In Japan, spandex-wearing superhero shows have been a staple of entertainment culture long before the days of Netflix-exclusive Marvel shows and gritty Teen Titans television series. Masked heroes with color-coordinated uniforms or bug-themed armor have been tearing it up on televisions across Japan for ages, yet overseas these iconic television characters have barely gotten any exposure. Plenty of Americans grew up watching the explosive Saturday-morning action of the Power Rangers series, which re-tooled footage from the Japanese Super Sentai series into a global phenomenon. Iconic and beloved sister series Kamen Rider, however, has hardly had the same amount of luck becoming an overseas hit. Thankfully, Shout! Factory is putting in the work to try and change that, delivering an official English translation of the iconic 2000 action series Kamen Rider Kuuga.
This release marks the first time that Kamen Rider Kuuga will be officially available in English, with all 49 episodes of the series streaming on the Shout! Factory website now. The new localization will also air on the brand new TokuSHOUTsu television channel, a Pluto TV cable channel dedicated to airing a variety of classic tokusatsu series. VRV subscribers can also access the show on that platform.
Shout! Factory describes Kamen Rider Kuuga as follows:
When a group of archaeologists uncover the tomb of a legendary warrior, they unearth Kuuga’s belt, accidentally releasing an ancient race of monsters called the Grongi, bent on destroying humanity. Enter Yusuke Godai, a modern-day guy-next-door, who learns he is telepathically linked to the mysterious stone belt. With its power, he transforms into the legendary warrior known as Kuuga, humanity’s only defense against the murderous Gurongi monsters.
Kamen Rider Kuuga originally aired in Japan all the way back in the year 2000, with the series finale airing in 2001. It was the first show that belonged to the Heisei era of the series, with the previous entry, Kamen Rider BLACK RX, being the final Showa era title in the long-running series.
Source: Anime News Network
