[Kamen Rider Die]

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 18 - "UNRELENTING HURRICANE"



"Honey we don't need that much:
Flannel shirts and coffee in camping cups
We'll use our hands to work and love
Oh, the blessings that will come
Honey we don't need that much:
A winter fire, a summer swimming hole
Just hold me tight and hold me close
Through the seasons I'll watch you grow"

-Mount Moriah, "Honey, We Don't Need That Much"

So, we can end the series here, right? I can't imagine why you'd need any more of this show. It's perfect, and beautiful, and prolonging it is just diminishing it.

This one... god, what can I even say?

Ostensibly an Ibuki spotlight, this episode casts its net far and wide, giving every character (except Todoroki, who is busy with a physical) a chance to demonstrate their worth to not just this narrative, but the entire concept of Kamen Rider Hibiki. This episode is a love letter to everyone who considers themselves a fan of this show. While the last episode felt like something made just for me, this one feels like an episode for all of us.

The arc is fairly straight-forward, considering the Douji and Hime got knocked off at the end of the last episode. There's a giant anglerfish deep beneath Tokyo, and the Oni need to track it down and explode it. Todoroki is undergoing that physical (which, my one regret is that the show didn't have at least one cut-away to whatever an Oni Physical looks like), and Hibiki is on his way from the forest. That leaves Ibuki, partially injured after getting acid sprayed on him, to face the beast himself.

There's some time spent narrowing down its location, but it's not just eating up the clock. It's time where Kasumi gets to see Ibuki in his element. Far from the flirty, deferential boy she's known all her life, Ibuki's positive attitude and helpfulness inform his heroism, allowing him to bravely face the unknown. All of the times he's asked Kasumi for her advice, it was because he knew that she was more knowledgeable about those things. When it comes to fighting monsters, that's his job, and he's good at it. He doesn't, like, Find His Spine or anything. He knows where his strengths lie, and he's able to feel confident in his skills.

It's a slightly weird story, since it succeeds or fails based on how much you can put yourself in Kasumi's shoes. 95% of the time we've spent with Ibuki has been as an Oni, frequently on active assignment. He's never seemed to be incapable, or childish. But that's how Kasumi remembers him, not as some resolute hero. Her gradual realization is what gives the final act its turn, and I think it managed to work out great. It's tough, though. The series doesn't do a terrific job of building up to this, basically giving us an episode and a half to hear about Ibuki as something other than a kick-ass superhero. If any part of this episode comes close to not working, it's that turn.

But, shit, worked on me! A lot of it is how the actors played it. Kasumi never seems to treat Ibuki like a screw-up, so it's more her seeing where he feels confident, than anything else. And Ibuki never loses that kind smile, never loses his admiration for Kasumi, but once he knows that he needs to take down the Makamou, he's very clearly in I've Got This mode. It's not huge shifts to either character, but subtle recalibrations towards greater understanding.

That final sequence, with Ibuki and Hibiki versus the giant anglerfish, it's a winner. The score as Ibuki walks through the wreckage of the final episode of Faiz (such a great set), it makes this battle seem climactic, not just for the episode but for his character. Him triumphing over the monster almost entirely on his own, short a brief save by Hibiki, it's the perfect finale for this story. Not a ton of moves to it, but what's here is fantastic.

Beyond Ibuki and Kasumi, though, there's so much warmth spread around this episode. Asumu pitching in at Team Hibiki Bar and Grill, to everyone's congratulations. Hibiki and Midori getting very excited to ship Ibuki and Kasumi. Hibiki fishing for praise (topical!) from Midori, only to get a teasing Pretty Great Oni But An Okay Man from her. Akira hauling ass all over Tokyo and arriving in the nick of time. Asumu sharing his notes with Akira, as everyone besides me starts to ship Akirasumu. (They're a modern-day Ibuki and Kasumi!) And then everyone (except Todoroki) enjoying a celebratory meal, surrounded by friends and coworkers.

It's that final scene that made this episode feel unbeatable. That moment where everyone's safe and happy after a rough day. Not the usual Kamen Rider thing where they're happy to have survived a war, but the simple pleasure of relaxing with friends after you worked hard. There's no trauma to overcome (well, maybe later for Akira), just camaraderie and comfort.

I loved this whole episode. It was so pure and joyful, brimming over with good people and kindness. I haven't even watched the Next Episode tag yet. I just... I want to hold onto this feeling for a little bit longer. This is the Kamen Rider Hibiki I'll always try to remember.