Then I described it correctly!

(It's not unwatchable, though. Hibiki himself has so much charisma that it's easy to forget that he's mired in a nonsense plot, and I really like what Todoroki and Zanki are up to.)

Not gonna go into how I feel on whether or not Asumu should be an oni (it's Complicated, but basically; I'd be very fine for it going either way), but I like this idea a lot. The idea of someone who does stand out at least a little among the Oni, someone who is relied on a lot and often takes the lead and is possibly even a hero to some... and his apprentice that he leaves behind is just alright. No-one amazing or exceptional, certainly couldn't be called lazy or wrong-willed or bad at his job either; just someone who does know what he's doing but never really has moments or goes above that. The Completely Normal Oni. How exactly would that go? How would that make him feel among the Oni when even though what he's doing is fine and not causing any problems, he feels he's letting down the legacy that came before him? How would perhaps other Oni feel, apprentices who had heard the name Hibiki and been excited to meet this legendary warrior but is completely let down?

Lot of interesting juicy stuff in there that feels very Hibiki to me. And would probably be a lot more interesting than Makamou, But A Lot Of Them.

Every single Oni who meets Asumu, B+ Apprentice:

https://media.tenor.com/images/7ea86...9496/tenor.gif

But, honestly, it would be a good story... if the show seemed to have any interest in telling a story about Asumu becoming Hibiki's apprentice.

The Zanki, Todoroki stuff sounds interesting tbh, but man, man this hibiki stuff seems rough as hell.

An exploration of legacies and like the people we try to live up to, would be really interesting, and I don't really think even know we've really explored that in Kamen Rider (Except maybe in kiva?)

That's the thing: it's zero percent rough. It's dull, but it's not rough. That might be worse!

I think it's something that would be interesting to explore for a few episodes, but I don't think you could make a show (or even an arc) out of it. By its nature, it's about a Basic Ass Oni, and that's not going to feel super-fun to watch. Stories about competent characters who are neither great nor awful... I feel like that doesn't have enough juice to work as a superhero story?

I think it could work very well but I really don't imagine it'd work for the 50-episode format. 13 would be good enough, and honestly it could hold up a V-cin or a miniseries like Brain or Rider Time.

I think it'd be great if this show had done the Asumu apprenticeship a little earlier, and had some sort of Apprentice Track Meet or something, and everyone's scared shitless of going up against Hibiki's kid... and then they're like Why Does He Keep Coming In Third Place.

yeah, boy, anything sounds better than the kiriya stuff right now

Does it? Because you've seemed pretty positive on the Kiriya stuff! It's the first time I've seen anyone talk about him positively!

It... I think Kiriya's an interesting supporting cast character, but the way that he's currently dominating the Asumu Becomes Hibiki's Apprentice plot, the plot that's arguably what the show has been building toward for somewhere between fifteen and every episode, the likely final Asumu plot of the show... that's a bummer. That does not feel like the best use of Kiriya as a character, especially if he's not even going to be funny to watch. He's a complete asshole in this episode, with zero entertaining upside.

I definitely am starting to feel like this plot is my punishment for finding so much to like in Kiriya's early appearance.

Honestly, being third place in literally everything makes Asuma a formidable force in his own right, master of none/jack of all stats yo.

Also this kind made me think of legacy bands where the members rotate and are replaced and like particularly the current singer of queen having to live up to Freddie Mercury.