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11-03-2020, 03:16 AM | #541 |
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Join Date: May 2019
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So yeah, Zanki’s back in action. Which is a surprising move, since they were actually planning to cut him altogether after the retool. It’s also obviously sudden, given his lack of (contemporary) merchandise and the fact he now has a new suit actor (going from Keizo Yabe to Hisanori “Eitoku” Oiwa, who was previous Kamen Rider Odin and the Peacock Undead). Honestly, I think it works better for him than just sitting back and barking orders.
Don’t have any lyrics for next time, so instead, I’ll do a riddle. We’re in the off season for rice Tokyo started as a village I’m positive you’ll recognise there are now two writers on this show. (A hint: try reading certain words in a different way) Edit: never mind, I found some lyrics after all. Ore shika mienai asu ga aru Dare ni mo yarenai yume ga aru Da kedo hitori ja nai n' da ze Itsu mo tonari ni omae ga iru kara (Supiruban) Tomodachi de nakama de toki ni wa raibaru Sou sa Omae wa mou hitori no ore - Ichiro Mizuki, Kimi no Nakama de, Spielban Last edited by Androzani84; 11-03-2020 at 07:45 AM.. |
11-04-2020, 11:41 PM | #542 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Episode 38... I'm not finished with it yet, and it I don't really care for it, and the scene this happens in works great until it 1000% does not work even a little... but it's got one of my favorite types of gag in a Kamen Rider show:
That is my favorite gag. It's not as good as the version from Faiz, but nothing ever could be:
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11-05-2020, 12:25 AM | #543 |
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Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 38 - "FAILED SLAYING SOUND"
"My mind's awake There's always a hundred things to think about When to escape Is the only question left in doubt" -Standard Fare, "Suitcase" This is one of those where I'm not sure if I'm in the right headspace to really enjoy a Kamen Rider episode (no politics in the thread), but I watched it, so I might as well write it up. I thought this one was pretty shitty? Like, for the first time, I get the criticisms about the second phase of Hibiki. This episode just fluctuated between emotional scenes that were incredibly wrong for the characters, and dopey monster sequences that felt dropped in from another show entirely. Everything in this one, except for one character's story, just... I mean, that Nails On A Chalkboard move by the Hime was how I felt watching most of this episode. There will probably be plenty of things I'll rip apart from this episode (or I'll just bail in a couple paragraphs, we'll play it by ear), so let me start by saying the Ibuki stuff from this episode, and only the Ibuki stuff from this episode, worked great. The only honest moment in this entire episode was when Ibuki is explaining to Zanki how much he feels he let Akira down. It's raw and visceral, a side of the normally self-assured Ibuki that we never get to see. Here, he's a parent who had their kid run away, and he doesn't know what to do. He blames himself for not understanding her better, for not guarding her from her fears and doubts. He's doubting himself, for the first time ever. It's a very sweet scene that gives gravity and stakes to Ibuki's side of the story with Akira, something that was missing from the last episode. So then the episode shits all over it by having Zanki punch Ibuki in the face. It's a stupid way to end that scene. It takes all of the real emotion and douses it in bravado and nonsense. It moves Zanki from his usual cool demeanor into just being an aggressive asshole. It sucks. It made me sad. The Zanki/Todoroki thing that came after was equally dumb to me. Todoroki demanding that the critically injured Zanki start fighting with him again is unconscionably thoughtless, and Zanki's tough love abandonment is infuriating. It's a scene where not only do I not buy anything either character is doing, but it was making me angry just to watch. It's bullshit drama. The main story, the Hibiki/Asumu stuff... I don't know. I like how parental and concerned Hibiki is in this one (there's a shot near the end where he's watching Asumu meditate in the forest, and he just looks so proud, it's very cute), but the advice he gives Asumu just isn't on-topic? Asumu isn't stressed, he's avoiding his problems. He doesn't need to tune out his captain and Kiriya, he needs to confront their claims. The whole idea of him needing to blank out his mind... that's just him ignoring the problems! Again! Still! It's such weirdly incorrect advice. The rest of the plot, with Kiriya hanging around just to be an asshole, it's fine. It's dumb, the whole plot is so stupid (I don't think someone playing the whistle needs this much instruction!), but it's not the worst part of this episode. (Zanki. All of the Zanki stuff is the worst.) There's some legitimate laughs to be had in how transparently Kiriya is tagging along and not acknowledging it. He's so one-note that I can't even get mad at him for playing that one-note during every scene. It's just funny to me. I don't know. Probably bad taste. (I honestly don't want to talk about the monster plot at all. It completely didn't belong in a Hibiki episode, up to and including the villains attacking the heroes at the end. Utterly incorrect plot for Hibiki.) Really, really disliked this episode. Again, probably not the right time for me to be watching it, so this is all super subjective. If this one worked for you, please let me know!
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11-05-2020, 03:22 AM | #544 |
take me to space
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,406
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Shuki was just Kiryu from Blade but worse. I wonder if there's a trading card for her too somewhere. As for episode 38, uh, I liked Midori throwing moves at the Makamou, even if it was ineffective...
Just because it's on my mind, I feel like saying that this and several others episodes also had me thinking along the lines of how certain stories doesn't feel right for the show, but I've also been wondering if that's more of a 'me' problem. You said before the retool phase that you wanted to judge the next phase as the show as it's own thing, as the new production staff and writer are free to take them in whatever direction they please. I thought I ought to try looking at it that way too. It's just that for me personally, that's maybe impossible? It'd be one thing if the show really did go all the way in presenting itself as a full-on reboot or new interpretation, like a new Spider-Man or Green Arrow show or something, but the second half of Hibiki is still working and building off the context and relationships that the first half built. Having the character face weirder and more outlandish Makamou threats, that's fine and I can live with, but having them act just a little off from what I expect, like in this episode, sticks out a lot more to me, in a bad way. Also, my thoughts about Akira's arc in real time as I was watching were kinda entirely cynical! I really didn't like even the possibility of her breaking away from the Oni path being brought up, because I spending all my time feeling dread at how that was how it was going to end. Or possibly with her dying, if Shuki was meant to be a very-on-the-nose foreshadowing. I think it was when I was around episode 38, I got so impatient and antsy about it that I just looked up online what happens later in the show ahead of time so I could get either my relief or disappointment out of the way. (I also did this when I wanted to know ahead of time when did Wizard's all-dragon form shows up and spoiled to myself like five episodes in advance that it would Phoenix's last appearance on the show and he'd get kicked to the sun. Hey, you think he's still up there?) Not that you can't write a compelling story with all that, but it didn't sit right with me how the new staff looked at the one and only female character who is physically involved in the fighting, and decided what they wanted to write is to question whether she should even be there and raise the possibility of her quitting altogether. Yeah, maybe that's a really uncharitable reading on my part, but I was getting reminded of Poppy and Nico. Sure, there might 'story' justifications for these characters to get side-lined in all the action compared to the guys, but it's still not a good look! But, I still held a sliver of hope that Akira's story would come out in a way that wouldn't aggravate me. I did however, definitely gave up on ever warming up to Kiriya by this point! I'm glad that you've so far just been seeing him as an obnoxious but over-the-top obstacle to Asumu. I'd probably be more okay with him if that was literally his one and only purpose on the show, instead of also ostensibly being a character I'm meant to be invested in. |
11-05-2020, 03:51 AM | #545 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,553
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Yeah, I’ll point out that this episode and the next are the only two episodes from the second half not written by Inoue. Instead, they’re written by Shoji Yonemura (the answer to my riddle. The bolded words were what the individual kanji in his name translated to when I tried Google translating them individually). He’s done a lot of anime, and he worked with the producer on a drama called Sh15uya He’ll be in charge of the next show, Masked Rider 35th Anniversary Project, or to call it something more well known, Kamen Rider Kabuto. His style is basically the same as Inoue, only amplified .
I’ll be honest, I don’t remember much about this episode, so I’m not really on the fence about it that much. I just remember the payoff at the end of the next episode. And speaking of next time. The waiting is over, no, don't you run. no way to hide. no time for wonderin' why. it's here, the moment is now, about to decide. let 'em believe. leave 'em behind. but keep me near in your heart. know whatever you do, i'm here by your side - Kenny Loggins, This is It. |
11-05-2020, 08:59 AM | #546 |
Standing By
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,105
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Quote:
KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 38 - “FAILED SLAYING SOUND”
I thought this one was pretty shitty? Like, for the first time, I get the criticisms about the second phase of Hibiki. This episode just fluctuated between emotional scenes that were incredibly wrong for the characters, and dopey monster sequences that felt dropped in from another show entirely. Everything in this one, except for one character’s story, just… I mean, that Nails On A Chalkboard move by the Hime was how I felt watching most of this episode. There will probably be plenty of things I’ll rip apart from this episode (or I’ll just bail in a couple paragraphs, we’ll play it by ear), so let me start by saying the Ibuki stuff from this episode, and only the Ibuki stuff from this episode, worked great. The only honest moment in this entire episode was when Ibuki is explaining to Zanki how much he feels he let Akira down. It’s raw and visceral, a side of the normally self-assured Ibuki that we never get to see. Here, he’s a parent who had their kid run away, and he doesn’t know what to do. He blames himself for not understanding her better, for not guarding her from her fears and doubts. He’s doubting himself, for the first time ever. It’s a very sweet scene that gives gravity and stakes to Ibuki’s side of the story with Akira, something that was missing from the last episode. So then the episode shits all over it by having Zanki punch Ibuki in the face. It’s a stupid way to end that scene. It takes all of the real emotion and douses it in bravado and nonsense. It moves Zanki from his usual cool demeanor into just being an aggressive asshole. It sucks. It made me sad. The Zanki/Todoroki thing that came after was equally dumb to me. Todoroki demanding that the critically injured Zanki start fighting with him again is unconscionably thoughtless, and Zanki’s tough love abandonment is infuriating. It’s a scene where not only do I not buy anything either character is doing, but it was making me angry just to watch. It’s bullshit drama. The bad news is that, as I mentioned earlier, this arc is written by Yonemura Shoji. He's infamous in the west for writing one of the most contrived and hated movies, Super Hero War. Most recently, he wrote Pretty Den-O which fans are still waiting to get subs for. This arc is a preview for what kind of OOC nonsense you can expect from Kamen Rider Kabuto so you might have some problems with that. "There will be no finale for you." implies he'll be up there for a very, very long time. Damn, I never would have thought to do that. Clever!
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11-05-2020, 02:09 PM | #547 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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Yeah, god, she really was. In... in basically every way.
Quote:
Just because it's on my mind, I feel like saying that this and several others episodes also had me thinking along the lines of how certain stories doesn't feel right for the show, but I've also been wondering if that's more of a 'me' problem. You said before the retool phase that you wanted to judge the next phase as the show as it's own thing, as the new production staff and writer are free to take them in whatever direction they please. I thought I ought to try looking at it that way too.
It's just that for me personally, that's maybe impossible? It'd be one thing if the show really did go all the way in presenting itself as a full-on reboot or new interpretation, like a new Spider-Man or Green Arrow show or something, but the second half of Hibiki is still working and building off the context and relationships that the first half built. Having the character face weirder and more outlandish Makamou threats, that's fine and I can live with, but having them act just a little off from what I expect, like in this episode, sticks out a lot more to me, in a bad way. Quote:
Not that you can't write a compelling story with all that, but it didn't sit right with me how the new staff looked at the one and only female character who is physically involved in the fighting, and decided what they wanted to write is to question whether she should even be there and raise the possibility of her quitting altogether. Yeah, maybe that's a really uncharitable reading on my part, but I was getting reminded of Poppy and Nico. Sure, there might 'story' justifications for these characters to get side-lined in all the action compared to the guys, but it's still not a good look!
Quote:
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11-05-2020, 02:13 PM | #548 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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11-05-2020, 02:14 PM | #549 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,159
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11-05-2020, 04:21 PM | #550 |
Warrior of Delusions!
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Wait, you dont know either?
Posts: 5,826
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Someday I should actually watch Hibiki and Kabuto, because they're both two shows (along with Agito and W, to an extent) where I have no idea of the plot. Like, I've not seen Kuuga, Faiz, or Fourze, but I could at least tell you what they're about, and people enjoy talking about them. The others, I got nothing.
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Check out my occasional ramblings! https://akibamusings.blogspot.com/
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