Kamen Rider Sigma Episode #2 Production Notes *Updated and Revised as
of
- The original title for this episode was “4 Riders vs. The Kaijin Army”. After the extensive rewrite, I changed it to something more akin to the title of Kamen Rider V3 episode #2, “Last Testament of the Double Riders”. I ended up tweaking it a bit more for the final version, taking a cue from the last episode of Kamen Rider V3, “The Last Day of Destron”.
- As with episode #1, this is the last in a long line of initial drafts of Kamen
Rider Sigma episode #2. Fourth if you want to get technical, but the only
real changes were grammatical (as with all the other original 10 episodes for
the 2007 re-launch.) The original 11-page version, released in April 2001, had
a completely different tone and format from the one seen here. In keeping with
the original version of the first episode, the action starts out at Hongô’s lab
at
- While the current, final version of episode #1 spent a good deal of time setting up the plot and character of Ryûsaki Maya, this episode is primarily action-driven, the only respite being the scenes of the Triple Riders conversing with each other or the Maya/Ichijô scenes.
- Hasami-Jaguar’s “That is so cliché” line is a little “breaking the fourth wall”, something you’ll find I do a lot in this story.
- V3 uses two of his 26 Secrets this episode, “Red Bone Power” and “Pillar of Flame Kick”, the latter having never appeared onscreen before.
- “There’s always another base, isn’t there?” : It’s pretty much a Rider villain tradition to always have another base somewhere else, and this holds true even during the closing moments of Kamen Rider THE FIRST.
- TV-Bae’s death is inspired by that of Dokubari-Gumo in the Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Kaijin movie, where the evil arachnid is literally blown to pieces by Taihô-Buffalo.
- “30 years later, and I still can’t hit the broadside of a barn!” : Kame-Bazooka was never really good at actually hitting the things he aims for, so this was a little self-referential nod to that.
- The “Turtle Power” line, cheesy as it may be, just had to go in.
- “Lucky for you I’m not the one with the internal atomic bomb this time, or this next shot would kill us both!” : some subtle foreshadowing.
- The classic, regular “Rider Kick” and “V3 Kick” are used at last.
- Kuuchuu = Midair, Aerial
- Kaiten = Revolving
- The “Sigma Kuuchuu Kaiten Kick” is officially the first named move to be used by the new Rider. Having Sigma call out the names of her attacks ultimately came down to the fact that since the first Riders she meets are Rider 1, 2, & V3, it would only be natural that she acts closest to them. Plus, it just sounds really cool, if you ask me.
- The revived Kaijin were originally going to last until the end of the episode, but seeing as how they basically dominated the fighting in episode #1, I figured they could all go down at the beginning, and allow for the new Kaijin to shine.
- Dr. Enokida Hikari is another Kamen Rider Kuuga regular, appearing here to help ground Sigma in the current Rider universes.
- Ohayô Gozaimasu = “Good Morning”
- Ichijô once again mentions the enigmatic “Kurobe-san”, who we’ll finally see in episode #3.
- The scene of the Riders acknowledging their place in the current world is one that I hope will strike a chord with readers. On the one hand, they realize that in the 21st century, the heroes of the old days can no longer fight all the battles, and it is up to the newer generation to take up the reins. On the other hand though, they understand that there are times when even the new generation needs their help, and they vow to do so as long as they can.
- Geier’s letter to the Riders is served in true Rider Villain style— announcing your success of killing someone way in advance. Case in point, Hongô and Ichimonji’s “memorial service” seen in Kamen Rider V3 episode #1.
-“Fujioka Cement Quarry” is of course a very blatant reference to Fujioka Hiroshi, the actor who is immortalized as Hongô Takeshi/Kamen Rider 1. Hey, not everything can be done with subtlety! The entire quarry setting is of course an homage to the Tokusatsu of the 70's, where many a major battle took place in a big, empty rock/dirt quarry.
- Shuryô = Chief or Leader. Also the shortened version of the Japanese name used to describe the Great Leader (Dai Shuryô) who additionally often goes by the name of the organization he’s running (i.e. “Leader of Shocker”, etc.) Used by both the heroes and villains. In this particular context, I opted for the Japanese word rather than just the English translation of “Leader” to give it a more smooth-flowing feel. Also I like to think it’s become something of an endearing nickname.
- The “Rider Stock Footage Montage” is just one of those things you can’t leave out, even with the proverbial infinite budget of an online fan story.
- The Leader of Geier’s rant and the Rider’s response reaffirms a major point of the episode (and subsequently the series): that the heroes of today must fight their own battles in their own way, just as the old ones once did. But this doesn’t mean the old heroes just disappear; they endure, become legendary, and if needed, they can return once more.
- I made it a point to not try and have the Great Leader be behind every single Rider baddie ever— as in the Grongi, Unknown, Mirror World Monsters, and so on. Basically, since the newer Rider villains have very distinct and abstract goals aside from good old world conquest (although some do want world conquest too.) There will be some connections later on down the road, but for now he simply acknowledges them as an influence for his return. If you like, you can imagine for now that the sudden increase in evilness has brought the Great Leader back, but I’m keeping mum on the real specifics until much later.
- “You’re really struggling for good comebacks this time” : an authorial in-joke.
- Sai = Rhinoceros
- Genshibakudan = Atomic Bomb
- Botaru = a pun on “Hotaru” = Firefly. This same pun is used in the name of a classic Kamen Rider monster, Elekibotaru, from episode #70.
- A main character’s restating of something important (“Operation: Tokyo Eradication?”) followed by a confirmation is another oft-heard bit of dialogue in many older Tokusatsu series.
-“There’s something very familiar about all this...” is a reference to how much this plot line mirrors that of Kamen Rider V3 episode #2, which, as you might guess, heavily influenced the writing of this episode. Okay, I pretty much lifted right from it, but my explanation is, after so many evil plans, the bad guys have to repeat themselves eventually (if they didn’t already!)
- By far one of my favorite parts of this episode is the scene where Rider 1 & Rider 2 look at each other, preparing for the “Rider Double Kick”. The brief exchange between them is right out of the original TV show.
- Ikuzo = Commonly-heard phrase in Tokusatsu, akin to “Let’s go!” or “Let’s do it!”
- The fact that even a Rider Double Kick does nothing to Sai-Jackhammer shows what a seriously tough customer he is. There are very few opponents in the entire Kamen Rider franchise who can withstand one (no seriously, it’s a scientifically proven fact), and I thought a good way to show just how bad the all-new Kaijin really are was to have them be nearly unbeatable by the guest Riders (unlike the Revived, old Kaijin) with one exception (and you can argue who really “wins” that fight, outlined below.) Will this change later in the series? Keep reading!
- “Scarf-wearing” used as an insult : Hehe!
- “And as for Greenie here, by the time I’m finished he’ll be everywhere from Hong Kong to Hawaii!” : A reference to the fact that V3 is indeed extremely popular both in Hong Kong and Hawaii, as well as many other places worldwide.
- Maya kicking Sai-Jackhammer below the belt isn’t the first time such an event happens in a Kamen Rider series; everyone’s favorite antagonist Hôjô suffers a similar fate in one of the later episodes of Kamen Rider AgitΩ (late in the series. It’s quick but very funny, especially since Hôjô’s second favorite person to annoy, Ozawa, is the one doing the kicking.)
- Maya’s dramatic Henshin scene is one of the few things from the original draft of #2 surviving here.
- Sigma’s “Sigma Punch” is pretty much a variation on your standard Rider Punch. The “Reverse Rider Kick” though, is a whole new idea. Imagine a Rider Kick, played in reverse.
- Maya’s “Sai... yonara” is one of the worst puns ever... but once again, it just had to go in.
- Ichijô’s: “I wish he were still around here… I could really use his help right now” line will hopefully send one of those feel-good chills down the spines of the Kuuga fans out there, along with the references to two other Kuuga characters. Can you figure out who might show up sooner or later?
- Keiji = Inspector or Detective. Keiji-san is kinda like saying “Mr. Detective”, but it’s also the respectful way of saying it.
- There really is no plausible reason why
- At last, the Spider Creature that plagued Maya from the very beginning is named : Tobidashi-Kumo.
- Tobidashinaifu = Switchblade
- “Not again!” : Another reference to the first episode of Kamen Rider Kuuga, where Ichijô almost got killed by another arachnid Kaijin. (See the notes to episode #1 for more on that.)
- Why does Ichijô let Maya off so easily? Does he realize that she is Kamen Rider Sigma? We’ll find out eventually. The “Wild Bear” bit is but one more reference to the first episode of Kamen Rider Kuuga, as this was part of the excuse to cover up the massacre at the archeological dig site, where we first meet Ichijô investigating the next morning
- The Riders once again use the “Rider Triple Power”, in the manner it was seen originally in Kamen Rider V3 episode #34, right down to the “V3 chopping enemy in face before jumping away” bit.
- “Believe in yourself!” is a spin on the first ending theme to Kamen Rider AgitΩ, “Believe Yourself”.
- “Keep on fighting for Justice!!!” : was derived from the back page of a Kamen Rider book I have.
- Ah, the ending. For those who are wondering, the original ending was totally different. Originally, Hongô, Ichimonji, & Kazami all made it through in one piece, and left Japan at the end to fight Geier in other parts of the world after a giving a quick goodbye to Maya.
While this was a decent way to send them off, it felt kind of weak in my opinion. Why bother to even have them leave in the first place? Why not stick around for a while and have them train Maya/Sigma? Of course, this was before the 4th Geier Kaijin, Genshibakudan-Botaru, was thought up. Not only would the introduction of this character mean more for the Triple Riders to do, but it also provided for a nice homage to the end of Kamen Rider V3 episode #2, where the Double Riders appear to die by destroying Kame-Bazooka over the ocean, except this time, it’s three Riders, under the ocean, and with the Plutonium Core removed, no worries about possible radioactive fallout.
The original intent was for the ending scene to come as an eleventh-hour surprise twist, but seeing as how the title basically gave it away, I figured putting in some foreshadowing (re: Kame-Bazooka’s earlier giveaway line) wouldn’t hurt. As the scene was written and rewritten though, it began to take on an entirely different feel: I realized I could make something quite surprising and maybe even a little tragic. Whereas the V3 version was a shock at the time, the short dialogue afterwards (with Hongô & Ichimonji’s flashback/telepathic selves giving V3 some morale boost) let everyone know that they weren’t dead, and would eventually be back. No such dialogue happens here.
Of course, I still don’t expect people to think they’re really dead. Anybody who knows me knows I’d have to be out of my mind to kill off three of the best (and three of my favorite) Riders just like that. So I don’t think I’m spoiling much in saying this was a bit of a sucker punch. But, in regards to the story itself, they’re out of it for now. As to when/if they’ll return…well, keep reading; I promise you’ll be surprised how things turn out!
Essentially, this marks the “true” beginning of Kamen Rider Sigma for me, with our heroine alone, on her own, and about to meet a few new friends and enemies!
"Dragon Fang Rider Kick!!"
~Igadevil
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