Kamen Rider Hibiki is a show that fallow the adventures of Adachi Asumu who one day on a trip to see his family he see a man named Hibiki. Later on he sees Hibiki can transform into an Oni and fights giant monsters called the Makamou and from then on we see the adventures of these 2. Now Hibiki is consider to be the Black Sheep of Kamen Rider because this do not have any familiar things that a normal Kamen Rider has. Most of the idea was decanted to the late Ishinomori Shotaro the creator of Tokusatsu. There's one point in the show where it went from being a good or at lease decent rider show to being crappy near the end and it gets a lot of hated. but that is for when we get more into the review. Dose Hibiki deserve all the hate it get's? What is so different about Hibiki? And is this show has any good points? well let's just beat (Pun intended) and do Kamen Rider Hibiki
The Show
Volume 1 "The Echoing Oni": The show begins with strangely begins with a musical number and we are introduce to one of main protagonist Adachi Asumu, latter on the boat ride their he sees a man named Hibiki. A while latter Asumu and a friend of his goes off on a Journey when a soundly they are attack by this season monster the Makamou ( the Makamou are one of more unquiet monsters for Kamen Rider because you have 2 human size monster and a giant size monster which is an I interesting concept but I'll talk more on them latter) and then Hibiki shows up and just him transforming shows how Hibiki is different then other Kamen Riders. While he dose have a belt he dose not use it to transform but using basically a tuning fork, he doesn't shout Henshin he doesn't use a rider kick (but to be honest that is happening more in Kamen rider lately) and even the suit itself looks different without like compound eyes, having leather. Even his finishing move is the drum on his belt, but to be honest I think it is good look and it is a main rider with purple, also I wana point out is Hibiki started the have these little animal side kicks with the Disk Animals.
Volume 7 "Majestic Breath Oni" In Episode 7 we are introduce to our 2nd ONI
Ibuki and Ibuki is different from Hibiki because he transforms with a wiles and has the power of air and his weapon is a trumpet. We also learn that ONI'S can have apprentices and Ibuki apprentices is Akira. We find out that the ONI'S work for the origination called Takeshi. And latter on we are introduce to Todoki the newbie ONI who has the power of thunder and has a guitar for his weapon and changer.
Volume 30 "Forging Premonition": Now at episode 30 is where everything change, and when I mean everything I really do mean
EVERYTHING CHANGES. What happens was the Suits at Toei decide to change everything to get more money, the soccer moms we're complain about the show being to dark. So the staff writers change, the music change and the whole change. We are introduce to a new charter Kiriya who is suppose to be Asumu's ravel but really it is bland and predictable as you might think with 1 or 2 twist, and both of them become Hibiki appetite.
Final Volume "Dreaming of Tomorrow" When
The Forest of Kodama Orochi start appearing it is means it is time to defeat the final boss. the ending is alright, I mean they could have just ended at episode 37 and that would be fine. But theirs a few complaints I have, but the ending scene with Hibiki and Asumu is something that should watch.
The Ending
The was not as bad ad other rider shows like Ryuki or Decade in that manner but still was not that great. I mean how do you explain the purple and red Makamou coming back to life (including they are in 1890's clothes none the less). and Kiriya becoming Hibiki apprentices pissed me off and it felt like another episode including like the villains.
The Charters
Hibiki: Hibiki himself doesn't really have devilment but to be honest he is just awesome. He is calm, cool headed, and wise. Also he also can kick ass and just be great.
Asumu: Asumu is a charter is real in a way. He's just an average guy who one day meets this man with powers and the it inspire him to become better and be more better himself.
Ibuki: Ibuki like Hibiki doesn't have much charter but he is more determine out of the ONI'S
Todoroki: Todoroki is the newest ONI and would decently is a bit more strong headed, but is more mature near the end of the show.
support charters: The support charters for this season are likable and dose suit the show and I do like them and they are Akira, Midori, the sisters Hinaka, kasumi, Zanki who you might know as Kenji Matsuda who played Jiro in Kamen Rider Kiva, and Hitomi.
The Music
Their wasn't that much music, I mean theirs only a total of 4 real songs in the soundtrack and the rest is just insurant songs. The insurant songs are ok to nice and just alright. Kagayaki the opening song with no words dose fit the show, Flashback is probably the 2nd best song in the soundtrack and has an enjoyable beat, Hajimari no kimi he is alright it is the 2nd opening and has 1 or 2 good points. Shone Yo is the end them for Hibiki and it is so great that we have an end theme for the Heisei era of Kamen Rider. Digi-Ranger Jukebox Recommendation Shonen Yo.
The Good
The relationship between Hibiki and Asumu: I did like these 2 charters being with each other. both of them inspire them to be better, and it was greatly shown in the show. it made Asumu being more better and becoming more adult, and for Hibiki with Asumu help he defeated some monsters in. In fact I did enjoy the relationship between the ONI'S and their pulps.
The ONI: It was nice to see the ONIS being different from the normal riders of today. They defeat monsters with musical instruments, they costly do training and their is over hundreds of these ONI'S and it was cool to see them in the show from time to time.
The Riders Not Arguing: pretty much almost all Kamen Rider show have the main Rider and secondary or more rider arguing for good or bad things (I give some exceptions like Gaim with the Many different Rider teams). but in Hibiki their was none of that and they were helpful to each other.
The Bad
The Seconded Half Of Hibiki: Of course you saw this coming, the seconded half was just horrible. It destroy many things that were good about the show and made crap. Even Hibiki himself wanted to quite with other cast members. And had so many rewrites, even on the final day of filming they were rewriting the final episode.
The Charter Of Kiriya: I hated this charter,
I mean he is just a Douche, he acts suspire and is everything. But really he is just a kid with daddy issues. It's true he became more tolerable near the end but still. And the sad part is his actor (Yuichi Nakamura) would be a much better charter in Kamen Rider Den-O as Kamen Rider Zeronos.
SPOILER Kiriya Becoming Hibiki's Apprentices: This also pissed me off, I mean Asumu was a better charter then Kiriya and it was a stupide river arc.
The Makamou: To be honest I really never liked the Makamou even before the 2nd half of Hibiki. I mean they were to weir and bazar, and not a fan of their design. Their was even an episode where one turned on it's comrades but since the 2nd half came it was more something good but wasted. Also I know their were 2 of them in the 2nd half but they were annoying.
Final verdict
For Hibiki I give it 2 scores.
If you count the whole show then it's a
6/10
But if only count the first half and the movie then it's a solid
8/10
Hibiki is defiantly a different show from your normal Kamen Riders and is not everyone cup of tea. But just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad (except the 2nd half of course).
For alternate Recommendations I Recommend Kamen Rider Kabuto if you want a more better show that is more fluent. And for Anime Recommendation, if you want something more like the Hibiki movie then I Recommend Inuyasha.
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