Actors Hidekazu Chinen (20) and Ryutaro Imai (20) attended a special “baton pass” event in Tokyo on the 11th to celebrate the big box office success of the double-feature films Kamen Rider Gavv: The Invaders of the House of Snacks and No.1 Sentai Gozyuger: TegaSword of Resurrection.

In the currently airing Kamen Rider Gavv, Chinen plays Shoma Stomach/Kamen Rider Gavv, while in the upcoming Kamen Rider Zeztz—premiering September 7—Imai takes on the role of Baku Yorozu/Kamen Rider Zeztz. This baton pass has become an annual tradition for the franchise.

Speaking about Kamen Rider Zeztz, who appears in the film ahead of the TV premiere, Chinen said, “He was insanely cool! I’d heard from (Yusuke) Hino that he was cool, and after seeing it, I thought, ‘I want to say that pre-transformation line, “I’m on it,” too.’” Imai smiled in response, “It’s an honor to get such passionate words from my senior.” According to Imai, the role has already garnered reactions: “I thought I looked pretty cool myself,” he admitted with a laugh, before adding, “But more than that, I was moved by the passion and brilliance in the performances from Chinen and the main cast.”

During the event, both actors performed their transformation poses. “I did it today thinking it might be my last time. I’d be happy if people could feel the weight of this past year. I’m glad I got to show it here,” Chinen said with feeling. For Imai, this was only his second time performing the transformation in front of fans, following the production announcement on the 7th. “My heart was pounding. I’m not sure I can pull it off without getting nervous,” he confessed.

The baton pass ceremony followed, featuring a baton in the image colors of Kamen Rider Gavv (purple) and Kamen Rider Zeztz (green). Chinen remarked with a laugh, “It feels like you can almost hear ‘Cyclone Joker’,” noting the unintentional resemblance to the color scheme from Kamen Rider W, which drew laughter from the crowd.

Currently airing every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. on TV Asahi, Kamen Rider Gavv follows the gluttonous young man Shoma, who comes from another world to protect humanity from the intelligent alien lifeform Granutes, who abduct humans. By eating sweets, he summons a small monster named Gochizo and transforms into Kamen Rider Gavv to fight. This summer marks the character’s first appearance in a theatrical film, a “juicy and delightfully sweet” cinematic world boosted by appearances from FANTASTICS members Sekai, Natsuki Sawamoto, Keito Kimura, and Sota Nakajima.

The new series Kamen Rider Zeztz—the seventh entry in the Reiwa-era Kamen Rider lineup—begins September 7, airing every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. on TV Asahi. The story follows an ordinary young man who, in his dreams, becomes an “invincible agent” protecting humanity from the monstrous “Nightmare,” which brings about the worst possible realities. Notably, it features the first-ever chest-worn belt in Kamen Rider history—the “Zeztz Driver”—which makes a striking impression.

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Source : ORICON NEWS