[Locke]

Hibiki 08. That is one BADASS trumpet.

This episode was really, really strong. We learnt more about Takashi, and the most interesting aspect for me is the idea of a Rider organisation that deploys Riders for different purposes. I don't think we've had a dynamic like that explicitly stated in a Rider series before.

Still don't care for Asumu like at all, but I will admit I got some slightly embarrassed giggles around the natural awkwardness between him and Akira and that cringe worthy age when you first discover girls.

Hibiki continues to be wonderful. The scene with Hibiki speaking about his theoretical future, the conversation was light and full of smiles but he was clearly euphemistically avoiding the reality that he may not live long enough to write a book. Or do anything for that matter.

Similarly was the scene of Asumu's Mother, we don't know the story of Asumu's Dad yet and this is purely fanwanking but Asumu's mother has clearly been compensating for the missing half and now Asumu has found a father figure in Hibiki he's drifting away from his mother as Hibiki can provide things she just can't. That scene of her alone with the meal she prepared for him, that little sigh, it was profoundly sad.

This sense that what the Oni are doing is fighting a very real war, but the audience see into the world through Asumu who is innocent and perceives Hibiki in that selfish way that comes from the naivety of youth is a theme that permeates the tone and much better realises the emotions.

And overall, the real season this episode felt so strong, was tone. Toku generally likes the melodrama at eleven and will prefer to scream emotions at you than try and see what emotional response you gleam from simply what is already there. But this was the complete opposite of that, all the story was told through slumped shoulders, eye contact avoidance and awkward smiles. I loved it.