Jump to content

Fuuto PI

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fuuto PI
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Shotaro Hidari (front) and Philip (back)
風都探偵
(Fūto Tantei)
GenreMystery, supernatural[1]
Created by
Manga
Written byRiku Sanjo
Illustrated byMasaki Sato
Published byShogakukan
MagazineWeekly Big Comic Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runAugust 7, 2017 – present
Volumes18 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byYousuke Kabashima
Written byTatsuto Higuchi
Music by
Studio
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkTokyo MX, Sun TV, BS11, RKK
Original run August 1, 2022 – October 17, 2022
Episodes12 (List of episodes)
Anime film
Fūto Tantei: Kamen Rider Skull no Shōzō
Directed byYousuke Kabashima
Written byTatsuto Higuchi
Music by
  • Kōtarō Nakagawa
  • Shuhei Naruse
StudioStudio Kai
ReleasedNovember 8, 2024 (2024-11-08)
Runtime82 minutes
icon Anime and manga portal

Fuuto PI (Japanese: 風都探偵, Hepburn: Fūto Tantei) is a Japanese manga series written by Riku Sanjo and illustrated by Masaki Sato. It is a manga sequel to the 2009 tokusatsu live-action series Kamen Rider W, part of the Kamen Rider franchise. The manga was created by Sanjo in response to the immense popularity of Kamen Rider W, serving as a sequel while exploring darker stories. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits since August 2017, with its chapters collected in 18 tankōbon volumes as of March 2025.

The series follows Shotaro Hidari, a private detective at the Narumi Detective Agency, and his partner, Raito "Philip" Sonozaki. Together, they solve cases and combine their abilities to transform into the superhero Kamen Rider W, defending Fuuto City from threats alongside new allies. Set two years after Kamen Rider W, the manga shifts focus more toward Shotaro rather than Philip. This led to the introduction of Tokime, an amnesiac woman who becomes Shotaro’s assistant and is mysteriously connected to the new enemies they face. Since the manga was published in a seinen manga magazine, Sanjo incorporated more mature themes—content that would not have been possible in Kamen Rider W.

An anime television series adaptation by Studio Kai, Toei, and Ishimori Entertainment aired from August to October 2022. An anime film, subtitled Kamen Rider Skull no Shōzō, premiered in November 2024.

Critics praised the manga for its compelling mix of mystery and dynamic fight sequences. Similarly, the anime adaptation was lauded for effectively introducing the Kamen Rider concept to new audiences, despite being a sequel to an original television series.

Plot

[edit]
See also: List of Kamen Rider W characters

Taking place two years after the Kamen Rider W TV series' finale, Fuuto PI sees the return of Shotaro Hidari, a private detective who works at Narumi Detective Agency, and his partner Raito "Philip" Sonozaki, the sole survivor of the Sonozaki family who can access the Gaia Library as research for Shotaro's work. Together they transform into the superhero Kamen Rider W, who protects the city of Fuuto from Dopants, monsters created by items called Gaia Memories. They solve cases alongside their boss Akiko Terui, who often joins their investigations with her husband Ryu, a member of the police force who is also the Kamen Rider Accel.

One day, Shotaro encounters an amnesiac pink-haired woman named Tokime, who is being targeted by Dopants. After saving her, they decide to hire her at Narumi Detective Agency as their assistant. As Shotaro and Philip solve more cases, they gradually uncover Tokime's connection with a man, Yukiji Bando known as Aurora Dopant and her past life, along with the true potential of Gaia Memories' next stage used by Dopants in their human forms, dubbed High Dopes. Philip is able to confirm that the broken Joker Memory has not been used by Tokime before explaining everything he has learned about Bando, including his involvement with a group known as Foundation X. As Tokime asks to be told everything about Kamen Riders, Gaia Memories and Museum to better understand her connection with Shadow Fuuto, Shotaro tells her about "Begins Night", the fateful night when he first met Philip and became Kamen Rider W. In Begins Night, Shotaro followed the previous Kamen Rider Sokichi Narumi who found and adopted an amnesiac Philip. However, Sokichi was later shot by guards and Shotaro ended up becoming his successor.

Production

[edit]

Among the numerous installments based on the Kamen Rider television series, Kamen Rider W remained one of the most popular even a year after its release, leading to demand for new works featuring the franchise. Producer Hideaki Tsukada approached writer Riku Sanjo to helm a manga sequel. Tsukada expressed satisfaction with Sanjo's work, noting that it successfully retained the core elements that made Kamen Rider W appealing. However, Sanjo observed that certain characters from the television series could not be incorporated into the manga. Initially, the creative team was given considerable freedom in developing the story, but Sanjo believed collaboration would yield better results. He opted to work closely with Tsukada and Toei Company to refine the narrative. The manga format also allowed Sanjo to explore storytelling without the constraints of live-action special effects. When selecting a lead artist, Toei sought someone already familiar with Kamen Rider W to ensure consistency with the series' aesthetic. Sanjo praised the inclusion of Masaki Sato as the primary illustrator, while Katsuya Herada contributed to designing the villains.[2] Due to the publisher's stipulations, protagonists Shotaro and Philip were not permitted to resemble caricatures of their live-action actors, requiring unique character designs.[3]

Early in development, the team agreed that a simple spin-off would not suffice; instead, the manga aimed to encourage audiences to revisit the original series. While Kamen Rider as a franchise targets a broad demographic, the manga is published in a seinen manga magazine, granting Sanjo greater creative freedom. This allowed him to explore mature themes, such as the dangers of criminal activity.[4] Nevertheless, Sanjo did not find significant differences between writing Fuuto Pi and Kamen Rider W, so he strove to introduce new ideas that would distinguish the former as a unique sequel. He was honored to learn that Fuuto Pi was the first Kamen Rider manga serialized in a weekly magazine since Shotaro Ishinomori's Kamen Rider Black. Hideaki Tsukada frequently consulted with Sanjo while reviewing story scenarios inspired by real crimes in Kyoto.[5] Sanjo believed it was essential to establish a distinct identity for the manga compared to the live-action series. In Kamen Rider W, Philip had served as the narrative's central axis, but in Fuuto Tantei, Shotaro took on that role. To balance this shift, Sanjo introduced Tokime as Shotaro's new partner. While her dynamic with Shotaro mirrored his original relationship with Philip, Sanjo aimed to develop Tokime into a more humanized character over time. The serialization of Fuuto Pi performed well commercially, leading to an extended run and a deeper exploration of the "Begins Night" arc, which delved into Shotaro's origins—particularly his childhood.[6] Inspired by Western films like Die Hard (1988) and Blade Runner (1982), Sanjo created as many compelling villains as possible to enrich the story.[7]

Adaptation

[edit]
Yoshimasa Hosoya voices Shotaro in the series.

The subsequent anime adaptation was also designed with Western fans in mind.[4] The Fuuto PI animated version was made by Studio Kai with director Yosuke Kabashima being a fan of previous Kamen Rider series during his youth. He found doing the animation challenging, but he was glad he was able to draw the figure of Kamen Rider. In contrast to previous Kamen Rider works, Studio Kai wanted to emphasize Fuuto PI offers a more comical tone. Nevertheless, the anime has a tendency to change its mood. Kabashima wanted the audience to like it as much as they liked Kamen Rider W. The team struggled doing the character designs while Sayoko Yokoyama was in charge of checking the colors, most notably how everything changes between day and night. Producer Taisuke Furuya took it as his responsibility to handle the anime after contacting the manga authors and the Kamen Rider W producer.[8]

Several cast members from the video game Kamen Rider: Memory of Heroez reprised their roles in the anime adaptation.[9] Director Yosuke Kabashima praised Yoshimasa Hosoya and Koki Uchiyama for their performances as Shotaro and Philip, respectively, leading to much of the game's voice cast being retained.[10] Hosoya, who reprised his role as Shotaro, praised the anime's animation quality and voice acting, noting particular satisfaction in delivering his transformation line. He also expressed enthusiasm for the prospect of recording a second season.[11] Uchiyama appreciated the blend of action and mystery, noting that Philip's reserved personality made the role unique. Ayumu Murase voiced Shotaro's younger self, enjoying the dynamic with Kenjiro Tsuda's character, Sokichi Narumi.[12]

Media

[edit]

Manga

[edit]
Main article: List of Fuuto Pi chapters

Written by Riku Sanjo and illustrated by Masaki Sato, Fuuto PI started in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits on August 7, 2017.[13] In January 2024, it was announced that the manga had entered its "last stage" and took a break in February before starting a new story arc in April.[14][15] It took another hiatus in February 2025.[16] Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on March 30, 2018.[17] As of March 28, 2025, eighteen volumes have been released.[18]

Anime

[edit]
Main article: List of Fuuto PI episodes

An anime television series adaptation was announced on April 3, 2021.[19] The series was animated by Studio Kai.[20] Yousuke Kabashima is directing the series, with Tatsuto Higuchi handling series' composition, Hidekazu Ebina designing the characters, and Kōtarō Nakagawa and Shuhei Naruse composing the series' music.[21]

The series debuted on streaming platform U-Next on August 1, 2022, before premiering on Tokyo MX on August 8.[22][23] The opening theme song is "Private Eye" by Big Gadgets featuring Aya Kamiki with Takuya, while the ending theme song is "Tsumi to Batsu to Underground" (罪と罰とアングラ, "Crime, Punishment, and the Underground") by Mitsuru Matsuoka and Kōji Kikkawa, who previously portrayed Kamen Riders Eternal and Skull. The series was initially licensed by Funimation but was moved to Crunchyroll following Sony's acquisition of the platform.[24][25] Muse Communication, in which they owned and carried Kamen Rider series in Taiwan, licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[26]

Film

[edit]

An anime film featuring the same cast and staff from the television series, subtitled Kamen Rider Skull no Shōzō (仮面ライダースカルの肖像, Kamen Raidā Sukaru no Shōzō, lit. 'Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull'), premiered in Japanese theaters on November 8, 2024.[27][28] The film features the theme song "Niau Otoko ni Nare" (似合う男になれ, lit. 'Become a Worthy Man'), written and composed by Kōji Kikkawa, performed as his character Sokichi Narumi.[29] The film takes place directly after the anime's final episode, and through flashbacks details the final moments of Sokichi Narumi/Kamen Rider Skull, leading up to the events of the first episode of Kamen Rider W. It grossed ¥80,114,875 (approximately US$513,600) during its opening weekend.[30]

Stage play

[edit]

A stage play adaptation ran at the Sunshine Theatre in Tokyo from December 29, 2022, to January 15, 2023, and at the Umeda Arts Theater Dramacity in Osaka from January 19–25, 2023.[31]

Reception

[edit]

By May 2018, the manga had 300,000 copies in circulation.[32] By December 2018, the manga had 1.05 million copies in circulation.[33] By October 2023, it had over 2.5 million copies in circulation.[34]

The series ranked 15th on Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2019 ranking of Top 20 manga for male readers.[35] It ranked eighth on Honya Club's "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2018".[36]

Takato from Manga News noted that it was one of the earliest tokusatsu manga to be released in France. The reviewer praised Sanjo's skill in crafting the cases investigated by Shotaro, but criticized the first volume for failing to establish the series' core premise, as both Tokime's role and the city's looming threat remain unresolved by the end.[37] In another review from the same website, critic Mercredi praised the writing for balancing episodic cases investigated by Shotaro's group while gradually developing a major overarching plot. The second volume shifts focus away from Shotaro, creating more dynamic interactions between Philip and Tokime, while the manga artist enhances the fight scenes with greater visual appeal.[38] Jonathon Greenall of Comic Book Resources highlighted the series' potential to expand the Kamen Rider franchise into Western markets, noting the intriguing way the manga explores Shotaro's detective work.[39]

In reviewing the anime's premiere, Christopher Farris from Anime News Network noted that the series was accessible to newcomers despite being a sequel. However, the reviewer observed that iconic elements associated with its heroes—such as Shotaro and Philip's true forms—took time to be introduced, with their characters initially explored only in their human forms until the cliffhanger.[40] While praising the treatment of the new character Tokime and her role in the narrative, Antonio Mireles from The Fandom Post noted that the series still had several issues, particularly as the early episodes might confuse newcomers.[41] In a general overview of the series, Gracie Qu from Anime Trending mentioned being an existing fan of the original live-action series due to its strong character writing, while still finding the anime adaptation accessible. Regarding differences, Qu noted that the anime incorporates more mature elements—such as Tokime's heightened sex appeal—without omitting the comedic or campy dialogue from the live-action version. The two leads and their voice actors were praised for retaining the charm of the original, and Bando was highlighted as a compelling villain. However, Qu criticized Tokime's diminished agency after joining Shotaro's team, as well as her voice actress's perceived lack of synergy with the role.[42] In another review, Christopher Farris and Steve Jones from Anime News Network commended the series for being newcomer-friendly and appreciated Shotaro's dynamic with Tokime and Philip.[43] Conversely, ThatNerdyBoliviane from Anime Feminist was more critical, faulting the anime for lacking a strong introductory hook—arguing that it missed key thematic elements present in Kamen Rider W—and condemning its reliance on fanservice.[44]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Colbert, Isaiah (June 23, 2022). "Anime Summer 2022 Guide: What To Watch, Binge, And Stream - Fuuto PI". Kotaku. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "【FUUTO PI / Streaming on 1st August, 2022】SPECIAL INTERVIEW ON "KAMEN RIDER W" to "FUUTO PI"". Toei Tokusatsu World Official. August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ 「仮面ライダーW」続編マンガ特集がブロスに、脚本家＆作画家、監修＆編集の対談. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "TOEI Talks About Kamen Rider W's Creation and Kamen Rider Fuuto PI as a Second Chance for the Franchise Internationally – Annecy Film Festival 2021". Otaquest. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  5. ^ 「一緒に作る人たちとの“雰囲気”は大事にしたいと思っています」――『仮面ライダーW』を手掛けた三条陸さんが語る、王道に“威力”を宿す作品づくりと決め台詞が生むドラマ性｜劇場版『風都探偵 仮面ライダースカルの肖像』インタビュー. Animate Times (in Japanese). November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  6. ^ 「一緒に作る人たちとの“雰囲気”は大事にしたいと思っています」――『仮面ライダーW』を手掛けた三条陸さんが語る、王道に“威力”を宿す作品づくりと決め台詞が生むドラマ性｜劇場版『風都探偵 仮面ライダースカルの肖像』インタビュー [2]. Animate Times (in Japanese). November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  7. ^ 「一緒に作る人たちとの“雰囲気”は大事にしたいと思っています」――『仮面ライダーW』を手掛けた三条陸さんが語る、王道に“威力”を宿す作品づくりと決め台詞が生むドラマ性｜劇場版『風都探偵 仮面ライダースカルの肖像』インタビュー [3]. Animate Times (in Japanese). November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  8. ^ Kalai, Chik (July 4, 2022). "Studio Kai Live Drawing and Fuuto PI Q&A". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  9. ^ Kiya, Andrew (February 26, 2022). "Kamen Rider Fuuto PI Anime Cast Revealed". Siliconera. Archived from the original on February 6, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  10. ^ 『アニメ 風都探偵 公式ガイドブック 鳴海探偵事務所 事件ファイル』 [Anime Fuuto Tantei Official Guidebook Narumi Detective Agency Case Files] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. April 28, 2023. pp. 116–117. ISBN 978-4-09-861669-5.
  11. ^ 翔太郎とフィリップを教え導いた鳴海荘吉の生き様――劇場版『風都探偵 仮面ライダースカルの肖像』左 翔太郎役・細谷佳正さん×フィリップ役・内山昂輝さんインタビュー｜白と黒が入り混じるからこその、完璧ではない”ハーフボイルド”. Animate Times (in Japanese). November 7, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  12. ^ 劇場版「風都探偵 仮面ライダースカルの肖像」に村瀬歩、佐藤聡美、福山潤が出演　主題歌は吉川晃司が担当. Anime Eiga (in Japanese). September 6, 2024. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  13. ^ 「仮面ライダーW」続編がスピリッツで開幕、“二人で一人の探偵”がマンガに. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 7, 2017. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  14. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (January 8, 2024). "Fūto Tantei Manga Enters 'Last Stage'". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  15. ^ "Fūto Tantei Manga Takes Break Before New Arc Starts in April". Anime News Network. February 18, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "Fūto Tantei Manga Goes on Hiatus, Will Return in April With New Arc". Anime News Network. February 9, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  17. ^ 風都探偵 １ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  18. ^ 風都探偵 １８ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  19. ^ 「風都探偵」2022年夏にアニメ化！特撮「仮面ライダーW」の正統続編. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 3, 2021. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  20. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 1, 2021). "Studio KAI Produces Fuuto PI Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  21. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 5, 2021). "Kamen Rider W Sequel Anime Fuuto PI Unveils Staff Members". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  22. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 2, 2021). "Kamen Rider W Sequel Manga Fuuto PI Gets Anime Series Coming to Funimation in 2022". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  23. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 26, 2022). "Fuuto PI Anime Reveals Promo Video, 6 Main Cast Members, August Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  24. ^ Friedman, Nicholas (April 2, 2021). "Kamen Rider Anime FUUTO PI Announced for 50th Anniversary, Coming to Funimation in 2022". Funimation. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  25. ^ Loo, Egan (May 3, 2022). "Fuuto PI Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists, August 1 Debut, New Key Visual". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  26. ^ Pineda, Rafael (March 14, 2022). "Muse Asia Licenses Fuuto PI Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  27. ^ 「風都探偵」劇場アニメ化！「仮面ライダーW」誕生の夜描いたビギンズナイトが映画に. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 30, 2024. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  28. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 30, 2024). "Fuuto PI Anime Gets Film Opening on November 8". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  29. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 5, 2024). "FUUTO PI: Kamen Rider Skull no Shōzō Anime Film's Trailer Unveils More Cast, Theme Song". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  30. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 14, 2024). "Attack on Titan Finale Compilation Film Debuts at #1 in Japanese Box Office". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  31. ^ 舞台「風都探偵」鳴海亜樹子は生駒里奈、照井竜は上野凱！メインキャスト発表. Cinema Today (in Japanese). October 3, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  32. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 9, 2018). "Roundup of Newly Revealed Print Counts for Manga, Light Novel Series (May-June 2018)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  33. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 1, 2019). "Roundup of Newly Revealed Print Counts for Manga, Light Novel Series - December 2018". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  34. ^ 風都探偵 [Fuuto PI]. Weekly Big Comic Spirits. No. 48. Shogakukan. October 30, 2023. p. 10.
  35. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 10, 2018). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Reveals 2019's Series Ranking for Male Readers". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  36. ^ Ressler, Karen (February 4, 2019). "Japan's Bookstore Employees Rank Top Manga of 2018". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  37. ^ Takato (August 8, 2022). "Fuuto Pi Vol.1: Critique". Manga News. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  38. ^ "Fuuto Pi Vol.2: Critiques". Manga News (in French). November 2, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  39. ^ Greenall, Jonathon (April 5, 2021). "Fuuto Pi: What You Should Know About the Kamen Rider Sequel". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  40. ^ Farris, Christopher (August 1, 2022). "Episode 1 – Fuuto PI". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  41. ^ Mireles, Antonio (August 15, 2022). "FUUTO PI Episode #03 Anime Review". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  42. ^ Qu, Gracie (November 1, 2022). "REVIEW: Fuuto PI is Electric Fun Even If Imperfect". Anime Trending. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  43. ^ Farris, Cristopher; Jones, Steve (September 27, 2022). "Is Fuuto PI Accessible to Kamen Rider Newcomers? – This Week in Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  44. ^ ThatNerdyBoliviane (August 1, 2022). "Fuuto Pi – Episode 1". Anime Feminist. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fuuto_PI&oldid=1286635585"