‘Kamen Rider ZEZTZ’ Producer on Merging Nostalgia and Reinvention for Fans Worldwide

For over five decades, Kamen Rider has revved its engine through pop culture, delivering masked motorcycle-riding justice against rubber-suited monstrosities with style, grit, and a cyclical penchant for reinvention. Now, Kamen Rider ZEZTZ—the latest dream-fueled entry from Toei and Ishimori Productions—shifts gears into the subconscious.

It follows hero Baku Yorozu, a hapless dreamer turned nightmare-busting hero. Armed with the power to enter and purify corrupted dreams, ZEZTZ is tasked with identifying afflicted dreamers, decoding their inner torment, and defeating their monsters in three tries—or risk letting their terror take root in the waking world.

And boy howdy, when he succeeds, he lands a stylish rider kick for the ages, sending his foes into a big sleep before combusting.

io9 caught up with producer Hideaki Yanaka to discuss the origins of Kamen Rider ZEZTZ‘s fantastical dream-hopping premise. We also talked about whether the series’ new weekly episodic premieres on YouTube via TokuSHOUTsu mark a new era of global streaming accessibility that longtime tokusatsu fans can expect to continue in future franchise installments.

Isaiah Colbert, io9: What sparked the idea to set Zetz in the realm of dreams? Was it a direct homage to Freddy Krueger-style nightmares, or something more symbolic about escapism and subconscious desires?

Hideaki Yanaka: The screenwriter [Yuya Takahashi] came up with the dream concept. After receiving that idea, I first gathered and read research books about dreams. After that, me and our planning team discussed what dream setting would best suit this story. Ultimately, that setting ended up not relying solely on any specific theory. We began considering the visual expression together at a later stage.

io9: Coming into Kamen Rider as a newcomer, Zetz immediately stuck with me with its stylized camp, reminding me of Moon’s gritty charm, which was my first series after watching Shin Kamen Rider. Was that tone a conscious homage to the early Heisei era, or do you feel Zetz channels the spirit of a different Rider series in terms of its themes and overall vibe?

Things: We did not specifically pay homage to any particular Rider series. However, since Kamen Rider ZEZTZ was planned with viewers encountering the Kamen Rider series for the first time overseas in mind, we did want to actively incorporate the positive legacy of previous series, especially the Heisei Riders.

io9: Zetz’s sound effects lean into gachapon mechanics with a pachinko-style flair, with the “ZZZ” burst from the Rider Kick feeling like a jackpot hit as well as a wind-up sound effect that feels reminiscent of Gavv’s gacha video gamey style sound effects. Was that motif a deliberate throughline between the two projects to draw a connection to those kinds of games?

Things: There was no such intention in particular.

io9: Zetz’s role as a hero of humanity’s dreams opens up surreal narrative and visual possibilities that feel almost Persona-esque, especially in its battles and villain designs. How did that dream logic influence the show’s monster aesthetics and approach to action choreography?

Things: If you’re referring to the “dream logic of Persona,” we haven’t consciously been influenced by it. What’s possible in terms of action and form in games and anime fundamentally differs from what’s possible with physical action and three-dimensional form.

io9: The suit for Kamen Rider ZEZTZ feels like a futuristic homage that reinterprets the original Rider silhouette with a touch of contemporary Batman Beyond flair, especially in the sling-style side belt. What was the design philosophy behind crafting a look that bridges nostalgic iconography with a bold, forward-facing aesthetic?

Things: The goal of Kamen Rider ZEZTZ is to make people all over the world recognize what kind of hero Kamen Rider is, so we aimed for a design that is simple and allows the essence to be grasped at a glance. In that regard, I believe the designer has created a highly accomplished design.

io9: Zetz introduces Zero—a transforming robot—as a sidekick of sorts for Rider as well as an evolution for his traditional bike. Zero, unsurprisingly, has become a fan favorite character on account of his dual language skills in Japanese and English and with how witty and charming he is. Was his creation in Zetz a kind of creative workaround for Japan’s motorcycle laws, or did it emerge from a desire to push the franchise into even bolder sci-fi territory than before?

Things: We believe the appeal of the Kamen Rider series lies in the prominence of motorcycles, so we designed it this way to give the bike a strong presence. Robot-type helper characters have appeared in Toei Tokusatsu before, so we don’t consider this an outlandish idea.

io9: Was the scene where Zero makes motorcycle noises in the premiere scripted, or was it improvised?

Things: It was improvised by the voice actor.

io9: Speaking of fan-favorite moments, the recurring visual gag of the heroes dramatically rolling into their secret van has already become a fan-favorite moment. Was that bit something planned from the start as a long-term comedic staple, or did it emerge more organically from the actors’ improvisation?

Things: I believe it was born from a session between the actors and the director.

io9: Is it safe to say it’s here to stay as a core part of the show as a long-standing bit?

Things: The van is gone, but Detective Fujimi is good at forward rolls, while Detective Nagumo is not. That much is certain going forward.

io9: The promo trailer for Kamen Rider ZEZTZ stirred controversy. Fans assumed the trailer used AI-generated elements in its background, leading some to feel disappointed that it might overshadow the series’ premiere and dilute its creative identity. Toei has mentioned recently that it is interested in using AI with the production of anime.

Did the promo trailer use AI and how does Toei feel about the technology’s potential role in tokusatsu shows like Kamen Rider? Could you speak to what happened behind the scenes and whether that decision was part of a broader experiment or simply a misstep in the rollout of the show?

Things: Our company does not disclose specifically on what technology is used to produce which visuals. Of course, we recognize the pros and cons of generative AI, especially the ethical and legal challenges it still faces.

io9: Zetz is being positioned as a global event, with new episodes streaming simultaneously on platforms like YouTube and Shout TV for Western audiences. What inspired the push for a more international rollout alongside its Japanese broadcast, and should fans expect this kind of global accessibility to become the norm for future Kamen Rider series?

Things: We have long been hearing voices from fans around the world requesting simulcasts. For several years now, we have been considering and taking action to enable everyone to enjoy officially licensed content simultaneously. We hope to continue offering simulcasts going forward.

io9: With Zetz diving into dreams, surreal horror, and postmodern identity through its unemployed protagonist, what do you hope it adds to the evolving legacy of Kamen Riderboth for longtime Heisei-era fans hungry for something stranger and newcomer Reiwa fans just beginning to explore the franchise’s depth and reinvention?

Things: We aim to let fans from the Heisei era enjoy the latest work once again, while also sparking interest in the series among new fans. We believe this will lead to a fruitful future for the series.

Fans can check out new episodes of Kamen Rider ZEZTZ on TokuSHOUTsu’s YouTube channel every Saturday.

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