[Fish Sandwich]

Die got his gushing session out of the way with the first part, but for me, the back half of this story was even more consistently impressive. I don't think there was a frame in this entire episode where I wasn't sitting there in awe of how good it was. If you'll pardon the figure of speech, it was a lightning bolt reminder to me of how good this show actually is, and why it stands out as so unique even to this day. What jumps out at me the most is probably something pretty obvious about the show, but I think I'll say it anyway – it's kind of incredible how all the characters really care about each other and are super supportive all the time, and how it still finds the drama in that. It's something I felt more strongly here than in any episode so far, probably because, as Die pointed out, the narrative is structured to comment on all three of the big mentor/student dynamics in the show.

There were two moments that really stuck out to me for how they were framed though, that I'd love to take a second to call attention to.

The first is when Hibiki is on the phone with Zanki and Todoyama. The rest of the cast is reeling from the news of Zanki's sudden retirement, and the atmosphere in the room is rather solemn. The shot on Hibiki's end of the conversation places Ibuki very clearly in the foreground, which does a great job calling attention to how worried Hibiki himself isn't. He treats the call like nothing more than a casual chat with some friends, because that's what it is to him. It's just a chance to thank an old ally for all his hard work, and to reassure the new guy he's got what it takes.



Unlike the rest of the cast, it's evident Hibiki doesn't consider Zanki quitting some huge tragedy, nor does he doubt Todoyama's ability to stand on his own two feet, and that gets a great payoff later, after the fight, when Ichirou is now on the phone, receiving the good news. Again, the rest of the cast is a little on edge about this; they're standing at attention, and visibly relieved to hear it all worked out in the end. All of them except for Hibiki, who is relaxing in a chair the entire time, and reacts with little more than a smile, because he knew it couldn't have gone any other way.



It's a minor part of the overall episode, I guess, but these bits struck a chord with me (if you'll pardon the figure of— oh never mind) because it sort of made me realize how genius it was to have the Oni go exclusively by their Rider names. This is another set of episodes that does not feature Hibiki transforming at all, which just like Ibuki's debut, strikes me as a pretty bold move for the show. But then I see moments like these, or him talking to Asumu earlier in the episode, and I realize: every episode literally still features Hibiki. It doesn't matter if he fights a giant crab that week or not, because that's not how contribution to the plot is measured in this series, and that's the kind of thing that makes Kamen Rider Hibiki a show I have such respect for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

It is going to be so nice to use Todoroki's proper name now. Using "Todoyama" felt so weird.

I was this close to writing Todoroki is my last post before realizing Die wasn't supposed to know who that is yet.