| Kikaider REBOOT | |
| A movie for Kikaider REBOOT | |
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| Release date May 24, 2014[1] December 2014 (Region 1 DVD) | |
| Written by Kento Shimoyama | |
| Directed by Ten Shimoyama | |
| Episode Guide | |
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| Production Order | |
| previous The Boy with the Guitar: Kikaider vs. Inazuman |
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Kikaider REBOOT (キカイダー REBOOT, Kikaidā Ribūto) is a 2014 feature film which acts as a reboot/relaunch of the Kikaider franchise created by Shotaro Ishinomori.
Synopsis
Set in the near future, Dr. Nobuhiko Komyoji was the head of the robot engineering project "ARK Project" to use robots peacefully to solve problems beyond human control. Dr. Komyoji however died during an experiment and a year later the project was headed by his rival Gilbert Kanzaki and the Minister of Defense Tsubakiya who had begun to use the project for their own personal benefits rather than its original objective. To revive the original project, Jiro aka Kikaider, an android with a Conscience Circuit created by Dr. Komyoji has appeared to protect his creator's children Mitsuko and Masaru who have the key to complete the project.
Plot
In the near future, the Japanese government develops the ARK Project, led by Dr. Nobuhiko Kohmyoji, to create androids to help public citizens. Two prototypes are constructed: one by Dr. Kohmyoji, Jiro/Kikaider, an android built with an experimental Conscience Circuit, and another by Professor Gilbert Kanzaki, Mari, a combat-based android.
Dr. Kohmyoji mysteriously dies and his children, Mitsuko and Masaru are suddenly targeted by Japan's Defense Minister. Jiro comes to their aide and vows to protected them, a final request from Dr. Kohmyoji. Masaru becomes fond of Jiro but Mitsuko becomes wary of him. Mari eventually finds Jiro and nearly destroys him but spares him after Mitsuko and Masaru agree to go with her without resistance. A data chip is then retrieved from within Masaru's body, containing all of Dr. Kohmyoji's research. The Defense Minister then turns the ARK Project into the DARK Project (Developing Advanced Research by Kohmyoji) and forces Professor Gil to complete his work.
Jiro is then attacked by another android named "Hakaider", who is revealed to be Professor Gil, having surgically placed his brain within an android body. Hakaider proceeds to destroy the ARK Project facility where he is counter-attacked by Jiro. Mitsuko tries to stop him from fighting but Jiro finally realizes his own free-will and chooses to protect by fighting. Jiro manages to defeat Hakaider but at the cost of his life. Mitsuko vows to one day rebuild him.
In a post-credit scene, the Defense Minister, having escaped the demise of the facility with Mari, confirms the official start of the true android project.
Cast
Film Poster
- Jiro (ジロー, Jirō)/Kikaider (キカイダー, Kikaidā, Voice): Jingi Irie (入江 甚儀, Irie Jingi)
- Mitsuko Komyoji (光明寺 ミツ子, Kōmyōji Mitsuko): Aimi Satsukawa (佐津川 愛美, Satsukawa Aimi)
- Nobuhiko Komyoji (光明寺 信彦, Kōmyōji Nobuhiko): Kazushige Nagashima (長嶋 一茂, Nagashima Kazushige)
- Masaru Komyoji (光明寺 マサル, Kōmyōji Masaru): Yuto Ikeda (池田 優斗, Ikeda Yūto)
- Hanpei Hattori (服部 半平, Hattori Hanpei): Ryuji Harada (原田 龍二, Harada Ryūji)
- Sogoro Honda (本田 宗五郎, Honda Sōgorō): Hirotaro Honda (本田 博太郎, Honda Hirotarō)
- Mari (マリ, Mari): Maryjun Takahashi (高橋 メアリージュン, Takahashi Mearījun)[2]
- Kyujiro Maeno (前野 究治郎, Maeno Kyūjirō): Daisuke Ban (伴 大介, Ban Daisuke)
- Gilbert Kanzaki (ギルバート 神崎, Girubāto Kanzaki)/Hakaider (ハカイダー, Hakaidā, Voice): Shingo Tsurumi
(鶴見 辰吾, Tsurumi Shingo) - Shinnosuke Tanabe (田部 慎之介, Tanabe Shinnosuke): Renji Ishibashi (石橋 蓮司, Ishibashi Renji)
Suit actors
- Kikaider (キカイダー, Kikaidā): Makoto Arakawa (荒川 真, Arakawa Makoto)
- Hakaider (ハカイダー, Hakaidā): Hirokazu Iwakami (岩上弘数, Iwakami Hirokazu)
Trailer Gallery
5.24公開 『キカイダーREBOOT』映像初公開！
Kikaider REBOOT: 5 second Teaser Trailer
映画『キカイダー REBOOT』予告編-0
Kikaider REBOOT: Trailer
Production
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The Kikaider teaser which was shown at the end of Super Hero Taisen Z, featuring the original Kikaider.
At the end of Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z, as seen in both the theatrical and DVD release, a post-credits scene features the sound of a heartbeat and Kikaider is shown with the narrator stating that all the heroes that were featured in the movie "aren't the only superheroes of Earth". This hinted at a Kikaider revival project. Despite the original suit being used for the announcement, redesigned suits for the main character and Hakaider were utilized for the film much like in Kamen Rider The First and The Next.
In December 2013, around the time the next Super Hero Taisen film was announced. Publisher Kadokawa revealed on their official website that the upcoming Kikaider movie will air sometime in 2014. The site also featured the new Kikaider novel, which listed that the movie would be released in fall 2014. This later proved to be specualtion as the film was announced for a summer release on May 24, 2014 [3] [4]
Release
Kikaider Reboot premiered in Japan on May 24, 2014
In the US, a special one week run of the film was done at the Consolidated Theatres Ward Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii from October 10 to October 16, 2014, featuring English subtitles by JN Productions. This showing was done by native fans of the original series as a commemoration of the franchise's 40th anniversary. On Halloween 2014, JN Productions announced a future DVD release for the film around the holiday season. [5]
External Links
References
- ↑ http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/01/30/live-action-remake-film-of-shotaro-ishinomoris-kikaider-confirmed
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ http://www.orendsrange.com/2013/06/new-kikaider-movie-revealed.html
- ↑ http://www.orendsrange.com/2013/12/new-kikaider-movie-to-premiere-in-2014.html
- ↑ http://updates.herotaku.com/post/101406424286/kikaider-reboot-coming-to-the-us
Trivia
- Despite the promise of a sequel with a post-credits tease, this movie never got a follow up.
- It is questionable why REBOOT Komyoji even put his secret file into his own son despite the obvious dangers of doing so.
- The Conscience Circuit that appeared in this movie seemed to merely be a limiter for REBOOT Jiro that dampened his fighting abilities.
- A rather odd part of the movie was when REBOOT Mitsuko initially planned to travel abroad despite having a younger brother without any parents or legal guardians to take care of him.
- When the members of REBOOT Dark were kidnapping REBOOT Masaru, they could have just easily captured him when he was alone by himself instead of pointlessly breaking through windows and chasing him on top of a building.
- When REBOOT Mitsuko stopped her plans to go abroad in order to meet REBOOT Jiro during his battle, she really didn't need to considering how she probably would have just gotten in the way.
- It is questionable why high ranking people of national security would name themselves DARK despite how ominous sounding the name is.
- Although the part where REBOOT Hakaider stated to REBOOT Jiro that beings born from DARK will return to DARK was presumably a reference to the original series, it should be noted that REBOOT Jiro wasn't a part of DARK at any point in the movie.
- If the members of REBOOT Dark were just going to release REBOOT Masaru after they retrieved the chip, then it's questionable why they didn't just explain the situation in the first place.
- This extends to REBOOT Komyoji needing to program REBOOT Jiro as a bodyguard for his children.