The game: Stealth, get members of your team captured by the Oni. Track their location, get in, rescue your teammates and the rest of the people that the Oni captured.
The players: Akatsuki, Kaikoku, Zakuro and an unwilling Karin (after being kidnapped in Makino’s place)
This trail spans over these two episodes and a majority of the character focus is on Kaikoku and Zakuro.
They do seem to be rather fascinating characters, Kaikoku is from a prestigious family and was under a lot of pressure that led to him being disowned and running away. While Zakuro got himself purposely kidnapped and brought into the game, to find his sister who was a victim of the mysterious disappearances two years prior to the series.
While they are investigating the demon hide out, Zakuro finds a bracelet that belonged to his sister. Though, if she was ever here, she is not here now and we are left with no leads of where she may be. So Zukuro’s search is fated to continue.
Karin get’s the short end of the stick in these two episodes. Getting shoved into a maid outfit and used as a doll for the demons entertainment. That’s it, that’s her purpose in these episodes. While Zukuro and Kaikoku get important scenes and Akatsuki has perhaps the most important scene of all of them, she gets stuck as the one with no character moments.
Speaking of Akatsuki’s most important moment, let’s take some time to look that scene over.
As Akatsuki sneaks into the room that he was locked in briefly with Karin to get the key to the dungeons, he is captured by the elder Oni. It’s almost certain that he is to die here, if not for Paca stepping in to save him.Paca asserts his dominance as the game master to save Akatsuki’s life, he does make a few comments that I find suspicious. He highly implies that he may not be human, he talks about ‘resetting’ which means aside from just being in charge of the game, he has the right to control this world as he pleases.
Though, while all of his discussion with the Oni Elder is interesting and food for thought. It’s the last thing he says to Akatsuki, as Akatsuki muses that Paca may be lonely and may want to escape with the rest of them. That Paca says “I can’t leave, I need to fulfill a promise.”
At that, Akatsuki is crying and i’m not sure what we’re supposed to take from this scene. A promise to who? Does Akatsuki know more then he is letting on? Why the sympathy for Paca? I know he’s naive and just generally a good person but there has to be a limit right? Then again, I am still not convinced that Akatsuki isn’t secretly more involved in this then it seems.tha
They free all of the hostages, Akatsuki and Karin flee with them. However, Zukuro and Kaikoku stay to speak with the demon to see if they can find more information on Zukuro’s sister. However, the demon says that she can’t recall. She has had so many dolls after all.
I wasn’t sure when she said this to Zukuro if it was the truth, however, after he was dismissed by Kaikoku. Kaikoku threatens her again at the point of a sword to know if she was telling the truth. She truly doesn’t recall Zukuro’s sister and lastly, as they leave the area. The demon realizes that Kaikoku is not loved by his family. Most of all, not his grandfather, the complete opposite of her where she is so close to hers. She laughs at him as he retreats and that’s where things wrap up.
I’m still not entirely sure what to think of Kaikoku and Zukuro. I see them as both a major problem, neither of them are team players and might be a hindrance to the group as they move forward in trying to clear this game.
Now for what I like to call “Midnight rants about her favorite character despite the fact he didn’t really do anything this time.”
Oh my god! Episode 4, Anya is so cute! The way he worries about Akatsuki, the way he wants to protect him. He punched him at the end of episode three and the beginning of episode four, Akatsuki says something like. “I think he wants to cut ties with me.” but he’s just frustrated that Akatsuki had done something stupid for him. You can clearly tell that he feels awful about punching Akatsuki, they make up and become friends again and as Akatsuki offers to accompany Karin as she’s taken away by the demons.
Anya just gets so frustrated, because when Akatsuki talks about all of them getting out of there together. It should include Akatsuki.
Boy, I love you so much Anya. What a good grumpy boy!