The fall anime season is upon us, and with it comes a wide selection of new and returning series alike that will be making their way to Crunchyroll this month. One of those new series is Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider, the first episode of which just hit the streaming platform today!
Based on the seinen manga written and illustrated by Yokusaru Shibata, the series follows the story of Tanzaburo Tojima, a man who is abnormally obsessed with the Kamen Rider franchise. He’s on the verge of giving up on his dream of becoming a hero until a chance encounter with a robber changes his fate forever.
In case you’re not familiar with the lore here, Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is a spin-off of the Kamen Rider series, a Japanese superhero tokusatsu media franchise that dates back to the 70s. The franchise has expanded tenfold since its inception with various television series, films, manga, anime, novels, and more. And, fun fact—the original Kamen Rider, Hiroshi Fujioka, reprises his role by providing the voice for Takeshi Hongo in the first episode.
First in line for the target audience here would naturally be those who grew up with Kamen Rider. However, even beyond the nostalgia of 50+ years of a franchise, there’s relatability to be found here for a wider audience of viewers as well. The main character, Tojima, is essentially a 40-year-old fanboy. And really, that’s cool. Because there’s sometimes an underlying expectation to be found, both in areas of fiction and real life, about outgrowing your nerdy passions. But there’s no age limit on superheroes and fandoms and nerd culture (and anyone who’s been to a comic convention can certainly attest to that). There’s an inner child in all of us who wants to indulge in a superhero wish fulfillment story.
It’s just so rare to have a main character in anime/manga who’s not a teenager, and even rarer still to see one who’s 40 years old. As a 30-something, I breathe a sigh of relief every time it happens. Tojima, buddy, I’m here to witness this epic moment you’ve been waiting your entire life for. And beyond all of that, there’s an even deeper message here for everyone: Those dreams you’ve always had? Don’t give up on them.
This adaptation comes from LIDEN FILMS (Tokyo Revengers). Katsuyuki Konishi voices Tojima, who you’ll recognize as Enjin if you’re also currently watching Gachiakuta. With one episode out so far, Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider feels like a fun, promising entry in this season’s fall anime lineup. The concept is an entertaining change of pace from the usual fare, offering a mix of action and comedy alongside a solid soundtrack.
And while I won’t divulge any specific details for those who have yet to watch, do yourself a favor and sit through the entirety of the end credits. This is easily one of my favorite anime ending credit animations that I’ve ever seen, by far–it’s an incredibly charming and unique concept.
(Also–don’t miss the post-credits scene!)
Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
