In an amusement park in Japan, a stage play officially licensed by Toei sees Kamen Rider Gotchard and OOO crossover! Following a summary shared online, join Ethan join as they explore what happens and what it means for Kamen Rider OOOs post the divisive tenth anniversary movie.
Before I can really begin talking about this, I need to give a spoiler warning for Kamen Rider OOOs 10th anniversary movie. That movie changes the status quo for OOOs in a big way and this stage show is set after it. Furthermore, before I get into my attempt to recap a Google translated summary of this stage play I should also add the disclaimer that I’m someone that can’t read Japanese and is having to using less then the best translating methods like Google translate. You can find the summary I’m working from here and I’d encourage you to check it out for yourself. Additionally, there are not many pictures for this stage play, as you can imagine, but I have found a few. Links to the original post are sourced at the bottom of the article.
With all that said, let’s begin!
The Plot
Set sometime between episodes after Rinne debuted as Kamen rider Majade and after the OOO 10th anniversary movie, the stage play opens with Hotaro and Rinne fighting a group of Homunculus, the leader of which is trying to learn the secret to transmuting the soul. Ankh, who has found himself in Gotchard’s world, seemingly through the power of the OOOs Chemy, listens in and, after the Homunculus leader escapes, he possess one of the defeated Homunculus and asks Hotaro if he can do forbidden Alchemy. He replies that he can’t.
Ankh finds the Homunculus leader and makes a deal with him. He will work with the leader if he teaches him how to make a perfect human body, how to bring back a lost soul and supply him with ice pops.
Hotaro and Rinne arrive to beat the leader in its new form, made from the Hawk Core Medal. Ankh shows up to stop them but, sensing that Ankh is similar to the Chemies, Hotaro refuses to fight him and they talk it out. Hotaro’s earnest desire to make his dream come true and Ankh’s as well wins Ankh over, even though he calls Hotaro an idiot.
The Hawk Core Medal Homunculus goes berserk, only able to say its desire over and over again: “Knowledge of alchemy.” Gotchard, Majade and Ankh are forced back by the Homunculus until the OOOs Chemy Card summons OOOs, who reaches out his hand. Grabbing Ankh, he transforming him into Kamen Rider OOO Tajador combo and, together, they beat the Homunculus.
Side note: the Hawk Core Medal Homunculus’, who was fuelled by Ankh’s desire, final words were and I quote the summary here: “The monster kept saying “Knowledge of alchemy…” At the end, he said, “Knowledge…! With alchemy… ‘He’…!” and exploded.” Make of that what you will.
After the battle, they talk about Ankh’s dream and how during the fight with the Homunculus he realised a way to make it come true. They talk about Hotaro’s dream for a little before Ankh is sent back to his own world. The stage play ends with Ankh thinking about his new plan, waiting ’til humanity invents time travel to go back and saving Eiji. It ends with Ankh saying “I don’t want to just wait without being satisfied. I can’t let go of anything anymore… No matter what I do, I’ll make sure… Wait, Eiji…”
Who Cares About a Stage Show, Ethan?
I hear you asking, dear reader: “Why did you recap a stage play that’s likely never going to be brought up in anything else?” Well, as someone that was really annoyed by the OOO 10th anniversary movie, like a lot of people, and now some years removed from it, I think I’m softening up on it, to an extent. I’ll save more elaborations on that for a future Ethan to write about, maybe in its own review to go alongside a Retro Ride Review of Kamen Rider OOOs. I digress… The main part I’m softening up on is them killing Eiji. Don’t get me wrong, I love him as a character, but with this stage play it interestingly flips the Ankh and Eiji post series dynamic. Now Ankh is Kamen Rider OOO, with Tajador serving as his base, searching for his way to fight fate and bring back his boyfriend [redacted by Toei].
What I’m trying to say is, Toei should make Ankh the new Kamen Rider OOOs in future projects, paralleling Eiji’s post series journey. It wouldn’t even be that hard, just show OOOs using Tajador as his base form, maybe Tajador Eternity as his final form. I know I would be excited to see Ankh take up the mantle and fill the cameo spot in future crossovers. It took Eiji ten years to save Ankh, our favourite bird has a long road ahead of them to saving his friend and there’s a lot of hands in reach in the meantime.
While this stage show might not officially be canon, it should be.
What do you think? Do you think this should have been a movie? Would you support Ankh as our new Kamen Rider OOOs? Do you think they should crossover again in the future, when Hotaro has Timelord? Do you think the Greed count as Chemies? As always, I’ve been Ethan: Writer, reviewer and full supporter of Ankh as OOOs for The Toku Source. I’ll see you next time!
The thing about time travel ties back to Movie War Mega Max, so that’s cool. I wonder how it’ll work out chronologically. Would love Ankh as the new OOO. Thanks writing the article, I was looking for more information, after seeing a reddit post about it.
The thing about time travel ties back to Movie War Mega Max. I wonder how it’ll work out chronologically. Having Ankh as the new OOO would be really cool. Thanks for writing the article, I was looking for more information about the stage show after stumbling upon a reddit post about it.