by As children, many people have dreamed of becoming heroes while watching anime or special effects programs. In most cases, as we grow up, we wake up from this dream and return to reality, but what if we continued to live that way?
A unique composition of the anime version
The story’s protagonist, Tanzaburou Higashijima, has dreamed of becoming a Kamen Rider since childhood, and even as an adult, he has devoted himself to training, including retreating to the mountains. As a result, he attains the power to fight wild bears on equal terms, but he is tormented by the cruel reality that “Shockers” do not exist.
One day, a series of robberies is committed by people calling themselves “Shockers.” Even when Higashijima happens to visit a festival, fake Shockers appear and commit a heinous crime right before his very eyes. So, Higashijima dons a Kamen Rider mask he found for sale at a food stall and achieves the transformation he has always dreamed of. For Higashijima, becoming Kamen Rider is not a joke, but a life-or-death experience. It’s no exaggeration to say he lives for the sake of becoming Kamen Rider. So, overjoyed at the opportunity to fight Shocker legally, he sheds tears beneath his mask, declaring, “I’m not just pretending! I’m serious!” before using his well-trained physique to engage in battle.
While the original manga begins by depicting Higashijima at the age of 40, the anime version starts by introducing episodes from his childhood and high school days. This change in structure effectively highlights the kind of person Higashijima is. Common sense would dictate that a man who pretends to be a special effects hero and punches people is a hazardous person.
The incident that Higashijima experienced as a high school student serves as a poignant symbol of this reality. However, the appeal of this work lies in the fact that it doesn’t let up. Higashijima has trained seriously, driven by the fictional world of Kamen Rider, and his fists now possess the power to break down the barrier between reality and fiction.
