New from Medicom comes Project BM Fourze Elec States. Sold exclusively through the Premium Club Store, Elec States will see a March release, retailing for a whopping 19,950 yen.
Project BM Kamen Rider Fourze Elec States Revealed
SIC Ultimate Kuuga, TaJaDol Statue Release
A couple of interesting new SIC designs have been revealed:
*Rising Ultimate Kuuga is the next figure for the Kiwami Tamashii series; to be released in December at a price point of 1575 yen
*Kamen Rider OOO’s Soaring Combo, TaJaDol with an interesting statue-base for the figure. Full details and release date for this are not yet available but please remember- time judges all :)
Thanks to member Blade Raider for the heads-up!Sota Fukushi Talks Kamen Rider Fourze
Speaking of Kamen Rider Fourze…..The Daily Yomiuri has interviewed Sota Fukushi, who plays Gentaro Kisaragi AKA Kamen Rider Fourze himself! It turns out a talent agency discovered Fukushi through his photos in a hair magazine. If that wasn’t a surprise, it also turns out that prior to auditioning, Fukushi had never watched a Kamen Rider show before!
Nonetheless, he was still able to impress producer Hideaki Tsukuda:
Hideaki Tsukada, a producer at Toei Co., the company behind the TV show and film, was present at the audition. “Fukushi isn’t a calculating person when it comes to his appearance. His manner of expressing himself directly was very attractive. His brilliant smile fit my image of Kisaragi,” Tsukada said.
Though Fukushi had never watched Kamen Rider series before, it turns out, his parents did!
When Fukushi told his parents about passing the audition, they were even happier than he expected. His mother said, “I can strike the [original] Kamen Rider pose,” and then did so. Kamen Rider was the first installment of the series, airing in 1971. Fukushi’s father, a Kamen Rider fan, was thrilled, saying, “This is really excellent.”His parents’ reactions reminded Fukushi that Kamen Rider is a popular series that has lasted more than 40 years.
“It was a privilege to become a character my parents have followed. I vowed to portray a Rider who can encourage all viewers,” he said.
The article also mentions that Fukushi cannot seriously get angry while performing, which admittedly troubles him a little. With Kamen Rider Fourze wrapping up soon, what do you think of Fukushi, did he live up to his 1st role as a Kamen Rider well?
Tokusatsu Toys And How They Ensure A Steady Stream Of Revenue
The Asahi Shimbun has posted a a series of articles which focuses on none other than Tokusatsu! While the title of the series is “Where are Ultraman and Godzilla?”, the 2nd article(posted today) is actually about how Tokusatsu toys ensure a steady stream of revenue for their respective series. Toy sales are a vital reason for the Tokusatsu genre to have lasted for 45 years:
Explaining the company’s 45-year history in the genre, Toei’s senior managing director, Takeyuki Suzuki, said: “It’s because we have a business model in which royalties from toy sales are plowed back into production funds.For example, a toy belt modeled after the one worn by Kamen Rider Fourze, which the protagonist uses to transform himself into a masked crusader, is a hot-selling item. Priced at 6,825 yen ($87), sales are expected to reach 800,000 units.
And then there are all sorts of “Astroswitch” gadgets that can be inserted into the belt. Sales of these products have already topped 30 million units.
Each year, the market is flooded with 6,000 related items–books, fashion accessories and so on–aimed at children.
Interestingly enough, the article also states that Toei spends about 7 months(or more) to develop character settings and designs for the action hero. In addition, a new robot is introduced in 3 month intervals after the show airs.
Also mentioned is the fact that Toei wanted Heisei rider series to have riders that “looked cooler than the fathers of the children who watch the shows”. It’s not just dads that Toei is targeting as moms come into play too:
The company also realized it would have more luck promoting the toys if the shows drew good viewer ratings from the children’s mothers. After all, it is the mothers who hold the purse strings.
Who would’ve thought?
It also turns out that tokusatsu series and films are Toei’s mainstay revenue source:
The bottom line is all about whether the profits from toy sales and other merchandise can cover pricey the production costs for tokusatsu special effects, such as miniature sets and costumes.
Speaking of miniature sets/props, they do contribute a special “something” to Toku series:
“To be honest, it is a bit of a luxury being able to create miniature sets and props because it requires so many staff members and hours and hours to shoot scenes,” Suzuki said. “But creating scenes that appear to really exist is what gives tokusatsu that special something. And that is very important.”Tokusatsu director Hiroshi Butsuda put it this way: “Think of when children are having fun crashing toy blocks. I think scenes where miniature towns are destroyed will always attract people.”
From crashing toy blocks as a child, to crushing miniature sets and props on the set of any given Toku series, the circle of life is renewed so to speak!
Kamen Rider Wizard Episodes 1-4 Titles
Figure Oh #175 has revealed the 1st 4 episode titles for the upcoming Kamen Rider Wizard! Also listed are the premiere dates and a summary for the 1st episode!
Kamen Rider Wizard Episode 1: The Wizard Ring – 09/02
Screenplay: Tsuyoshi Kida / Director: Shojiro Nakazawa
Kamen Rider Wizard Episode 2: I Want to be a Wizard – 09/09
Screenplay: Tsuyoshi Kida, Junko Komura / Director: Shojiro Nakazawa
Kamen Rider Wizard Episode 3: Transform! Live Broadcast – 09/16
Screenplay: Tsuyoshi Kida, Junko Komura / Director: Shojiro Nakazawa
Kamen Rider Wizard Episode 4: N/A – 09/23
Screenplay: Tsuyoshi Kida / Director: Satoshi Morota
Let’s Watch Wednesdays SPECIAL – The End Of Kamen Rider Fourze
Welcome to another round of the weekly Let’s Watch Wednesdays At Tokunation.com! This week we go in a different direction, to commemorate the end of Kamen Rider Fourze, which wraps up this weekend! Specifically we will be discussing the following 5 episodes(which in the eyes of the staff here were arguably the most pivotal):
- 26. Perfect Round Dance (Shun and Miu’s Prom)
- 31. Pleiades King-Dom (Meteor betrays Fourze)
- 32. Super Cosmic Sword (Fourze revives with Cosmic power)
- 41. The Club Collapses (Virgo causes the club to collapse, identity revealed)
- 42. Sagitarius Controls (Virgo’s true intentions revealed, Sagitarius appears)
Tamashii Web Exclusives January 2013: BlueBuster, Fourze Module Set 5, Super Climax
New magazine scans are hinting at upcoming Tamashii Web Exclusives for the beginning of 2013.
The items of particular interest include:
*Blue Buster from “Tokumei Sentai GoBusters”
*”Fourze Module Set #5″ featuring yet another assortment of Astro Switches.
*Den-O’s “Super Climax Form”
Stay tuned to this space for further details!
Kamen Rider Wizard: First TV Promo
With Kamen Rider Fourze sadly winding down to the finale, Japan has begun airing promos for Wizards’ series as final commercial bumpers.
This gives us our first real glimpse of Wizard’s characters and combat style!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fDtpiLetjw&feature=player_embedded SOURCE:JEFusionKamen Rider Super Sale At HLJ!
Hobbylink Japan is currently having a Kamen Rider super sale! You can save up to 80% on select items. The sale ends on August 26th, 6PM JST. Save on items such as Miyuki Tezuka, SH Figuarts Kamen Rider Raia from Kamen Rider Ryuki! 124 select items are on sale, ranging from MG FigureRise kits, Super Imaginitive Chogokin(SIC), SH Figuarts to Kamen Rider Fourze Model Change figures, SD keychains and more!
Kamen Rider Fourze "The Large Cosmic War Is Here!" Stage Show
As we draw closer to the finale of Kamen Rider Fourze, a special stage show is currently being held at the Tokyo Dome entitled “Kamen Rider Premier Stage Show ~The Large Cosmic War is Here!~”.
The show also tells the story of previous Riders leading up to Fourze and features past riders No. 1, No. 2, V3, Riderman, X, Amazon, Stronger and OOO! Movie exclusive rider Nadeshiko also appears and Jefusion have also reported the appearance of Kamen Rider Wizard and a mysterious new rider wearing the Fourze Driver.
In addition to the show itself, there is also an exhibition of life-sized Kamen Rider mannequins.
Kamen Rider Premier Stage Show ~The Large Cosmic War is Here!~ will be running until the 19th August. You can see official images for the show on its website and the TV Asahi site, however we’ve mirrored them here along with the images of Wizard and the myserious new rider. Check them out after the jump!
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