is the third film adaptation of the popular Kamen Rider Series

Kamen Rider Series

The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...

 Kamen Rider Den-O

Kamen Rider Den-O

is the seventeenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. It premiered January 28, 2007 on TV Asahi, and concluded airing on January 20, 2008...

,and the last of the Den-O film,s following Kamen Rider Den-O: I'm Born!

Kamen Rider Den-O: I'm Born!

is the theatrical film adaptation of the Kamen Rider Den-O TV series directed by Takao Nagaishi and written by Yasuko Kobayashi. The movie takes place between episodes 27 and 28 of the series, featuring the DenLiner and its passengers travel as far back as the Edo period of Japan.The film is...

and Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka

Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka

is a Japanese tokusatsu film in the Kamen Rider franchise. Climax Deka is the second film to feature the characters of the television drama Kamen Rider Den-O and the first to feature the characters of Kamen Rider Kiva. It opened in theaters on April 12, 2008 as part of the...

. The catchphrase for the movie is . The script was written by Yasuko Kobayashi

Yasuko Kobayashi

is a Japanese anime and tokusatsu drama screenwriter who has been involved in various television shows throughout her career, beginning in 1993 with Tokusou Robo Janperson.-Writing credits:...

 and directed by Osamu Kaneda, both of which have worked on the previous Den-O films. Final Countdown was released on October 4, 2008. As of September 26, the film has sold 66,000 pre-sale tickets. It opened at #2 in Japanese theaters on its opening weekend only behind . The film was originally intended to be the end of Den-O, until the development of the Cho-Den-O Series.

Plot

Taking place after the events of series, the Tarōs and Kohana go out of the DenLiner for a day to visit Ryotaro and Airi after their parting in the aftermath of their battle with Kai. However, they see the mysterious Ghost Train that has been mentioned in urban legends as Momotaros and gang are then attacked by two evil Imagin and Kamen Rider Yuuki Skull Form. During the fight, it is revealed to the Tarōs that Yuuki is none other than Ryotaro possessed by an evil Imagin. Even with Zeronos coming to the gang's aid, things seem bleak until a blue DenLiner appears with a new figure: Kamen Rider New Den-O. After destroying the Shadow Imagin, with Yuuki and the Phantom Imagin retreating to the Ghost Train, the gang is brought onto the New DenLiner. There, Owner formally introduces the new Rider as Kotaro Nogami, Ryotaro's grandson from the future, and his Imagin Teddy. After Owner reveals he summoned Kotaro in respose to a threat posed by the Ghost Train and its owner Shiro, who seeks to use the Ghost Train to reverse the worlds of the living and the dead. After Kotaro explains to Momotaros that he intends to pick up the slack for his grandfather, whom he has no respect for, he goes after the Ghost Train by himself as New Den-O to fight Yuuki after killing the Phantom Imagin until Shiro arrives and defeats New Den-O personally. Yuuki is about to kill Kotaro when Ryotaro attempts to regain control over his actions as the Taros arrive. Although Shiro and Yuuki escape, the New DenLiner crew get a Rider Ticket and a partial message from Ryotaro to Momotaros about protecting an "elephant" that leads them to where Shiro intends to carry out his plan: May 23, 1729.

There, the New DenLiner gang learn they have reinforcements in both Sieg and then Deneb, who to join up with the gang in Yuto's stead as he is still injured from the fight with Yuuki. After looking for clues, encountering people who resemble Airi, Ozaki, and Miura, and unable to find any elephant except a traditional drawing of one in the middle of the town taken from a future point in time, the rest of the group questions whether or not Momotaros heard things right. During their dinner, Kotaro takes his leave as Momotaros follows him in an attempt to talk to him about how he strong is like his grandfather, but Kotaro has yet to see his grandfather in any way resembling someone "strong". Later that night, Teddy discovers Shiro's plan to kill everyone in the village the next day, but is found out and attacked. He struggles back to their base of operations so his friends will know and says how the "elephant" is not really an elephant. Although New Den-O is without his partner and Yuto is still injured, Momotaros decides to get Ryotaro back even if it is the last thing he does. The next day, the other Tarōs and Deneb battle the mercenaries as Momotaros fights his way to Yuuki, attempting to call out of Ryotaro to fight his possessor before getting a mortal wound from Yuuki to his friends' horror. But at the last second, Ryotaro regains control as Momotaros enters his body and drives the Ghost Imagin out of him. Assuming Climax Form, Den-O easily takes out the Ghost Imagin as Shiro takes the Yuuki Belt and assumes Yuuki Hijack Form as he uses his necromancy to summon every Imagin the Riders have ever faced back from the dead.

After Climax Form is defeated, a fully healed Yuto and Kohana arrive via the ZeroLiner and New DenLiner, with Kohana giving the Tarōs and Sieg Den-O Belts with Rider Passes. The Imagin each assume their Den-O form as Ryotaro becomes Liner Form and Yuto becomes Zero Form. While the others battle the Imagin, Liner Form, Sword Form, and later New Den-O pursue Yuuki on horseback. Together, the three Den-O's mortally wound Yuuki who reverts back to Shiro. Sora arrives, revealing to everyone else that she had been dead for 400 years and did not wish to be alive again, only to be with Shiro for eternity. Accepting his fate, Shiro and Sora board the Ghost Train to be together forever in the realm of the dead.

When the New DenLiner arrives in the middle of town to pick up the gang, Naomi questions being out in the open while the Owner reveals that the locals will only recognize it as an elephant. Ryotaro also reveals that he was aware of the "elephant" as it was the point in time where his ancestor Oyuki finds her true love. It is this point in history that Shiro planned to negate, preventing Ryotaro from ever existing and allowing him to bring Sora and everyone else who had died back to life. With his mission complete, Kotaro gains a new respect for his grandfather as he and Teddy are brought back to their time via the DenLiner, where they meet up with the elderly Ryotaro of their future.

Pre-production

A third film for Kamen Rider Den-O

Kamen Rider Den-O

is the seventeenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. It premiered January 28, 2007 on TV Asahi, and concluded airing on January 20, 2008...

was initially announced on the Animate

Animate

is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, games, and manga in Japan. The first and headquarters store of Animate opened in 1983 and is located in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, there are 38 Animate stores in Japan, and two in Taipei, Taiwan...

 Online Store as part of a listing for a set of trading cards to promote the movie. The film was subsequently listed on various upcoming film lists, including those at AOL Japan's Entertainment page. These listings were soon removed, and the website "saraba-den-o.jp" appeared with a countdown timer to the website's official opening.

Casting

The film features Dori Sakurada

Dori Sakurada

, born December 7, 1991 is a Japanese actor and singer. He is known most notably for his role as Ryoma Echizen as part of the third generation Seigaku cast in The Prince of Tennis musicals, Tenimyu.- Stages and Musicals :*Bold denotes leading roles...

, Sayaka Kanda and Yu-ki Matsumura and the voices of Hiroshi Kamiya

Hiroshi Kamiya

is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production. He is best known for being the voice of Nozomu Itoshiki from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and Tieria Erde from Mobile Suit Gundam 00. He won "Best Lead Actor" and "Best Personality" at the Third Seiyu Awards, and "Best Supporting Actor" at the...

 and Daisuke Ono

Daisuke Ono

is a Japanese voice actor who works for Mausu Promotion. He was born in Kōchi Prefecture. He won the 4th Seiyū Awards for best voice actor for his role as Sebastian Michaelis in Kuroshitsuji.-Anime:2002*Full Metal Panic!...

. Shin-ichiro Miki reprises his role as the voice of the Imagin Sieg, having been absent from Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka

Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva: Climax Deka

is a Japanese tokusatsu film in the Kamen Rider franchise. Climax Deka is the second film to feature the characters of the television drama Kamen Rider Den-O and the first to feature the characters of Kamen Rider Kiva. It opened in theaters on April 12, 2008 as part of the...

. Takeru Satoh

Takeru Satoh

is a Japanese actor. His debut role was as the lead in Kamen Rider Den-O, and is known for his subsequent roles in the dramatizations of Q10 and Ryōmaden.- Career :...

, Yuichi Nakamura

Yuichi Nakamura

is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Sigma Seven.-2001:* Dennou Boukenki Webdiver , Griffion, Ligaon, Raada* The Prince of Tennis , Ginka Center member 1-2003:* Crush Gear Nitro , Hugo...

, Rina Akiyama

Rina Akiyama

is a Japanese actress, gravure idol, and tarento from Tokyo. Her most notable appearances are in two Kamen Rider Series, namely Kamen Rider Agito and Kamen Rider Den-O. She also has a cameo appearance in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in which she is featured in a poster on one of the levels...

, Wakana Matsumoto

Wakana Matsumoto

is a Japanese actress from Tottori Prefecture. She portrayed in the tokusatsu drama Kamen Rider Den-O.-References:** - personal blog...

, Tamaki Matsumoto

Tamaki Matsumoto

is a Japanese seiyū and child actress.-Anime:*Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 as Tianzi*Les Misérables - Shoujo Cosette as Cosette -Live action:*Kamen Rider Den-O as Kohana *Kamen Rider Decade as Kohana...

, Kenjirō Ishimaru

Kenjiro Ishimaru

is a Japanese actor and announcer. He is best known for his role in Kamen Rider series Kamen Rider Den-O as the owner of the DenLiner. He has also appeared in multiple competitions of Sasuke as a competitor and during that time has become one of only two people to fall off the Rolling Log obstacle...

, Toshihiko Seki

Toshihiko Seki

is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce. Apart from voice actor work, Seki sometimes does live action drama stage work. He is sometimes mistaken for another voice actor, Tomokazu Seki, sharing the same last name but are unrelated.-Person/Career:...

, Kōji Yusa

Koji Yusa

is a Japanese voice actor born in Osaka Prefecture and raised in Kyoto Prefecture. He is best known for his roles in Choja Raideen , the Sonic Series , Bleach , Ikki Tousen , Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro , Zettai Karen Children and Kamen Rider Den-O...

, Masaki Terasoma

Masaki Terasoma

is a Japanese actor and seiyu who was born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture and grew up in Osaka Prefecture. He is affiliated with Mausu Promotion. He is the official Japanese voice-over of Kurt Russell.-Anime:*D.N.Angel...

, Kenichi Suzumura

Kenichi Suzumura

is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Niigata Prefecture, but raised in Osaka Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Arts Vision. He made his television animation debut on Macross 7 in 1994...

, and Hōchū Ōtsuka

Hochu Otsuka

, also known by the his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor from Okayama Prefecture, affiliated with the talent management firm Crazy Box. He is the official Japanese dub-over artist for: Gary Oldman and Jean-Claude Van Damme....

 all reprise their roles from the series.

Movie-exclusive characters

: Shiro is a man who attempts to alter time to switch the worlds of the living and the dead through the Ghost Train as Ryotaro's abduction allows it to transverse time like the DenLiner. He has an obbession with Sora and cannot bring himself to do anything that he perceives would make her cry. Shiro is a master of necromancy and can revive Imagin and humans alike.: Sora is Shiro's true love who died 400 years ago. Her restless spirit remains within the Ghost Train as Shiro attempts to bring her back to life.: Oyuki is Ryotaro's ancestor who resembles (and is portrayed by the same actress as) his older sister Airi. Her meeting with a samurai wearing a is a predestined event which Shiro attempts to destroy.: Seikichi is a young man who resembles (and is portrayed by the same actor as) Seigi Ozaki, who is vying for the hand of Oyuki, much like his 21st century counterpart.: Issei is a young man who resembles (and is portrayed by the same actor as) Issē Miura, who is vying for the hand of Oyuki, much like his 21st century counterpart.

Kamen Rider Yuuki

Other than New Den-O, the movie also introduces , an evil Kamen Rider who has control over the , a skull-faced steam-engine that transcends the world of the dead and the flow of time. By using the and the , A-Ryotaro and Shiro are able to transform into Yuuki. Yuuki is visually based on a pirate

Piracy

Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...

 and a killer whale. The armor has an aged appearance, with rust and numerous scratches dotting its surface, keeping with the overall theme of death along with elements of the samurai

Samurai

is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...

 and steam trains.

Skull Form

is the form of Yuuki that is accessed when Ryotaro Nogami is possessed by the Ghost Imagin and uses said Imagin's sword. In Skull Form, Yuuki's Full Charge attack is the using the sword of the Ghost Imagin. As the name and design implies, Skull Form's motif is the skeleton

Skeleton

The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...

.

Hijack Form

is the form of Kamen Rider Yuuki that Shiro accesses on his own. Hijack Form has a black and red color scheme, compared to Skull Form's black and gold color scheme, lacking the skull-theme, and gaining a mechanical-looking gauntlet on his left arm. Hijack Form also performs the Terminate Flash, but does so with his sword, in itself a 7-piece modified DenGasher. This form also uses exploding tops in combat that can be multiplied using Shiro's whip

Momotaros Forever!

The animated short was shown as a double feature. In the short, Momotaros feels bad that it is really the end of Kamen Rider Den-O as Urataros assures him that all good stories have to end sometime. After Kintaros and Ryutaros try to make sequels to classic stories that cannot have a sequel, the Imagin end up on the moon in homage to Galaxy Express 999

Galaxy Express 999

is a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. It is set in a space-faring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.The manga won the...

, embracing their final story (although some feel uncomfort to their new surrounding) . But a later retelling of this short, , provides an alternate ending where the story does continue with numerous new characters and Momotaros freaks out about it.

Soundtrack

AAA

AAA (band)

, and also known as Attack All Around, is a Japanese pop band signed to the label Avex Trax which debuted in September 2005. The group originally consisted of five young men and three young women who had all acted in commercials and had been dancers for other Japanese stars, such as Ayumi Hamasaki...

 and the Tarōs' voice actors will also release a mini-album titled which will include several new arrangements of the television series' theme song "Climax Jump

Climax Jump

"Climax Jump" is the 13th single by the Japanese group AAA, released by Avex Mode on March 21, 2007. The song was composed by Shuhei Naruse with the lyrics by Shoko Fujibayashi. The song is the first opening theme for the 2007 tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Den-O...

" including "Climax Jump the Final" performed by AAA DEN-O form and arrangements for each of the initial forms of Den-O ("Climax Jump Sword form," "Rod form," et al.) each with another version of the song containing pieces of dialogue from the movie for that character. Also included is the track "Climax Jump Piano form" and the DVD edition has music clips of the four "Climax Jump" arrangements as well as a video titled "Climax Jump Epilogue." A track titled "Climax Jump the Final DEN-LINER form" was initially slated to be included on the mini-album.

The film's soundtrack is to be released by Avex Movie on November 26, 2008, with Toshihiko Sahashi

Toshihiko Sahashi

is an accomplished Japanese composer. He graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1986. Sahashi has composed music for various anime series , video games, movies, dramas, and musicals...

 composing, as he did for the series.

Cast

: : : : : : : : : : of RUN&GUN

RUN&GUN

Run&Gun is a four-member Japanese pop group which has released numerous singles, albums and DVDs and have performed some live concerts. Run&Gun started their career in 2001, with their first single "Lay up", written by Daisuke Asakura. Asakura continued to write songs for the group until 2002...

:

• Samurai with Fukaamigasa:

Voice actors

: : : : : : : : : :

Suit actors

• Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form/Momotaros, Kamen Rider New Den-O:
• Urataros/Kamen Rider Den-O Rod Form:
• Kintaros/Kamen Rider Den-O Ax Form:
• Ryutaros/Kamen Rider Den-O Gun Form:
• Kamen Rider Zeronos, Deneb:
• Deneb:
• Sieg/Kamen Rider Den-O Wing Form, Kamen Rider Den-O Liner Form:
• Teddy, Kamen Rider Den-O Liner Form, Kamen Rider New Den-O:
• Kamen Rider Yuuki, Ghost Imagin:

Songs

Opening themes

• "Climax Jump the Final"
  • Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi
  • Composition & Arrangement: Shuhei Naruse
  • Guitar: AYANO
  • Artist: AAA DEN-O form

  "Climax Jump the Final" is a new arrangement of "Climax Jump" recorded for Saraba Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown. It was included on the mini-album . This album also included "Climax Jump Sword form," "Climax Jump Rod form," "Climax Jump Ax form," "Climax Jump Gun form," and "Climax Jump Piano form."

External links

• Saraba-Den-O.jp - Official website