If you grew up watching guys in rubber suits beating each other alongside evil monsters, the name Kamen Rider sure gives you goosebumps. This legendary Japanese franchise has mastered the live-action format for decades—but it seems they have outgrown the suit.
This weekend, they dropped a media bomb: the official creation of a new division dedicated purely to producing animated films. And to open the curtain? A first project backed by two of the biggest monsters in the industry.
┌──── KAMEN RIDER ────┐
THE KAMENRIDER
ANIMATED
Aniplex・白組とタッグ└──── 55th GOGO!! ────┘
現在企画進行中！
続報をおたのしみに#仮面ライダー生誕55周年#仮面ライダーの日 pic.twitter.com/gge8LtgbfE— 仮面ライダー公式 (@HKR20_official) April 3, 2026
The Titans Behind This Historic Animated Alliance
When you compete in the animation film market, you can’t go halfway. The Toei Company knows this perfectly, which is why they allied with studios that guarantee brutal sales and graphic quality that leaves you glued to your seat.
- Aniplex as main producer — The entertainment giant responsible for media phenomena like Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online.
- Shirogumi as animation studio — Masters of visual effects and 3D integration, the minds behind Stand By Me Doraemon and the award-winning CGI of Godzilla Minus One.
A Legacy of Tokusatsu That Cried Out to Evolve
Carrying tokusatsu to other formats isn’t totally new—but opening a complete film label is another level of ambition. The work originally conceived by the late Shotaro Ishinomori always relied on physical stunts, motorcycles flying through the air, and spark-filled explosions in abandoned quarries.
But the physical limitations of actors and wires are always there. By diving fully into animation, these transformable heroes will have the freedom to break all the laws of gravity and carry epic battles to scales that in a traditional format would cost the budget of an entire country.
What Are They Looking For With This Jump to Cartoons?
At the moment, details are under seven security keys. No official title, no leaked synopsis, not even a sketch to calm the cravings.
What producers made very clear:
They seek to keep intact that essence of justice and the heroic spirit of the original saga, but present stories that feel extremely fresh.
It is, basically, a way to reconnect with the public that has followed television series for years, and at the same time, engage the new generation of otakus who consume high-quality animation in the cinema.
The Big Question: CGI or Traditional 2D?
Having a studio as brutally experienced in three-dimensional visual effects as Shirogumi at the helm, do you think this project will opt for a hyperrealistic CGI style—or will they go for traditional 2D animation to maintain that classic anime flavor?
Shirogumi’s involvement suggests a leaning toward stylised CGI rather than traditional 2D. Their portfolio demonstrates technical sophistication, but part of Kamen Rider’s grit comes from that grainy, practical quality. Can animation replicate the messy charm of men actually throwing each other around?
Will the removal of physical constraints elevate the storytelling, or does something essential get lost when nobody’s actually taking the hits anymore?
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