Mechanical Violator Hakaider

Directed by: Keita Amemiya

Screenplay by: Tokishi Inoue

Produced by: Toei, Tohokushinsha Film, SEGA

Release Date: April 15, 1995

Lenght: 1 hour, 17 minutes

When I first became interested in Tokusatsu, I asked an old friend of mine where I should start. And out of everything out there, they recommended me this.

Hakaider is normally a villain, an evil counterpart to Android Kikaider, one of Shotaro Ishinomori's lesser known characters. In this spin-off/reboot, he takes the role of protagonist. Directed by Garo creator Keita Amemiya and written by Tokishi Inoue, the film has much of the same drama, romance and grittiness as the Garo series and the Kamen Rider seasons that Inoue has worked on. The plot follows Hakaider aiding a young woman that works alongside a resistance fighting against the totalitarian regime of Jesus Town (yes) ruled by Gurjev, a dictator dressed like an angel who lobotomizes criminals and commands an army of androids lead by the enigmatic Michael.

Being a 90's Tokusatsu, the movie relies almost exclusively on practical effects and they look astounding. It's an engaging ride throughout. Though there's one element that might upset fans of the original Kikaider, it probably won't impede enjoyment for someone oblivous to the franchise. Considering that giving a villain the protagonist role usually leads to dissapointing messes, it must be commended that Hakaider mantains a consistent level of quality for it's entire runtime. Though given how dark it is, especially when compared to it's contemporaries, it's easy to see why it didn't lead to a TV show as intended, instead reciving continuation through a SEGA Saturn videogame. 'The Last Judgement.'

Would I recommend it to someone who hasn't seen Tokusatsu before? Sure! It did inform my tastes and investment on the original Garo series and Kamen Rider 555. Though I could see it giving the wrong impression that 'real' Tokusatsu is dark and mature (the vast majority of it is aimed at children) it can be quite entertaining for teens and young adults.