[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 39 - “YOUR BEGINNING”

Just like how Episode 29's title, Kagayaku Shounen, referenced both Kagayaki and Shounen Yo, Episode 39's title, Hajimaru Kimi, references the new OP, Hajimari No Kimi E. I thought that was interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Finally, there’s the Asumu/Hibiki plot which… y’know, it’s not the worst part of this episode. The idea that Asumu needs to have the courage to start walking down his path, it feels way more relevant to what his character is going through than the weird Clear Your Mind stuff from last episode (which does end up helping Asumu help Hibiki, so there’s that), and it’s tied into the episode’s (stupidly applied) theme of kids needing to make their own choices. It is coherent and not insulting, which is the highest praise I can give anything in this episode. It’s not exactly great, and I wish Hibiki calling Asumu by his name had happened in literally any other episode, but it’s not frustrating and disappointing like the rest of this episode.

Yeah, this is easily the better part of the episode, which we can both agree is below average even by the show's new standard. It's the most impactful Shounen has ever been to the Oni side of the story, saving both Midori and himself from a sticky situation and thinking of the tactic for Hibiki to defeat Yobuko. Takeshi could use good supporters like him, especially with the gap left in the organisation by Akira abandoning Ibuki, who is stuck in a tragic limbo where he has no idea whether or not she intends on returning to him and doesn't know what to do with himself.

I would also like to talk about Kiriya infiltrating Midori's lab and his failed henshin. He has the drive to become an Oni and acts on impulse to accomplish that goal but due to his selfish motivation, Hibiki doesn't acknowledge him and refuses to teach him. It's also shown that despite his academic success, Kiriya isn't naturally athletic, he's untrained and has cowardly traits such as a fear of darkness and lack of initiative when his life is in danger. These are problems he will need to work on for Hibiki to ever accept him as a candidate.