Mechanical Violator Hakaider is a 1995 Japanese tokusatsu film directed by Keita Amemiya. The film features Hakaider in the role of an anti-hero as opposed to usually being portrayed as a villain.
Production
Mechanical Violator Hakaider was released in Japan on April 15, 1995. It was produced by Bandai/Toei and directed by Keita Amemiya. The title character was from the original Kikaider series.
Premise
A group of burglars break into an abandoned prison in search of treasure and find what appears to be a man in chains. They accidentally awaken the man, who reveals himself to be the android Hakaider and kills them all. Pondering his own identity, Hakaider mounts a motorcycle and drives off. Elsewhere, a man cornered by security officersattempts suicide, but is stopped and captured by an android named Michael. Hakaider arrives at Jesus Town, a pseudo-utopia built on what was once Jerusalem. Having no identification, Hakaider is stopped by a border guard, but ignores him and breaks through the barrier. Meanwhile, a band of rebels in Jesus Town stages an attack on the town's heavily-armed security force, stealing weapons in an attempt to subjugate the government. Gurjev, Jesus Town's seraphim ruler, recognizes Hakaider and sends his security force to attack him. He explains to his head of security, Michael, that Hakaider was Michael's failed predecessor, who rebelled due to believing in free will over peace. The security officers confront Hakaider, but he dispatches them with ease as the rebels look on. Kaoru, one of the rebels, recognizes Hakaider as the figure she's dreamt of saving her from Gurjev. When Hakaider is knocked unconscious, the rebels attack the security officers and take the android back to their base. Hakaider wakes up at the rebels' base, where Kaoru demonstrates romantic interest in him. The group reveals to him that Jesus Town's apparent peace is due to the government capturing any dissenters and lobotomizing them, removing their free will; The man Michael captured earlier was one such victim. They explain their intentions to overthrow Gurjev's government, but get into an argument with Hakaider when he is distrustful of them. The security force finds the rebels' hideout, initiating a shootout in which most of the rebels are killed. Kaoru and another surviving rebel escape the hideout in time to see the security officers apparently kill Hakaider with a rocket launcher. The officers leave, shooting Kaoru and her fellow rebel on their way out; As the wounded Kaoru screams her disdain toward the security officers, Michael arrives and severely wounds her. Her scream awakens Hakaider. Kaoru wanders through the streets of Jesus Town, declaring the citizens guilty for Hakaider's death and their own oppression due to their refusal to fight back. Hakaider finds her, revealing himself to have survived. She asks him to take her to her "secret spot", the last oasis remaining in the city. She admits her feelings toward Hakaider and, dreaming of riding off into the sunset with him, dies peacefully. Hakaider takes Kaoru's charm and rides back into the city, attacking the government building and wiping out the security force. Coming across a group of citizens scheduled for lobotomy, he asks whether they have free will; When they answer yes, he frees them and goes on to confront Michael. As the two androids fight, Michael proclaims the importance of order over free will, calling this "justice". Hakaider declares that, if that is justice, then he will be evil. Michael gains the upper hand, but Hakaider surprises him with a concealed weapon and decapitates him. Gurjev pretends to try to reason with Hakaider while buying time for Michael's head to be integrated into a large tank. In his new form, Michael attacks Hakaider, who manages to subdue him once more. Gurjev desperately attempts to shoot Hakaider, to no avail, but the android decides he is not worth killing. As Hakaider turns to leave, Gurjev attempts to attack him from behind with the discarded Hakaider Shot, but Hakaider sees it coming and kills the angel. With Gurjev dead, and Michael's consciousness quickly fading away, Hakaider departs.
