Shin Kamen Rider

“Shin Kamen Rider” remains thrilling and thoughtful, both as an expression of Anno’s instantly recognizable style and a weirdly moving expression of the title hero’s restless spirit.

It’s to be expected from the motorcycle-riding hero that his narrative might travel at break-neck speeds, but it does so without diminishing the emotional heft that makes the ride worth it.

It’s a wildly unstable pairing: ‘70s sci-fi played straight, never as kitsch, mixed with long speeches about loss and regret, all filtered through nigh impenetrable exposition about computers and the afterlife.

With Shin Kamen Rider, Anno delivers an action-hero experience that is both incredibly fun and emotionally touching.

Even if the film’s pacing is both its blessing and curse, Hideaki Anno’s Shin Kamen Rider is a highly entertaining and intentionally campy homage to the classic Japanese character.


Shin Kamen Rider is an immensely entertaining film that serves as a respectful throwback to Kamen Rider, a surprisingly welcoming entry point into the source material as well as a touching elegy to depression and striving for true happiness.

With brightly colored costumes, high-speed motorbikes, and a fondness for mid-air combat, the film has a very distinctive style and never lets self-consciousness get in its way.

Shin Kamen Rider is epic and absurd, but most importantly, it’s surprisingly sincere. Japan’s biggest hero, Kamen Rider, is here to stay for many generations.



The final product ends up being more low-risk than Anno’s past projects, but Shin Kamen Rider is also one of his most heartfelt works to date.

Hideaki Anno's "Shin Trilogy" concludes with a loving tribute to the old school aesthetics and mindless fun that's made the Kamen Rider series a cornerstone of the japanese entertainment industry for over half a century. [Full Review in Spanish]