Kamen Rider Ryuki: The Complete Series review

The 1990s were an austere era for Kamen Rider. Although Shotaro Ishinomori’s popular tokusatsu was adapted into stage shows and a trio of films across the decade, 1988’s Kamen Rider Black RX was the century’s last televised installment. Following Ishinomori’s passing in 1998, Kamen Rider Kuuga debuted on January 30th, 2000 offering a revival that catapulted the action-driven serial into the Heisei era. Kamen Rider Agito arrived the following year, offering an indirect sequel.

But the September 11^th attacks triggered an international impact, prompting TV Asahi to suggest that the next Kamen Rider should focus on the concept of justice. But producer Shinichiro Shirakura recognized the complexity of the concept, permeating 2002’s Kamen Rider Ryuki with mortal sophistication. The result is fifty episodes and a theatrical movie that introduced a cast of riders driven by an array of different provocations. Although Agito introduced Evil Riders into the franchise, it’s Ryuki that truly popularized their presence. Nearly every subsequent series would feature at least one malevolent Rider.

Like most modern Kamen series, Ryuki offers a capricious blend of genres. Early on, a moment of suspense is followed up by some playful situational comedy or the franchise’s outstandingly choreographed action. This keeps the 22–25-minute episodes typically well-paced, save for reliance on frequent flash-backs that were common before the intensification of home video releases. Later, the structure shifts away from the buildup toward end-of-episode fights to a rousing battle between Riders. It’s not perfect, of course. When screentime shifts to some of the secondaries, Ryuki doesn’t always make good on its ambitions.

In the inaugural episode, a sense of dread emerges after a series of people inexplicitly go missing. We soon witness the source of these actions, as creatures from the Mirror World appear on reflective surfaces, pulling in their victims and feeding on them. Both the police and an online news service named the ORE Journal are struggling to understand the reason for these bewildering disappearances.

Investigating an apartment where every window and mirror is covered in paper, ORE intern Shinji Kido finds a deck of cards housed in a peculiar-looking container. Soon after, he finds himself pursued by a giant flying dragon and is pulled into the Mirror World. Shinji discovers that the cards offer some protection, finding himself in Kamen Rider armor. But he lacks any fighting ability and is subsequently saved by the unapproachable Kamen Rider Knight/Ren Akiyama.

When he’s chased a second time, Shinji uses one of the cards from his Advent Deck to establish a contract with Dragregger the dragon, realizing his potential as Kamen Rider Ryuki. But the transformation also thrusts him into the middle of a competition, where thirteen Riders fight to the death. This is where Shirakura’s rumination fits in, as we gradually discover the motivations of the ten riders, which range from protecting the lives of civilians, bringing back a missing sibling, a cancer victim desiring immortality, to a psychopathic rider who likes to thrill kill. Yes, Ryuki’s survey of human desires isn’t afraid to visit some dark places.

But fortunately, the writing team doesn’t let it ever get too bleak. While he can be a buffoon, Shinji’s character brings a childlike charm to the show. Like many Rider protagonists, his positivity is infectious, eventually affecting the morose Ren. Largely, the chemistry between the two leads proves to be one of Ryuki’s restrained virtues. The rest of the supporting cast habitually excels as well, offering everything from one of the franchise’s best villains to a fickle opportunist. But occasionally, the series will fumble, with the Mirror Monsters and contract Monsters serving as little more than devices to push the plot along.

Two decades later, Kamen Rider Ryuki can look a bit dated at times. Sure, the flip phones and CRT monitors are forgivable, but occasionally the series’ primitive computer-generated imagery can be distracting. But it’s not always an eyesore and about a third of the CG shots are decent. Expectedly, the practical effects and fighting choreography are normally top-notch, and the pyrotechnics are often dazzling. Opinions will vary about the inclusion of marketing hooks, especially since fights inexplicably pause for Riders to scan them with their visors. But let’s face it, the Advent cards kicked off the inclusion of collectables and were cool looking. In retrospect, they arguably outshone Yu-Gi-Oh!

One of Ryuki’s other contentious elements is the series’ bittersweet conclusion. Some were unhappy about it, motiving Ishimori Productions and Toei to develop an alternative ending. The result is Kamen Rider Ryuki: Episode Final: The Director’s Cut, a 97-minute film that picks up after episode 46. Expectedly, the production values reflect the shift in media, and while the pacing starts slow, there’s a gratifying amount of character development. Sadly, Shout Factory’s boxset doesn’t bundle 13 Riders, the spin-off web series, the crossover films with Agito and Super Sentai, or the 20^th-anniversary film.

Considering the age of the source material, image quality is commendable across the eight Blu-ray set. Occasionally, darker scenes produce a bit of artifacting, but daylight and outdoor locations deliver faultless 1080p fidelity. The series’ DTS-HD mastering is pleasingly punchy, injecting energy into the lively fight scenes.

Kamen Rider Ryuki: The Complete Series is currently available for purchase
from Shout Factory and can be streamed from Shout! Factory TV.