The thing Zanki does that I really enjoyed is that he has this tone of, like, Why Is No One Here For This Child, which is 180 degrees from how Hibiki has been treating Asumu. Zanki immediately gets that this kid needs a kind word of support, and then Guitar Themes his way out of the scene. It's very cool!

The bigger problem I had with this story, and why it maybe bugged me more than Asumu's visit to Trauma Bookstore, is that this story is just something that Happens To Asumu. He doesn't bring it on himself (although it seemed like he might've been ignoring it last episode, due to some general thematic stuff that was going on, this episode doesn't treat it as anything more than Asumu's oversight), and there's really no lesson or theme to draw out of it. He got sick, and then he got better. Two points might make a line, but they don't make a story.

That said, I appreciate the monster plot trying to loop in Asumu's story by making the Deranged Douji's weak spot his tummy. Everyone's got insides that are nothing but trouble! There's your theme, viewers!

I see Switchblade has done half of my job for me. So I’ll do something else. Explain why I called attention to the name of the guy Hibiki was calling a few episodes ago.

As someone with an experience in writing fiction, I’ve come to realise that you only name a character if they’re going to be a major player. The exceptions to this rule being a( red shirts where you at least need to feel some sympathy for them and b( if your telling (or retelling) part of the story from their perspective (which is how everyone and their mother in a Star Wars film has a dedicated backstory for what amounts to background extras). Since Todoyama (I’ll explain the origins of his name soon) fits neither bill, they were obviously setting him up for a bigger role.

I will say this about Matsuda. He has a hell of a singing voice. And this show didn’t use it at all. But he’s still the reason I managed to pull myself through the first half and the excuse I had for continuing to watch the second half (sadly, he’s there ‘til the end).

https://youtube.com/watch?v=L-FIEGqTPJI

Oh, asking for help as "cowardice" (I had a case of this too at times)? Here we go again, that Hibiki also had Takeshi group and they help each other, his role model also is dependent on others. At here, his objective to help others (only Akira?) isn't seen yet as Akira wasn't in school yet, but I don't think he pushed himself to the limit for helping others? He was just having an appendicitis.

Ah, it's probably just Hibiki being a showoff of declaring himself as Special Mobile Combat Unit, to me (CMIIW). But probably right, they should understand her more to let her attend class, or that Akira's the one that decided to focus on Takeshi more?

I mean, it's not just occassional shot, it's Ibuki's finishing move (the one where the bullets glow red), and it didn't work on him this time. And "not that fun to watch"? People commonly think fights are fun if the hero struggled and overwhelmed, but....

Hibiki and Hinaka being more similar, it doesn't complete each other like Kasumi and Hibiki filling each other's gaps... (unless you count the "professional" part in that Honda Element). And nice trivia of the Mages in Wizard for that dude (the hat one?).

Which brought me to the "jerks or villains shamelessly get away from their deeds, either from fandom or in-universe" part (not talking about that shopkeeper obviously, but for other cases this happen as comedic sociopathy).

You know, for how much our takes on the B movie looking monsters differ, I'm often finding it hard to really say much about episodes of Hibiki specifically because I agree with you too much. I figured straight up rewatching the series would give me more to contribute than usual, but, at least at the moment, it's hard to do much beyond pointing at your posts and going "that!"

The Asumu plotline in this one, it just refuses to go anywhere very meaningful, and that's more than a bit of a bummer despite still being quite an enjoyable episode overall. The scene that closes out the episode of him in bed looking at his school uniform, it felt like something that was supposed to be more poignant than it ended up being.

Admittedly, though, I can't truly say I'm opposed to the focus on winged cannibal Douji. That guy was awesome! Had a real Grongi flavor to him, right down to picking fights with his own kind as much as the heroes.

It's more that, at this point in the story, it seemed like they were suggesting that everyone was working too hard to take care of themselves. Asumu maybe should've been more willing to say he was in pain, but he didn't want to be seen as weak again. Not really where they ended up going, but that's how it read to me at the time.

She's fifteen! She doesn't get a vote!

According to the Wiki, he was the New Dad one.

Don't worry, I'm scared, too. I don't like us having similar opinions any more than you do. I'd say something comforting, like We'll Get Through This Together, but that would be part of the problem.

The Deranged Douji being the highlight of the episode is, like, the perfect example of how weird watching 14 felt. My favorite part was the monster? And I found the Asumu plot thin and unnecessary? No thank you, Kamen Rider Hibiki.

I really need to catch up with this watch. I'm very behind.

Definitely watch episode 15! It's...!!!

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 15 - “DWINDLING THUNDER”

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../hibiki15a.png

“These are my favourite chords
I know you like them too
When I get a new guitar
You can have this one
And sing me a lullaby
Sing me the alphabet
Sing me a story I haven’t heard yet”

-The Weakerthans, “My Favourite Chords”

Best. Episode. Yet. I’m only a few minutes into watching it and I’m already brimming with things to talk about. Let’s run it down in real-time!

1) That new version of the theme song! What a goddamn statement of intent! It’s a rollicking, shredding version of the infinitely flexible Hibiki opening song. (We even get a muzak version later in the episode!) I like the way Hibiki’s signature instrument, the drums (hi i hope this isn’t a spoiler), end up creating a reliable base for other instruments to rotate in and out. Those powerful drums keep it sounding like The Hibiki Theme, no matter if there’re horns, guitars, vocals, or nothing else at all. But the guitars are very very cool!

2) Perfect first Asumu scene, with a lot of neat touches. (Speaking of touches, WHAT THE HELL, did they really do a gag on a Kamen Rider where AsuMum thinks she walked in on Asumu, uh, polishing his drumstick? Unbelievably funny.) It’s always cute to see Hitomi and Asumu do their adorably awkward teenage flirting. I mean, I obviously stan Akirasumu, but this is a pretty solid diversion. The body language is especially on-point, with the two of them fidgeting in excitement at hanging out later. Terrific opening scene.

3) And then we’re at the first Zanki/Todoyama fight, and, man, those guitars! I really missed them! It just makes a fight scene more hyped, more entertaining. They’re not right for every tone, but if you want to have two new dudes come off like five-star heroes, yes, guitars. The fight itself peaks early, with Zanki flinging a terrified child sixty feet into Todoyama’s waiting arms (I can’t imagine Ibuki trying that with Akira, but I’d love to see it at least once), but it’s still pretty fun for this early in the episode. Zanki in particular gets an absolutely gruesome finish on the Douji (the way the camera holds on its face before it explodes!), getting covered in Monster Goo. The Hime gets away, and the Oni try to track it down.

4) And just so we don’t completely forget what show this is, it’s Hibiki! Training! With Ibuki and Akira! And because this show loves me, we’re back to Hibiki dreaming about being some sort of Obscured Rider, with his sunglasses and his Honda bike. (Honda’s all over this episode, with Takeshi having some fleet contracts to keep every Oni in an Element.) I genuinely adore that the show is making But He Doesn’t Ride A Bike into an ongoing storyline, when it’s easy enough to write off as something that doesn’t fit the life of a camping superhero. (Although, Ibuki!) It’s nice that he’s not good (yet) at something so core to the Kamen Rider aesthetic, so we can see him earn it. Very happy with this concept!

5) Meanwhile, Ibuki and Todoyama finish off the remaining Douji Or Hime (it’s usually the Douji who survives, because of misogyny, but I thought it was the Hime this time) and the Makamou with some LIGHTNING and HURLED GUITARS and MAJESTIC SHREDDING. It is precisely as awesome visually as it is sonically. (There’s actually a neat touch for the two string Oni, where Todoyama’s motif is more bass guitar, and Zanki’s motif is shredding lead guitar. Zanki's theme is front and center, while Todoyama's provides support. It’s just like their partnership! So goddamn smart!) The monster explosion is great, even as they’re feeding in the idea that Zanki is maybe not at 100%. Which, man, are you telling me this dude could be more of a bad-ass?!

6) I enjoyed the conversation between Hibiki and Akira quite a bit. For one, it’s something we don’t really get to see a lot on this show, the two of them getting a scene together. For another, it’s really nice to see Hibiki in that Casual Mentor role, considering we’re spending a lot more time with masters and apprentices than we have before. Seems like everyone’s got someone to look out for except Hibiki!

7) Hinaka being very into Todoyama and putting him on the spot while he’s trying to call in about a defeated monster, yes. One thousand times, yes. She’s at her best when the show lets her get weird, and she is so weird here. It’s this middle ground between Aww and Yikes, and I thought it was funny as shit. That extreme close-up and red filter! She looked like a Makamou that needed to romance an Oni! And then, punchline, she’s been saying most of her aggressive date suggestions to Zanki, who has something to tell Ichiro that almost definitely isn’t related to Zanki’s struggles to finish off the Makamou or Hibiki’s discussion with Akira about replacing Ibuki someday. It’s probably just about how great the Honda Element is!

8) Asumu reads out AsuMum’s note, and they layer AsuMum’s voice over Asumu’s lip movement. Even the “ha ha”. Amazing. A+ episode for that touch alone. I almost feel like deleting everything else I wrote and leaving this post as just this paragraph. So thoroughly this show to find that shading.

9) Zanki is epically chill, the kind of unflappable protagonist that it’s easy to see Todoyama feeling inferior to. Zanki has a tough fight, one that exposed him as less than 100%, and is like Yep Done. That’s it. No heartfelt chat with his apprentice. No long walk where the weight of a thousand victories makes the next battle seem impossible to face. Dude just feels he’s done, sees the strides his apprentice has made, and quits. It’s great! It’s so goddamn cool! And it’s even cooler for Todoyama completely freaking out and running away from Zanki, while Zanki shakes his head in amusement. Just the best episode, you guys.

10) Hibiki is coming to dinner! YES!

11) Even the more straightforward exposition scenes are killer, with the camera zooming into and alongside Team Zanki?’s Element at the start of a scene, and then separating and zooming at the end. The content of Ichiro and Zanki’s conversation is largely about conveying info, but I like how when Ichiro brings up Zanki’s sudden retirement, Zanki just goes, “Yeah. Sorry.” He’s so cool!

12) THAT. HENSHIN. Gotta be in the Top 5 Henshins ever. They call down lighting and explode into superheroes. Unbelievable. This is the most jaw-dropping, metal episode of this show yet, and it’s one of the first where I’m salivating for the next one.

13) Hey, real quick because I forgot to mention it: I like the Zanki/Todoyama suits! The guitar strings work great as a series of straps, and the show even came up with an over-the-shoulders variation for Sabaki. Todoyama’s white markings on his helmet work a little better for me than Zanki’s brown stripes, but both look good. Really fun way to incorporate guitar motifs into the Hibiki aesthetic.

This episode was… oh, man, I needed it to be good, and it was stellar. A+++, best episode yet of the series. Cannot wait to see more!

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/...hibiki15b .png

I don't remember the first time I saw the Zanki/Todoyama transformation in the... abandoned mining town, maybe? It was before I saw the complete show and I tuned into part of that episode because of some reason - or maybe I saw it in a YouTube compilation, I'm honestly not sure. In any case, it's one of the single scenes in Hibiki that has stuck with me the most over the years and I always get excited watching our guys walk through the town while the Douji and Hime distantly flank them.

I unabashedly love everything about the guitar Oni. I love the suit designs, I love the transformation bracelets, and I love the hell out of the ongekigen (the guitar weapon). I always look forward to the moment when these guys arrive and complete the show's main cast. We're getting a little crowded now, for sure, but I can deal with a big, happy family.

Also, loved the scene with Hinaka on the phone. The beat when she realizes that Zanki has taken over never fails to make me laugh.

I think in your second paragraph, you mixed up Midori and Hitomi's names! Also I very much remember this and the next few episodes pretty distinctively, and was shaking in excitement over it like you were, probably! I hope you come to really like Zanki and his apprentice's story. They immediately stick out in this episode for like, having a story arc to themselves as opposed to only being people for Hibiki and Asumu to bounce off (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

I'm sure Hibiki places equal value in all it's instruments, but I think we all agree that those guitar riffs and shredding is several notches up in coolness compared to anything else.

Hey, I got 39 minutes before the SHF Saber orders open up on AmiAmi, let's talk about Hibiki!

The way that scene is laid out is just the cherry on this episode's delicious sundae. You've got the Makamou in the distance, with Sabaki in its grasp. You've got the Douji and Hime, prowling on the outskirts. And then Zanki and Todoyama walk up, Zanki puts down his guitar, they strum their bracelets, LIGHTNING. STRIKE. And then superheroes. Chills, man! I got chills!

They are so boss, and they instantly kick this show up a level. We've basically got a full band, now!

The editing in that scene is priceless. All over this episode, for sure, but that sequence hits all of the comedy beats perfectly. I'm also a fan of how flustered and embarrassed Todoyama is, trying to give his official report while Zanki watches, and Hinaka is just like No We Are Talking About Our Date Now. He's, like, the anti-Ibuki.

Thanks! Fixed! Also, OH GOD, it would not be cool for Midori and Asumu to be flirting on the phone! Big nope!

That's the thing, though: the Zanki/Todoyama stuff is 100% about Hibiki and Asumu. (And Ibuki and Akira, but that's not as big of a deal.) Like, this story is about masters and apprentices, and about how the Oni tradition/skillset is kept in continuity. Zanki is able to step down because Todoyama is ready to take over. Eventually, Akira will succeed Ibuki. (I sort-of love how accepted it is that Akira will eventually become an Oni. For a franchise that ain't especially good at letting female characters fight as superheroes, this was fairly progressive!) Hibiki needs to figure out what Asumu is to him, and how he can best keep the Oni tradition alive. The idea of Zanki knowing he can step down because he trained a replacement... that seems like a very important thing for Hibiki and Asumu to address!

I feel almost bad saying it, but, yeah! Guitars are objectively cooler! Everyone on this show is great, no bum notes, but those Zanki fight scenes just ruled.

To clarify, Todoyama isn’t a full Oni yet. He’s still using the training henshin item similar to Akira. But unlike Akira, his training is at the point where Zanki things he’s ready to enter what the official design calls a “henshintai” (transformed) state.

And the “guitar is an axe” thing? That kind of seems like a lame and obvious thing to do, especially since we got a more-original idea for a guitar weapon in Super Sentai 10 years later https://youtube.com/watch?v=eGPp74jWX9g

And this episode also features the debut of Sabaki (I haven’t looked up what that means yet, I’ll get back to you on that one). As someone I follow on Twitter pointed out, he must’ve been someone on the crew’s favourite, since he appears in more episodes than the other non-regular Oni (even after the staff turnover mostly drops the minor Oni in favour of more focus on the main ones) he appears in the HBV and a post-show stage show. All he hasn’t received is an appearance in Decade and a Ridewatch in Zi-O’s toyline.

Okay, so I said wind instruments are Toshihiko Sahashi's thing, and I stand by that (Ibuki is still awesome!), but guitars aren't exactly outside his skill set either. Die will already know this if he still remembers his favorite track from Kuuga. Or, heck, I guess just anyone who's watched Kuuga would know.

Zanki and Todoyama are great. Going back to that idea that Ibuki and Akira are like, the baseline, ideal mentor/student combo, it was super interesting to introduce this grizzled legend past his prime and his apprentice who's maybe become a bit too comfortable standing in his shadow despite having talents of his own. It's a cool dynamic, and just as Riders, I mean, come on. It baffles me to think sometimes the merch for this show didn't sell like hotcakes. How did every kid on the block not want a monster-slaying axe/axe?

This is also Ishida's next set of episodes, which is very apparent not only when Clockamou's scene here straight up brings back the evil TV static effect from Kuuga, but from the impeccable timing of all the gags. I also like to think other directors probably wouldn't have been insistent on having those practical explosions mixed in when Zanki and Todoyama transform (both times!), which adds a lot of weight and impact to the scene. Again, these guys make a strong first impression.

Found out what Sabaki means. It’s shorthand for Sabaki no Oni (Judgement Demon)

I think I’ll point out that this was their main competition. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uG-2jXggn_U

And that the Super Sentai for that year put out a set based on what would otherwise be a normal show-exclusive power that can’t be replicated adequately with regular toys (believe me, I tried) https://youtube.com/watch?v=P5bs-pJGB4s

Meanwhile Hibiki wasn’t offering anything more impressive than a couple of transforming CDs… which 75% of the items designed to work with them couldn’t read in any way.

I'm very into Sabaki being the Oni who always needs saving, but is also constantly tasked with fighting the largest Makamou single-handed. All the other Oni showing up, shaking their heads, that Sabaki, and he's like SCREW YOU GUYS THAT MONSTER WAS AS BIG AS A VILLAGE. Hibiki, all pleased with himself for defeating a 20-foot ant, while Sabaki's trying to bring down a monster that has its own postal code and municipal government.

I really think the show did a great job in casting Zanki, because, like, I would be okay living in that dude's shadow! I'd feel like a Sabaki-monster-sized asshole if I told Zanki that I didn't need him anymore. While it's slightly embarrassing for Todoyama to, basically, throw a tantrum when Zanki says he's retiring, it does manage to feel inconceivable after just a couple scenes of Zanki at work. He's way too cool to stop fighting!

Plus, I mostly just love how this extra information about how the Oni training program works is something we get to see in action, probably right before it's about to be relevant for Hibiki and Asumu. This isn't just some weird thing Hibiki might bring up out of nowhere, or some talk Ichiro has with Hibiki. We get to see how their world works, so we understand the moves they make in it. I really love that way of telling a story!

So, obviously, money left on the table by not having Hibiki go with origami helpers, but... I don't think the CDs are that bad? I like that in the show you can just spin them and listen to some random noises to get information. That seems designed to get kids playing around with them in imaginative ways. I think I like them a lot more than some later series' plastic monster helpers.

Probably yeah, Asumu getting sick just happened in a sudden and it didn't add anything meaningful to anyone, seeing how he's not related to the Takeshi group here, unlike, Asumu's choking tendency before to make him learn that Hibiki's not perfect. And Hitomi outgrowing the drama club also isn't an insight or learning anything? And well, dunno, you say the Asumu one isn't worth spending time here, but if it doesn't exist and it's about monster hunting, well, it's not your cup of tea?

And in the inverse, Kasumi asked Hibiki to keep away from Asumu as much as possible, like how he shouldn't reveal about the Oni and Makamou, and that it'll distract Asumu in his studies. It's probably conflicting for Hibiki to take or leave him. And just yeah, Asumu was on hospital, he can't even move around, don't even get started on going on missions.

Professional yeah, this speaks of how these kind of plots are routinely done similar way most of the time (eh, and I'm not into formulaic show that is seen in other tokus, sorry for the reason of not following Shinkenger, but for Kamen Rider, uh...), though again, just like comedy in a story part, to chide this one for not having (one element you enjoy, but that's still subjective) drama... sometimes having not as much of the jaded stuff are advantages to some people. Otherwise, probably to suit your needs, the show can put on the 'drama' (dunno which kind you refer here though) on Akira learning stuff from Ibuki like Asumu from Hibiki? As Akira is also Ibuki's apprentice.

Oh yeah. Actually, when I watched this part I didn't even expect of Asumu's pain to be that severe. And probably Asumu too? He thought he was just having an ordinary stomachache, and he did take a medicine, but it turns to be a case that needs freaking surgery.

In retrospect from a merchandise perspective, Hibiki was lacking. The henshin belt that is meant to be the flagship merch was replaced with tuning forks, whistles, and a wristband, what came close to a belt was a loincloth with a drum for a buckle and two drumsticks, though the roleplay weapons department I will give credit. And the disk animals were heavily underutilized as gimmick items. Meanwhile, we got a 5 sibling sentai team that was Harry Potter-ing it up with a feature phone that doubles as a wand, kickass robots, and let us not forget a magic lamp with a cat genie inside that doubles as a gun and is voiced by the dude who is Trunks and MMPR Japanese dub's Billy/Blue Ranger. And the studio behind Godzilla was doing their own thing with a show about a trio of heroes who also ride giant robots, etc. TL;DR the show under Takatera was gorgeous but merch was lacking except for the roleplay weapon toys.

If I may add, there was also Nexus and Max, Sazer X, and Kamen Rider The First looking back.

It probably helped that his suit looks like way more effort was put into it than Danki's. Danki just wore an Ibuki suit with a different chest piece, Sabaki was wholly unique. Plus he was a string user and you'd have to really try hard to make one of those terrible (spoilers for 21 episodes from now).

I can't speak for Sazer X, but I'm not sure how merch-driven those other shows were. That said, I'd have bought the hell out of Nexus's multi-form separating jet/tank.

The Hitomi thing is nice, but it's not something that's going to carry an episode. It's, what, three lines of dialogue? In one scene? And it's her quitting one club we've never seen her attend for another club we've never seen her attend? And we already had her talking about this with Asumu a ways back? It's a cute moment, but that's it.

For Asumu, I don't think the choice is between a go-nowhere plot or nothing? We've had plenty of plots with Asumu that work great. This just wasn't one of them.

I think what I meant by 'drama' was that there really isn't any conflict to the Hibiki/Ibuki/Akira team, which is heart-warming, but also leaves their scenes without much to talk about. A little drama is necessary. The Oni getting along and doing their jobs well with no disagreement or conflict is great for Takeshi, but it doesn't really fill out a TV show.

Yeah, I suppose you're right. I don't really have a great insight into what a 7 to 10-year old Japanese child in 2005 would've made of all of this stuff. The drumsticks and guitars and CDs don't strike me as being any worse than Ryuki or Blade's weaponry. It seems just as cool?

I will say that the lack of a Henshin belt (and someone saying Henshin) will never not bother me. I can understand every reason why it's not in this show, but it still bothers me.

Well Heisei Rider is sponsored by Honda after all! There are a few exceptions like the Mercedes NEXT Tridoron though. People take for granted that Kamen Riders just know how to drive. Learning to drive is hard and just like the feeling of pride after passing the test and getting a license, the payoff will be even better when Hibiki finally gets his bike and a great inspiration to pedestrians who need a confidence boost that with training, they can drive as well! I didn't truly appreciate that when I first watched the show, since I was a pedestrian back then and long-time drivers made it look easy, but I see it in a new light now and I love that this show allows us to share Hibiki's experience.

Hibiki insists that being a mentor isn't his thing, referring to himself as "lonely wolf". But he just can't help himself from giving out advice. He's right to point out that Ibuki and Akira are totally in sync, they're a good team and maybe that's a subconscious desire to have one of his own, even if he won't admit it.

Zanki is a bad*ss for sure and even Hibiki has a high respect for him. Unfortunately, his skill is undermined by his crippled body so he has to step back from active duty. You probably know this already from peaking at the wiki but as Zanki's pupil, Todoyama is currently an unnamed Rider, still using his human name. Pupils only get their new Oni names after graduating from their mentors and given Zanki's upcoming retirement, Todoyama will be getting his soon.

I prefer the aesthetic of Percussion and Wind Oni but I do get excited whenever Zanki henshins, considering how his retirement means he won't be as active from now on compared to the other main Oni. Same goes for Sabaki, the oldest active Oni in Kanto who is skilled in using all instruments!

There's a real heavy "found family" vibe in this series, and it's not just focused on Asumu looking at Hibiki as a father figure. I think it's equally focused on Hibiki as a dude who sees that all of his friends have kids (of different sorts) and it just never happened for him, but now he's reconsidering. Like, Asumu's story is What Would It Be Like To Have A Dad, and Hibiki's story is What Would It Be Like To Have A Son. That's a very fun story for a Kamen Rider series to try and tell.

Standard fare I would say. Sazer X had action figures, robots, and roleplay toys that consisted of the transformation device, roleplay weapons, and their collectible items of the show the cosmo capsules. Oh and the very first season of GARO happened on 2005. Sorry, forgot about that. :lolol

Personally I was already under the impression at the time that this was an going to be a departure from the usual and I loved the lore and world building they did so it did not bother me too much. I mean I'm sure kids didn't hate it as much cause merch still was being sold somewhat probably, but sentai came strong with Magiranger I must say. It came out when Harry Potter was big as the MCU at the time globally so I assume it clicked better when you mash colorful spandex armored heroes and magicians. The colors popped and opening theme was catchy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC64pVVtMo8

2005 is probably the best year of tokusatsu ever.

Except for Magiranger de gozarimasu desu.

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 16 - "ROARING ONI"

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../hibiki16a.png

"I wanna forget how convention fits
But can I get out from under it
Can I gut it out of me"

-Spoon, "The Underdog"

There's a fundamental flaw to the mentor/apprentice relationship. A mentor is there to teach an apprentice, but they can only teach what they know. They can bring an apprentice up to their level, but that's as far as they can take them. Not only does a mentor need to know when to step aside, but an apprentice needs to know when to surpass their mentor. If the mentor and the apprentice can't recognize those moments, you're in a situation that's destined to fail.

Luckily, the cast of Kamen Rider Hibiki is, to a person, smart and generous and perceptive. This is an episode where mentors need to hope for more for their apprentices than they had themselves; and where apprentices need to be able to see beyond what they've learned, to reach for their own successes.

It's a moral that trickles down through all three partnerships amongst the Oni, and it starts with Zanki and Todoroki.

That's right, Todoroki. Todoyama takes the stage all on his own (I love that the music motif is so present in this episode that Todoyama's solo mission is referred to as his 'debut'), with him trying to find a way to be the Oni that Zanki always has been.

Which, that's the trick. Todoyama sees all the ways he doesn't measure up to Zanki, all the things Zanki does that he can't, and he fails as an Oni. He's patterned himself so intently after Zanki's (admittedly awesome) style that he can't see what his own strengths are, what he can do better than his mentor. He needs to see what Zanki's achieved as not so much the ceiling to reach for, but the ledge to launch off of. The show tells us this a bunch of times, but my absolute favorite example is what I used as this episode's screencaps. Todoyama's practicing, swinging his ax the way Zanki always taught him, but he keeps falling over. And then as he goes to pick up his ax in frustration, he switches his grip. He holds it as Todoyama, not as Zanki, and he's faster, stronger, more accurate. He's taken the lessons of his mentor and drawn from it what he needs to win, supplementing it with his own instincts. Now, he can fight as Todoroki. Now, he can be his own kind of hero.

The Ibuki/Akira team takes a run at this moral by addressing my favorite detail: Akira doesn't ever go to school. They're too damn busy fighting monsters, and she's too damn good at it. But while Ibuki has been training her to be an Oni, he wants her to have a fuller life than he had. He wants more for her than he got to experience, and that means making time for her to go to school. His mentoring, it's not just about preparing her to be an Oni. It's, like Zanki, about preparing her to be a better Oni, a better person, than he is.

Which is a great way to start talking about the Hibiki and Asumu stuff, which, man. Man. Completely not where I thought it was going, and I loved it for that.

Everything in the last few episodes has been leading to Hibiki taking Asumu on as his apprentice and training him to be an Oni. Everything in the storytelling, everything in the franchise, everything in the history of storytelling. It's all pointing towards a formal Mentor and Apprentice relationship. That's the next step in the story.

Except, that's not Asumu, and it's not Hibiki. When Asumu asks to be Hibiki's apprentice, it just feels wrong. It feels perfunctory, like it's the only reason these characters would have to interact. But Hibiki sees that Asumu doesn't really want to be an Oni, and Hibiki isn't really looking to step down as one. It'd be them going through long, arduous motions for no reason other than inertia, and that'd be lame. There's no reason why these two characters need that relationship.

They mostly don't need it because there's no reason to put a label on their friendship. Telescoping out from that joke where no one knows how to explain to Ibuki what Asumu's relationship is with Hibiki, their connection is broader than the professional roles of the other four characters. Hibiki isn't looking at Asumu as someone he needs to mold, he's looking at Asumu as someone he gets to see grow. He doesn't want to see Asumu give up on his options just to be an Oni, and he doesn't want Asumu to settle for Hibiki's life. He wants him to try things, train himself, and know that Hibiki'll be there if he needs someone to guide him.

Like a compass.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../hibiki16b.png

No! A person you just met earlier in a rather cold note (Akira) can't overtake the relationship that has been built from childhood (Hitomi)! (kinda jokey here actually cuz I know it doesn't always end up that way).

Guitars can be used as spears. Utilize everything you had in hand as weapons. And, I guess Zanki went into the future and watched the Sony E3 2006 conference as a tips to fight the giant enemy crab, that you have to flip it over. Zanki's stuff looks the least combat-y compared to the other Riders, unlike Hibiki who is about smacking the monster over and over, or Ibuki who turns the bullets into bombs.

Nah, Honda is just all over Kamen Rider franchise. Some other examples are Machine Tornador being Honda VTR1000F, Gills Raider & Blue Spader are Honda XR250, Shinji's bike is Honda Ruckus, Tezuka's bike is Honda CB400 SF, his Survive Mode bike is Honda X4, and for Knight Survive's it's Honda Shadow, Hardboiler (W's) is Honda CBR1000RR, Machine Massigler & Machine Builder are Honda XR230, Bike Gamer is Honda CRF250L, etc. Smart Lady's car is Honda NSX (my fave JDM) and also the car Tridoron is based on, Kageyama's car is Honda S2000, etc. And while we can see him earn it... it's rather ironic that someone with peak physical prowess can't do something as ordinary as riding a bike.

Yeah, the hurled guitar move is neat (as an ordinary move, not so much if someone has that as a finisher). And nah, flashiness =/= powerful, this is one important thing to judge when evaluating fights (don't be shallow just by the ability/attack looks), while Zanki resonates better to you with abilities that look cooler to you, it doesn't mean Zanki is a better combatant than the other Riders, he could be someone who is weaker than others due to age (according to him) that just happens to use guitar as a weapon. And for this one, you're okay with Todoyama being a support? Because can be judged "UseLesS" by others.

Hibiki having most responsibility, he has to look after Asumu and here he did it to Akira.

It's been 17 years and they still haven't told us what element the Honda is. But.. despite these unique features (no pillar between the front, rear-hinged rear doors), it wasn't as nice to live with overall as the CR-V. Those rear-hinged rear doors can be a hassle, and the thick roof pillars interfere with the view out. It's a long reach to the steering wheel, there are only seats for four, and a low payload capacity limits its utility. The Element handles well enough, but is noisy and has a choppy ride. It seems that Todayama is admired by a bunch of people currently, I thought this at first for Hitomi, but it turns out to be her cousin. And actually I didn't know how did Hitomi end up in Takeshi's HQ honestly, but this is also another coincidence that must be let known like Asumu with Midori.

And dunno for me, Zanki probably didn't have anything of that intention, but his chillness and unflappable can come off as being cold and dismissive somehow to me. He utters nice words, but it can sound curt and also with it being mostly short. And for all Todoyama has like above (and being a police officer too?), he still has lack of confidence and fear like clearly shown in this episode, and I ought to people not to demean that part.

Dude it's clear... Team Zanki's Honda Element is green, while the rest's Element is red. They're opposite colors in the spectrum... would that imply something?? And well, if Ichiro wants to be reasonable, he has to accept Zanki's retirement proporsal, he can't force himself to work against his will and endanger himself and potentially others.

I agree, this is one outstanding henshin. And to me, also more like how this one henshin you can freely pose because you are protected from attacks by that lightning.

Well, necessary to you, doesn't mean it objectively is needed or not filling out. "cynical tryhard edgy media with milktoast characters = good " mindset needs to stop, obviously not purge away those completely, but like, this aspect being hailed as something (or worse, considered the only way) to make something appear more complex than it actually is when it degrades and is pretentious in its attempt. Unless you meant for conflict being just any obstacles, struggles, and challenges a character need to overcome (like Asumu's story), then sure why not (like probably Akira being Ibuki's apprentice), which is also something I want to convey, that conflict isn't only toxic characters childishly infight all the time, so no need to degrade characters to create conflicts. And well, I guess, because of mentor archetypes having lack of struggles, stories commonly kill off mentors because of the reason you mention here.

Chemistry's real, man! Folks just click, sometimes!

But, like, I don't want to make this a thing where Hitomi is somehow Less Than because I don't see her as a romantic partner for Asumu. She's been his friend forever, and she understands (and cares for) him on a deeper level than anyone outside of his mom. They might not end up a couple, but Hitomi is still his best friend. That's not a consolation prize!

Zanki's stuff looks the least combat-y compared to the other Riders, unlike Hibiki who is about smacking the monster over and over, or Ibuki who turns the bullets into bombs.

I mean, it looks cooler to me, and that's one of my main criteria for judging fights. It's maybe 85% of what I'm looking for? (The rest is 10% gags and 5% Was Anyone Interrupted During A Form Change Or Henshin.) If I can't judge fights almost purely on aesthetics... I literally can't think of what else they're there for.

Sure! It's basically his entire job at this point! It'd be like judging Hinaka harshly for working in a restaurant!

Huh! I hadn't noticed that. Maybe? The Zanki/Todoyama relationship is pretty much the opposite of the Hibiki/Asumu relationship here, so... yeah, worth thinking about!

If someone who's key to your organization suddenly decides to quit, I think it's okay to press them on it a bit. But, it's not really Ichiro that I was trying to single out, it's Zanki. He maybe owes Ichiro a better explanation? It'd be out of character for him to give it, which is why I thought it was funny, but still.

Yeah, no, I mostly meant more along the lines of Reasonable Disagreement. People can work together and have different views on how to achieve a goal. Some of the most fulfilling storytelling is when two characters disagree and both of them are right. Here, it was just people working well together and succeeding. A fun thing to root for, but nothing that's going to stick in the brain.

It is going to be so nice to use Todoroki's proper name now. Using "Todoyama" felt so weird.

I love Todoroki. He's one of my very favorite characters on a show full of characters that I love. I really like that he's the rookie Oni but he's still really good at his job of fighting monsters. His youth shows up not in being less capable, but in lacking complete confidence in himself and being over-enthusiastic. He's a really good kid, but he can get a little too caught up in his own head sometimes. It's great to finally have him on the show because he does bring a new dynamic to the cast.

Plus we get one of my all-time favorite finishers with the Ongeki Zan Raiden Gekishin move. It doesn't get much cooler than rocking an enemy to death.

Todoroki still to this day is one of my favorite secondary rider alongside a few others. That soundtrack is just pitch perfect and like Switchblade said, Raiden Gekishin is just awesome in theory and in execution. :rock:
Fun fact, Shingo Kawaguchi who plays Todoroki tends to be paired with actors who played Sailor Moon in the live action department. It started with this and then it continued with Kamen Rider Wizard.

Gonna join in on the chorus and say that Todoroki is also probably my favourite character in the show. I think what I meant to say the other day, about how Zanki and him have this story about themselves as opposed to only being there for Asumu's sake, is that I was invested in this story for Zanki and Todoroki themselves. I definitely like Ibuki and Akira for sure, but I didn't feel like I needed to be concerned about where they'll end up, if that makes sense.

Also personally speaking, I can totally get why the merchandise in this show wasn't exactly flying off the shelves. Ibuki's trumpet-gun and Todoroki's guitar-axe are the only DX toys I see any appeal in, and those only come into the show a little later. Hibki's tuning fork, his sticks, the disc animals, they're cool in the show, but probably unimpressive to actually own.

Ok, now for today’s etymology: Todoroki = Todoroke no Oni (Roaring Demon).

I’ll point out that while it’s not used in the show (along with every other song written for it), Todoroki does have his own image song, Raibu Gougou, performed by JAM Project’s Eizo Sakamoto https://youtube.com/watch?v=ulYUAfVOaLE

But 15 years later, Sakamoto got his due. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1EyL-QA43OY

Die got his gushing session out of the way with the first part, but for me, the back half of this story was even more consistently impressive. I don't think there was a frame in this entire episode where I wasn't sitting there in awe of how good it was. If you'll pardon the figure of speech, it was a lightning bolt reminder to me of how good this show actually is, and why it stands out as so unique even to this day. What jumps out at me the most is probably something pretty obvious about the show, but I think I'll say it anyway – it's kind of incredible how all the characters really care about each other and are super supportive all the time, and how it still finds the drama in that. It's something I felt more strongly here than in any episode so far, probably because, as Die pointed out, the narrative is structured to comment on all three of the big mentor/student dynamics in the show.

There were two moments that really stuck out to me for how they were framed though, that I'd love to take a second to call attention to.

The first is when Hibiki is on the phone with Zanki and Todoyama. The rest of the cast is reeling from the news of Zanki's sudden retirement, and the atmosphere in the room is rather solemn. The shot on Hibiki's end of the conversation places Ibuki very clearly in the foreground, which does a great job calling attention to how worried Hibiki himself isn't. He treats the call like nothing more than a casual chat with some friends, because that's what it is to him. It's just a chance to thank an old ally for all his hard work, and to reassure the new guy he's got what it takes.

https://i.imgur.com/TC3ktio.png

Unlike the rest of the cast, it's evident Hibiki doesn't consider Zanki quitting some huge tragedy, nor does he doubt Todoyama's ability to stand on his own two feet, and that gets a great payoff later, after the fight, when Ichirou is now on the phone, receiving the good news. Again, the rest of the cast is a little on edge about this; they're standing at attention, and visibly relieved to hear it all worked out in the end. All of them except for Hibiki, who is relaxing in a chair the entire time, and reacts with little more than a smile, because he knew it couldn't have gone any other way.

https://i.imgur.com/ApNJpns.png

It's a minor part of the overall episode, I guess, but these bits struck a chord with me (if you'll pardon the figure of— oh never mind) because it sort of made me realize how genius it was to have the Oni go exclusively by their Rider names. This is another set of episodes that does not feature Hibiki transforming at all, which just like Ibuki's debut, strikes me as a pretty bold move for the show. But then I see moments like these, or him talking to Asumu earlier in the episode, and I realize: every episode literally still features Hibiki. It doesn't matter if he fights a giant crab that week or not, because that's not how contribution to the plot is measured in this series, and that's the kind of thing that makes Kamen Rider Hibiki a show I have such respect for.

I was this close to writing Todoroki is my last post before realizing Die wasn't supposed to know who that is yet. :lol

If I may point out a correction, it's "todoroki(轟き) no oni", todoroke(轟け) is the verb form. But to add some more context, the character used for todoroki is basically the character for cart(車, this is the kanji for the Japanese word kuruma, which originally means chariot/cart but has evolved to mean car in modern times) written thrice, big wide one on top and two small ones on the bottem. And it is the "go" in Gogo Sentai Boukenger(轟轟戦隊ボウケンジャー). Pretty much it is used to describe a loud noise akin to that made by a convoy of chariots/carts.

also because it had to be done https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uuG...annel=Papyrads

So, in All Elite Wrestling, there's a faction called The Dark Order. They're a cult, basically. On the comedy YouTube series Being The Elite, there're these sketches where the Dark Order's leader, Brodie Lee, blows up at one of the lower-level guys, John Silver. Silver's a shorter, stockier guy. Alex Reynolds, his tag-team partner in the Dark Order, will try and stick up for him by saying, "Hey, he didn't mean to screw up, he's a good kid." Silver will then flip out, saying, "I'm 29-years old!"

That's all I can think of when you describe Todoroki as "a really good kid." It's hilarious to me, because he looks like he's at least 10 years older than Ibuki. He's like those 30-year olds who end up getting cast in high school dramas. He looks way too old to be forgiven for youthful mistakes!

But I get why he's that way. They mention in this one that Todoroki's only been at it for a couple years, while Ibuki said last time that he's been at it since he was 15. Ibuki may be younger, but Todoroki is still the rookie. It's a neat choice by the show to have someone a little older be the somewhat error-prone new guy. He's going to be fun to see interact with the rest of the cast!

It's like after fourteen episodes of orchestral scoring, the composer was like Oh My God Guitars I Missed You So Much Let's Never Fight Again. The riffs in this were so chunky, so enthusiastic. It was great. (I especially loved the less-rocking acoustic guitar version of the opening theme that scored Todoroki's more contemplative scenes.)

Oh, sure, I get you. It's a nicely written story, in that it can succeed purely on the merits of Zanki and Todoroki being awesome heroes you're immediately invested in... but the show decides to have them support the other storylines, anyway. It's one of the best things about the writing on this show, how it's frequently doing more than it needs to because it can.

I feel like boys aged 7 to 10 would probably be pretty into magic drumsticks? I mean, yeah, not that great in the sense of them not transforming into anything or having a mechanism to play with (if I was a kid, I'd've been addicted to that Saber belt), but Smacking Things Against Things is an eternal wish of children, much to the chagrin of their parents.

This show is weirdly great with phone calls.

You're dead-right on how great those basement scenes are, though. Just everything with Hibiki on the phone to Todoroki was great, with him starting out teasing him about needing to step up in a hurry, that big Hibiki laugh, and then being like Cool But If You're Actually Nervous It Could Get You Killed So You Better Ice That Shit Out. He doesn't turn on a dime or anything, but it's this warm, funny conversation that stays within the lane of making sure Todoroki can do this.

As always, one of my favorite thing about all of that tension in the basement is that every single character is giving Todoroki the chance to step up. No one, for even a second, suggests that Ibuki or Hibiki go back him up. (And that's literally the job that Hibiki just got promoted to!) This show's so great about telling stories where people can be supported, but still have to succeed or fail on their own. I love it.

Funny story: I always knew he'd be called Todoroki. Not because of the Wiki or anything recent, but I knew there was a Todoroki Figuart. (It was a post I remember enjoying because of how excited people were to have The Last Hibiki Rider come out.) When we had Hibiki, Ibuki, Danki, Zanki, Sabaki, and Todoyama... I mean, I don't need a crystal ball to see what's coming.

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 17 - "TARGETED TOWN"

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../hibiki17a.png

"Yeah, somebody should tell you to stop
Feel it coming out of my eyeballs
Is it just because you're jealous?
And you, yeah, somebody should tell you why
Crawling out of my skin
Is it just because we're old friends
Or is it because of love?"

-Shout Out Louds, "Time Left For Love"

If you've seen this episode (oh god, I hope you've seen this episode or I'm going to spoil it for you), and you've read any of these episode posts, you're probably going to know exactly what I thought of this episode. I thought the monster stuff was fine, thankfully brief. And I loved the relationship stuff with the force of a thousand exploding suns.

I don't... I cannot imagine doing an episode like this was a huge mark in favor of the current production team. It takes forever to move along its actual superhero action, and what's here is pretty minor. Hibiki is only in costume for one scene of testing out new gear, and he's got one more out-of-costume scene late in the episode. Todoroki, the brand-new Oni who's now in the credits, never Henshins or fights a monster. The one Oni who gets in costume and fights a monster does it all without his toyetic weaponry. It's an episode that feels not just reluctant to do anything with superheroes, but actively resentful. If I was Timothy Toei, Senior Vice-President of Kamen Rider Production (check the Wiki!), I don't know if I'd've let this crew make another twelve episodes.

But Timothy Toei's going to have a tough time firing the team responsible for this episode, because the bulk of it sprung fully-formed directly from my heart.

This is another pitch-perfect episode of One Theme, Three Casts, where the idea of dating and attraction filters through a bunch of different perspectives. It's an episode that lets this funny, gorgeous, charming cast have comedic interludes and romantically-charged conversations. It's an episode that could come off as a respite from the tension of the last couple stories, if it weren't for how huge the emotions are of teenagers.

Akira's finally showing up to school, and things immediately get weird with her, Hitomi, and Asumu. Well, not really Asumu. He is... let's go with Charmingly Oblivious, since the dark cloud hanging over Hitomi is completely unnoticed by him. Akira gets it, though. When Hitomi sees Asumu cheerfully volunteering to copy his notes for the perpetually absent Akira, Hitomi sees an interloper. She sees competition for Asumu's attention and (possibly, eventually) affection. Like, she sees the inevitability of Akirasumu, and she's worried. But Akira isn't really about that kind of relationship yet, so she tells Hitomi that it's not that Asumu has feelings for her, but that Hibiki asked Asumu to keep her up to speed. As soon as Hitomi hears that someone put Asumu up to it, that he doesn't have romantic feelings for Akira, it's a sigh of relief and a hand reached out in friendship.

So, some thoughts on that.

There's a part of me that regrets that we're in a place where two smart, capable women could squander a burgeoning friendship on (and I love him) a doofus like Asumu. I like that Akira instantly tried to defuse things, to befriend Hitomi and keep the drama to a minimum. I'm not thrilled with Hitomi feeling so weirdly jealous and possessive. But! I was so dialed-into this story that I'm okay with characters I like doing things I don't like. I'm unbelievably excited to follow this weird Like-Like Triangle. I am so gratified that this show decided to run with a story so completely isolated from the superhero action that people are ostensibly watching this series for.

Even the actual superheroes are spending most of their time this episode in romantic comedy plots! Todoroki gets some on-boarding (Oni-boarding?) paperwork done (why did this production team ever get replaced), and then gets interrogated by Ichiro about Hinaka's affections. It's still cute, how easily Todoroki flusters. What little confidence he has goes right out the window when Ichiro switches from his Compassionate Boss tone into Judgmental Father. He even does that thing where he gets the Oni's name wrong, to show that he disapproves! (I mean, jokingly. I don't think Ichiro thinks either Ibuki or Todoroki are beneath his daughters, but he's going to have a blast teasing them.) It's a cute little scene.

Hibiki's barely in this one, and what's here is tangentially related to all of the romance in the air. There's an Oh They Definitely Hooked Up vibe to Hibiki and Midori, and not just for the way they bicker like a married couple. There's a sweetness, a softness to their demeanors, when it's them together. They get their work done, but it feels as much like a date as anything else in this episode.

Way more of this episode is handed over to Ibuki and Kasumi, who are basically the slightly-older versions of Asumu and Hitomi. They've known each other forever, they've got a ton of trust built up, and Ibuki can't seem to move things to the next level.

I really liked how they fleshed out their relationship in this one. It's her knowing what he'd like to wear, him deferring to her taste, her wanting him to be Oni Decisive in his everyday life, him trusting her to help raise Akira... it's a really fun thread to the episode. It's something that maybe wasn't 100% necessary (was not asking for a lot of progression on this plot), but I had such a great time going on this dumb date with them. It's relentlessly sweet and doggedly low-stakes. I don't know. I love shit like this. I love two attractive people going on a goofy date in the middle of a series about monsters from mythology roaming the countryside. I love half of a show about superheroes being handed over to a teenage love triangle that is so chaste, your genitals could disappear just from watching it. This... it's such a flex, you know? It's a production team that feels invulnerable. I'm glad they got to make this weird-ass episode, even if it probably cost them their jobs.

https://kamenriderdie.com/images/kr/.../hibiki17b.png

I actually imagine that Toei was more okay with this episode. Aside from the stuff at the beginning, everything is filmed in Tokyo. No having to haul an entire crew out into the mountains, no nighttime shoots, just a bunch of stuff in a normal urban environment. The accountants at Toei had to be real happy with this one.

I've always considered this episode's Douji and Hime to be two of the most memorable. They're such a weird-looking pair of characters: the Hime looking proud and regal with her half-veil, the Douji crawling around on all fours with a giant mustache like he's about to go off and do narration for Saber. It really does kinda feel like two monsters who were asked to infiltrate human society and have no idea what humans are like or how to blend in with them.

And yeah, I love the stuff with Asumu, Akira, and Hitomi here. You really get the sense that they're going to get along, which is nice since Asumu and Hitomi's other two friends have completely vanished at this point.

Die is massively underselling how awesome the superhero action in this one is, so please allow me to take a second to pick up the slack.

https://i.imgur.com/46jqQ3L.png

This episode proves that Ibuki is the best there is at what he does, and what he does is have an amazing soundtrack I mean just get a load of this you guys it is so nuts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE6dbzve1wk

On top of having that postively majestic score backing it up, the fight scene in this one is pure joy for one other reason, which is the whole gimmick of Ibuki not having his trademark weapon.

It's the kind of simple but effective twist on the formula that shows would no longer be able to do so easily as hero tokusatsu moved more and more towards endless form changes and gimmicks. You take a Full Bottle away from Build, and he just pulls out two more. You take Ibuki's trumpet gun away, and it forces him to fundamentally adjust his entire style, relying on slick wind-powered melee moves that maybe don't move merchandise quite as well, but make for a supremely entertaining piece of television. Kinda the overall theme with this show, I guess.

Once again, I can't help but feel this show's monsters become infinitely more entertaining the more they act like Grongi. :lol

Remind me to look up Ibuki’s insert song. I think it might be interesting, if not for the lyrics, then for the fact it’s performed by Tomikazu Seki (LSS: He’s in everything, most of his Tokusatsu appearances are doubling up for someone absent due to death, retirement or general unavailability)

My reaction to this is the same as a dramatic reader I watch had to the author of Imma Wiserd announcing his intent to get his work published.

Not talking solely about mentors, but other kind to teachings to others; that for students, it's seen in some places that, you don't need to rely solely on the traditional/by-the-book rules, your creativity can take you a long way sometimes. And for mentors, when at worst scenario, you don't approve the students being better, you could at least learn from their techniques.

Yeah like this one, Todoroki tries to imitate Zanki 100% by-the-book. Finally Zanki just declares his teachings to be a waste that needs to be forgotten (2 freaking years!). And I think this fight is currently my favorite fight in Hibiki, it's fluid, it's challenging, and it's dynamic.

G̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶?̶ ̶A̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶p̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶l̶o̶w̶ ̶a̶ ̶f̶l̶u̶t̶e̶!̶ ̶S̶h̶e̶ ̶(̶e̶h̶ ̶w̶a̶i̶t̶.̶.̶.̶ ̶s̶a̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶s̶a̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶n̶s̶h̶i̶n̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶f̶i̶g̶h̶t̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶u̶n̶s̶k̶i̶l̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶R̶i̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶C̶r̶o̶n̶u̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶E̶x̶-̶A̶i̶d̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶p̶l̶y̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶d̶l̶e̶s̶s̶l̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶w̶ ̶p̶u̶n̶c̶h̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶R̶i̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶s̶u̶p̶e̶r̶h̶u̶m̶a̶n̶ ̶p̶o̶w̶e̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶m̶a̶r̶k̶)̶ Other than that, joking aside, yeah, "they're too damn busy fighting monsters", a.k.a being professional, and what Akira said to Asumu (as painful as it is) reflects that, they won't have many random daily moments like Asumu, Hitomi, and others, they have static routine. Though Ibuki thinks it's better for Akira to go to school, that it will give her better life. I guess that would mean Akira would need more ambitions than becoming Ibuki's assistant. And, while Ibuki trains Akira to become an Oni, what Akira does is manage the disc animals, that's something also done by Kasumi to Hibiki, but Kasumi isn't Hibiki's apprentice?

So that sums it up, Hibiki doesn't want to take Asumu as apprentice. Though Hibiki notices how he can improve Asumu, not in fighting way like Hibiki did to Makamou, but in how he approaches life. Though partly that also comes from how Hibiki thought Asumu isn't interested to become an Oni, it's a good thing too, that "mentors" can't dictate how others live, or even force others to become his student (that's quite egoistic to me too). And I never expect Hibiki to had some demeaning thoughts on Asumu, like thinking of him as not dependable at first until he passed the Jounan exam.

I mean yes, I also enjoy flashiness (though not if the special effect is bad) more, and that's the kind of fight I enjoy more too (like in my finisher talk, or that my pet peeve of Riders not utilizing their varied powers enough in neo-Heisei), but talking about badassery, one of it is about who's stronger (better/effective), fighter wise, so with Zanki being actually breaking down, he can't be more effective/stronger than Hibiki or Ibuki who are still in fighting shape, even if Zanki's more enjoyable to watch. Like, for other someone that can spout weak fire against someone that punches at much greater power output, while the former may be flashier, the more badass one would be the latter. Or also quality over quantity; neo-Heisei Riders may have more varied flashy powersets, but doesn't mean they're necessarily stronger than the early Heisei Riders who rely on fewer kind of powers. Unless if you talk about the badass also being Zanki keep going while his body's like that, then it surely is.

And unfortunately, some people truly can judge less or non-action characters harshly like that in an action geared shows like that you say there (and I'm talking universally of any media, not only Kamen Rider or Toku) -_-

Fair enough, yeah obviously people aren't always alike, humans aren't hivemind at all.

This is my personal favorite arc and it's an Ibuki focus! I'm very invested in Ibuki/Kasumi. It's nice to see how much Ibuki values Kasumi's opinion and his determination to prove himself as an independent Oni and something even more important about his responsibility.

Kasumi helping Ibuki with new clothes may be another way Takeshi supports the Oni, since Oni literally burn through a lot of clothes due to henshins as Todoroki demonstrated in the previous episode.

Ibuki is the first Oni shown to fight in an urban area, which adds even more confusion to who's supposed to be protagonist. He's like somewhere between Hibiki and Shounen. The Makamou invading the city is a pretty big deal for the escalation of their plans.

The Disc Animals also get to show off their cloaking tech to move through the city unnoticed, another advantage over their origami predecessors. Still think origami are cooler?

There's a lot more to say about Ibuki but I'll leave that for the next episode.