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#21 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,551
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Quote:
One of the things I feel thankful for is that, by coming into Kamen Rider through Ex-Aid, I sort-of don't have a lot of expectations about franchise signifiers. I don't care if they ever ride bikes. I don't care about how they Henshin. I don't care what jobs they have, how serious it is, how funny it is, how many Riders there are, whatever. Kamen Rider to me is, oddly enough, a feeling. Heroism as empathy, as compassion, that's what I'm looking for if a show's going to call itself Kamen Rider. I felt that so quickly here that I can't imagine this show having a different set of words in front of the word Hibiki.
There's the big hero moment from Hibiki, when he dives off of a boat to save a child (are we sure Inoue didn't write this one?), but I like his second meeting with Asumu better. He knows that it is incredibly dangerous for Asumu and his cousin to be in these woods, but to tell them it's dangerous is to make it worse, so he just doesn't. He helps Asumu up and very quickly escorts them out of the forest. He's all smiles and funny answers and stories about the power of nature (Kamen Rider!), because he's not just protecting them from danger, he's protecting them from fear. I like this dude! I like his style! I've got it slotted for directly after 29! Pretty lucky how that release date ended up coinciding with the show's creative changeover. Now if someone could tell me where the HBV should go, because the Wiki doesn't have a release date for it... Anyway, I’m one of those who isn’t really keen on the first half. The only real things that stand out from it are as follows: 1. The flashing kanji. 2. Whenever a new character appears. 3. Episode 24. I’m one of those who would stick up for the second half, and can name at least two prominent members of the Toku community who would do likewise. And that’s all I’ll say on that matter until you get there. |
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#22 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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TAKATERA-P: "It sure it is nice to be producing a Rider show again. I think I'd really like to do something a bit different this time though. How about we open with a big musical number?"
TIM TOEI: "That's a rather odd request, but I don't see why not." TAKATERA-P: "And we should have Hibiki introduced in a big sequence on a ferry!" TIM TOEI: "Sure! It's always good to have something big and impressive in a first episode to really grab the attention of the viewers!" TAKATERA-P: "Glad you agree! That means it's totally cool if we film half this thing in the forest then, right?" TIM TOEI: "...Well, I mean, that makes things tricky logistically, but we can make it work, I suppose." TAKATERA-P: "Good, good. So I was thinking for the show's first big fight scene I want to have some wire-work in there..." TIM TOEI: "Oh, so Hibiki is going to fight a monster in the usual quarry then?" TAKATERA-P: "No, that'll be in the woods too." TIM TOEI: "I— I guess as long as we bring on a director who knows how to keep things relatively modest..." TAKATERA-P: "Oh, about that! I was thinking we should get Ishida to direct the pilot since he did such great work on Kuuga." TIM TOEI: "That's— He's— Please tell me he's—" TAKATERA-P: "I promise he won't light anything on fire!" TIM TOEI: "O—okay, this is all pretty ambitious, but I suppose it's only natural you'd want to leave a strong impression with Hibiki's first episode." TAKATERA-P: "I want to leave a strong impression with Hibiki, yes." That conversation almost certainly didn't happen, of course. I have no idea how exactly Hibiki's production played out, or who exactly was making what decisions, but it's hard not to think about these things watching the show. Which I'm sure you've gathered Die, since nobody will stop mentioning the production shakeup that happened to it. Even I'm going to take a second to mention it upfront! I'm sure you'll just take the show for what it is, as always, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but... maybe just think every now and then as you're watching these first 29 episodes about everything I said in my Kuuga thread – about how that was a series that was bold and experimental, a project of passion that ignored corporate wishes and treated its target audience of children with the utmost respect – and remember that it only got away with all that because it was also a runaway success. Hibiki had the fortune of sharing the same driving creative force behind Kuuga in Shigenori Takatera, but it had the misfortune of being another show like Blade that failed to really set the world on fire in terms of ratings on TV or merch sales, and not everyone can fight fate as well as Kenzaki. It's still a unique, wonderful show all the same, however, which is why I want to try and actively watch "all" 29 episodes alongside you, rather than just occasionally skimming through them like I have been. Hibiki was the last backlog Heisei Rider show I watched (this was while Gaim was airing, for reference), and one thing I don't think I really appreciated at the time was just how stylish this first episode is? It's almost baffling to me how much more confident and complex the show's visual language is compared to Blade or even Faiz right before it. It's slick, and all cut together pretty much perfectly. Even the overly done lighting on Hibiki at the end, it's Ishida going crazy like usual, but knowing what this show is about, I think the idea was to make Hibiki seem almost divine in his heroism, and I kind of dig that. Literally the only thing left in my long-term memory about this one was "Hibiki sneezes; saves kid on boat". I even forgot about the musical number entirely, somehow. But going back, it's obvious how much of a good ride we're both in for here. So as usual, I'm very excited to see your thoughts as you go along. I mean, we've got episode titles and lyrics and all this stuff?! This is great. This whole thing is going to be great. I mean, this show basically already writes episodes the way you write posts about episodes, right? It's basically a match made in heaven. Which is hopefully not too hasty a statement to make!
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#23 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 613
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Wow, and I just finished the last episode yesterday. But yeah, Hibiki is unique if you're used to the modern Rider formula and it stands out very strongly.
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#24 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Quote:
I’d put the HBV after episode 33, since it features the final form, which doesn’t debut until that episode.
Anyway, I’m one of those who isn’t really keen on the first half. The only real things that stand out from it are as follows: 1. The flashing kanji. 2. Whenever a new character appears. 3. Episode 24. I’m one of those who would stick up for the second half, and can name at least two prominent members of the Toku community who would do likewise. And that’s all I’ll say on that matter until you get there. I really like the flashing kanji. It feels like it's creating these... blocks of emphasis, maybe? It's a more discreet way of framing a sequence than the normal We Are In A New Place For This Scene transition. Quote:
On the other hand, I was immediately like Yeah I'd Probably End Up Firing The Guys Who Made This If I Was A Toei Executive. Wirework in a forest! Between two dudes in suits! All of this episode basically taking place in settings we're probably not going to see again! (The temple Hibiki calls is in the city, which is where I assume a major chunk of the series will take place.) They shot this thing like a movie, and it didn't really look like they cut corners elsewhere to make that happen. Quote:
I'm sure you'll just take the show for what it is, as always, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but... maybe just think every now and then as you're watching these first 29 episodes about everything I said in my Kuuga thread – about how that was a series that was bold and experimental, a project of passion that ignored corporate wishes and treated its target audience of children with the utmost respect – and remember that it only got away with all that because it was also a runaway success. Hibiki had the fortune of sharing the same driving creative force behind Kuuga in Shigenori Takatera, but it had the misfortune of being another show like Blade that failed to really set the world on fire in terms of ratings on TV or merch sales, and not everyone can fight fate as well as Kenzaki.
Fun Kuuga! Sorry to frame it that way! Quote:
So as usual, I'm very excited to see your thoughts as you go along. I mean, we've got episode titles and lyrics and all this stuff?! This is great. This whole thing is going to be great. I mean, this show basically already writes episodes the way you write posts about episodes, right? It's basically a match made in heaven. Which is hopefully not too hasty a statement to make!
I sort-of wonder what would've happened if this series had succeeded by whatever metrics Bandai and Toei would've considered it a success. How weird would Heisei shows end up getting?
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#25 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Hibiki is definitely Kuuga but if Kuuga was Den-O
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#26 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 2,481
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Hey I'm going to try to watch along this time. I'm looking at using OZC subs for this, should I download the 30 fps or 60 fps version?
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#27 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Quote:
I hope you enjoy Hibiki!
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#28 |
The Immortal King Tasty
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Every diner you've ever been to.
Posts: 3,833
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It's not an unjustified way to look at things. Kuuga was essentially this big year-long examination of the very concept of superhero narratives with a heavy emphasis on getting viewers to consider how easily desensitized they become to violence. Like... it definitely wasn't the lightest entertainment out there!
That show "destroyed" Kamen Rider to reform it as something better; Hibiki is arguably the bright new day that comes after that. See, having the show put like this is exactly why I want to watch it again. Pretty much everything about it just kinda fell out of my brain after watching it, so while I've always maintained a huge level of respect for Hibiki, it's also never been a show I have very strong feelings about. It's something I'm pretty sure should be a favorite of mine, but a lot of my affection at the time was going to Wizard instead. And then Ghost started existing, which turned out pretty great for me. It just kinda got lost in the shuffle that is my bottomless love for this franchise, and there's a part of me that feels bad about that. Aesthetically, I adore it. Stylistically, I adore it. Tonally, it's way up my alley. I think it's really just the simple fact that I can't remember a thing that happened in it that's preventing there from being a bit more of an active connection with me. Very excited to have an excuse to rectify that.
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#29 |
I have a problematic type
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,420
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Quote:
See, having the show put like this is exactly why I want to watch it again. Pretty much everything about it just kinda fell out of my brain after watching it, so while I've always maintained a huge level of respect for Hibiki, it's also never been a show I have very strong feelings about. It's something I'm pretty sure should be a favorite of mine, but a lot of my affection at the time was going to Wizard instead. And then Ghost started existing, which turned out pretty great for me.
That hurts me in the soul. |
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#30 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Funnily enough, I feel like Hibiki is a great superhero deconstruction in a way very much opposite yet equal to Kuuga! But... we’re still at episode 1, so I really don’t wanna talk much about it, haha.
I’m just very glad to see everyone pulling Kuuga comparisons. I’m not crazy, I’m not the only one who sees it!
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