Sunday, March 19, 2017

Jason's Gallery - Kamen Rider Black RX

"I am the Child of the Sun, the protector of all living things, Kamen Rider...Black...R...X!!"

As we recall, when I did my Sailor Moon Retrospective, when I was talking about the part about the promo of the old English dub, I slightly ranted about one of my darkest parts of my childhood after I mentioned the part about Tuxedo Mask being called The Masked Tuxedo, which was a slight nod to Kamen Rider/Masked Rider. But Stefan removed that part when he edited it, stating that part was not a part of the story or retrospective. But now, I will tell you in full detail of my dark part of my past while describing this fanart I made. I know I will give you full details on my ordeal. But until then, without further ado, here is the short abridged version, along with the motivation behind this fanart.

(Taken from Deviantart)

Presenting my fanart of the last of the Showa Kamen Riders, Kamen Rider Black RX. And I got significant reasons for this drawing and it's a personal one. It all began in the mid 1990s. I never even heard of Kamen Rider until I read an article on Gamepro on a review on a FMV game on the Sega CD, which had clips from the Kamen Rider movie, Kamen Rider ZO. It was not until around 1995, the same year Ronin Warriors and Sailor Moon were released to the states, that I got a small taste of the creation of Shotaro Ishinomori, thanks to Power Rangers. I was one of the few lucky people who got to see the three parter (in the form of a backdoor pilot) before seeing the actual show, Saban's Masked Rider. Where Kotaro Minami was born on Earth and is both Black and Black RX, the Masked Rider was Prince Dex of Edenoi and his henshi phrase was completely different from Kotaro's. Anyway, Masked Rider was completely different from its source material, especially not only using clips from Black RX, but also from Kamen Rider ZO and Kamen Rider J. Where the Kamen Rider shows were dark and serious, Masked Rider was kid-friendly and tame. That and adding Ferbus was completely awkward, but that's another story.  For quite awhile, I have enjoyed the show, but something happened to me that has changed me, but for the worst. I had bad memories from the show, but it wasn't from the show itself. 

When I use to go to middle school in the Bronx, NY, the bullies over there used Masked Rider as an excuse to pick on me, just because I was smart and level-headed. They teased me mercilessly without end until somehow the staff and guidance counselors stopped them and reprimanded them. Even though I have graduated, the memories of the torment were long-buried...until now.

When I was looking up everything Kamen Rider related and seeing the differences between Kamen Rider Black RX and Masked Rider, I have come the conclusion that I have realized one fact. Those bullies didn't just humiliated me, they have also disgraced the name Kamen Rider and Tokusatsu in general, without knowing what either of them are. They think that Kamen Rider was a excuse to bully people around who were smart and level-headed like myself. That is not true, not at all. Bullies like them just don't have better things to do but use anything Tokusatsu to pick on the weak. And those same bullies, either they lamented their bullying past and turned their lives around or haven't changed at all and ended up in a life of crime. Either way, they should be a shame of themselves, disgracing Tokusatsu and Kamen Rider like that.

And in response, I drew this, not only to let my anger out, but also seeking redemption over the matter, besides meeting Jodi Benson.

I will seek redemption and see if those same bullies will one day come out of the woodwork and apologize to me for humiliating me and disgracing Kamen Rider. Until then, let this fanart serve as a reminder that Kamen Rider Black RX, like all the Kamen Riders before him and after, is a symbol of justice, not a tool for bullying and that's saying something.


1 comment:

Stefan said...

Wonderful story,I know what it's like to be bullied.

Saban's Masked Rider was bad,it wouldn't be until Kamen Rider Dragon Knight(ryuuki in japan and elsewhere) that we Americans got to experience Kamen Rider the way it was supposed to be. Too badd 4Kids decided to remove it from their line-ups....Before The Final 2 Episodes!

Also Ferbus is a clone of Furbie,who in turn is a clone of Gizmo from Gremlins.