Kamen Rider Fourze

Did You Know?

• The Kamen Rider Fourze trademark was registered by Toei on April 18, 2011.
• A novel titled Novel: Kamen Rider Fourze: Ama High Grad-Uation, written by Hideaki Tsukada, was released on February 28, 2014, and takes place after the final episode.
• The Hyper Battle DVD for Fourze is titled Kamen Rider Fourze Hyper Battle DVD: Rocket Drill States of Friendship, in which Gentaro aims to befriend Kamen Rider Amazon to obtain the Clear Drill Switch.

Story

Amanogawa High School becomes the site of strange events, and transfer student Gentaro Kisaragi tries to make friends in his own way, reuniting with childhood friend and space travel otaku Yuki Jojima while earning the ire of loner Kengo Utahoshi. When the campus is overrun by monstrous Zodiarts, Kengo and Yuki attempt to use devices found in the Rabbit Hatch lunar base, accessed through a locker in an off-limits part of the school. Gentaro interferes, partly because Kengo's body cannot handle battle, and transforms into Fourze. Learning of other Kamen Riders, Gentaro forms the Kamen Rider Club, whose members include Yuki, Kengo, queen bee Miu Kazashiro, her boyfriend Shun Daimonji, social butterfly JK, goth girl Tomoko Nozama, later transfer student Ryusei Sakuta (Kamen Rider Meteor), and teacher Mr. Chuta Ohsugi. The club learns of the Horoscopes, evolved Zodiarts orchestrating events to build their ranks, and as the battle escalates, Kengo discovers his true existence.

Films

Kamen Rider Fourze first appeared as a cameo in Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful: The Shogun and the 21 Core Medals. A crossover film with Kamen Rider OOO, titled Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max, was released on December 10, 2011, and featured Hello! Project member Erina Mano as Nadeshiko Misaki, who transforms into Kamen Rider Nadeshiko, the first schoolgirl Kamen Rider; its events take place between episodes 14 and 15. Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen crosses over Kamen Rider and Super Sentai characters, including those from Fourze and Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters, with events between episodes 24 and 25. Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Space, Here We Come! was released on August 4, 2012, alongside Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters the Movie: Protect the Tokyo Enetower!, featuring the evil Kyodain siblings Groundain and Skydain and the first on-screen appearance of Kamen Rider Wizard; its events take place between episodes 38 and 39. Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Wizard & Fourze: Movie War Ultimatum was released on December 8, 2012, with a Fourze portion set five years after the series, featuring returning actors Erina Mano and Mikie Hara, and guest star Kenta Suga as Saburo Kazeta, who can transform into Sanagiman.

Crossover with Crayon Shin-chan

Four short crossover episodes, collectively titled Kamen Rider Fourze × Crayon Shin-chan, aired in April 2012 to promote Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen and Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called!: Me and the Space Princess. The story follows Shin-chan teaming up with Fourze to go to space and rescue his younger sister from Planet Himawari. The first and fourth episodes combine live-action and anime, while the second and third are entirely animated.

Songs

The opening theme is 'Switch On!', performed by Anna Tsuchiya, who chose to sing it after her young son became a fan of Kamen Rider OOO and because of her own childhood memories of the series; a symphonic version played in the final two episodes. Insert themes include 'Giant Step' by Astronauts (May'n and Yoshiharu Shiina), used in episodes 6–16, 18–19, and 23–25; 'Shooting Star' by everset, Kamen Rider Meteor's theme; 'Bounce Back' by SoutherN (Minami Kuribayashi and Yosuke Yamashita), the theme for Fourze Magnet States; 'ENDLESS PLAY' by Astronauts feat. SHIINA, originally the theme for Kamen Rider: Climax Heroes Fourze; 'Evolvin' Storm' by everset, the theme for Kamen Rider Meteor Storm; and 'COSMIC MIND' by Astronauts, the theme for Fourze Cosmic States. Other songs include 'Ganbare, Hayabusa-kun' performed by Yuki Jojima (Fumika Shimizu), and 'Saite' by Kamen Rider Girls.