[Kurona]

Decided to go ahead and rewatch Decade's Hibiki tribute; and I think I'll rewatch Zi-O's as well.

I don't want to say I liked it purely on the merits of Asumu and Akira becoming the Riders they deserved to be, but Goddamn if that isn't making it hard to be unbiased. Especially because that aside, I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it. It goes for a completely direction and theme than the series, which I'm fine with because this pointedly isn't Hibiki - it's a tribute, and an AU at that. It just makes it a little difficult to see what it was going for though.

I think I kind of get it - they went for a conflict between schools so there was something that could be done within a 2-parter that didn't need a whole half a season of explanation. But it still feels a little out of touch with what Hibiki really was at its heart and at its best; a laidback slice-of-life season where the actual Rider stuff almost took a backseat. Looking beyond it as a tribute though, as it's own story, it works very well. You understand the basic conflict and stakes here and you really do feel for all the characters involved.

But this is Decade, so you know what we also get? We get a hell of a lot of fun. I mean right away having characters like Decade, Diend and Kuuga running around in Hibiki's setting and with their characters is something else to behold, but then they throw in the likes of Ouja and Momotaros and I am just sitting back here laughing and having a great time. It's also fantastic just how many Hibiki cast members they got back, and despite the heavy changes to Ibuki and Zanki's characterisations, the performances still shine through. A very special shoutout to the little ceremony where Todoroki hugs Zanki while Ibuki and Akira just smile at each other. That's the series I missed.