Kamen Rider Black Sun

If you grew up on the original Kamen Rider Black as I did...then probably better to think of this as a completely different series, or you will likely be disappointed as I kind of unfortunately am. I really wanted to like it more, but it's hard to get past some things.

Character names are the same, but the main back story and everything else is very different (and more complicated). Definitely more dark & gory so more for adults than children where as the first one was more family-friendly. Don't get me wrong though - it has some really cool moments! And he does look pretty awesome once he's henshin-ed :) (eventually)

But it feels like the fight scenes and the actual characters were much much better & stronger in the original series...even if it was 30-35 years ago!

The direction could have been more polished, fight choreography is just passable, vfx could have been better. Good thing the story carried it. The atmosphere and theme of the darker showa and hessei kamen rider story line was well captured. How they reinvent black's story was also well respective of the original. Costume designs and creature designs also shines here. I love the suits, specially on the two riders. I also love how they handled the cryptic lore of the kaijins and the eventual explanation on the symbol of Black Sun. I do hope they manage to find a way to make an RX in the future, hopefully, with a better direction, fight choreography, and vfx. Still a solid watch, and highly recomended, even if you are not familiar with Kamen Riders.

This reboot is great in it's own regards! Very grounded in reality, like Watchmen.

It is gory. Definitely not for kids. I have been told the Kamen Rider mangas are gory and the Kamen Rider is more organic and bug-like, kind of like the kaijin monsters he fight. In that case, this series is probably very close to the original creator's vision.

Also, I live in the US. On the release date of Kamen Rider Black Sun, I searched for it on the Prime Video app and Amazon. I wasn't able to find it. I searched again on the day after. I used the English and Japanese name, still couldn't find it. I have to go on here and click on the "Watch On Prime Video" link to be brought to the page. I wonder did anyone else had the same problem.

From the fake crying of the lead actress, to the cringe and clichè scenes, Kamen Rider Black Sun could have been so much more.

I watched the original version when I was a kid, and this improved a lot from that, with the gore and dismemberement in battles and other adult themes, but the fake motorcycle driving scenes, where you can clearly tell the actors are in front of a green screen are laughable, tu say the least.

Storytelling-wise, the plot is convoluting, changing timelines like someone changes clothes. Not only that, but allegiances change on a flip and by the end of the season, you have no idea who is from each side, and neither you can tell which their side was in the first place.

One of the characters is dumb. Like REALLY DUMB. Won't spoil who it is, but you will figure out in the first or second episode. That, along with Deus Ex Machina moments. Make this script a bit amateurish.

I really wanted to give this a 10 for the sake of nostalgy, but yet again, Japanese producers don't fully realize the potential of a properly adult themed Kamen Rider and keep writing dumb and bland characters and plotlines.

As an original black fan i feel really disappointed with this show, i know they tried to modernized the story which is alright for me, but the problem is the story is just too deviated from the original, even the main conflict and main focus is too different from the og, it's even better if it's introduced as different title rather than used kamen rider black as basis

secondly there's lot of wasted opportunity that they fail two show like the character bonding and the.lack of battle hopper.or the bike action in general

and the battle scene feels lack as well, they're gore and cool indeed but it just only last for several early and couple of last episode,, even the show barely have the iconic technique like rider punch and rider kick

lastly there's lot of plot hole that should be explained better, and the story itself feels liket hey're trying too hard to be dark and convoluted while in fact it's not really that deep if you paying attention

as for the positive side, the costume is actually cool and the action scene although it's not that much but it's "okay" for me.