[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 18 - “UNRELENTING HURRICANE”

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.

It was under Tokyo at the end of the episode, but it was thought to be in 3 different locations, which is searched upon throughout the episode. And the acid, well yeah... attacks they take transfered over into their human bodies, oh well, beaten up Riders are injured after de-transformed from beatings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

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.

Being incapable or childish doesn't mean Ibuki is completely tactless and/or out of reality. It's just that like you said, he specializes in fighting, but the knowledge stuff isn't really his forte. You can't be incapable/childish for not dominating a field, nobody's perfect. Kasumi remembers him as that likely because of how he acts, which means she seems to refuse to acknowledge him, it's likely her issue tbh. But other than that, Ibuki asking Kasumi also comes from how close they're as childhood friends, trust being built over years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

That final sequence, with Ibuki and Hibiki versus the giant anglerfish, it’s a winner.

Yeah... not a ton of moves, fighting Oonamazu, the one that spawns the monsters from stomach was only done with 1 finisher (and a tension where it seems that Ibuki was going to be eaten). Tbf they're fighting underwater and likely Ibuki can't move much but...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

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.

Yeah, with the warmth here, it's ought to be kept that way, no ruining this, especially in OOC way. Asumu stumbles and seems unintentionally dragged into Takeshi's workload, and well, I think this should give credit to Asumu compared to what said before, he seems to get praised for his contribution to Tachibana's (at least from Hibiki), like refilling teas. And the end celebration, that happens because of by coincidental everyone gathers? Or somehow beating Oonamazu is treated as something more special? Well, that if not the celebratory being purposely done and no need special moments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

A lot to unpack!

1) I don't remember the Faiz thing at all, but a lot of it is context? Seeing Hitomi immediately avoid Akira, a girl she previously hit it off with, bummed me out a little bit. It felt a little sudden for me, something about her character I wasn't prepared for. By episode 41 of Faiz, Yuka's very complicated feelings provided context for her being weird.

2) Hitomi consistently seems smarter and more reliable than Asumu.

3) Asumu's a doofus, not an idiot. I expect Asumu to be able to do well at schoolwork! I also expect him to miss romantic cues, act awkwardly in social situations, and generally behave in the very specific teenage boy way where you shake your head and chuckle at him. Those don't strike me as highly-desirable traits in a potential partner!

4) I don't understand the last question.

I know it's about context, but I still want to hear the explanations ofc, because many times I found people sometimes giving double standard treatment to medias; like blindly hating on something, while giving free pass on similar element that existed in series they like. Well, that means Hitomi's only that relatively to Asumu... And ok I got it for what you said regarding Asumu (though "doofus" seems derogatory to me), he's definitely socially awkward (and I had some part of this as well), and well, this is something unfortunately people often use as insult fuel, especially if they're males (this quite runs on toxic masculinity tbh, ignoring the fact that males are humans too). For the last question, it's about the "There’s a part of me that regrets that we’re in a place where two smart, capable women could squander a burgeoning friendship on (and I love him) a doofus like Asumu." sentence, and I ask why the regret.