YMMV / Shin Kamen Rider (2023)

• Awesome Music: While Taku Iwasaki had big shoes to fill from Shiro Sagisu's previous work on the Shin Japan Heroes Universe films, the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Battle Tendency composer does not disappoint:
  • The many variations of "Let's Go!! Rider Kick", the first of which is the "desperate ver." that plays during Hongo's battle against Kumo Aug at the dam, the frantic arrangement fitting the faster pace of this film's action sequences. A more traditional arrangement plays while Kamen Rider chases Koumori Aug on his bike, properly solidifying Hongo's Heroic Resolve in his fight against SHOCKER, and the "desperate ver." receives a reprise as the "Double Kick ver.", which kicks in the exact moment the newly formed Double Riders strike their Ass Kicking Pose before their battle against the six remaining SHOCKER Riders.
  • "metamorphose" is a blood-pumping song that plays over Takeshi Hongo's first on-bike transformation into Kamen Rider, the techno beats playing the first few notes of "Let's Go!! Rider Kick" and rap vocals by Lotus Juice underlining the birth of the Phlebotinum Rebel hero. It later receives a reprise as "metamorphose II" during Kamen Rider and Batta Aug-02's chase that precedes their duel, this arrangement adding a guitar solo that kicks in the moment Hongo starts up his bike's Transformation Sequence.
  • The shared SHOCKER Augment Leitmotif split between Kumo, Koumori, and Hachi Aug is an intense rock piece that comes with several variations for each Aug. "KUA-01" acts as the baseline composition, while Koumori Aug's "KOA-01" variation adds manic brass instrument interjections that reinforces the insane Laughing Mad Mad Scientist aspect of the character, and Hachi Aug's "HAA-01" is a faster-paced and much more frantic arrangement with techno elements that plays during Kamen Rider's Super-Speed sword fight against her.
  • "Falling velocity" combines "Let's Go!! Rider Kick", Lotus Juice vocals, and the Augment Leitmotif to great effect during Hongo's descent from a USAF plane.
  • "Khaan" plays in the Mirror Match battle between Kamen Rider and Batta Aug-02. The use of rising and falling motifs, coupled with the tension-inducing use of 7/8 time signature, audibly scores Takeshi Hongo's most challenging battle at that point.
  • "Blow it" is basically Hayato Ichimonji's Big Damn Heroes music. First, it plays the instant he sends K.K Aug flying away, and it elevates Hayato's subsequent affirmation of his identity and Badass Boast against SHOCKER. Later, it plays again when Hayato saves Takeshi from being gunned to death by the SHOCKER Riders, and his subsequent declaration as Kamen Rider No. 2.
• Critical Dissonance: The film is largely well-received by Japanese moviegoers (as well as English-speaking fans who could watch it) because it is an obvious love letter to the 1971 series and Spiritual Adaptation of Shotaro Ishinomori's manga stories. By contrast, critical/reviewer assessment is more downplayed. Most cite its "stapling" of separate episode arcs into one film causing Pacing Problems (which was also a criticism levied on Shin Ultraman), as well as what seems to be shallower implementations of Deconstruction compared to the previous Shin entries (especially Shin Godzilla)—likely because of the overt fidelity to the source material.
• Fan Nickname:
  • Kamen Rider was unofficially called "Kamen Rider No. 1" by fans in order to distinguished him from his contemporary Riders No. 2 and No. 0 in the film.
  • Sasori Aug was often nicknamed "Hell Scorpion" due to her mask resembles that of Starter Villain Hell Dragon from Kaiketsu Zubat.
• Fight Scene Failure: For some, the latter half of the final confrontation wound up being this. Although the scene is meant to evoke the desperation and exhaustion of the combatants, just them rolling around the floor trying to look they're wrestling with a much heavier than necessary use of Jitter Cam did not leave a strong impression. The bike chase that opened the final act prior this, while cool as an idea since we got to have more motorcycle action, was also met with some of this depending on the audience due to how the production team chose to execute a very low-light action scene.
• It's the Same, Now It Sucks!: As mentioned under Critical Dissonance, this is largely the agreed upon core for those with issues regarding its overall quality. Most are willing to give Anno respect for how much he hewed to the original source, as it's clear he loved it and respects it. However many also feel that he hamstrung the final result by replicating so much of the original show's now very dated style of editing and to a different degree, its action choreography.
• Memetic Mutation: As the film is coming to Amazon Prime Video on July 21st, the same day that Barbie (2023), Oppenheimer, and Pikmin 4 will be released, Shin Kamen Rider was added to the "Barb-enheimer"/"Bar-min-heimer" meme by American KR fans, turning it into "Shin Barminheimer".
• Moe: The film's iteration of Ruriko, despite being an Adaptational Badass of her original counterpart, was adorable enough for being a Rei Ayanami Expy.
• Narm Charm: Hideaki Anno's love for the source material is well-known and the film uses a number of old-school techniques that are far more common in Showa era tokusatsu television. A viewer who comes without that same enthusiasm might find some of the cuts and scene composition unintentionally hilarious, but there is an undeniable appeal to these sincere heartfelt homages.
• Visual Effects of Awesome: While most of the film's special effects have been subject to debate, there has been almost unanimous agreement that the battle between Kamen Rider and Hachi Aug is one of the highlights of the film, the deliberate use of stylized low-frame rate animation techniques illustrating both of the Augments' sheer speed.

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