Photo courtesy of Media Blasters. ©ISHIMORI PRODUCTION INC. TOEI COMPANY, LTD.
PRE-ORDER THE ELITE KOLLECTION BLU-RAY BOX SET NOW!
Source: Media Blasters press release
Special Thanks to Carl Morano
(Belleville, New Jersey) Media Blasters Inc. is pleased to announce the North American licensing of three classic stand-alone KAMEN RIDER films- Keita Amemiya’s two special episodes- KAMEN RIDER ZO and KAMEN RIDER J and Makoto Tsuji’s feature-length SHIN KAMEN RIDER PROLOGUE. All three Tokusatsu (term for the special effects infused Super Hero genre!) titles will be available on blu-ray in multiple configurations for casual and die-hard fans alike. Stay tuned for more details and box set specs!
To commemorate this special event, Media Blasters announces a pre-order date for an exclusive, limited blu-ray pressing of KAMEN RIDER: THE TRILOGY ELITE KOLLECTION! This slipcased set will only be available via direct sales from the Media Blasters Storefront and will contain a bonus surprise- KAMEN RIDER WORLD! The two-disc ELITE KOLLECTION will contain the following FOUR films:
Keita Amemiya’s KAMEN RIDER ZO (1993) is a Japanese superhero Tokusatsu film serving as the 12th installment of the Kamen Rider Series. Masaru Aso was Doctor Mochizuki’s human guinea pig in a series of experiments that led to the transformation of Masaru into a grasshopper-like being called Kamen Rider ZO. He flees to the mountains and is awakened from a coma two years later by a telepathic call to protect Doctor Mochizuki’s son, Hiroshi. As Kamen Rider ZO, Masaru is confronted with a never-ending series of challenges by evil men and indestructible monsters that threaten humanity! (48 mins.)
©ISHIMORI PRODUCTION INC. TOEI COMPANY, LTD.
In Keita Amemiya’s KAMEN RIDER J (1994) Koji Segawa is a nature photographer who loses his life saving a young girl from an evil organization called "FOG." When the Earth Spirits resurrect Koji as KAMEN RIDER J, he vows to use his new powers to destroy "FOG" and save the human race. (47 mins.)
SHIN KAMEN RIDER: PROLOGUE (1992) Shin Kazumatsui is a motorcycle racer who unwittingly becomes the test subject for an insidious experiment to create a race of super cyborg soldiers by fusing the DNA of a grasshopper! When a creature arrives and begins a wave of mass murder, Shin rises to the occasion and utilizes his newfound superpowers to fight evil! (88 mins.)
BONUS! Only included in the direct sales ELITE KOLLECTION and never-before-released in North American- KAMEN RIDER WORLD (1994), Shadow Moon returns to life and revives five mutants previously defeated by the Kamen Riders to serve as his personal army. He plots to defeat the Kamen Riders in his vile quest to conquer the world! With the sudden arrival of Kamen Rider ZO on his ZO Bringer motorcycle and Kamen Rider J on his J Crosser bike, will their combined forces defeat the monsters and a gigantic-sized Shadow Moon? (8 mins.)
Additional KAMEN RIDER blu-ray box set configurations will soon be announced. However, only the direct-sales Elite Kollection will contain the rare short film KAMEN RIDER WORLD! The targeted street release date is summertime 2024 with the exact date to be announced soon.
KAMEN RIDER: THE TRILOGY ELITE KOLLECTION
Catalog # MBBD-2409
UPC:631595240986
SRP: $69.99
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 (16 x 9)/ KAMEN RIDER WORLD 1.33:1 (4 x 3)
Audio: 2.0 Stereo
Languages: Original Japanese Language with English Subtitles
Not Rated
Approx. 191 minutes total
2 Blu-ray discs
DIRECT SALES ONLY THROUGH MEDIA BLASTERS STOREFRONT: https://mb-storefront.com
KAMEN RIDER HISTORY (excerpted from Wikipedia)
The Kamen Rider Series also known as Masked Rider Series, is a Japanese superhero media franchise consisting of tokusatsu television programs, films, manga, and anime, created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. Kamen Rider media generally features a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains, often known as kaijin. The franchise began in 1971 with the Kamen Rider television series. The original series spawned television and film sequels and launched the Second Kaiju Boom (also known as the Henshin Boom) on Japanese television during the early 1970s, impacting the superhero and action-adventure genres in Japan.
REVIEWS
KAMEN RIDER J
“Kamen Rider J, the star of the one-off 1994 movie of the same name was released during the period of time where Kamen Rider was off Japanese television screens, and along with Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue and Kamen Rider ZO makes up a trilogy of films that neatly round off the franchise's Showa era… Of course with Keita Amemiya in the director’s chair the one thing Kamen Rider J can promise you is excellent visual effects… Solid entertainment at its very best.”- MyShinyToyRobots.com
“Keita Amemiya does not miss! If you like his state-of-the-art monster designs, great directing, and a bonanza of fantastic tokusatsu special effects, here's a small movie that's just blasting you with those qualities for 40 minutes. Short, sweet, to the point. Just a great fun watch.”- Letterboxd.com
SHIN KAMEN RIDER: PROLOGUE
“... melodramatic and horror elements makes for something unique…”- Scrapbook of Infinite Noise
KAMEN RIDER ZO
“Kamen Rider ZO” is a great film and a highlight of Keita Amemiya's career. Long-time fans of the iconic superhero will get a kick out of this unique interpretation of the character, and newcomers to the franchise can appreciate the talent on display here.”- AsianMoviePulse.com
“Overall, the movie does everything you would want and more!”- Kamen Writer Reviews
ABOUT MEDIA BLASTERS
For over twenty years, Media Blasters has been a leading independent publisher of popular anime and classic cult live-action programs on DVD, Blu-ray and for new media in North America. Follow us on facebook and twitter to keep up-to-date on the latest Media Blasters’ announcements and other exciting news!