[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 21 - “EVIL SPIRITS DRAWN TOGETHER”

The Oni stuff was pretty entertaining, I thought. It’s just well-executed tokusatsu action, and it ain’t like I hate that stuff. There’re multiple run-ins between the Oni and the monsters, with a real sense of motion throughout. Ibuki spends minutes chasing a Makamou through canyons, while Todoroki jumps down a series of levels as he tries to hold off a Douji and Hime. It’s nicely kinetic visual storytelling, with some tense escalation.

The problem is, there’s just not a lot to it? It’s fun to watch, but we’re really in The Enemy Has Plans And We Don’t Know What They Are territory. Clockamou is observing everything, but we don’t yet know to what purpose. There’s a very clear feeling that things are getting worse for our heroes, but the scope of it is still nebulous. As a result, there’s just not enough story-wise in the Oni part of the episode to hold onto. It’s very fun to watch! But there’s just not enough beyond that to get much out of, for me.

The Makamou keep buffing Douji and Hime to be stronger. Though at this point not known if they have common sense, but Takeshi should take advantage of that being humans, Hibiki only suggested to train more and more, but they say, work smart not work hard. And as usual, humans like both Ibuki and Akira getting near a Makamou would be disposed easily, even if Ibuki had a gun, but his body was still in human form. It's still mystery on how Makamou operate like attacking humans as for now. I have to say for here one the CGI is flashier and better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

What follows is a largely pleasant, occasionally pervy conversation between Hibiki and Asumu. It’s Asumu wanting to learn more about what Hibiki does (partially spurred on by a hilariously aggressive phone call from Danki), as well as Hibiki trying to figure out if there’s anything more to Asumu than working at a restaurant and, like, existing.

It’s fun, honestly. It’s Hibiki trying to approach a starstruck Asumu like a human being, like a friend, and it going kind-of weird. There’s not a real natural rapport, thanks to Hibiki having a... it’s like a gregarious tactlessness. He’s just asking questions, but they’re more familiar than Asumu is expecting.

Oh yeah, "pervy", I read somewhere and Asumu got 'stalker' label for his hijinks with Hibiki (not a hate speech directed to Asumu btw), though it's comparing him with an even worse one later. And well, Hibiki said that while he didn't take Asumu as his apprentice, he can ask him any help anytime he wants.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Equally unexpected is that, when the show has Hibiki asking Asumu whether or not he’s interested in dating Hitomi or Akira, and Asumu’s getting flustered, they’re shooting the scene from the vantage point of a young woman’s chest that Asumu keeps sneaking looks at. Which is funny, but so weird.

Yeah, this feels being overt for the sexual part of the close ups, etc. And no offense, but I fully felt that this one's coming straight up from Inoue (like how Switchblade felt about Umi episodes in Blade), as he's someone who goes hard on sexual tendencies on his writings; he has no problems doing those jarringly pervy stuffs, though it can be nullified when he's kept on a leash, by the TV episode studio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

And then, as if that wasn’t weird enough, the next scene is a reveal that the old woman that Hibiki’s supposed to deliver to is in desperate need of medical attention. So… Hibiki runs off to get help, like he’s Lassie. It is incredibly weird. Hitomi, smartly, asks if they shouldn’t just call an ambulance. And we don’t get an answer, because Hibiki’s already gone, leaving Hitomi and Asumu to just, like, stare at this dying woman.

It seems that Hibiki needs to be kept on check (like by Kasumi) for a reason, like what he did here. But the only other 2 people are ones that merely follow Hibiki around, so they'll unconsciously submit to what Hibiki does like... that.