This episode went from wholesome to leaving me at the edge of my seat from the suspense. YOU CAN’T END THE EPISODE LIKE THAT! AHHHHHHHH!!!! The wait is gonna be so brutal!
Okay, I’m going to try to break this down in order of events because more important lore dropped this week too! We’re being fed well!
Things started off really cute and wholesome with the way Aoi was working her way into figuring out what makes Takechiyo tick. As soon as she learned he deeply admires her late grandfather Shiro, she uses that as the basis of motivating him to eat the food she makes. It really does crack me up whenever we see her tap into her grandfather’s shrewdness and that wicked smirk of the gears working in her head. But thanks to that, she was able to connect with Takechiyo and successfully managed made him a meal he could eat and enjoy. And best of all, it motivated him to want to cook the same meal for his mother, in hopes she could enjoy it too!
Takechiyo in turn, has given Aoi some interesting information too. She didn’t realized her grandfather was popular enough to even be made into storybooks. Thanks to that and Ritsuko explaining why that is, we were able to learn how why Shiro became simultaneously feared and beloved among ayakashi.
Within the story, it talked about how Shiro made a lot of friends with the ayakashi by giving them snacks, one that stood out was a “Makkoron” (aka: macaron). But his most important achievement that made him the hero that lives on in the minds of many ayakashi is being responsible for defeating the mean demon of Oni-no-gashima.
But the best part about this was the story actually seems to hold a very important clue. Aoi had a dream when Shiro had taken her to visit his mother (her great grandmother’s) memorial after she had passed. It was then when she heard heard Shiro say his mother had died because of his curse.
And what makes it intriguing about this, is that his mother was said to be a very strong woman, one that hardly seemed mortal. It seems to suggest whatever curse Shiro had been afflicted with was strong enough to take her out. Interestingly, it seems Shiro may have never actually explained to Aoi how he got this curse, nor the nature of its consequences. And yet despite having heard him say that, it appears Aoi may have never pressed further about it.
But based off the information we were given today: It could be the curse originated from the Oni-no-gashima, or whatever he had fought (as Ritsuko said it’s a hearsay what it was). It it couldn’t take him down with him, then he’d at least curse him and his family. Bearing that in mind, considering it took out her great grandmother, it’s possible this is what also contributed to almost killing Aoi when she was little. Remember, the food she ate was the key to changing her destiny.
And finally, it’s time to talk about biggest tease of the episode: The Red Door.
What was supposed to be a simple shopping errand before boarding the boat for work again, Aoi had suddenly heard Odanna’s voice call out to her, and spotted a combination of dark and shadowy cloud (maybe even best to be described as miasma) and Ougon-douji’s magic. She ran towards it in hope that Ougon-douji might know more about Odanna’s situation.
But while Aoi thought she had recognized Ougon-douji’s magic, truth to be told I’m not entirely certain if it was hers, or if it was Odanna’s power desperately seeking her out. Heck, it may have even been a combination of both. Now the reason why I say that, is because Ougon-douji’s has always been that character I’ve had a hard time deciphering her intentions. She has clearly done good things, but she has also caused a lot of trouble. I suppose one could describe it as ‘good trouble’ in a way of pushing things along when they need to… Still, I honestly don’t know what to think of her at the moment. If anything, there’s also the possibility she was in the know of Odanna’s true form, or, she simply didn’t care that he was a taboo when he was exposed.
Anyhow, regardless of whether it was Odanna himself, Ougon-douji or both of them working together, the most important matter here is that Aoi was led to the doors Odanna had spoken about.
The first place she was led to was a mysterious red door that required the obsidian key. This one led her to an empty area where an enormous obsidian tablet stood before her. Unfortunately Aoi didn’t appear to even take a moment to try reading it (if she could anyways), because she got distracted when she heard Odanna’s voice, and saw what looked to be his phantom form she recalled seeing when she was little.
When Odanna’s voice called out to her, he apologized and explained he doesn’t think he’ll be able to return to her in the form she knows of. This seems to suggest that either he simply doesn’t have the strength, or something is preventing him from being able to mask his true form again. But Aoi’s so desperate to see him again, she even begged him to show up in any form. It didn’t matter what, she just wanted to see him again.
And when she expressed that much earnestly, that was when the blue door appeared. That too required the obsidian key. It then led her to a graveyard. Similarly to the first place, Aoi only got a glimpse before having to deal with a new problem: Raiju showing up when she called out for Odanna.
When Raiju showed up, I had actually yelled out loud: “FUCKING HELL! THIS BITCH!” UGH! It’s so infuriating and worrisome that he’s there. I suppose this may point to Aoi being back at Tenjin-ya, or at least nearby, but before we sort that part out, she has a bigger problem to worry about. No bodyguard, and stuck alone with god-damn Raiju of all people. And the fact she’s feeling really down and frustrated of being unable to reach Odanna, he’s having a field-day to see her miserable. Will another door show up to get her out of there? Or will there be another means?
However by the look of things, while Aoi had finally encountered the doors, she was too frantic to really take in her surroundings, especially with the first one. And with Raiju showing up when she calls out to Odanna, seems to point that what she needs to do right now is uncover Odanna’s true name. Perhaps only then they’ll actually be able to properly connect with each other despite their separation.
But in order to do that, I suspect she may need to actually find the doors again. And this time without either Odanna’s or Ougon-douji’s, (or both) help. She needs to study what’s presented in front of her more carefully. The first one being the obsidian tablet that must have something important, potentially a seal or monument that speaks to what Odanna is. And the second one the graveyard, must also hold clues to the secrets she must unravel.
Nevertheless, the last bit had me very anxious with the way Aoi had actually been presented the doors she needed to open in the most unexpected way. The timing of it all feels as though perhaps things are looking a lot more bleak for him than they had hoped… Gonna be a long week to wait for the next one.
Is it next Wednesday yet?