Intro:
Tokusatsu, as a genre, holds a unique place in nerd culture. Most fan bases can easily boast about the community they create through a shared love of media. However, tokusatsu is unique in its ability to attract people who enjoy its wholehearted passion. The genre never masks its passion or emotion with irony.
Everything is earnest and sincere. People seek something true and beautiful in an internet culture increasingly poisoned by irony. While it’s made for kids, tokusatsu resonates with adults looking for something that doesn’t apologize for itself. That’s why these shows gain cult followings that last even after the end of their runs. One such show is Kamen Rider 555, also known as Faiz. Fans are ecstatic with its upcoming anniversary movie Kamen Rider 555 20th Paradise Regained, which is being released in the States. Seeing all the characters they love and being reminded why love exists is a highlight.
One popular tokusatsu youtuber, known online as Marcostokusatsu, agreed to an interview for this article about fan reactions to the movie. Considering the overseas screening releases on February 2, 2024, anticipation is high.
Excitement Around Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained
With the upcoming release approaching, excitement and speculation are becoming more vocal in fan spaces. Though not all fans can be spoken for, many are thrilled to see their favorite characters again.
“I know we’ve seen a lot of the Faiz characters in anniversary returns, such as Geo, but this is more of a continuation of their story.” Marcostokusatsu said, “So I think that’s what fans are going to be most excited for. It’s what I’m most excited about. I personally want to see how their story continues after so many years.”
The original series is now 21 years old. Fans have had two decades to think about the 50-episode series and its follow-up movie. This means expectations are high, especially since the newer Kamen Rider series has been released since then. Does Faiz still hold up in the 21 years since its release? Marcostokusatsu says that it does.
“I think Faiz still holds up, yeah. The story, I think, is still as dramatic as it was all those years ago, and the characters are still very compelling. Those characters are still memorable for a reason. Takumi and Kusaka are still very memorable main riders for a reason. That’s why a lot of the fanbase celebrates Faiz Day; it’s just so popular, and also, Takumi fans are always glad to see them back. So I think, yeah, I think Kamen Rider Faiz still holds up today. Maybe the CGI doesn’t all that much, but the stories and characters do still hold up.”
For many, the story is a core aspect of the series. It will be interesting to see how that story plays out in “Paradise: Regained.”
Kamen Rider 555 & The Test of Time:
Twenty-one “Kamen Rider” series were released after Faiz. Tokusatsu as a whole has also entered the Reiwa era since then. Understandably, much has changed. Special effects are different now than they were 20 years ago.
“While Faiz, it does have some very dated CG, it also has some very good CG.” Marcostokusatsu went on further to say, “But, nowadays, with more modern technology, a lot of that CG that they did back then, and with the clips that we did see for the trailer for Paradise Regained, a lot of those CG effects and elements that you remember from Faiz back in the early 2000s are more updated.”
Like most other genres, tokusatsu has undergone an evolution since its days of solely using practical effects. Brief showcases of animation are more common now. Some CGI is even used depending on the scene. Its evolution over the years piques fan interest.
“It evolved in terms of the HDness there is, how high quality it is. So I think it’s really interesting to see the evolution of tokusatsu from the early 2000s with Faiz all the way to the 2020s.” Marcostokusatsu said.
Giving classic characters a fresh coat of paint is a bonus for fans. Still, questions remain. Will Paradise: Regained be a proper successor to Faiz’s other movie? Will producers still be using the hardly see-through mask characteristic of Takumi’s design? Only time will tell. Speaking of which, Takumi’s presence as a character is not overlooked.
Takumi Inui (Part 1):
Being one of the most popular characters in Faiz, Takumi’s presence is always welcomed by fans. Having developed as a character over the years, fans are interested in his character growth. Seeing him in Paradise: Regained only furthers that interest for many, including Marcostokusatsu.
“Takumi’s a very dramatic character, stoic character, but he also tries to hide a lot of his feelings underneath the stoicism.” marcostokusatsu said, “He tries to play cool, and he tries to be like the straight man out of everybody and everybody that he fights with, talks to, and he interacts with. But underneath it all, he’s called like some nicknames or funny names by his friends.”
The character has not remained stagnant in the past 20 years. Still, some traits remain consistent through different Kamen Rider shows.
“They each show that Takumi does try to be serious, but he still has some emotion underneath. I think a lot of that is shown especially well in the Kamen Rider Yonga movie, where he makes a big return and is a main character in that.” Marcostokusatsu said, “But in this, in the new movie, the anniversary movie for Paradise Regained, I’m hoping to see Takumi show his emotions the most he’s ever been because while most people know him as this serious guy who can be sarcastic sometimes, I do like seeing him show off that he is more than that, that he fights for his friends and he may not say it, but he definitely shows it.”
Takumi Inui (Part 2):
Watching Takumi’s evolution has been cathartic for fans. Whether it be new fans or ones who have been here since the beginning, many find Takumi’s character growth fascinating.
“And that’s probably the best part about Faiz to me is showing his characterization throughout the show from being this kind of boring guy to humanity’s savior, if not for the entirety of humanity, but at least for his friends, and he’s very protective of them. So I like to see that in all their shows, and I hope the movie shows that even more.” marcostokusatsu said.
For more information on Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained, the trailer can be found here. The original series and first movie can be found on Amazon Prime.
