Visiting Hibiki

[Oblivion]

Sucks that they had to make Asumu relateable to children by making him sacrifice being a fantasy hero to becoming a real world hero.

I don't really have a problem per say with Asumu not ending up to be an Oni, but if HIbiki's gonna choose a disciple, how could he choose the little Kusaka over Asumu? If Asumu will be a much better person without being an Oni, then by all means don't be an Oni!

I mean, isn't it super obvious that that kid is screwed up and is a little Kusaka in training? If Kiriya changes and becomes a much better person then I might be able to accept it, but as the way it is? I think this is the time one of those characters should say "You are not fit to be an Oni." Especially with Ibuki and Zanki giving all the "Hatred is not the way to go for an Oni." That Kusaka jr definitely has a lot of angst in him.

That's not it yet, worst comes to worse when ALL screen time that Kiriya has is him being a gigantic jerk, minus that funny running away shitless part in episode 38. He stalks people, then tell them they are not fit to be Onis? He's the least qualified to be an Oni from my opinion. Putting a character like this in a show where the tone is set that everyone is supportive of each other and to learn to be a better person? Totally bad move right there.

Like kingston said, they totally threw the developments, plot and emotions out the window. The change happening so late into the show just makes matters worse.

I'll admit though, I originally suffered too watching the first few episodes of Hibiki, Asumu was a bit on my nerves, and the foggy debut fights didn't do any good. It made me wonder "did I download a low quality version or something?" But before episode 7 I was already sucked in. The elements and charms of the show shined, then Inoue came to be the writer and ripped it to shreds.

I'd also noticed that Ibuki and Hibiki especially seems a lot less happy after the pre-29 episodes, Hibiki hardly does his signature wave or say his quote anymore. I can't feel that cheerful charm that Hibiki has anymore, neither can I really see the naive kid in Ibuki much even if one episode talked about it.

episode 35+ but pre-40 spoilers
[hide] Akira having a bit of angst seems in character, but I don't think she was ever portrayed as a character that's indecisive. She's confident about being an Oni, and now we are suddenly throw the typical and generic "my parents die, I must avenge them!" angst. She never showcased such hatred for makamous before. I really don't appreciate this. [/hide]

 

[HenshiNDUT_M11]

I'm the one of people who still likes Hibiki despite the staff change. Sure the pre-30 is much better, but I also find good thing on post-30. I also don't hate Asumu's decision to not become an Oni, since become an Oni is not the only way to become a hero. I like how Hibiki say that Asumu will be his pupil even though he is not an Oni.

Hibiki is the only series that I still hope they will make sequel or spin-off out of it. Hell, Hibiki can be a new tokusatsu genre if they can keep the quality as good as pre-30.

And if Net Movies were already a tradition back then, we could get more screen time of OP (and SIC)-only Oni like Shouki, Touki, Gouki, and Banki
Or maybe a Net Movie about how Sabaki screwed up on whatever he's doing or whoever his opponent is on each episode of Net Movie so different Oni have to come to help him XD

 

[Switchblade]

episode 35+ but pre-40 spoilers
[hide] Akira having a bit of angst seems in character, but I don't think she was ever portrayed as a character that's indecisive. She's confident about being an Oni, and now we are suddenly throw the typical and generic "my parents die, I must avenge them!" angst. She never showcased such hatred for makamous before. I really don't appreciate this. [/hide]

Yeah, Akira gets really badly crapped on in the Inoue run. It's pretty clear that someone in the production made the decision that there was no way in hell they were going to let a female Rider happen and they purposefully devoted a full two-episode arc to discrediting the idea that a woman can be a sane and competent hero (oh, how I hate you, Shuki).

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

That's not it yet, worst comes to worse when ALL screen time that Kiriya has is him being a gigantic jerk, minus that funny running away shitless part in episode 38. He stalks people, then tell them they are not fit to be Onis? He's the least qualified to be an Oni from my opinion. Putting a character like this in a show where the tone is set that everyone is supportive of each other and to learn to be a better person? Totally bad move right there.

I rather liked this aspect of the show. Well, kay, I didn't like that Kiriya was taking up so much screen time, but the way it was portrayed. To me it felt like...here was this cocky kid who had been kickass at everything ever and suddenly he discovers something truly worth being good at and boosts about it and he...is pretty terrible at it. I think the show was trying to push that as Kiriya's self discovery for the series. His character isn't totally out of tone for the series, he reminded me a bit of that jerk from the book store incident. He's a rough kid and that's more or less always going to be part of his personality. but his time spent with Hibiki makes him shine as a person by the end of the series.

I always found people not telling him about it as maybe their way of trying to make him understand he's not cut out to be an Oni on his own, they wouldn't let someone so totally useless and reckless become one.

And if Net Movies were already a tradition back then, we could get more screen time of OP (and SIC)-only Oni like Shouki, Touki, Gouki, and Banki

Man, I will never understand the point of making those really beautiful suits and then just not using them at all.

 

[SentaiRider]

Just pretend this isn't a kamen Rider series and you will be fine :thumbs:

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

Just pretend this isn't a kamen Rider series and you will be fine :thumbs:

How does this actually make sense? You could basically apply this to other series if you look deep enough. (see that "Another Den-O?" line in Den-O)

 

[Switchblade]

Man, I will never understand the point of making those really beautiful suits and then just not using them at all.

Casualties of the production switch. I've heard several times now that Shouki and Eiki were both meant to be regular cast members but they got dropped.

 

[Oblivion]

Casualties of the production switch. I've heard several times now that Shouki and Eiki were both meant to be regular cast members but they got dropped.

Guess that's one good thing about the production switch. I didn't like Shuki's designs. Come to think of it, it was quite a lot different from the other Onis.

I'm the one of people who still likes Hibiki despite the staff change. Sure the pre-30 is much better, but I also find good thing on post-30.

I can't bring myself to like the post 30 episodes, like usual Inoue writes stuff that has potential and turns it to ****. The Todoroki and Zanki relationship is one of the few things that he did right, but for Akira? I am hating the production crew and Inoue for it. Dammit. That's amazingly out of character. I think the bad overshadowed the good here.

Yeah, Akira gets really badly crapped on in the Inoue run.

Badly crapped on doesn't even come close to explaining it, she's totally out of character especially during the Kodama Forest arc. What the hell man? She used to be faithful to Ibuki, listens to what he says and is super determined to become an Oni. But now she's just an angsty emo kid. Her parents being killed by Makamou is brought up and never resolved, not to mention taking Asumu and that douche as her disciple? She was so hard on Asumu when sh first met him, and the douche had been going "you're not worthy of being an oni" I can't believe she took him as a disciple. I don't like this at all.

I rather liked this aspect of the show. Well, kay, I didn't like that Kiriya was taking up so much screen time, but the way it was portrayed. To me it felt like...here was this cocky kid who had been kickass at everything ever and suddenly he discovers something truly worth being good at and boosts about it and he...is pretty terrible at it. I think the show was trying to push that as Kiriya's self discovery for the series. His character isn't totally out of tone for the series, he reminded me a bit of that jerk from the book store incident. He's a rough kid and that's more or less always going to be part of his personality. but his time spent with Hibiki makes him shine as a person by the end of the series.

I always found people not telling him about it as maybe their way of trying to make him understand he's not cut out to be an Oni on his own, they wouldn't let someone so totally useless and reckless become one.

I don't mind a cocky kid who's kickass, but I do mind a jerkface who's cocky and can't do it when the time comes for it, especially the Kodama Forest arc, he ran away during the previous arc, and he spend this whole arc saying "I will not run away!" and everyone' still fine with it. I was talking about the main cast when I said he didn't fit the tone of the show. The main cast were always filled of supportive people, and suddenly you have this guy who shits on everyone and everyone's magically fine with it. If he redeems himself, it better be something good and not the usual Inoue crap that everyone forgives him suddenly without him doing anything other than save the day in a difficult fight. He doesn't really have much personal problems anyways, maybe just a bit lonely, but I hate the way Inoue portrays him nevertheless. On paper it might had sounded better, but in the show it still make me sad that the show turned out this way.

He also hinders Asumu's growth as far as I see it, perhaps it might be good to have someone to bring Asumu down sometimes just so he can grow faster and know how to pick himself up, but the way the douche does it? Every screen time of his is dedicated to **** on Asumu.

 

[Sentaifan'07 Xman]

Well, in my opinion, I thought Hibiki was okay in the first half. But after the writers started to change and after the post-ep. 30 arcs, it gotten boring.

The movie version, however, was awesome. I just wish that the show was canon to the movie version.

The only complaint that I have personally was the ideas for the Parent Douji and Hime Makamou speaking in the opposite gender's voice. That was sick and wrong beyond so many levels.

 

[Oblivion]

I actually think it adds to the creepiness for the opposite gender voice. I guess I can see how some people would have problems with it.

Good news guys! I have finished watching all 29 episodes of Kamen Rider Hibiki and 2nd Half Hibiki! The show just doesn't feel like the show I fell in love with pre-29 episodes after Inoue and the new production crew took over.

I completely agree with whoever said that the kids were the ones who got crapped on the most;

Akira was a determined Oni in training and seems to had been training for quite a while already, at episode 48 she's reduced to a side cast that doesn't matter to the story. Asumu changed from being a confused kid with a low self-esteem, with a love for music and drums, with early episodes as evident. By episode 48 he's now a doctor to be. Wait, does that actually sit well with you guys? He literally went from being interested in arts and jumped into medicine and biology. Totally different field right there. I know he's still just a kid, but seriously? :/ it does not sit well with me at all. I'd rather he become an Oni than something like a doctor, doesn't really seems to suit him. A person's life is literally in your hands as a doctor.

As usual, Inoue didn't resolve any of the mysterious surrounding the antagonist cast, if not made it more confusing. Someone remind me to never watch or read anything written by Inoue ever again.

Kiriya didn't really pay off after all, less of a total douche, but still a douche, he hasn't done anything that can be counted as redeeming himself. I find the final episode tried to cramp too much in while trying to achieve a peaceful joyful ending. Someone needs to reboot Hibiki and do it right the whole way through instead of half way through. Honestly, the only thing done right was Zanki and Todoroki's relationship, and partially Hibiki and Asumu's relationship. Also, does anyone find Hibiki's cautiously optimistic personality a bit out of character near the end when he start saying things like "You'll never know when you'll die?" I don't think I recall him saying things like that before, not to mention that I'd noticed the lack of "I'm trained" and his hand wave signature.

long story short; the second half of Hibiki is crap and what it did right wasn't enough to save the show for me.