Kamen Rider Anime Fuuto Pi Finds Its Director, Reveals New Art

Production of the Kamen Rider anime Fuuto Pi continues, with the series now ready to reveal a better look at the animated versions of its heroes, as well as naming the director who will be helming the new show.

Fuuto Pi will serve as a direct sequel to the Kamen Rider W tokusatsu series that ran in Japan from 2009 - 2010. The anime is an adaptation of the Futo Tantei manga that was penned by Riku Sanjo, who also served as a writer on the original W series, and also worked on Fourze and Drive seasons of the series. Kamen Rider W is one of the more beloved entries from the Heisei Phase 2 era of the long-running franchise. The original series featured many deliberate references to the original Kamen Rider series from 1971, and the new anime sequel is being produced as part of the celebration surrounding the 50th anniversary of the franchise. New art for the series was released on Twitter, which showcase the animated renditions of the original show's characters.

The new anime series will be directed Yosuke Kabashima, who previously served as the character designer and head animation director on the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby anime, which recently garnered some attention from its crossover promotion with the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick movie. In a statement posted to the official Kamen Rider website (translated by Crunchyroll) Kabashima revealed what the series means to him. "The Kamen Rider series, including 'Kamen Rider W,' has always saved me when I was in a tight corner in my life," Kabashima said, adding, "That's why I really wanted to return the favor with my own hands. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to do so. Based on my own love and thoughts for the series, I will put all my energy into the production. I intend to deliver an anime that recreates the atmosphere of 'W' as it is. Please look forward to it!"

The self-proclaimed hard-boiled detective Shotaro Hidari and the enigmatic Philip will return as the heroes of Fuuto Pi. The two heroes each form one-half of the powerful hero Kamen Rider W, who defends the ecologically-friendly city of Futo from monsters known as Dopants. The Dopants are actually human criminals who have been transformed by the use of Gaia Memories, mysterious USB drives distributed by the aristocratic Sonozaki Family. The new show is set after the events of the original series and the follow-up movie Kamen Rider W Returns: Kamen Rider Accel, and begins with Shotaro continuing his work at the Narumi Detective Agency.

The new anime series will premiere sometime in 2022. Funimation has licensed the series for international streaming.

Source: Kamen Rider Official Website, Crunchyroll, Twitter (1, 2)