Jinzo Ningen Kikaida Vol-8 (36-40)
Production: Toei
Release by: JNProductions/Generation Kikaida
By Jmaruyama

Episodes/Villains

#36 “Kuruta Jiro Ga Komyoji O Osou” (An Insane Jiro Attacks (Dr.) Komyoji/Jiro Attacks          Dr. Komyoji) – Blue Stag Beetle, Purple Starfish

#37 “Jiro No Ototo – Kyoteki Hakkaida” (Jiro’s Younger Brother – Hakaida/Hakaida:          Jiro’s Formidable Younger Brother) – Hakaida/Hakaider; Purple Starfish

#38 “Hakaida Ga Jiro O Korosu” (Hakaida Kills Jiro/Hakaida:Kikaida Killer) –          Hakaida/Hakaider; Purple Starfish

#39 “Chi Chi No Kataki – Jiro Zenkoku Shimetehai” (Revenge – Jiro’s National          Manhunt/Kikaida: Wanted Dead or Alive) – Hakaida/Hakaider, Brown Angler Fish

#40 “Ayashi Jiro! Kino Kanzen Teishi” (Watch Out Jiro! Full System Shutdown/Crisis!          Jiro Stops Functioning) – Grey Grasshopper

Summary (From Box Cover)

"A solitary, denim clad road warrior known as Jiro battles the sinister Professor Gill and his squadron of fearsome DARK Destructoid monsters. Vulnerable to Gill’s shrill flute wooing him to the DARK side. Jiro transforms into the mighty red-and-blue android – Kikaida"

The Review

There have been many Arch Villains in Japanese Tokusatsu history – Tiger Joe (“Kaiketsu Lion Maru”; P-Pro, 1974), Apollogeist (“Kamen Rider X”; Toei, 1975), Boltan Seijin (“Ultraman”; Tsuburaya, 1967), General Shadow (“Kamen Rider Stronger”; Toei, 1976), Udesper” (“Inazuman”; Toei, 1975), Dark Knight (“Kagaku Sentai Dynaman; Toei, 1983), and Shadow Moon (“Kamen Rider Black; Toei, 1987) but none could ever match the character of Hakaida/Hakaider.

Hakaida/Hakaider (Lit. Destroyer) is regarded by some as the quintessential rival character and has made such an impression in Japanese Tokusatsu that he not only spawned countless imitators such as Warudar (Kikaida/Kikaider 01; Toei, 1974), Sir Kauler (“Cho Shin Sei Flashman”; Toei, 1986), Omega (“Uchu Keiji Shader”; Toei, 1984), Mad Gallant (“Cho Jyu Tokusou Juspion”; Toei, 1985), Top Gunder (“Cho Jinki Metalder”; Toei, 1987), Silvar (Cho Denshi Bioman; Toei, 1984) and Gattezone (“Kamen Rider Black RX”; Toei, 1988) but was also the main “hero” of Amemiya Keita’s movie “Mechanical Violator Hakaider” (1996).

What makes Hakaida/Hakaider such an interesting character? While it helps that the character’s design is so stunning, I believe his popularity lies in his lone wolf attitude and noble spirit. He isn’t your typical villain but rather a complex character who plays by his own rules, and lives for only one reason, namely to best and defeat Kikaida/Kikaider in combat. He almost seems like a character out of a Sergio Leone movie (which may account for the somewhat “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (1966) inspired music that Saburo whistles when he makes his appearances).

The later episodes of Kikaider/Kikaida (Episodes #36-#43) are considered by fans some of the best episodes in the series and I must agree. While they are not perfect (some of the humor aspects still seem out of place, stupid and grating), the other dramatic aspects more than make up for it. The later Dark Robot (Dark Destructoids) also are more inventive looking and don’t seem like the cheap rubber monsters that appeared earlier in the series.

I wish that the Hakaida/Hakaider character had appeared much earlier in the series. Perhaps then the character of Saburo might have been fleshed out a bit and made much more than just the shadowy opposite number to Jiro.

JN Productions has done a great job once again at committing the Kikaida/Kikaider episodes to DVD. While some aspects of the Kikaida/Kikaider DVD aren’t quite that impressive (the DVD cover art in particular), JN Productions has done some very creative work with the DVD extras.

I still can’t say that I like the “Kikaida/Kikaider” series as whole, but the episodes contained here are for the most part quite enjoyable and are definitely the highlight of the series. Things only get better from this point on.

Menus

The changeable menus system is an interesting highlight of this disc set (you can either display DVD menu text in English or if you want Japanese).

The Menus are supported by scenes from the Kikaida TV series (you can also hear the haunting refrain of Jiro’s guitar solo in the background).

Languages

The original Japanese soundtrack is available with or without subtitles. The subtitles are fairly easy to read and aren’t overly distracting.

Video

Given that the series originally aired in 1973, the picture quality of the TV episodes here is quite good. While there are some instances where the age of the film print shows some wear (especially in the opening credits) colors are generally very sharp and bright. Images are clear for the most part and special effect animation shots are very clean. For this DVD release, the episodes are presented in a 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio, just as they were originally broadcast on television. This is probably the best print one could hope for.

Audio

The DVD features a Dolby Digital audio track. The audio is clear and audible, rendering the dialogue and action sound effects perfectly clear. The BGM, OP and ED songs all sound great and definitely benefit from the improved sound. Other than that, the audio here is nothing special but quite sufficient.

Extras

The Kikaida DVD - Vol. 8 offers a number of new extras:

A Hakaida/Hakaider Karaoke feature is available where one can sing Watanabe Chumei’s arousing theme song to everyone’s favorite Anti-Hero. One can sing the Hakaida/Hakaider theme with or without original vocals. The songs are accompanied by scenes of Hakaida/Hakaider. One can also sing-along with “Saburo’s Theme”.

“The Origins of Kikaida” is an informative text essay by San Francisco based “Kikaidologist” and Henshin! Online co-founder August Ragone and Tokusatsu/Godzilla specialist and mega-fan John Cassidy. Part One entitled “Just Imagine…A Japandroid! How Kikaida: The Android of Justice was born!” is a fascinating look at some of the influences that went into making “Kikaida” as well as how the original story evolved into the show we know today. Well written and researched, this feature looks to provide an invaluable resource to the Kikaida/Kikaider fan.

The best new feature by far has to be the Power Diagram feature. This feature displays a schematic of Kikaida/Kikaider’s cyborg body and one can select from a list of Kikaida/Kikaider components (Gemini Conscience Circuit, Ultra High-Speed Microcomputer, Aircraft Jet Propulsion etc.) to zoom in on and read more information about. Quite an inventive DVD feature.

In addition to the above, the following features are carried over from previous discs.

DARK Destructoid Monsters with Sound – A visual encyclopedia of all the “Dark Robots” whom Kikaida battled in the series. The encyclopedia features a brief bit on each enemy, punctuated by sound bites of the monsters.

Cast & Crew Profiles - Great information on the main characters and the actors who portrayed them.

KIKU-TV Promotional Spot – A brief commercial plug for the Kikaida Show Revival (the promotional spot ran on Nov. 4, 2001).

Information

For more information on the Kikaida series, please visit August Ragone’s informative series overview at Henshin Online. The Kikaida Collector’s Editions can be purchased via independent sellers on E-Bay and through select specialty stores like Amazon and Tower Records.

Inquiries can also be made to JN Production’s Kikaida DVD website at www.generationkikaida.com

DVD Specs

Episodes 36-40
Color
Running Time: 2 hrs. 5 min.
NTSC/Region 1
4:3 - Full Screen
Dual-Layer Format
Dolby Digital Sound
Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound
Original Japanese Track with English Subtitles (White)

Cast

Ban Daisuke – Jiro
Kikuchi Toshiaki – Kikaida/Kikaider Suit Actor
Izu Hajime – Dr. Komyoji
Mizunoe Jun- Komyoji Mitsuko
Kamiya Masahiro – Komyoji Masaru
Ueda Shun – Hattori Hanpei (Hanpen)
Ando Mitsuo – Professor Gill
Mayama Joji- Saburo/Hakaida (Hakaider)
Iizuka Shozo – Voice of Hakaida

DVD Credits

Executive Producer: Joanne Ninomiya (JN Productions, Inc.; Honolulu, HI)
Kikaida Series Translation: Roy Mashima (JN Productions, Inc.; Honolulu, HI)
DVD Cover Design: Erwin Baracao (JN Productions), Brian Onaga (Electric Pencil)
Acknowledgements: Ban Daisuke, Ikeda Shunsuke, Hiroshi Miura, Greg Chang, Marc Miyake, August Ragone, Sachiko Suzuki
DVD Production Team:
Robby Gaskell
Robert Furukawa
Sereny Suzuki
Karen Corpuz
Ruby Nagao
Chance Gusukuma
Yuko Manatad
Steven Chung
Kristine Yoza
Dean Sakai
Lillian Masamitsu Kam

Jmaruyama