Exciting times for Kamen Rider fans as the current series is about to end, and a new one is about to start. Kamen Rider Gavv, the current and 35th Kamen Rider series, will air its final episode on August 31st. Toei Company and Bandai have already announced that the next Kamen Rider series, Kamen Rider Zeztz, will premiere on September 7th. Fans have discovered that film and TV distributor Shout Factory has changed one of its old Ultraman Twitch channels to be themed around Zeztz. Shout Factory has distributed Blu-rays of several prolific Kamen Rider titles, including Kuuga, Ryuki, Zero-One, and Geats.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Shout Factory also streams its Kamen Rider shows on its Shout TV program, which is free for most USA audiences with internet access. Furthermore, Kamen Rider shows that stream on Shout TV also became available to stream on Tubi and Amazon Prime. Kamen Rider Gavv is still not available to stream legally in the United States at the time of this writing. Shout Factory has YouTube and Twitch channels where they stream television shows 24/7. It’s unconfirmed (for now) what the new Kamen Rider Zeztz Twitch channel means, with fans speculating that Shout Factory will be streaming Kamen Rider Zeztz when it airs.
Everything You Need to Know for Kamen Rider Zeztz
The Kamen Rider series has been notoriously difficult to come by in the United States. The franchise remained locked to its home country, Japan, for many decades before companies like Shout Factory began releasing the series overseas. Nonetheless, many recent titles have yet to receive official releases internationally. While Kamen Rider Zero-One and Geats are available through streaming and physical media in the West, several titles were skipped, including Saber, Revice, Gotchard, and Gavv. Fortunately, the Official Toei Tokusatsu World YouTube Channel contains the first two episodes of multiple Kamen Rider series. Shout Factory would also air livestreams that show only specific Kamen Rider titles, sometimes streaming series that have yet to officially release in the United States.
Whereas Kamen Rider Gavv is a silly series about gaining powers by eating snacks, the advertising for Zeztz has been more serious and dark. The main Zeztz costume is a clear throwback to the classic insectoid outfits that have been a staple in the franchise since the very first Kamen Rider. The costume is also much darker than the most recent entry, choosing to be more cloth-based and skin-tight than the armor look of the more recent entries. However, the biggest standout about the new Kamen Rider costume is the belt. The Kamen Rider belt has been the main feature of nearly every Rider, usually strapped around a person’s waist. Yet Zeztz is instead strapped diagonally from the shoulder to the waist. Zeztz’s belt gimmick is spheres, which power the Rider.
Kamen Rider Zeztz stars Baku Yorozu, a self-professed regular guy who has extremely lucid dreams where he’s an invincible agent. He fights against monsters and rescues the heroine named Nemu in his dreams. Unfortunately, creatures called Nightmares appear in dreams, trying to make people’s worst dreams a reality. Yorozu is soon gifted a belt to become the new Kamen Rider.
Excited for what Shout Factory plans for Kamen Rider Zeztz? Comment below what you think the Twitch Channel makeover means.
H/T: RangerBoard.com
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm. -
Image courtesy of Atari -
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures -
Courtesy of Pathea Games -
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment / Aniplex / Crunchyroll
