You are here:

Kamen Rider: THE NEXT

Name: Kamen Rider: THE NEXT
Director: Ryuta Tasaki
Released: 2007
Duration: 103 min

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

2007

Director

Ryuta Tasaki

Runtime

103 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Kamen Rider: THE NEXT is a stylistic reimagining that prioritizes historical legacy and genre conventions over progressive narrative innovation. It leans heavily into traditional Tokusatsu clichés, focusing on the existential struggle of a cybernetically enhanced hero against a monolithic evil. The film reinforces established heroic archetypes and conventional social structures. While it uses the cyborg metaphor to explore individual ability to act, it lacks the complexity of diverse identities or social deconstruction found in more contemporary works. Ultimately, the production remains a traditionalist piece. It emphasizes high-stakes physical conflict and the 'hero vs. systemic evil' archetype rather than exploring diverse identities or social deconstruction.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Kamen Rider: THE NEXT have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any visible LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight storylines. The plot centers solely on the male protagonist’s journey, without any queer undertones.

How does Kamen Rider: THE NEXT portray gender?

Limited

The story primarily focuses on the male protagonist, Takeshi Hongo, and lacks significant female characters or roles. The narrative centers around his actions and struggles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Kamen Rider: THE NEXT?

Limited

The film features a predominantly Japanese cast. While it avoids whitewashing, it does not actively promote a multicultural cast to diversify the ethnic representation.

How does Kamen Rider: THE NEXT represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story follows a typical moral framework where good fights against evil. It reinforces the cliché of an individual protector maintaining social order against external threats.

Does Kamen Rider: THE NEXT include disability representation?

Limited

The protagonist's cyborg status is used as a sci-fi cliché of technological enhancement. It serves as a tool for combat rather than a deeper look into disability.

Present on Screen

Faithfully adheres to the foundational 1971 Kamen Rider mythos and established genre conventions.
Effectively uses the cyborg metaphor to explore individual ability to act within a sci-fi setting.

Limited or Absent

Lacks complexity in addressing diverse identities and fails to move beyond traditionalist archetypes.
Fails to provide significant women's ability to drive the story or subvert conventional masculine leadership roles.
Does not engage with nuanced explorations of disability or neurodivergence through its cyborg elements.

Official Synopsis

Bent on the destruction of the human race, the secret underground organization Shocker secretly planned to plunge the world into chaos. But they didn’t count on the revolt of both of their experimentally “reconstructed” human beings, the Kamen Riders. Two years after their first battle with Shocker, a 3rd Rider arises to confront them, known only as “Version 3.” The arrival of the third Kamen Rider will hurl the heroes into their most terrible battle yet and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

How are these scores produced? →