Kamen Rider" bestowed upon her, Tojima at least tries to pay homage to the first Kamen Rider in its own way. 

Rounding off the core group of heroes are Mitsuba and Yukarisu, who share a similar level of self-awareness to Yuriko but also bring a different type of comedy to the table. Mitsuru's mini-arc about living in his brother's shadow and accepting his position as the Riderman to Ichiyo's V3 is a nice moment of development for the character, but it's his relationship with an ex-Shocker combatant that makes him stand out. Although Yukarisu's obsession with Mitsuba is mostly played for laughs, her ability to overcome Shocker's brainwashing through the power of love is both an important plot point and key call back to the fundamentals of Kamen Rider. Although her defection leads to her steadily losing a lot of the edge she has in the earlier episodes, she's a great character - her inclusion (along with all the other Shocker girls) also putting the spotlight on the often-forgotten (and definitely unappreciated) female Shocker combatant design from the original series.

But despite having a strong core cast that each bring something different to the mix, Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider also manages to surprise with its supporting cast as well. Hachirō Nakao is among the first characters introduced in the show, a Yakuza member who always preferred the bad guys to the heroes - effectively the combatant to Tojima's Kamen Rider. His journey to becoming a real Shocker grunt is obvious, but his backstory showing how he once lost faith in heroes and the relationship he shares with his underling is less so. Not only is his development over the course of the series easily the most substantial, but the latter half of his story also yields some of the show's funniest moments. Even seemingly a seemingly minor character like the Shimamura's middle sibling Futaba has their own mini-arc to give them a proper place in the story. 

The series also goes to great lengths to humanise the key members of Shocker, whether it be as outright villains or more complex characters. Tojima in general does a great job with the Shocker combatants, overcoming the degradation they've had in recent times and making them a force to be reckoned with again. Characters like Yukarisu and Hachirō are the obvious examples in putting characters behind these otherwise faceless henchmen, but "Thunder Raiko"; a former wrestler-turned-combatant who seeks to become stronger through becoming a kaijin is another interest nuance among the villains. Even the kaijin themselves are more slightly more substantial than their original Kamen Rider equivalents. One of the show's stranger episodes sees "Spider Man" Su Komota start living with gluttonous idol obsessed with ramen in order to better understand humans. Meanwhile the "Bat Man" kaijin is reimagined as sleazy idol producer Morio Koda, with his plan of converting fans into combatants using idol groups to indoctrinate them feeling like exactly the kind of crazy scheme the real Shocker would pull.

The show blends its distinct brand of meta-comedy and over the top action well, with fight scenes that get your blood pumping despite some inconsistent animation quality at times and the aforementioned issues with the female character design (and as overt as the fanservice can be at times, at the very least it has numerous sequences of sweaty men training in their underwear too for some semblance of balance). The humour thrives on the absurd, but how well timed some of its jokes are is definitely one of its most underrated aspects. Without giving too much away, the climax to episode 20 (which already stands out as one the silliest in the show) is possibly the hardest I've laughed at something in a long time. And it's made so much more perfect by the protagonist wearing the kind of children's Kamen Rider mask you can buy yourself for next to nothing (at least in Japan anyway). If he were to wear anything more then Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider just wouldn't be the same. It plays itself completely straight, wears its heart on its sleeve and thus sells itself with a fiery passion that has you grinning from ear to ear.

It would also be remiss not to mention Tojima's incredible soundtrack, which also makes up a huge part of the show's identity. Crafted by renowned DJ/music producer TeddyLoid (perhaps best known for ME!ME!ME! as well as both Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt soundtracks), it features a superb selection of character songs that carry TeddyLoid's distinct style as well as the boisterous energy required for a show of its kind. "RIDER, RIDER" is a fist-pumping anthem that heralds the show's action sequences, while "I am Tackle!" is a rumbling electronic piece that accompanies Yuriko's defining moments. Perhaps most special of all though is Teddyloid's new edit of original Kamen Rider theme "Let's Go!! Rider Kick", breathing new life into the iconic theme with a new beat and English lyrics. Together with select use of the original version in certain scenes, the weight of the theme is felt throughout the series - with this new interpretation making it feel like 1971 all over again.

For Kamen Rider fans (particularly those of the Showa era), Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is a real love letter to the franchise that understands the feelings it instils inside fans just as much as it does the series itself. But even to those unfamiliar with it, the show remains a fantastic slice of superhero comedy action. Whilst their over the top eccentricities might not be quite so relatable, the desire to be a hero is a universal one - making this a story any fan of the genre can pick up and enjoy. With memorable characters, explosive action and a great sense of comedic timing Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider really is the whole package. With the original manga still ongoing and an official English language release on the horizon there's still plenty to enjoy, but here's hoping this isn't the last we see of it in animated form either.