Subculture Anime Blog

Fanboys.

Summary:

Miharu claims that he will learn to use the Shinrabanchou, asking for Kumohira to kill him now if he does not approve. This conversation is interrupted when a woman named Seki Hanabusa calls out to Kumohira, however, claiming that she has found a collapsed individual. Of course, Miharu quickly realizes that this is Yoite. Kumohira and Yoite engage in combat as soon as they see each other, but both Miharu and Hanabusa step in to stop them. Elsewhere, Raimei and Raiko face each other. Raiko wonders if Raimei would like to hear his reasons for slaughtering everyone in their village, or why he left only her alive, but Raimei is not interested in listening. With this, the two begin to fight.

Gau, who is alone where the Kairoshu had last gathered, simply wonders when Raiko will return to him. His thoughts are interrupted by the entrance of Hattori, who takes the chance to ask about Gau. Gau explains that he was just a normal person who had no knowledge of the world of Nabari, but after his life was saved by Raiko, he had become involved in the organization. After finding that Hattori is fine with this, Gau takes the chance to ask how Raiko had become involved with the Kairoshu. Gau realizes that Raiko was once part of the Fuuma, but he is surprised when Hattori describes the slaughter he had committed in his village. Still fighting, Raimei can only recall the lives of her parents and the many other people that Raiko had took the lives from. Raiko seems to feel pain from hearing this, but he quickly slices down Raimei in her moment of frustration. Kouichi and the other Fuuma girls arrive to see Raiko pass them with two swords in hand, while Raimei lets out an excruciating scream in the field of flowers.

Back at Kumohira’s house, he can only wonder how Miharu and Yoite can be speaking so calmly together. Hanabusa describes the state Yoite was in when she found him, and his only desire to see Miharu. Recalling Kumohira’s description of Miharu in the past, Hanabusa brought Yoite to the house. Hanabusa wonders if she had come back at a bad time, but Kumohira assures her that it was perfect timing. In his mind, however, he recalls the troubles he has with the Nabari no Ou. Yoite discusses his plans with Miharu on the veranda outside, but Miharu realizes that Yoite does not have much time left. When Miharu states that he has thought of a good plan himself, Yoite notices that he has changed a bit from before. He seems less dead. Miharu states that this is only when he thinks of Yoite, offering his hand to him. Yoite suggests that it would be better for Miharu not to touch him, but Miharu does not allow this. Yoite still has trouble reaching out to Miharu, but Hanabusa suddenly appears to help join their hands together.

Hanabusa welcomes the boys to her home any time they felt like they needed help, even offering for Yoite to stay before he leaves. When Yoite expresses pain after being touched by Hanabusa, Kumohira realizes that this if the effect of using kira. He further realizes that the only way to save him would be by using the Shinrabanshou’s powers, but he still refuses to let Miharu use the hijitsu. Yoite wonders why Kumohira acts this way when there is a potential user of the Shinrabanshou, but he expresses how different his beliefs are from the Kairoshu’s. Kumohira asks Yoite why he had started using kira as he leaves, but he does not get an answer. Miharu attempts to catch up to Yoite, but Yoite only turns to threaten him again. Before finally leaving, he asks for Miharu to obtain the Banten scroll as he works to obtain the others. Shortly after, Kumohira receives a call from Kouichi.

At a hospital, Saraba and Kouichi assure Juji that Raimei is alive. However, she has died as a samurai. Raimei had been cut in a way that wasn’t fatal, but in her hospital bed, she can only feel frustration in her tears. At Amatatsu’s sushi shop, Yukimi is still unable to contact Yoite. Gau assures Yukimi that they would take care of Yoite as the Wakachi if he were to betray them, but Raiko stops the argument between the two. Amatatsu notices how hard Raiko is working as usual, but she suggests that he be careful as they don’t know what could happen. Raiko believes everything would be fine, but Gau is not so sure. Raiko puts on a smile while watching Yukimi and Amatatsu get in a small quarrel, recalling his own memories with his sister Raimei. Raiko takes the chance to leave the shop first, and Gau expresses the worries he has about him in his absence. Yukimi describes the different reasons people hide secrets afterwards, suggesting that Gau simply ask Raiko if he would like to hear about something. After all, there may be some way he can help.

Gau wonders if there is anything he can do to help Raiko while carrying out his duties with him later. Raiko has an easy time against his opponents at first, but he suddenly hears Raimei call him a traitor. He starts to see images of those he had killed, but he assures himself that his actions were not wrong. Gau helps to distract one of the shooters they are facing while Raiko is distracted, but Raiko goes into a rage after seeing the gunman beat up on Gau. With this, Gau is shocked to see Raiko kill his opponent in a fit of rage. In the meantime, Miharu leaves by himself to see Raimei despite Kumohira’s wishes to go with him. Thinking of the kindness Hanabusa had shown him, Miharu recalls how much he dislikes this. Yoite suffers alone elsewhere, wishing that those around him would not be kind to him because he cannot offer anything in return.

Preview: Shimizu backstory.

Impression:

Dude, this show is all about the yaoi. Did you see how Yoite looked at Miharu? Don’t even get me started on Gau. Uh….anyways, this episode basically continued where we left off from last week. We were introduced to Kumohira’s lover Hanabusa, who looks like she will be playing into Yoite and Miharu’s story as well as providing a bit of comic relief. The theme of kindness is an interesting one to touch on, because it is something that many people have trouble accepting in the world. Like Yoite, there are those who believe they have nothing to offer in return to those around them. Of course, this is only because they do not realize how those who care for them actually feel. It seems like this type of storytelling is taking the lead in this series, though the ninja type themes still remain on the surface. It’s only a matter of time before Miharu and Yoite gain all of the scrolls, which will probably make for a big climax.

The fight with Raiko and Raimei, on the other hand, was a lot less climactic than I was expecting. Not that this episode was that bad without extensive fights, but it just seems kind of odd that the preview from last week would push something that only lasted a few minutes. It looks like Raimei’s role might have to change soon, but it’s a bit early to see how that will turn out. In the meantime, a lot more has been revealed about Raiko and Gau. One of my favorite scenes in this episode had to be the one where Raiko observed Yukimi and Amatatsu’s interaction. Anyone who has siblings can understand the attachment there is between Raimei and Raiko, even if the two have been separated for a long time. It will be interesting to learn what Raiko’s beliefs really are, and we may get a glimpse of this after seeing the Shimizu’s past in next week’s story.