If you grew
up watching guys in rubber suits punching each other with evil monsters,
the name Kamen Rider is sure to give you goosebumps. This
legendary Japanese franchise has dominated the live-action format
for decades, but it seems that they have outgrown the suit. This weekend they
dropped a media bombshell: the official creation of a new division dedicated
purely and exclusively to producing animated films. And to open the curtain? A
first project backed by two of the biggest monsters in the industry.
┌──── KAMEN RIDER ────┐
— 仮面ライダー公式 (@HKR20_official) April 3, 2026
THE KAMENRIDER
ANIMATED
└──── 55th GOGO!! ────┘
仮面ライダーのアニメーション
映画レーベル設立#仮面ライダー生誕55周年#仮面ライダーの日 pic.twitter.com/ICMNrarVk0
The
Titans Behind This Historic Animated Alliance
When you
get into the animation film market, you can't go halfway. The Toei
Company knows this perfectly, and that's why they decided to partner
with studios that guarantee brutal sales and a graphic quality that leaves you
glued to your seat. Here are those responsible for leading this first visual
blow:
- Aniplex as Main
Producer.
The
entertainment giant responsible for producing media phenomena and breaking the
box office with Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online.
- Shirogumi as Animation
Studio
The
absolute masters of visual effects and 3D integration,
masterminds behind Stand By Me Doraemon and the award-winning
CGI of Godzilla Minus One.
A legacy
of tokusatsu that cried out to evolve
Bringing tokusatsu to
other formats is not totally forbidden, but opening an entire film label is
another level of ambition. The work originally conceived by the late Shotaro
Ishinomori has always relied on physical stunts, motorcycles flying
through the air and explosions full of sparks in abandoned quarries. But of
course, the physical limitation of the actors and the cables is always there.
By diving into animation, these transformable heroes will have
the freedom to break all the laws of gravity and take epic battles to
scales so ridiculous that in a traditional format they would cost an entire
country's budget.
What are
they looking for with this jump to cartoons?
At the
moment, the details of this first film are under seven security keys. There is
no official title, no leaked synopsis, not even a sketch to calm the cravings.
What the producers did make very clear to us is that they seek to keep intact
that righteous essence and heroic spirit of the original saga, but presenting
us with stories that feel extremely fresh. It is, basically, a way to reconnect
with the public that has been following television series for years, and at the
same time, hook the new generation of otakus who consume high-quality animation
in cinema.
