This is a post coming from someone who absolutely despises Kiriya for multiple reasons.

I actually liked these two episodes for the most part.

Because finally, Kiriya has to face consequences for his awful behavior. Finally, he's called out on it and the people doing it aren't immediately written out of the show. Finally, he has to actually humble himself and learn a lesson. Finally, he actually has an arc.

Did it 100% redeem him and make him likable? No, but it was literally all I was asking for when it came to Kiriya in the Inoue part of Hibiki proper. I can easily see how some would put these episodes under "too little too late" but for me, it did just enough to work, helped by all the wonderful carry-overs from the first part of Hibiki surrounding it. Todoroki acting more like his part 1 self but with a bit of Zanki thrown in was a great touch, for example.

There's also of course the Woz subplot which is all around wonderful. Full of great character humor for sure, but also really touching in how it's pulled off and resolves, which is a great move to pull as something for those who aren't buying into the Kiriya plot to latch onto. Although I guess if they don't like Woz then they're out of luck.

And hey, further reinforcement of HeiGen Forever with the Kuuga Ridewatch! Even if it did practically nothing just like in that movie!

In the end, this felt like a much better Hibiki tribute than the Decade two-parter did, which to me just felt all around like a hollow, half-hearted apology rather than a good story in its own right.

I actually had a hard time deciding on who my favorite character in Hibiki was, because I love almost all the characters in the first part, but in the end, I think I'll go with...


Hibiki was a rather unique beast in the franchise for alot of reasons, and the decision to go with a main character who wasn't a Kamen Rider was one of them. Even more than that, a kid's show detailing the effects child abandonment, depression, and anxiety have on children, and how community can help in coping with those issues, was really huge to me. Speaking personally, it was something I never really saw in children's media up to that point, and combining that with Asumu's' lovable personality and very human portrayal endeared me to him really fast.

Heck, how human the entire cast felt was very much something that I dug alot about the first part of Hibiki, which is part of what made the Inoue portion sting so hard; Seeing everyone, Asumu included, reduced to a flanderized, cartoon version of themselves.

Still, the first part of Hibiki is a show I'll always love, and it was cool to see how Zi-O managed to give it what felt like some proper tribute, despite the centerpiece being a character from the second part.

This was one tribute where I felt not having the original actor actually made it better. Having it being about the next generation figuring out the whole mentor thing seems very much in theme.

Another hit in the second half of tribute, imo.

I mean, you’ve basically said all I can say regarding the episode. So we’ll just move onto the regular features.

Ridewatch Playlist: Stop at 2:54 Mix

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZH07l7TOxQE

“Power of the demon, power of sound, the Rider fighting with a drum is… Hibiki”

Ongeki = from Hibiki’s “Ongekida” attacks.

And for this, I went with Hibiki Kenzan (which, in retrospect, I should’ve used for the next one, based on these visuals) https://youtube.com/watch?v=K5vGz2fvIUY

“The intensely trained demon’s power, the Ongeki’s red armour, Armed Hibiki”

Kishin Kakusei = from Armed Hibiki’s “Ongekiha: Kishin Kakusei” (Sound Attack Blade: Fierce Demon Arousal”)

And for added parallels, I went with a song that probably would’ve fit Hibiki regular better. Hajimari no Kimi e https://youtube.com/watch?v=-LBfp5ERCc4

“Fighting with a trumpet, the blue demon Rider is Ibuki”

And for him, I went with that song I shared back in the Hibiki watch thread, Fuuga Yuudan https://youtube.com/watch?v=SkZy-CeQpMA

And, here’s the list of the unreleased (no-one won the competition this time)
Kamen Rider Hibiki Kurenai
Kamen Rider Todoroki
Kamen Rider Zanki
Kamen Rider Shuki
Kamen Rider Kabuki
Kamen Rider Tohki
Kamen Rider Kirameki
Kamen Rider Nishiki
Kamen Rider Habataki
Kamen Rider Danki
Kamen Rider Sabaki
Kamen Rider Eiki
Kamen Rider Shouki
Kamen Rider Gouki
Kamen Rider Touki
Kamen Rider Banki

And as for the compare and contrast, Tsutomu contrasts with Hibiki and Asumu. Hibiki is a man constantly pushing himself to be better, and Asumu is a humble kid who gave up on being an Oni because it wasn’t what HE wanted. Tsutomu on the other hand, became a lazy bum who gave up being an Oni because he didn’t get the guy he wanted to teach him to teach him. And as for the monster elements, Todoroki mistook him for a Makamou (clearly he either didn’t notice the “Hibiki” written down his chest, or he can’t read the Latin alphabet) last episode.

Next time: For this, we get the original main writer for the OG series back.

I've said it before that I don't know who Kiriya is. But I do like seeing what he did here, and him turning into Hibiki was the cherry on top. I just like seeing a character get humbled and then in turn receive something to symbolize that transformation, and that of course is Hibiki!

Next episode: Hehehe...

Hahahahhaa.

HAHAHHAHAHAHA YEEESSSSSS!

My goat wrote for ZI-O!
https://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/v...rs/2/50823.jpg

This is not the way I would have chosen to do a Hibiki tribute, but with at said, I do like how it turned out in the end. This is probably the best Kiriya story we?ve ever gotten, which is absolutely a low bar to clear. I?d have much rather had Asumu come back, but this still worked better that it should have.

There?s one small moment near the end that I love, though, and would probably say is the best tribute in all of Zi-O. One of Todoroki?s last lines is him saying that he may find his own apprentice now and that he?ll run the idea by Hinaka. Hinaka?s actress, Miyuki Kanye, died in 2008 of heart failure. I found it so sweet of Zi-O to acknowledge her and I love the implication that she still?s still alive in the world of Kamen Rider.

Yeah that was a very nice thing that they did. And I'd like to think they did that intentionally.

It's like what Hibiki said, how everybody's got their own rhythm. Kiriya can never be a better Hibiki than Hibiki, or a better version of his father, but he can always strive to be his best self, which Tsutomu needs him to be. It's the same thing Shounen learned, that being an Oni is only one way to become an independent person. Part of being independent isn't just mimicking the lifestyle of someone you admire, but using your own judgement as well.

Good thing Woz is the most beloved character in the show, but yeah, sucks for the minority who don't like him. Pretty sure this is the first arc where Woz takes focus over the other Time Riders. I thought it was a sweet story about how small gestures can be just as profound and special as grandiose IWAEs, as long as it comes from the heart. Todoroki was a very appropriate guy to deliver that moral, since he's all about celebration as well with the guitar purification ritual he does.

Good point. Seeing Hibiki again would've been cool, but since this arc is about Kiriya's struggle to be a good Oni and mentor, it would've diminished that if Hibiki just showed up and gave him advice. It's more meaningful that Kiriya figured it out on his own. When the Hibiki Ridewatch manifested and Kiriya became Reiwa's new Kamen Rider Hibiki, I believe Hibiki was there in spirit, cheering him on! Kiriya will be a great Oni someday.

I commend you for finding something to appreciate about this plot about a character from a non-existent part of Kamen Rider Hibiki. It's good to keep an open mind.

Regarding Hinaka, I think it's a nice consolation when an actor is survived by their character, as a way for their legacy to continue, both in universe and in meta. Like Riderman and Stronger, who are still fighting for justice in crossovers, their actors bringing hope to people even from beyond the grave. And it's reassuring that Todoroki still has that important person in his life who supports him.

It's really nice! I hope everyone's celebrating Sougo's birthday today (22 years old!) by failing at math, losing a lot at games, and generally improving the spirits of everyone around you.

I'm glad to hear it! I think this two-parter is going to be a series highlight for me, just like the Hibiki two-parter on Decade.

Yeah, I sorta love how it's all about young adults deciding whether or not to be parents? That's reminiscent of Hibiki's arc on the show, but different enough to feel like it's worth exploring.

INOUE FOREVER.

INOUE FOREVER!

That was a nice touch, for sure.

I think it's the actor who always manages to get me on Kiriya or Yuuto's side. As written, the characters are irritating as hell. But there's a thing the actor does, especially in this Kiriya two-parter, that completely wins me over. It's this flash, where Kiriya's visibly like I Don't Know Why I'm Like This. This sliver of regret and self-loathing that doesn't quite surface, but tinges the performance. It's the merest amount of self-awareness, where Kiriya can hear how off-putting and combative he is, but he can't stop those things from being his response. He doesn't... like, he doesn't want to be the guy who sucks, but he can't figure out how to be anything else.

I think that's a fascinating character to explore.

It's too bad we can't have a Rider Time: Hibiki, to find out what Kiriya's salute would be. ALAS!

I guess one thing that is done to stop measuring up to mentors and see them as perfect and can't live up to them was about how mentors also undergo same suffering as the student, though it was something that is already completed/solved previously and no longer now like Hibiki's timid nature when little. Regarding his academic success (dunno about athletic as he's inferior to Asumu in their training), in school it'd have them be teacher's pet or something, though probably his personality would be off-putting to the teachers despite his success. I guess even when he didn't ask for that or such, there are others who'd care about him in their treatment... like how he never got called out for his behaviors for starters but also Asumu never being hostile to him. Which'd mean he's still blind regarding the care he has received (the part of him becoming Hibiki wasn't really seen, but he really didn't have exceptional results in his training on the series).

There's a stigma that it's probably not the child who saw the parent as unfailing beacons, but it's the society expectation or the parent itself that joined that to force themselves to view the parents that way, or else they'd be demonized as irredeemably insolent. That would be something that is rooted from the outside, but it'd have the child bearing the pressure. Don't know if that can be the one behind the stories that demonize them, but that can be something behind about how they screw up without noticing, with the ones that are more entitled with the parent role and the 'right' role/rep they had, which can make the mistakes even more unnoticeable. I don't know regarding having kids by accident, like from what I know it's more in rarity, or that it's not all public (but has more chance to be than normally marrying each other to get them), about illegitimate childs, 'bastard' childs, or other horrific causes for a child to born, regarding 'kids by accident'. But Blade displayed that, a child can turn into an adult, without an actual effort put to raise them as one (Amane never got reprimanded for anything).

I don't know about 'becoming a hero' part here, is becoming a hero something that should involve becoming a karate bugmen and beating up bad guys? Or if a reputation really decides that person, like Masamune had good reputation among the GENM employees. And being a mentor isn't even necessarily something good as well, cmiiw, but I think being a mentor is about teaching someone something that they want to pass, and it can be anything. Not Kiriya, but there are evil mentors (so it's both mentor and villain), and for closest example in Hibiki, it'd be Shuki who teaches the power of hatred to Akira.

The thing here was that, Woz has development here, at least regarding Sougo to approach him in a better way, after previously always disregarding what Sougo actually wants and wants to forcefully shape Sougo to fit his goal. But by this then, if a character turns better it'd likely reduce Woz's shenanigans that created more drama at the team and put them at the trouble though (but his hammy traits is always there).

I know there has been revisits to previous series, but I don't know about treating each of this as something canon just because it features same characters or Rider gimmicks such (like I wouldn't want to now lump Tezuka as one of the evil Ryuki Riders due to RT Ryuki or such). About Hibiki rubbing off on him and it being victory, though it'd be what's best for Kiriya's outcome, still about treating any future appearence as characters as canon or such. Usually for example, crossovers aren't something canon because obviously it's more of a fanservice to feature 2 different universes together. And sometimes the future appearence of characters can negate character developments to depict a character with the version the audience is used to (well Kiriya's one of the exception), which I feel they did that to Takumi with his foul mouth.

Oof, finals sure has been eating up my time, I haven't been able to rewatch the Hibiki arc until right now. I don't think I even processed much of these two episodes on the inital watch because I was still riding the high of the Agito arc?

Anyway it didn't begin with a musicial number and Sabaki didn't show up to get his ass kicked, 0/10 tribute. But seriously, while not the kind of tribute I personally wanted, it sure is a nice little epilogue for Kiriya. Todoroki showing up all wisened up and cool, but displaying those flashes of awkwardness was also a plus for me.

Anyway I'm so glad I managed to get the school stuff done right before the thread starts EP 35, I've think I've been anticipating this arc since the thread started?