A brand-new promotion was recently announced during the weekend, one involving KAO Corporation’s KATE Tokyo (Kanebo KATE) brand cosmetics, WWD Japan, and Toei’s Kamen Rider Franchise. Kamen Rider Girls Remix Star, Amane Tensho, stars in a new short film titled “HENSHIN THE FIRST.”
Amane Tensho, the younger sibling of Kunihiro Fujioka (also known as Hiroshi Fujioka), returned to her role as Nayuta Mikazuki/Kamen Rider Einz for what has been characterized as the initial collaboration between the KAO Corporation, WWD Japan (the foremost weekly fashion and beauty industry trade publication in Japan), and Toei’s Kamen Rider, Japan’s leading special effects (Tokusatsu) franchise. KAO Corporation produced a new short film that would put a new perspective on Nayuta Mikazuki, leading up to her becoming the newly born female Kamen Rider 1, “Kamen Rider Eins,” and visualzes the KATE Brand’s philosophy “NO MORE RULES.” This was the first time that Kamen Rider has collaborated with a Makeup brand to release a short film, which features the song ‘Masquerade‘ (マスカレード) from I don’t like Mondays, who recently performed the song ‘PAINT‘ for Toei Animation’s ONE PIECE TV Anime, based on Eiichiro Oda’s successful One Piece Manga series. The song adds a powerful touch to the film’s worldview. It was also directed by Kentaro Hagiwara, best known for directing live-action film adaptations of Blue Period, Wind Breaker, and Tokyo Ghoul. Speaking of Blue Period, in the press release for this new short film discussed how the film boasted a high level of visual beauty and narrative perfection, the new short film aimed to transcend the boundaries of makeup and could be enjoyed in a single work. Based on the message, “Strong, Beautiful, HENSHIN,” KATE aimed to spread a new form of expression through video, fusing makeup, fashion, and culture from Japan to Asia.
This new collaboration starts with KATE Brand’s newest cosmetic product called Lip Monster, which stands by KATE’s vision for the lipstick to be a figure that brings out courage and desire through the “liberation of desire,” which dramatically transforms not only the outside but also the inside. Just as Kamen Rider overcomes challenges and continually reinvents himself through transformation, this makeup serves as a switch to help break people out of their shells and take a step towards something new. KATE’s philosophy and Kamen Rider’s worldview aims to create a new form of expression.
Finally, another addition to this collaboration was WWD Japan, who produced the story for HENSHIN THE FIRST! Fashion Side Story with WWD Japan. While KATE’s original short film is more of an action-packed and emotionally charged story focusing on “Strong, Beautiful, Henshin,” it explores the power of fashion to create a new form of expression. A important note to point out is, while this was a first time for the Kamen Rider Franchise, this was the second time that KATE had a campaign that featured the Fujioka Family. You can purchase the new Lip Monster items now on My KAO Mall, and enter the new HENSHIN THE FIRST campaign at KATE Tokyo’s Kamen Rider Website.
The Girls Remix project first began in August 2022 with Kamen Rider Jeanne & Kamen Rider Aguilera with Girls Remix. It would be followed by Kamen Rider Majade with Girls Remix in May 2025 and the Halloween special released in October of the same year. Kamen Rider Eins with Girls Remix is streaming now on the Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club app.
Strong, Beautiful, HENSHIN!
For heroes of all ages,
The real enemy lies within themselves.
Lack of confidence.
Unrelenting anxiety.
Unfulfilled feelings.
Lip Monster helps you face, accept, and overcome
your inner self. That is the HENSHIN to your true self. The battle to transform into your one, and only self begins.
Source: KATE Tokyo Kamen Rider Website, Press Release, WWD Japan (1,2)
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