‘I’m sorry! I wasn’t able to live up to your expectations!’
Episode 5 Synopsis: A request from Minster Mizuno Saneyoshi has requested for Mugai to perform an insect extermination. Mugai has picked Jinbei to accompany him, but won’t explain why…
Episode 6 Synopsis: A masked figure is stalking the headquarters of the Insect Brigade. What does he want and why does he know so much about their inner workings?
Impression:
Two very interesting episodes. I’d like to say one thing before we continue though… why is every episode character specific? Will they just introduce a new character every episode until the finale? How can you call that a ‘story’? I understand that this is a shounen show but still… Nevertheless, every episodes ‘story’ is great and the action oriented episode 5 was awesome. Episode 6 began introducing us to some elements that are sure to shake the show (and it’s ‘story’) up and I hope that the fast approaching finale will be as awesome as the ‘reveal’ at the end of episode 6 is making the (supposed) main plot out to be… But I digress…
Episode 5 is all about Jinbei finally getting what he wants, Mugai. Now I’m not talking about him getting Mugai into bed (although let’s be honest, he probably wants that too), no that would be weird, I’m actually talking about the pairing up of Jinbei and Mugai for Mugai’s mission against the… giant fleas and their larvae… The action in this episode was amazing, I loved every battle and Jinbei’s self sacrifice (which by rights should have killed him) was emotional and awesome… Mugai on the other hand, is not (awesome, that is). So Mugai is basically the Sasuke Uchiha of this show, yeah? Willing to sacrifice anyone, a bad ally and basically an arse hole… I don’t understand what Jinbei sees in him? Mugai’s dark nature was finally revealed in this episode and to be honest, it was pretty darn chilling. Mugai’s is ruthless and his sword fighting prowess and shear strength only add to my annoyance of the former. He knows that he’s good and he indulges in it. There was that part at the end where Oharu comments that it looks like BOTH Jinbei and Mugai are enjoying each others’ company but I can’t be sure if that means that Mugai is changing or if it means that Jinbei was having so much fun that it looked like Mugai was having fun… if that makes sense… Oh! And another thing… did he not tell Jinbei about his reasoning for bringing him along out of kindest or simply because there was no point? Interesting character… that’s all I have to say about that.
My God! That servant Yasuke and Jinbei should just get a room and make babies already. The steamy romantic tension in this episode between the two lads was… sensual. I joke, of course, but I still found it funny, watching Jinbei run around dramatically in his futile to save useless old Yasuke. Like, seriously Yasuke, do yourself (and Jinbei) a favor and just move out of the damn way! You don’t want to die? Run. Jinbei gave you several opportunities to do so so why didn’t you? Scum.
Oh! And on one final note… I’m glad Oharu managed to get TWO on screen appearances… really helps me to remember that her character exists, y’know?
Episode 6. A better episode? Maybe. The best part of the episode was definitely the latter five minutes, or as I like to call them, the ‘Kyoto Destruction Revelation… five minutes’? It was truly interesting and that is something that I haven’t been able to say about this show in a long time. This anime doesn’t have an intricate plot full of twists and turns and it’s good to see something that is A. epic and B. plot changing. I’m hoping that Kyoto is in ruin and that Jinbei and the gang will go there and find half their country over run with bugs… Oh! And just how did the bugs come about a century ago? It’s interesting plot points like this that keep the viewer interested and although it took them a long time to finally get to it, I think it was well worth it… if it pays off in the end, that is.
The other half of episode 6? Well that would be Nagatomimaru, the next Shogun of Edo… Is Jinbei bi-sexual? Tell me, I implore you. Seriously, what is it with Jinbei’s attraction to men? Mugai, Nagatomimaru… who’s next? I’m only calling him bi because he seems to have a somewhat healthy interest in Oharu that keeps him from becoming full on homo and this show from becoming full on yaoi… But I digress, Nagatomimaru is an interesting character, stupid… stupid… stupid… oh! And smart. I don’t we’ll see TOO much more of him although I do think we will see him more than Yasuke (thank God). All throughout the episode I found myself wondering why he was being introduced and how he can help further the… ‘plot’. He’s not the best character and I feel as though Episode 6 was much weaker than episode 5 mainly due to his appearance… Episode 6’s only redeeming feature was the last five minutes and the implications they may bring…
But that only leaves one question… Who is the Insect Magistrate (I must know!)… Oh! And why are Nagatomimaru’s eyes glowing red at the end of episode 5? Did the camera give him red eye (a bad joke, I know)?
