What are your thoughts on Kamen Rider Zeztz 04?

#Tokusatsu #Toku #KamenRider #ShotaroIshinomori #manga

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Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 4: Flying Fists and Dream Doors

This is MJ with Rider Tears, and I’m talking about Kamen Rider Zeztz Episode 4, where the mission is to protect a VIP bride. Written once again by Yuya Takahashi, this makes four episodes in a row from him. Directing duties were handled by Hiroki Kashiwagi, who I’ll come back to, but I liked his work here. There were definitely some nice directional flourishes, especially with the flying action.

If you caught my short, you know I’m a bird guy and I love flying fights. That kind of stuff just does it for me. And the flying combat here? Very solid. It reminded me of the peak flight action scenes from Ultraman Blazar, which is high praise.

Cozy Chaos with Baku and Nem

I really enjoyed the interactions between Baku and Nem this episode. They felt cozy, like they’ve been working together for a while, even though there’s still a bit of awkwardness. She’s this famous idol, and Baku obviously finds her dazzling. His dream self tries to give her a flower, and she swats it away—a cute and genuinely awkward moment. There’s something charming about the way that dynamic is handled.

The Dream Doors: Visual Symbolism

There’s a lot going on visually, too. I noticed in the opening that Nox (I think that’s the name?) and Nem are each on opposite sides of this white pedestal with statues. Both wear white. The Mind’s Doors have male and female figures sculpted into them—the woman up top, shielding her heart, and the man below doing the same. You look through what would be their hearts to see the keyhole. It struck me as a cool visual metaphor for Jungian duality—anima and animus. Basically, the idealized opposite-gender archetype that exists within the subconscious. The more mature your perception of the opposite sex, the more fully formed the archetype becomes. It was just a neat touch that feels meaningful.

Kashiwagi’s Direction and Design

Kashiwagi is fairly new as a lead director. He was an assistant director on Kamen Rider OOO, did episodes 36–37 of Kamen Rider Saber, and now he’s on 4 and 5 of Zeztz. He also directed the Sabela and Durendal Saber spin-off, which I haven’t seen. But I liked his work here. There was some fun action and a solid sense of tone.

Also, I noticed that when Zeztz used a certain form this time, his undersuit changed. The normally saturated red bits turned a desaturated gray with a satiny, slightly reflective look. His armor plating looked more flush and integrated instead of bulked-up. It streamlines the suit and probably helps the suit actor move better. As a guy who likes designing characters, I thought that was a cool shift.

Crow Combat and Campy Fun

The crow monster was super cool. I liked the whole dream infiltration, and I especially liked seeing Baku transform in civilian form—as a priest, no less. He uses the power capsule (I’ve been calling them power balls, but I’m probably not going to be consistent with that), buffs up, and lifts a guy into the air with one hand. Then he crushes the knife and tells the bride, “Not a speck of dust will harm you.” It was campy, clean fun. Felt like something out of a spy fantasy.

The capsule gimmick normally doesn’t do it for me, but it worked in that moment. It was funny, it was cool, and it played well.

Real World Crossover and More Threads

We also got a peek at the real-world version of the wedding venue, where Nasuka and Fujimi show up and find black crow feathers on the ground. That’s a great mechanic: the dream world leaking into reality through something tangible like feathers. It ties things together nicely.

One thing I didn’t love was the chief saying, “I’m unofficially putting you back on the black cases.” It’s a little too X-Files-y and cliché, but we’ll see where it goes.

There’s also that ongoing thread with Baku’s sister, who warns him not to help people because he’ll get hurt. That came back in this episode. Makes me wonder if he’s some kind of destined dream warrior or if something out there is trying to stop him. Takahashi has done long-tail storytelling before, and I’d love to see that kind of payoff here.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really liked this episode. Strong direction, fun action, meaningful symbolism, and great character work. I’m excited to see where it all goes. And hey, here’s my Gorenger Tokusatsu Spider-Man design my kid scribbled on:

Should he have a cape with web threads? He’s got a web cannon gun instead of a baton like the Gorengers. He’s got the visor pieces, too. I think he’s cool. I’m something of a character designer myself.

What did you think of Zeztz 04? Let me know if you’re keeping up. Until next time, be well, stay sharp, and see you around, kid.

Thanks for reflecting with me. What say you, fellow traveler? Drop a comment below or if you’re on Twitter, tag me @MJ_Scribe. 

If you’re looking for something with magical creatures, high stakes, and a whole lot of heart, check out Mockwing Mayhem. Learn more at grobugs.com.

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