English Dub Review: Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider “Show Me Your Kamen Rider”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

The tournament to decide the strongest begins, with Yukarisu and Tojima facing off.

Our Take:   

The group’s Kamen Rider tournament has officially kicked off!  While this arc doesn’t seem like it’s going to match the stakes of the tournament sagas from other anime, there’s no doubt that there will be some hilarity stemming from the competition.  The first match, which pits Tojima against Yukarisu, is no exception, with Tojima single-handedly defeating the former Shocker combatant seconds after it began.  Considering the heavy training Tojima performed, he’s seriously one step closer to becoming an adult Saitama from One Punch Man.  Of course, amid its humor, Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider still doesn’t neglect the stylized action and character moments that elevated its entertainment value.

This is evident through the tournament’s second match, pitting brother against brother to prove their worth as their respective Kamen Riders.  The series has been highlighting the sibling bond between Mitsuba and Ichiyo not just through their flashbacks, but also their competitiveness.  Despite Mitsuba’s knowledge of Riderman from V3, he always loses against Ichiyo for the title of “Kamen Rider V3” throughout their lives.  That is, until the tournament, in which Mitsuba gives everything he has to finally defeat Ichiyo.  Essentially, the episode is best described as the conclusion of Mitsuba’s underdog story, where his true Kamen Rider spirit helps him overcome the pain of constantly losing to his older brother.  Along with its detailed, stylized animation, the episode marks a thrilling start to the season’s tournament arc and a rewarding step forward in Mitsuba’s character growth.