Kamen Rider Hibiki

As Kamen Rider Hibiki draws to a close on Japanese television, I'm just a little past half way through the series downloading from TV Nihon. When I first began watching the show a few months ago I wasn't sure what to expect. I can't help compare it to Super Sentai, yet in many aspects this show is much more mature. It should also be noted that Kamen Rider Hibiki is the first series I've seen of this set of shows.

Let's get started with the basics...

The show is told mostly through the eyes of 13-year-old Adachi Asumu. His likes are: playing the drums, hanging out with friends (especially Hitomi) and spending time with Hibiki-san who's become a father figure slash mentor to him.

In this series music is the main theme of the hero's regime. Three types of "oni" (read here as transforming superhero) fight the demons according to creature type and season of the year. The taiko style oni (hibiki) is best suited for summer. While the "string" style oni (todoroki) is suited for taking down large creatures, and the "wind" style oni (ibuki) takes care of the winged creatures. And most importantly; the Oni don't have to shout out a pose in order to transform. In many cases, they are running into action as they transform. They do perform a post transformation pose. In that armor? How can you not!

The transformation devices fit with the instrument they fight with (yes, the instrument they fight with). Hibiki uses a tuning fork to strike an object to produce the resonance required to transform then places the fork to his forhead where an oni mark appears. He fights with two taiko sticks and a mystical taiko (it's a lot cooler than the description) his instrument and fighting style would be about as traditional japanese as you get. His element is fire. He has two further transfermations as he's the most powerful Oni in their group.

Ibuki's transformation device is a whistle. He simply blows a note and raises the whistle to his forehead and an oni mark appears. He fights with a trumpet that produces blaring sound waves in addition to a semi-automatic gun that shoots mystical air bullets (it's just as silly as it sounds, yet he makes it look cool). His element is naturally air/wind. Ibuki also has an apprentice that is the same age as Asumu, she also uses a transformation device but she doesn't use it to transform. She uses the device for it's secondary functions discussed later.

Todoroki is essentially the new kid on the block. He's just been elevated to Oni status when Zanki, his mentor/master, became too injured to continue fighting full time. He makes many mistakes and is sometimes very stiff when around Hibiki and the others especially when interacting with Zanki. His transformation device is a wrist band that has three strings on it. When strummed, it produces the sound of a biwa or shamisen. Raising it to his forehead the Oni mark appears. He fights with a bladed guitar (looks closer to a shamisen in my opinion but the sound effects speak for themselves ^_^). His element is Thunder (Lightning).

As the series progresses we get glimpses of other Oni that fight with Hibiki. These other Oni are usually assigned to other areas of Japan, though sometimes their areas overlap.

As the series continues you learn that the Oni are not limited to their main instrument. Todoroki must learn to use the taiko to fight summer demons in one arc. All in all, I love this show and I can't wait to see the end of the series and Kamen Rider Kabuto begins.