[Kamen Rider Die]

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Originally Posted by Switchblade

It really does feel like Hibiki hasn't been on the show in ages, doesn't it? Kind of a side effect of all the focus on Todoroki as the new guy, plus that Ibuki-centric arc sandwiched in the middle of that. It feels like the show wanted to put him in the background for a bit while it fully integrates the new characters, but it does lead to his return in this episode feeling suitably grand.

I'm honestly trying to remember when the last monster plot was about Hibiki tracking down a monster. It feels like a lifetime. I know they made him the Special Mobile Attack Unit, but... star of the show! Maybe don't just keep him in reserve!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

I did like the Asumu stuff this time. It's minor, but it's a sign that he's gaining confidence and is starting to take some initiative on his own. Granted, his obvious mistake is in not getting a damp washcloth for the old woman's head - everyone knows those a panacea for all medical ailments in Kamen Rider Land. It may just be me, but Asumu also looks a bit older in these last few episodes. I don't know if the actor had a growth spurt or something, but he doesn't look as young as he did at the start of the show. May just be body language or getting him out of the junior high uniform.

No, that kid is legit bigger. His scenes from the last episode, when him and Hibiki were walking around... yeah, he grew a bunch.

I liked the idea of what the Asumu storyline in this one was about, but the amount of time it took up without really doing anything was weird. There's no real resolution to it? It's like they were standing at an intersection when a car accident happened. Eventually a doctor shows up and they just leave. It feel so... anticlimactic? They even leave off-camera? I don't know. It's cool that Asumu can feel more confident, and it's cool that Hitomi can see him as more confident, but... yeah, not crazy about how this episode got there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switchblade

My favorite part of the episode is the end: the bit where the three Oni are just hanging out after killing the monster. There's such a natural, good-natured camaraderie in that scene. Absolutely love it.

It's pretty great. Hibiki trying (in a very dad way) to get Todoroki to rock out, Ibuki being all What He Does What, and Todoroki deflecting attention onto his new salute... it's a cute ending.