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Kamen Rider Kuuga Premiering Weekly on YouTube in Japan
Continuing the celebration of Kamen Rider Kuuga‘s 20th anniversary, region-locked episodes are being made available on YouTube.
From September 12th 2020 to March 13th 2021, Toei Tokusatsu YouTube Official will be commemorating the 20th anniversary of Kamen Rider Kuuga by uploading the show for Japanese viewers. Their goal is to upload two episodes every week, as well as the TV specials. Using YouTube’s Premiere feature, the episodes will premiere at a given time with a live chat for viewers to engage in while watching. Each episode will be kept up for a week.
Taking place in the year 2000, a bizarre incident occurs at the Kurogatake Ruins. Godai Yusuke visits the ruins because his friend, Sawatari, was analyzing ancient characters. Yusuke encounters a mysterious belt there, which fuses with him, and allows him to transform into a warrior called Kuuga. Yusuke must fight a sudden onslaught of monsters from the ruins to protect the smiles of the people he loves most.
BD発売や #怪ラジ での特集など、15周年の一山を経て迎える #クウガ20周年 は毎週末夜の無料配信！
勧善懲悪という様式を重視し「正義のヒーロー」が力で敵を征す矛盾を棚上げし続けた東映の功罪も問うた #仮面ライダークウガ を多くの方に観て頂ければと思ってます?https://t.co/MuB9liLgXB#kuuga https://t.co/de9FU7rWvB— 高寺成紀?９月26日（土）13～14時「怪獣ラジオ（昼）」＠調布FM (@taka_69s) September 11, 2020
Shigenori Takatera, the producer, has commented on Kuuga‘s recent uploads, recommending it to those who haven’t seen it before:
“Because [the show] acknowledges the early Showa Riders, the fate of the hero was rather harsh with a horror element – we wanted to tell children about the misery of conquering others, so [the protagonist] bleeds as well. There is no conflict between the characters, and it may seem unusual compared to the recent style, but it’s a production that I would like you to see – because it is now that kindness and a sense of responsibility are required.”
The main actor, Joe Odagiri, famously was quoted as saying he disliked tokusatsu, causing a rumor that he did not like this series either. Takatera comments on this as well:
“[The show] advocated for realistic representation, but at the same time needed a soft hero who did not give children a sense of unease – so it was Odagiri! Incidentally, it seems that a theory of dark history had spread because he said ‘I don’t like tokusatsu’ in an interview at that time, but he loves this production.”
Though the weekly YouTube uploads are only viewable in Japan, those in North America can watch all of Kuuga subbed on ShoutFactoryTV.
