Kamen Rider has existed in lots of types in its lengthy historical past, from TV and movie to, after all, creator Shotaro Ishinomori’s personal basic manga. But how do you convey a sequence that has such a peculiar historical past within the west to modern Western comics?

As a part of our ongoing look at Titan Comics’ new Kamen Rider Zero-One sequence this week, io9 lately spoke to author Brandon Easton and artist Hendry Prasetya over e-mail about their historical past with tokusatsu, and the actual challenges of adapting a legendary franchise like Kamen Rider into comics. An much more peculiar layer to that is introducing audiences to a model of the reworking hero—Kamen Rider 01, a.ok.a. Aruto Hiden, a struggling comic thrust into management of his household’s robotics company and into unlikely supeheroics because the masked rider—that hasn’t really been legally accessible to followers exterior of Japan for all that lengthy.

Kamen Rider’s spotty historical past within the West apart, it was solely earlier this 12 months that Shout Factory formally launched Kamen Rider Zero-One within the U.S. for the primary time. So how do you cope with a personality who paradoxically has each an enormous legacy and is nearly just about unknown to individuals who would possibly see a fluorescent, bug-like superhero costume on a comic book retailer shelf and be intrigued? Check out our chat with Easton and Prasetya beneath to search out out.

James Whitbrook, io9: Tell me about your private histories with Kamen Rider. What made you wish to be a part of this sequence?

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Hendry Prasetya: My first (and all-time favoceremony) is Kamen Rider Black, which I watched as a child, and adopted the entire sequence ever since. As a fan of the franchise (and Tokusatsu usually), this was an enormous alternative!

Brandon Easton: I didn’t have a really lengthy historical past with the franchise, however I’m extraordinarily accustomed to related Sentai-model sequence in addition to the Mobile Suit Gundam mega-franchise, so the model of storytelling and themes of heroism spoke to me instantly. Also, David Clarke (of Namco/Bandai USA) is an efficient good friend and he reached out to me concerning writing the sequence. I’ve at all times needed to jot down a giant time Sentai-esque journey so it was an honor and a pleasure to have this chance.

io9: Hendry, the design of a Kamen Rider clearly modifications from sequence to sequence, however what do you suppose works greatest about 01’s design? What makes Aruto’s design stand out to you in comparison with different Riders?

Prasetya: The Zero-One design is particular as a result of it was again to fundamentals. The grasshopper design with its daring yellow/inexperienced colours was placing as a starting to the Reiwa interval. Plus, I cherished the general idea for the sequence that had an actual really feel of sci-fi with the rogue AI as the principle antagonist.

io9: What are you able to inform us in regards to the design for the brand new villain, Ragnarok?

Prasetya: When I used to be designing Ragnarok, I needed it to be a mirror picture of [Aruto’s] Shining Hopper mixed with a Hell Rising Hopper. The idea of Ragnarok was a mysterious power emanating from his physique—I imagined that his physique is a like a lava made from uncooked power. I added the cape for a mysterious impact, and in addition as a nod to the Kamen Rider W enemy Kamen Rider Eternal, which I assumed was a cool thought.

io9: When you’re engaged on one thing like this, related in a strategy to Power Rangers, there’s already a longtime visible design language. When you’re ideating new seems to be for characters or new designs usually, how do you go about holding issues like they really feel they’re a part of that design language?

Prasetya: In a sequence like this, the place issues are established already, there’s normally room for us to mess around with—I needed to make it wild, however nonetheless with a component of being in management.

io9: Brandon, clearly Kamen Rider has a extremely, actually lengthy historical past of various heroes through the years taking up the mantle. What drew you to Zero-One and Aruto’s story particularly?

Easton: Zero-One has a really trendy really feel and a mode that makes it straightforward to attach with. You don’t have to be a lifelong Kamen Rider fan to leap proper into the storyline and perceive the mechanics of that universe. Aruto is extraordinarily relatable and a unbelievable character to tackle a hero’s journey. He tries to be a comic however there’s a superhero that’s at all times been buried beneath his facade. He’s a enjoyable man to jot down and the opposite characters like Izu and Fuwa are unbelievable too.

io9: You’re adapting not simply this franchise that’s, though fortunately a little simpler to return by within the West currently, nonetheless fairly unfamiliar to lots of people. When you’re planning a sequence like this, how do you strike a steadiness between hitting the beats that established Rider followers wish to see, whereas ensuring it really works for a wholly new viewers?

Easton: It’s a fragile steadiness however considerably simpler to hit as a result of the reveals function with a particular system in thoughts. You know what you may and can’t do with the characters primarily based on the occasions of the TV sequence in order a author, there’s a slim pathway you will need to stroll nevertheless it helps to have a robust construction already in place. As I mentioned, Zero-One is a much more accessible present to Western viewers due to the funnier cleaning soap opera aesthetic that exists for the present.

io9: You’re additionally telling a brand new story for Aruto right here, off the again of a narrative instructed throughout practically 50 episodes of TV and a bunch of films and tie-in specials and condensing that right into a restricted comics sequence. What’s your method to attempting to do one thing new with a personality who’s already gone on such an enormous arc like that already—and one some readers would possibly simply not be accustomed to already?

Easton: With any established character in a long-running franchise, there’s the potential to discover features of their character in authentic tales that don’t contradict any canon occasions. I’ve written Vampire Hunter D, Judge Dredd, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and a bunch of different legacy characters which can be many years outdated. The trick is to do a little analysis and work out what hasn’t been mentioned in regards to the character. What lesson haven’t they realized but? What state of affairs have they not been offered with? And so on. That’s how you will discover a common idea that any reader can connect with no matter their preexisting information of the franchise.

io9: Hendry, Kamen Rider clearly has this lengthy historical past as a tokusatsu sequence, with such an outlined cinematography and really feel. What was it like attempting to convey that type of really feel to your artwork for the sequence? What is it about these sorts of reveals that you simply thinks works so nicely being translated into the medium of comics?

Prasetya: The most fascinating factor about this mission was the near-futuristic factor—it was so difficult however enjoyable to attract. I believe the motion will likely be an amazing match to discover within the comics medium.

io9: Brandon, why do you suppose Kamen Rider has endured for therefore lengthy? What makes now the correct time for it to begin making extra of an influence stateside?

Easton: The themes of sacrifice, heroism, teamwork, and justice resonate with audiences all around the world. Kamen Rider heroes are inclined to embody these traits all through the 50-year span of the assorted sequence. Because Asian pop culture—anime, manga, Ok-Pop, J-Pop, and so on.—is so in style within the United States, there’s at all times the potential to introduce long-standing sequence to the American fanbase. Kamen Rider already has a robust underground following and that can solely assist the character attain new audiences right here.

io9: What do you hope readers take from the ebook?

Easton: A way of enjoyable and unbelievable motion sequences. Also an amazing story about studying take duty for the injury an individual might trigger even when doing the correct factor. I actually hope anime and manga followers give this ebook an opportunity. I believe they’ll get pleasure from a brand new spin on such an vital and pivotal character within the toku style.

The first subject of Kamen Rider Zero-One hits shelves November 23.