Re: Hibiki and Kiva episode 1
Aug. 12th, 2014 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoameI'm home sick from work today, so I spent some of the time not on the toilet with my head in a bucket watching the first episodes of Kamen Rider Hibiki and Kamen Rider Kiva. I'm trying to ignore the Inoue-related fandom complaints about both, and I'll see how it goes--I liked the first part of Kabuto more than I expected to (well, I liked Inoue's episodes) before my utter disappointment, and I was so damn apathetic towards Blade, so we'll see.
Hibiki: If you're watching this first episode and thinking, "This doesn't feel like Kamen Rider," you have a point. It does not feel like Kamen Rider in the post-Blade era. It feels like Kuuga, except with a heavy emphasis on music. Asumu is a very musical young man, and the first episode goes out of its way to point out all of the background sounds in life and how symphonic they really can be. It's very artistic, but storywise and in terms of structure, I'm reminded of Kuuga, where you really don't get to meet the title character first, but your first impression of him is that he's a good man, a bit derpy, with a soft spot for kids. And it helps off-set Asumu, who clearly is trying to become something idealized--an ideal in his own mind, if no one else's--and in walks this dorky guy who sings to himself and doesn't really give straight answers, but shows hints of being something amazing. Again, very Kuuga-ish, it's a lot like Yusuke. And hell, the action kind of starts off at a funeral--where Yusuke was inspired to fight by watching a girl run away from her father's funeral, Asumu gets into the action by running away from a funeral--in his case, feeling stifled by all of his relatives asking about his future when he's clearly trying to find his path (and people don't seem to want to listen about his path).
Kiva: Like with Hibiki, the music is incredible, and while I guess the theme song grows on you over time, it's still a massive disappointment compared to all the violin and the rest of the insert songs the show is going to get. It's catchy, but not great--my same issue with "Round Zero Blade Brave" and "Next Level." As for the characters...I'm not sure what to think of them so far. Otoya is very much a creep in this first impression I get of him. He'll probably get better over time, but...it's like Umino in Sailor Moon and Farkle in Girl Meets World--it's very hard to like him on first impression (and in the case of Farkle, multiple impressions). Megumi seems cool, and I'm not sure on Yuri yet, though I'm glad to see she's got a somewhat different personality from Megumi. Wataru...I don't know. On the one hand, he's psychologically fascinating and similar to Takumi crossed with Ryotaro, and I really loved those characters. On the other hand, he's like Takumi and Ryotaro had a child who promptly wrapped himself up in the baby blanket and hid in the corner for 20 years. The fascination/revulsion in my reaction is also running into "Inoue is repeating himself again." And add to it that while I like there's the stories in the past and the present going on simultaneously, the transitions between them need a lot of work. It feels so choppy--we're right in the middle of development on one end, and then we're thrown into development on the other. So...we'll really have to see on this one.
Hibiki: If you're watching this first episode and thinking, "This doesn't feel like Kamen Rider," you have a point. It does not feel like Kamen Rider in the post-Blade era. It feels like Kuuga, except with a heavy emphasis on music. Asumu is a very musical young man, and the first episode goes out of its way to point out all of the background sounds in life and how symphonic they really can be. It's very artistic, but storywise and in terms of structure, I'm reminded of Kuuga, where you really don't get to meet the title character first, but your first impression of him is that he's a good man, a bit derpy, with a soft spot for kids. And it helps off-set Asumu, who clearly is trying to become something idealized--an ideal in his own mind, if no one else's--and in walks this dorky guy who sings to himself and doesn't really give straight answers, but shows hints of being something amazing. Again, very Kuuga-ish, it's a lot like Yusuke. And hell, the action kind of starts off at a funeral--where Yusuke was inspired to fight by watching a girl run away from her father's funeral, Asumu gets into the action by running away from a funeral--in his case, feeling stifled by all of his relatives asking about his future when he's clearly trying to find his path (and people don't seem to want to listen about his path).
Kiva: Like with Hibiki, the music is incredible, and while I guess the theme song grows on you over time, it's still a massive disappointment compared to all the violin and the rest of the insert songs the show is going to get. It's catchy, but not great--my same issue with "Round Zero Blade Brave" and "Next Level." As for the characters...I'm not sure what to think of them so far. Otoya is very much a creep in this first impression I get of him. He'll probably get better over time, but...it's like Umino in Sailor Moon and Farkle in Girl Meets World--it's very hard to like him on first impression (and in the case of Farkle, multiple impressions). Megumi seems cool, and I'm not sure on Yuri yet, though I'm glad to see she's got a somewhat different personality from Megumi. Wataru...I don't know. On the one hand, he's psychologically fascinating and similar to Takumi crossed with Ryotaro, and I really loved those characters. On the other hand, he's like Takumi and Ryotaro had a child who promptly wrapped himself up in the baby blanket and hid in the corner for 20 years. The fascination/revulsion in my reaction is also running into "Inoue is repeating himself again." And add to it that while I like there's the stories in the past and the present going on simultaneously, the transitions between them need a lot of work. It feels so choppy--we're right in the middle of development on one end, and then we're thrown into development on the other. So...we'll really have to see on this one.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-12 07:15 pm (UTC)Kiva: Otoya's a bit of a creep early on, but they eventually settle on him just being goddamn insane and it is amazing. Wataru gets some development rather early on. Admittedly, I did't really have issues with the 80's <-> 00's crosscutitng myself.
Inoue is kind of repeating himself, but it's different enough it didn't really bother me. Also, I eagerly await your reaction to Keisuke Nago, who is another character who is completely insane.