Singapore television channel Kids Central may be gone but its superb line-up of international children’s shows in the 2000s remains unbeaten till today. One of its most popular shows was Masked Rider 555 – a Japanese superhero series revolving around humanity’s battle with Smart Brain, an evil corporation that’s secretly turning humans into monsters called Orphnochs.
It inspired a whole generation of primary school boys to believe that their flip phones could turn them into superheroes.
Twenty years after its series finale, Masked Rider 555 is back with a new movie featuring most of the original main characters returning. It joins Digimon Adventure 02 as another millennial children’s show that is making a comeback.
On Thursday (Oct 19), the theatrical poster and a trailer were released.
Titled Masked Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained, the movie depicts humanity’s continued battle against Smart Brain. However, the company has since shifted to eradicating Orphnochs and it’s now up to the humans to save their former foes. To make matters worse, Takumi Inui, the main character of the TV show, is now fighting on the side of Smart Brain.
Masked Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained will also feature new bulkier suits for the superheroes. This time, their transformation items have also been upgraded from flip phones to smartphones – catering to a new generation of children.
In an interview with Oricon News, actor Kento Handa, who plays Takumi Inui, said: “I had a lot of things in mind (when filming the movie) but when I saw the finished product, I realised that I was a fan.
“This is a work that I want viewers to be proud of as they watch it.”
Masked Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained is scheduled to air in Japan on Feb 2, 2024.