[DreadBringer]

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 23 - “SUMMER OF TRAINING”
KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI VOLUME 24 - “BURNING CRIMSON”

Like, these two do not want you to have any confusion as to what they’re about. Between multiple (really good!) speeches that dig into Todoroki and Asumu’s reluctance to expand their horizons, as well as multiple speeches that try to provide context for the ways trying new things can help you and others, as well as a goddamn final line from Hibiki where he tells Todoroki, “And that’s why you listen to your seniors,” this is not a set of episodes that needs me to say what I got out of them thematically. It’s all right there.

Well, for this one case, at least for Todoroki, it's necessary for him to learn taiko drums, whenever he likes it or not. But, as a counter against a flawed motivational word/guidance, if you just try something but you don't and never click with something, you better just stop, and search another thing to try on, instead of just wasting time to futilely continuing it, better to give up midway than regret it at the end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The direction is top-notch, with a lot of visual flourishes and staging to break up some enormous dialogue scenes. The Kasumi/Hinaka/Todoroki/Asumu sequence in 24 is particularly special, as the crosscutting and fantasy shots take some sort-of basic text (it is not a deep metaphor for Asumu, and it’s zero metaphor for Todoroki) and turn it into a pretty charming scene.

Yeah, the direction here is superb, with all the parallels of Asumu and Todoroki, and the smooth transition between the dialogues. And now, I guess Asumu now had 1 thing in common with Hibiki, he can be his apprentice for... drumming!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Hinaka gets the most focus, as she frets over a depressed Todoroki.

Talking about Todoroki's depression over being unable to learn taiko drums, Hinaka of course would just push him to continue further within it. If not for about how it's necessary for Todoroki to practice drumming against a specialized Makamou, would take that as an unpopular wrong move for motivating, like if it's about daily life, the advice to me, should be just quit drumming and focus on what you do the best like guitar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Kasumi is a little bit more to the side in this one, but it’s great to see her channel Hinaka to figure out how to get Todoroki out of his funk.

Oh come on, in that position I also would've figured it out in that situation that Todoroki struggles to do something he's forced to do ; when I watched this part I already predicted about Kasumi guessing Todoroki depressed about failed training, word by word, and with it actually happened in story my reaction was straight-faced about already knowing what happened next. Would take Kasumi's explanation more to Hinaka's in any day, that's what I'm looking if I'm struggling about something and others had to help, actually knowing more about the subject.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

The rest of the moral for this story lands on Asumu, as it must, and it’s pretty okay.

Now, other than your idol being imperfect, Asumu learned another thing that people didn't get all good in a sudden, where the band leader pointed out that he joined up late. Though as a perfectionist, I still would be heavily disappointed if I experienced what Asumu did there by failing alone, even knowing that others had progresses....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Hitomi is such a sweet kid. There’s a real warmth to her smile whenever Asumu’s around, this joy that she can’t disguise. The irony is that she shouldn’t worry about hiding it, since Asumu is an oblivious dope when it comes to women. He’s at that age where he can’t read romantic cues (or one of those people who can never read romantic cues, hi, it me), and it would never occur to him that another teenage girl calling him up would piss off Hitomi. Hinaka is at her most Hinaka in this scene, being coy about who’s calling for Asumu and blocking Hitomi’s visual field… until Asumu’s just like Oh That Was Akira. Hinaka’s reaction is (probably) all of our reactions, body language that just screams JFC ASUMU, as his gormless expression briefly evaporated any sympathy I had for him. He’s so bad at this part. This is what Hibiki needs to be training him at! Stop being hopeless around these women, Asumu!

I think this is just outright toxic take tbh regarding Asumu (and an unfair male judging in general, especially from the females). Sorry, for incoming rant (likely again). And from how you give free pass to women's brattiness and insolence, no offense but from here once it seems like double standard to boys; boys are always wrong.

Like anything the guy who is always expected to come first. Starting from matters of carrying things, matters of fixing furniture to matters of feelings. Everything has to be a guy who took the initiative to get ahead first. If the guy is passive, people like you will rant. Actually people don't know what we have in mind, boys. It's not that we're oblivious. But because we can't read other's minds, that's why in our minds a lot of thoughts collide before making decisions that still you say you are appropriate (yeah, as for right now you'd say him being gormless, if a wrong decision is taken then probably he'll still be mocked).

One of the dilemmas felt by men, when faced with a situation where he saw a girl who was trying hard. Don't think he's an oblivious guy who usually just looks at it. In fact, in his mind there were all kinds of turmoil going on. He thought hard, want to help or not. If you help, you think he is attention-seeking and just looking to save face. But if you don't help, then he will be thought as insensitive. The situation is awry by that.

Guys are also required to be sensitive to girls' feelings before deciding whether to make moves or not. If a guy miscalculated, you could completely fail your plans to get him. When they really like girls, but he still doesn't want to date, that's a big dilemma. I want to say but don't make moves yet, it will be mistaken for giving false hopes. But if you don't make move, the girl will think that there's no sense between the two of you. Well, in this situation a guy should really think 1000 times in every detail before deciding whether to shoot or not.

Boys often face awkward situations. In this case, sometimes a slight miscalculation can be fatal. Those of you who are focused on arranging the future must also pay attention to the position of your partner. When she needs attention and when she can be left behind are things that you must know correctly. Wrong, your relationship can fail because you are considered insensitive to him. Even though your intention is to focus on work as well for the future of both, but miscalculations can also interfere with your relationship. It's hard, huh.

Now, that was what we boys suffered that should be known. Being a guy can be awry. They are required to be always sensitive. But they're still humans after all, sometimes miscalculation can be done. So please understand, like trying to not do that and not just instantly judge as oblivious.

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Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

It's definitely a big problem with that part of the story. She's nobody to Asumu and Hitomi, and we have no idea what she is to Hibiki. The only dialogue she gets is apologizing to the doctor, which is another character we know nothing about. There's really nothing to invest in for the storyline, as far as Asumu's side of it goes.

I mean, the benefit is that Asumu gets to showcase that Heroic Empathy a Rider has, where he'll stay and take care of this random person just because she needs it, but... it is a lot of time spent on someone who is a glorified extra. Very weird way to tell that story.

Oh right, I remember now, like in neo-Heisei Riders, there are bunch of civilians of the week that are given identities like name or their short summary, but they're also left out, never be seen again, like Shuhei in Ex-Aid.