SOUCHAKU-HENSHIN KAMEN RIDER SERIES

Bandai Chogokin Armor Transformation Masked Rider Hibiki Series (c.2005)

HIBIKI

MASKED RIDER

KUUGA

MASKED RIDER

AGITO

CLASSIC

MASKED RIDERS

MASKED RIDER

RYUKI

MASKED RIDER

FAIZ

MASKED RIDER

BLADE

MASKED RIDER

HIBIKI

MASKED RIDER

KABUTO

In 2004, just as Blade series was coming to an end, Studio Toei announce that they were planning to take Kamen Rider series in a brand new direction. The result was a Kamen Rider series that bear little resemble to any of the old (or even modern) Kamen Rider series. Beside lacking any of the trademark Kamen Rider design such as the bulb bug-like eyes, chest armor pads and even the "henshin" word often heard utter when the hero transform into the Riders, the show also never referred any of the masked heroes  as "Kamen Riders" (they were instead refer to as "Oni"). The sole link to Kamen Rider is the logo that Toei and Bandai conveniently slap on top of Hibiki logo. The show, as a tokusatsu series, was not a bad show and had a decent rating, however it seem as if Toei and Bandai needed to have new Rider show so they decided to take Hibiki and put Kamen Rider tag in front of it.  If Ryuki is considered to be the black sheep of Kamen Rider series, then Hibiki is like a two-heads mutated black sheep of the family.

SOUCHAKU HENSHIN

KAMEN RIDER HIBIKI SERIES 2005

 GD-79 Masked Rider Hibiki (3/05)

GD-84 Masked Rider Ibuki (4/05)

GD-85 Masked Rider Todoroki (6/05)

GD-88 Masked Rider Hibiki Kurenai (Red Hibiki) (8/05)

GD-90 Masked Rider Zanki (9/05)

GD-93 Masked Rider Hibiki Soukou (Armed Hibiki) (10/05)

  SOUND DEMON MASKED RIDERS?

The Kamen Riders in Hibiki series are never refer to as such, instead they are called "Oni". The "Oni" are demons based on the elementals and using sound instruments as weapons along with compact discs that can transform into mechanical animals. To say that, the design of HIbiki series is a departure from Kamen Rider is probably an understatement. The main character (Hibiki which means Sound Demon) and the supporting characters bear no resemblance to any of the past or current Kamen Rider shows. Actually they look more like something from the Sentai series.

Hibiki is one of the Oni that belong to Takeshi Secret Organization that combat the threat of evil monsters known as the Makamo. The Riders in Hibiki Series derive their powers from elemental magic, mystical animals and using sound instruments as weapons to fight against the Makamo. The series is actually very interesting and probably could have done well on its own without using the Kamen Rider tag to pull in the audiences.