Kamen Rider MY-TH: Episode 1 {Tokusatsu Thursday #6-KR}
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you to the first post of the new series for Tokusatsu Thursday, Kamen Rider MY-TH!!!
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure indeed.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about the first episode of the Toei Tokusatsu Series, Kamen Rider MY-TH
I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
MyDramaList Link: click here!
Youtube Link (English Subtitles): click here!
T/N: The video will only be available until October 5, 2026!
Disclaimer: I apologize if there are any crucial cultural notes or nuances that I misunderstand or fail to recognize. I, unfortunately, must trust the accuracy of the translated subtitles to accurately represent the story and characters.
Trigger Warnings: Cartoon-level Violence, Brief Flashbacks of Traumatic Events
Episode 1 ~ The Mouse Meister and the Young Lady
Main Characters
- Sora Otosumi (Meister/Caretaker of the Mizuki Family)
- Yuna Mizuki (Daughter of the Mizuki Family, High School Student, Leader of "The Society of Inexplicable Incident Investigators")
- Kamuri Munetaka (Cat, Leader of The Twelve Animal Signs Alliance)
- (Maybe) Tatsuomi Asao (Yuna's New Home Tutor)
- The "FUKASHIGI" or "Inexplicables" (The Enemies)
The Twelve Animal Signs Alliance (12ASA)
- DATT (Rabbit), TIGRE (Tiger), VANKEN (Dog), KEI (Rooster), RYUZ (Dragon), ENDE (Monkey), JYAO (Snake), MUTN (Sheep), ??? (Ox), ??? (Horse), ??? (Pig)
Recollection
- Noir-style flashback to a fight between Kamuri and The Mouse from 100 years ago
- Otosumi made Yuna omurice for breakfast before school and infused it with Shark (I think) RIDE X-EGG (for some reason)
- People have been mysteriously disappearing across the city and another couple gets taken
- Some of the 12ASA hold a meeting in their headquarters about the disappearances and the concern that there is someone out there hunting the Inexplicables instead of them
- Otosumi goes to investigate while Yuna is at school and discovers that all of the disappearing people are couples
- Yuna tells Otosumi that all the disappearances happen in a straight line at popular dating spots and is able to tell Otosumi where the next attack will be
- Otosumi and Tatsuomi get mistaken for boyfriends by the Moth-based Inexplicable and are taken back to its lair
- Otosumi uses the MY-TH Driver to become Kamen Rider MY-TH to fight and defeat the Inexplicable with his MY-TH Edge (weapon), motorbike (name undetermined), and EGGSEED attack
- Otosumi takes the Inexplicables three eggs before it explodes
- Quick flashback to (presumably) Young Otosumi shielding Young Yuna during an attack and promising to protect her
- Yuna tracked Otosumi's phone to find him at the Inexplicable's lair
- Yuna hired Tatsuomi as her home tutor so she doesn't get held back a year in school (she is not the best student, it seems)
- Kamuri and Tatsuomi are shown talking in the 12ASA headquarters where Tatsuomi has informed him of finding a lost belt (MY-TH's belt) and Kamuri says his mission is now an infiltration (to learn more about MY-TH)
"DON'T FORGET, CATS AND MICE ARE DESTINED RIVALS! A MY-THICAL ADVENTURE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"
Right off the bat, oh my god, I'm so, so, so excited!!!
Let's talk Yuna and Otosumi first, yeah? Yuna intrigues me a massive amount because I can't quite tell how much she is or is not involved in the whole MY-TH thing. It seems like she can sense when he transforms and controls it, but I'm not entirely sure yet (it is only the first episode). It would be so cool if they do have a link kinda like what Philip and Hidari had in Kamen Rider W. Not transforming together, but connected to it somehow. We We did get that brief flashback to what looks like an attack on the two of them, so maybe that's why? Maybe it's the random RIDE X-EGG he put in her omurice???
For Otosumi himself, holy smokes does he have my attention. He starts off with this more playful older brother style of personality (which is all fun and good), but then he swings into this cocky aura when the action starts. His henshin-pose is literally him kneeling down and doing the judgemental/bored cheek-hold pose (is there a name for that???)!!! He's clearly not new to this and he's already unlocked a decent bit of his capabilities as MY-TH. There's a comfort and banter when he's fighting that's just so entertaining. Can't wait to see more of him.
Tatsuomi (who I did infact just mentally call "Vest Guy" until the name reveal)...who the heck are you??? You are involved in the 12ASA, so are you one we haven't seen yet? An initiate? The moment after Otosumi tells him to take care of the hostages and he immediately stops freaking out and goes to free them is when I suspected something was up. You don't get 2 run-ins with the MC and a "whoops, the bad guy thinks we're a couple it can eat" without being a plot-relevant character. AND THEN I WAS RIGHT!!! You're suspicious and I wanna know what you know that they don't!
MAOU WE DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF YOU OR YOUR GANG BUT I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE MORE OF YOU AND YOUR LITTLE CAT TOY STICK AND OUTFITS AND ATTITUDE AND AGH!!!!
I love how even in their limited screentime, we already are seeing the personalities and quirks of the 12ASA. Datt, the rabbit, is obsessed with time. Vanken, the dog, talks of things "smelling bad" and has a detective aesthetic along side Tigre, the tiger. Dragon Ryuz is intimidating and mysterious. Mutn is sleepy sheep. Mr. Ende-Monkey is quirky and fiddling with maps/papers while Resident Rooster Kei is full of youthful eagerness. Jyao dresses rebellious by altering his uniform and speaks to the others in a gruff/punkish sense. Meanwhile, Kamuri the Cat, had a cat toy for a fidget stick and has a natural confidence in the way he holds himself.
The styling just adds more points in either the variety of what they wear under it (socialite dress, dapper vest, etc) or how they altered the 12ASA uniform piece. I'm so keen to see them develop more and how their personalities play off of each other. I'm also super keen to see more of this headquarters/resting place they have because oh my word??? It looks so fun! It draws on the hidden rooms in shrines and temples for the gods in a way that shows not only their incredible power but also in their age and zodiac-ness. I wish it wasn't so obviously a digital set and was actually built, but I appreciate the details nonetheless. Even their rooms have different decorations and furniture!!!
As for this week's monster, or "Inexplicable", I thought the design was really creative! I'm pretty sure it was a moth/silk puppy because of the feathering and colouring. Awesome choice for an introductory monster. I'm not sure if moths like that actually drop bird-like feathers as this one did, but who cares! Those feathers gave us the awesome drop-crack crystal-attack sequence!!! Thank you for your sacrifice little moth-monster! Not sure why you wanted to eat couples specifically, though. However, props for following equality and targeting a presumed-to-be gay couple! Love a monster who stands for equal rights.
I also adore how they are really emphasizing the past vs future theme already! The flashback with dialogue cards and black-and-white colour changing into full colour TV with audio. The clock tower breaking and causing the clockface to fall broken between the two of them. Saying "metamorphosis" versus saying "transform". So good, so good.
For a final silly note, HE MADE HER OMURICE AND OMURICE IS LIKE MY FAVOURITE FOOD EVER FROM JAPAN AND IT LOOKED SO TASTY I WANNA CRY!!! Also, "MOUSECHEEZER" and "EGGLUTION"?!? AHAHAHAHA. Also, also, his little cheese/mouse designs on everythinggg. Adorable.
Episode 2 Preview
"THE ZODIAC ALLIANCE STARTS ROLLING IN! A RABBIT DATTSHES TO THE SCENE!"
ALREADY THE RABBIT? WHY IS THERE A TURTLE??? WHO IS THE GUY WITH THE LITTLE PONYTAIL ON THE BACK OF THE COUCH????
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to watch and experience the story for yourself! If you haven't, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
This caps off this week's gathering for Tokusatsu Thursday, so off into the nighttime we go in preparation for tomorrow!
I hope you'll come back for the next Sunday Midnight Book Club! We'll be discussing chapter 3 (technically 10) of Part Two of A Study in Scarlet!
May we meet again at Midnight!