2005 - Kamen Rider Hibiki (Series) - Ultimate Riders Review

Publication Information

Title : Kamen Rider Hibiki
Japanese : 仮面ライダー響鬼
Genre : Tokusatsu
Created by : Shotaro Ishinomori
Written by :
- Shinji Ōishi
- Tsuyoshi Kida
- Toshiki Inoue
- Shoji Yonemura
- Taro Sakamoto
- Osamu Kaneda
- Masataka Takamaru
- Naomi Tamura
- Nobuhiro Suzuki
Composer(s) : Toshihiko Sahashi
Country of origin : Japan
No. of episodes : 48
Producer(s) :
- Atsushi Kaji
- Shinichirō Shirakura
- Shigenori Takadera
- Masamichi Tsuchida
Running time : 24-25 minutes (per episode)
Production company(s) : Toei Company
Distributor : Toei Company
Original channel : TV Asahi
Original run : January 30, 2005 – January 22, 2006
Preceded by : Kamen Rider Blade
Followed by : Kamen Rider Kabuto

Kamen Rider Hibiki , Masked Rider Hibiki) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the fifteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. Kamen Rider Hibiki first aired on January 30, 2005 and aired its final episode on January 22, 2006. This series is noted for introducing new themes and styles yet unseen in other shows. The catchphrase for the series is "To us, there are heroes."

Synopsis

An 8 Hours of Suzuka Honda Bike with Kamen Rider Hibiki sponsorship, The Kamen Riders, known as Oni, battle man-eating beasts called Makamou with "pure sound". One of the Oni, a man named Hibiki, ends up having a "teacher-and-apprentice"-like relationship with Asumu Adachi.

A young boy unsure of himself and is at a crossroads in his life as he transitions to high school, Asumu learns to be an adult through watching Hibiki and the other Oni as they all train together to hone their skills in fighting the Makamou and the homunculi aiding them. However, the sudden raise of Makamou numbers proves to be a prelude to an upcoming calamity.

Novel

A set of six novels published under the title "Kamen Rider Hibiki: Compass to Tomorrow" was released shortly after the end of the series. The novels followed relatively the same plot as the TV series but added new characters and enemies towards the end of its run.

Video game

Kamen Rider Hibiki was released by Bandai for the PlayStation 2 on December 1, 2005. It featured a unique cross compatibility with the Taiko no Tatsujin Tatacon controller, where the taiko-like controller could be used in the rhythm game-like sections of Hibiki. It was also released alongside a special edition of the Taiko no Tatsujin series which included the theme songs of the Kamen Rider Hibiki TV show ("Kagayaki" and "Shōnen yo"). A release for the Nintendo GameCube was planned, but ultimately scrapped.

Episodes

The Echoing Oni
The Howling Spider
Falling Voice
Running Ichiro
Melting Sea
Beating Soul
Majestic Breath Oni
Shouting Wind
A Squirming Evil Heart
The Oni Who Stands in Line
Swallowing Wall
Revealed Secrets
Berserk Fate
Devouring Douji
Weakening Thunder
Roaring Oni
A Targeted Town
Unbroken Hurricane
Strumming Warrior
The Pure Sound
Gathering Demons
Becoming a Cocoon
Summer Training
Burning Crimson
Running Azure
Counting the Days
Eternal Bonds
Undying Malice
Shining Boy
Forging Premonition
Surpassing Father
Bursting Song
The Armed Blade
Beloved Beauty
Fallen Angel
Starving Shuki
Lightning Living Again
Broken OnGeki
Your Beginning
Nearing Orochi
The Awakening Teacher and Student
Ferocious Demons
An Unchangeable Body
Forbidden Secret
Dying a Glorious Death, Zanki
Mastering the Oni Way
The Talking Back
Dreaming of Tomorrow

Movie

Hyper Battle DVD

Kamen Rider Hibiki : Asumu Henshin! You can be an Oni, too!!

Cast

Hitoshi Hidaka / Hibiki / Kamen Rider Hibiki : Shigeki Hosokawa
Asumu Adachi : Rakuto Tochihara
Ibuki / Ibuki / Kamen Rider Ibuki : Jouji Shibue
Tomizo Todayama / Todoroki / Kamen Rider Todoroki : Shingo Kawaguchi
Zaoumaru Zaitsuhara / Zanki / Kamen Rider Zanki : Kenji Matsuda
Akira Amami / Transformed Akira : Nana Akiyama
Daisuke Danda / Kamen Rider Danki : Makoto Itō
Kabuki / Kamen Rider Kabuki : Yuichi Nakamura
Sakae Saeki / Kamen Rider Sabaki (Voice) : Katsumi Shiono
Eiki / Kamen Rider Eiki (Voice) : Kazuya Nakai
Shuki / Kamen Rider Shuki : Reiko Kataoka
Tsutomu Tsumura / Kamen Rider Akatsuki : Kento Shibuya
Kyousuke Kiriya / Kamen Rider Kyoki : Yuichi Nakamura
Shōki / Kamen Rider Shouki : Yoshifumi Oshikawa
Kirameki / Kamen Rider Kirameki : So Yamanaka
Habataki / Kamen Rider Habataki : Takeyuki Yue
Nishiki / Kamen Rider Nishiki : Masaki Kitahara
Tohki / Kamen Rider Tohki : Kenji Matsuda
Kasumi Tachibana : Mayu Gamou
Hinaka Tachibana : Miyuki Kanbe
Ichirou Tachibana : Atomu Shimojo
Konosuke Kogure : Akira Fuse
Hitomi Mochida : Erika Mori
Ikuko Adachi : Kaoru Mizuki
Midori Takizawa : Masako Umemiya
Douji : Mitsu Murata
Parent Douji : Sei Ashina
Hime : Sei Ashina
Parent Hime : Mitsu Murata
Junction Narrator : Koji Nakata

Songs

Opening themes

Kagayaki (Radiance)
- Composition & Arrangement : Toshihiko Sahashi
- Episodes : 1-33, 48
Hajimari no Kimi e" (To the Original You)
- Lyrics : Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition & Arrangement : Toshihiko Sahashi
- Artist : Akira Fuse
- Episodes : 34-47

Ending theme

Shōnen yo" (Boy!)
- Lyrics : Shoko Fujibayashi
- Composition & Arrangement : Toshihiko Sahashi
- Artist : Akira Fuse
- Episodes : 1-33, 48
Character and insert songs
- Reach the Extreme Ongeki!! performed by Jin Hashimoto
- Refined Brave Confidant performed by Tomokazu Seki for Kamen Rider Ibuki
- Thunderous War Rumblings performed by Eizo Sakamoto for Kamen Rider Todoroki
- Hibiki Kenzan!! performed by Masatoshi Ono for Kamen Rider Hibiki