29 January 2014

W

For the series' main character, W, see Kamen Rider Double.
Kamen Rider W (仮面ライダーW(ダブル) Kamen Raidā Daburu?, also called Kamen Rider Double) is a 2009-2010 Japanese tokusatsu drama, the eleventh series in the Heisei period run of the Kamen Rider Series. It premiered following the finale of Kamen Rider Decade on September 6, 2009,[1] and aired alongside Samurai Sentai Shinkenger in TV Asahi's Super Hero Time programming block. Following Shinkenger's finale, it aired alongside Tensou Sentai Goseiger, until W concluded on August 29, 2010. The series is described as the "Heisei Kamen Rider 10th Anniversary Project: Fall Campaign" (平成仮面ライダー10周年プロジェクト 秋の陣 Heisei Kamen Raidā Jusshūnen Purojekuto: Aki no Jin?). The catchphrases for the series are "We are the two-in-one Kamen Rider" (俺たちは/僕たちは、二人で一人の仮面ライダーさ Ore-tachi wa/Boku-tachi wa, futari de hitori no Kamen Raidā sa?) and "This clinches it!" (これで決まりだ! Kore de kimari da!?).


Promotion

Advertisements throughout the months of May, June, and July 2009 built up to the debut of Kamen Rider W,[2] who first appeared at the 10th Anniversary Project MASKED RIDER LIVE & SHOW event,[3] and also featured in Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker.
Hiroshi Tanahashi of New Japan Pro Wrestling is a self-admitted fan of Kamen Rider W, and in June 2010 made a new costume designed after Kamen Rider Double FangJoker's design[4] and wore it to a match in Osaka on June 19.[5] Rin Asuka also appeared at the match to promote the show.

Production and casting


File:TokyoNationalMuseum.jpg
The Tokyo National Museum's Honkan building is used as the facade for the lavish mansion of the Sonozaki family.
The series' main writer is Riku Sanjo and the main director is Ryuta Tasaki. The theme song titled "W-B-X ~W-Boiled Extreme~" is performed by Aya Kamiki with former JUDY AND MARY guitarist TAKUYA as the unit "Aya Kamiki w TAKUYA" (上木彩矢 w TAKUYA Kamiki Aya w TAKUYA?).[6][7][8] The creature designer is Katsuya Terada, previously the character designer for Blood: The Last Vampire, the designer of Monster X for Godzilla: Final Wars, the designer of Cutie Honey's costume for Cutie Honey, and the mechanic and character design refinement for Yatterman.
Newcomer Masaki Suda portrays the mysterious Philip. Drama actor Renn Kiriyama, who made his acting debut as Bunta Marui in Musical Prince of Tennis: Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokkaku ~ First Service, joins the cast as Shotaro Hidari. Hikaru Yamamoto, who made her acting debut in Watashitachi no Kyōkasho as Chiharu Nobue, portrays the female lead Akiko Narumi. Comedian and actor Takeshi Nadagi portrays Mikio Jinno and veteran actor Minori Terada, known for his leading role in The Human Bullet, portrays Ryubee Sonozaki.

Story

In the ecologically-minded city of Futo (風都 Fūto?, the "Windy City"), where nearly everything is powered by windmills, the people live in harmony. However, the Sonozaki Family sell mysterious devices resembling USB flash drives called Gaia Memories to criminals and other interested parties who use them to become monsters called Dopants, committing crimes with the police force powerless to stop them. To make matters worse, the Gaia Memories carry a dangerous toxin that cause their users to go insane to the point where they could die from the life-threatening devices. After the death of his boss, the self-proclaimed hard-boiled (actually half-boiled) detective Shotaro Hidari works with the mysterious Philip, who possesses the true Gaia Memory, to investigate crimes which involve Dopants. Using their own Gaia Memories, Shotaro and Philip use the Double Driver belts to transform and combine into Kamen Rider Double to fight the Dopant menace and keep Futo safe. While joined in their fight by investigator Ryu Terui, who transforms into Kamen Rider Accel, the mystery of Philip's past, his relation to the Sonozaki Family, and their Museum organization are revealed.[2][9]

Characters

Riders

Kamen Rid er Double
Philip & Shotaro Hidari
Kamen Rider Accel Ryu Terui
Kamen Rider Joker Shotaro Hidari
Kamen Rider Cyclone Philip (Novel only)

Movie Exclusive Riders

Kamen Rider Skull Sokichi Narumi
Kamen Rider Eternal Jun KazuKatsumi Daido

Allies

Narumi Detective Agency

Futo Irregulars

Futo Police Department

Others

Kamen Rider Decade Tsukasa Kadoya
Kamen Rider Diend Daiki Kaito
Kamen Rider Kuuga Yusuke Onodera
Kamen Rider Kivala Natsumi Hikari
Kamen Rider OOO Eiji Hino
Kamen Rider Birth Shintaro Goto
Kamen Rider Fourze Gentaro Kisaragi
Kamen Rider Nadeshiko Nadeshiko Misaki
Kamen Rider Meteor Ryusei Sakuta

Villains

Sonazaki Family

Terror Dopant Ryubee Sonozaki
Taboo Dopant Saeko Sonozaki
ClayDoll Dopant Wakana Sonozaki
Nasca Dopant Kirihiko Sonozaki
Smilodon Dopant Mick

Foundation X

Utopia Dopant Jun Kazu
Eyes Dopant Doctor Prospect

NEVER

Cyclone Dopant Maria S. Cranberry
Heat Dopant Reika Hanehara
Luna Dopant Kyosui Izumi
Metal Dopant Gozo Domoto
Trigger Dopant Ken Ashihara

Others

Weather Dopant Shinkuro Isaka
Dummy Dopant Father Roberto Shijima
Bat Dopant Eren Komori
Commander Dopant Hiroshi Sagami
Kamen Rider Core Kamen Rider Core

Episodes

Main article: Kamen Rider W Episodes
  1. The W Search/Two Detectives in One (Wの検索/探偵は二人で一人 Daburyū no Kensaku/Tantei wa Futari de Hitori?)
  2. The W Search/Those Who Make the City Cry (Wの検索/街を泣かせるもの Daburyū no Kensaku/Machi o Nakaseru Mono?)
  3. Don't Touch the M/How to Get to Heaven (Mに手を出すな/天国への行き方 Emu ni Te o Dasu na/Tengoku e no Ikikata?)
  4. Don't Touch the M/Play With a Joker (Mに手を出すな/ジョーカーで勝負 Emu ni Te o Dasu na/Jōkā de Shōbu?)
  5. The Girl... A/Papa Is a Kamen Rider (少女…A/パパは仮面ライダー Shōjo... Ei/Papa wa Kamen Raidā?)
  6. The Girl... A/The Price of Lying (少女…A/嘘の代償 Shōjo... Ei/Uso no Daishō?)
  7. Find the C/Philip Can't Stand It (Cを探せ/フィリップはそれを我慢できない Shī o Sagase/Firippu wa Sore o Gaman Dekinai?)
  8. Find the C/Dancing Hero (Cを探せ/ダンシングヒーロー Shī o Sagase/Danshingu Hīrō?)
  9. The S Terror/The Maid Detective Witnessed It! (Sな戦慄/メイド探偵は見た! Esu na Senritsu/Meido Tantei wa Mita!?)
  10. The S Terror/The Great Detective's Daughter (Sな戦慄/名探偵の娘 Esu na Senritsu/Meitantei no Musume?)
  11. The Revenge V/Infected Car (復讐のV/感染車 Fukushū no Buī/Kansensha?)
  12. The Revenge V/Grudge Beast (復讐のV/怨念獣 Fukushū no Buī/Onnenjū?)
  13. The Q on the Radio/Targeted Princess (レディオでQ/狙われたプリンセス Redio de Kyū/Nerawareta Purinsesu?)
  14. The Q on the Radio/Live Catastrophe (レディオでQ/生放送大パニック Redio de Kyū/Namahōsō Daipanikku?)
  15. The F Afterglow/Burglary Rider (Fの残光/強盗ライダー Efu no Zankō/Gōtō Raidā?)
  16. The F Afterglow/Reclaim Your Partner (Fの残光/相棒をとりもどせ Efu no Zankō/Aibō o Torimodose?)
  17. Farewell N/Memory Kids (さらばNよ/メモリキッズ Saraba Enu yo/Memori Kizzu?)
  18. Farewell N/The Friend with the Wind (さらばNよ/友は風と共に Saraba Enu yo/Tomo wa Kaze Totomoni?)
  19. The I Doesn't Stop/That Guy's Name Is Accel (Iが止まらない/奴の名はアクセル Ai ga Tomaranai/Yatsu no Na wa Akuseru?)
  20. The I Doesn't Stop/Kamen Rider Style (Iが止まらない/仮面ライダーの流儀 Ai ga Tomaranai/Kamen Raidā no Ryūgi?)
  21. The T Returns/A Melody Not Intended for Women (還ってきたT/女には向かないメロディ Kaettekita Tī/Ona ni wa Mukanai Merodi?)
  22. The T Returns/The Man Who Cannot Die (還ってきたT/死なない男 Kaettekita Tī/Shinanai Otoko?)
  23. L on the Lips/Singer-SongRider (唇にLを/シンガーソングライダー Kuchibiru ni Eru o/Shingā Songuraidā?)
  24. L on the Lips/The Liar Is You (唇にLを/嘘つきはおまえだ Kuchibiru ni Eru o/Usotsuki wa Omae da?)
  25. The P's Game/The Doll Has Sticky Fingers (Pの遊戯/人形は手癖が悪い Pī no Yūgi/Ningyō wa Tekuse ga Warui?)
  26. The P's Game/Akiko on the Run (Pの遊戯/亜樹子オン・ザ・ラン Pī no Yūgi/Akiko On Za Ran?)
  27. The D Was Watching/The Transparent Magical Lady (Dが見ていた/透明マジカルレディ Dī ga Miteita/Tōmei Majikaru Redi?)
  28. The D Was Watching/Twin Maximum Suicide (Dが見ていた/決死のツインマキシマム Dī ga Miteita/Kesshi no Tsuin Makishimamu?)
  29. The Nightmarish H/The Melancholy of the Sleeping Princess (悪夢なH/眠り姫のユウウツ Akumu na Aichi/Nemuri Hime no Yūutsu?)
  30. The Nightmarish H/Who Is the Prince? (悪夢なH/王子様は誰だ? Akuma na Aichi/Ōjisama wa Dare da?"?)
  31. The B Carried on the Wind/The Beast Pursues (風が呼ぶB/野獣追うべし Kaze ga Yobu Bī/Yajū Oubeshi?)
  32. The B Carried on the Wind/Now, in the Radiance (風が呼ぶB/今、輝きの中で Kaze ga Yobu Bī/Ima, Kagayaki no Naka de?)
  33. Y's Tragedy/The Woman Looking For Yesterday (Yの悲劇/きのうを探す女 Uwai no Higeki/Kinō o Sagasu Onna?)
  34. Y's Tragedy/Brother & Sister (Yの悲劇/あにいもうと Uwai no Higeki/Ani Imōto?)
  35. Beyond the R/The Rain Called Monster Approaches (Rの彼方に/やがて怪物という名の雨 Āru no Kanata ni/Yagate Kaibutsu toiu Na no Ame?)
  36. Beyond the R/Surpass Them All (Rの彼方に/全てを振り切れ Āru no Kanata ni/Subete o Furikire?)
  37. Visitor X/The Bridge of Promises (来訪者X/約束の橋 Raihōsha Ekkusu/Yakusoku no Hashi?)
  38. Visitor X/In the Name of the Museum (来訪者X/ミュージアムの名のもとに Raihōsha Ekkusu/Myūjiamu no Na no Moto ni?)
  39. The Likelihood of the G/Bad Cinema Paradise (Gの可能性/バッドシネマパラダイス Jī no Kanōsei/Baddo Shinema Paradaisu?)
  40. The Likelihood of the G/You Are Unforgivable (Gの可能性/あなたが許せない Jī no Kanōsei/Anata ga Yurusenai?)
  41. The J Labyrinth/The Psychotic Villainess (Jの迷宮/猟奇的な悪女 Jei no Meikyū/Ryōkiteki no Akujo?)
  42. The J Labyrinth/The Diamond Is Hurt (Jの迷宮/ダイヤモンドは傷ついて Jei no Meikyū/Daiyamondo wa Kizutsuite?)
  43. The O Chain/The Aged Detective (Oの連鎖/老人探偵 Ō no Rensa/Rōjin Tantei?)
  44. The O Chain/Shroud's Confession (Oの連鎖/シュラウドの告白 Ō no Rensa/Shuraudo no Kokuhaku?)
  45. Who the K Needs/The Devil's Tail (Kが求めたもの/悪魔のしっぽ Kei ga Motometa Mono/Akuma no Shippo?)
  46. Who the K Needs/The Last Supper (Kがもとめたもの/最後の晩餐 Kei ga Motometa Mono/Saigo no Bansan?)
  47. The Abandoned U/A Request From Philip (残されたU/フィリップからの依頼 Nokosareta Yū/Firippu kara no Irai?)
  48. The Abandoned U/Eternal Partners (残されたU/永遠の相棒 Nokosareta Yū/Eien no Aibō?)
  49. Goodbye to the E/A Bouquet of Justice to This City (Eにさよなら/この街に正義の花束を Ī ni Sayonara/Kono Machi ni Seigi no Hanataba o?)
Movies
  1. Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010
  2. Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate
  3. Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider OOO & W Featuring Skull: Movie War Core
  4. Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max
  5. Kamen Rider W Returns
    1. Kamen Rider Accel
    2. Kamen Rider Eternal
Specials
  1. Kamen Rider W Hyper Battle DVD: Donburi's α/Farewell Beloved Recipe
  2. Kamen Rider W DVD: Gaia Memory Field Guide

Wind Wave Internet radio

Main article: Wind Wave FM
To tie into the show, TV Asahi, Toei, and Avex Trax have produced the Wind Wave FM Internet radio station. Only one of the shows, Wakana's Healing Princess (園咲若菜のヒーリングプリンセス Sonozaki Wakana no Hīringu Purinsesu?), also exists within the fiction of Kamen Rider W. The other programs, DJ Hurry Kenn's FU-TO Hit on Groove music show and Tsuyoshi and Ayano's Head Wind: One-Game Match!! (向い風 一本勝負!! Mukaikaze Ipponshōbu!!?) show, treat the television series as fiction, explicitly referring to the songs they play as theme songs (as part of a mail in request, DJ Hurry Kenn played AAA DEN-O form's "Climax Jump", and referred to it as the theme song for Kamen Rider Den-O). All of Double's theme songs have been played as part of the various radio shows, several of which were first heard on the "radio" before being utilized as part of an episode's soundtrack. On March 7, a new radio show featuring Queen & Elizabeth titled Queen & Elizabeth's White Hearts!! (QueenとElizabethの白抜きハートマーク!! Kuīn to Erisabesu no Shironuki Hātomāku!!?) began "airing", but was discontinued a month later. To mirror the current events in the show's story, Healing Princess was cancelled on June 13, 2010.

Mini-Dramas

Main article: Shotaro Hidari Hardboiled Delusion Diary
As part of the special features on the DVD releases, a series of short films are included called "Shotaro Hidari Hardboiled Delusion Diary" (左翔太郎ハードボイルド妄想日記 Hidari Shotaro Hādoboirudo Mōsō Nikki?) in which Shotaro daydreams about what life would be like if he, Akiko, or Ryu acted differently. These feature a Dopant from the DVD volume in a completely different role than it had in the series proper. These are then followed by members of the cast discussing their favorite parts of the episodes included on the DVD volume.
Volume titles
  1. If Akiko Was Actually an Excellent Secretary (もしも亜樹子が優秀な秘書だったら Moshimo Akiko ga Yūshū na Hisho dattara?)
  2. If Akiko Was Actually a City Councilwoman (もしも亜樹子が市議会議員だったら Moshimo Akiko ga Shigikaigiin dattara?)
  3. If Akiko Was Actually a Maid (もしも亜樹子がメイドだったら Moshimo Akiko ga Meido dattara?)
  4. If Akiko Was Actually a Phantom Thief (もしも亜樹子が怪盗だったら Moshimo Akiko ga Kaitō dattara?)
  5. If Ryu Was Actually a Private Investigator (もしも竜が探偵だったら Moshimo Ryū ga Tantei dattara?)
  6. If Akiko Was Actually an Idol (もしも亜樹子がアイドルだったら Moshimo Akiko ga Aidoru dattara?)
  7. If Akiko Was Actually a Magician (もしも亜樹子がマジシャンだったら Moshimo Akiko ga Majishan dattara?)
  8. If Akiko Was Actually an "Extreme Wife" (もしも亜樹子が【極妻】だったら Moshimo Akiko ga "Gokutsuma" dattara?)
  9. If Akiko Was Actually a Younger Sister (もしも亜樹子が妹だったら Moshimo Akiko ga Imōto dattara?)
  10. If Akiko Was Actually a Hit Man (もしも亜樹子が殺し屋だったら Moshimo Akiko ga Koroshiya dattara?)
  11. If Akiko Was Actually an Old Woman (もしも亜樹子がおばあちゃんだったら Moshimo Akiko ga Obaachan dattara?)
  12. If Everyone Was Actually Hard-Boiled (もしも誰もがハードボイルドだったら Moshimo Dare mo ga Hādoboirudo dattara?)

Planetarium film

Main article: Kamen Rider: The Fearful Global Warming Plan
At several planetaria throughout Japan, Toei had produced a film called "Kamen Rider: The Fearful Global Warming Plan" (仮面ライダー 恐怖の地球温暖化計画 Kamen Raidā Kyōfu no Chikyū Ondanka Keikaku?) to teach children about global warming (with narration by Hirohiko Kakegawa). Shotaro Hidari (portrayed by Kiriyama) and Philip (portrayed by Suda) who transform into Kamen Rider Double, alongside Kamen Rider 1 (voiced by Tetsu Inada), Kamen Rider 2 (voiced by Takahiro Fujimoto), and the ten previous Heisei Riders, fight Shocker led by its President (Hidekatsu Shibata) and Gel-Shocker's Hiruchameleon (voiced by Yasuhiro Takato) who plan on destroying the Earth by having it succumb to global warming. Airings first began at the Fukuoka Science Museum on June 5, 2010, and later at Kagawa Prefecture's Sanuki Kid's Land, Chūō, Tokyo's Time Dome Akashi, the Seki Manabi Center, the Kagoshima Municipal Science Center, the Tondabayashi Subaru Hall, and the Sendai Astronomical Observatory in Aoba-ku, with shows starting later in the year at the Kobe Science Museum in Chūō-ku, Kobe, and the Saitama Municipal Youth's Astronomical Science Museum in Urawa-ku, Saitama. [10]

Playback

For W's S.I.C Hero Saga side story Kamen Rider W: Playback commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Kamen Rider Series with Shotaro Hidari and Philip leading Shotaro Ishinomori through the events following his creation of the television series in 1971. The first episode was published in Hobby Japan, July 2011. Each episode is named after a different story written by Raymond Chandler.
  1. Red Wind (赤い風 Akai Kaze?)
  2. The Finger Man (指さす男 Yubisasu Otoko?)
  3. Double Indemnity (深夜の告白 Shin'ya no Kokuhaku?)
  4. The Big Sleep (大いなる眠り Ōinaru Nemuri?)
  5. The High Window (高い窓 Takai Mado?)
  6. The Little Sister (かわいい女 Kawaii Onna?)
  7. The Long Goodbye (長いお別れ Nagai Owakare?)

The One Who Continues After Z

Main article: Kamen Rider W ~The One Who Continues After Z~
Kamen Rider W ~The One Who Continues After Z~ (仮面ライダーW(ダブル) ~Zを継ぐ者~ Kamen Raidā Daburu ~Zetto o Tsugu Mono~?), written by Riku Sanjo, is part of a series of spin-off novel adaptations of the Heisei Era Kamen Riders. Phillip takes up Shotaro's job in solving cases after he becomes sick. Phillip uses Kamen Rider Double FangJoker and fights alongside with Kamen Rider Accel, however the Dopants get tougher and forces Philip to become a Kamen Rider himself: Kamen Rider Cyclone. The novel was released on November 30, 2012.

Cast

Guest stars

Suit actors

Notes

  • Despite being the fourth tokusatsu show to feature a character with two halves being different colors (the other three being Android Kikaider, Kikaider 01, and Metalder), this is the first show to utilize two heroes using the same body to fight.

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