Otogizoushi: Episode 04

Yay, another episode released. I finally have my Otogizoushi fix. The episode decidedly cemented my commitment to the series. Granted, the half hour did not blow my mind with action sequences nor spectacular animation. However, it marked the meeting of Hikaru and Mansairaku. And this, my friends, is a snippet worth watching.

Okay, my anime watch list has been drastically cut down to titles without any significant (or appealing) romantic linking. Kokoro and Kippei are cute but AishiBaby has lost its luster. And no, Yuuri/Wolfram does not count (although they pretty much make my day). I want romance in my anime diet. This is where Hikaru and Mansairaku come in.

The meeting took place at a very unlikely place. The mourning Hikaru plays her brother’s flute on a rooftop. A moment later, Mansairaku appears. He dances. A very simple scene but I bought it. The girl-y side in me turned into mush once Mansairaku spoke to Hikaru with words of wisdom and comfort. Of course, the said scene would have not worked if it were in contemporary settings. Or maybe it would’ve.

I appreciated the subtlety of the exchanges. When Tsuna asked for Mansairaku’s name, he paused briefly and glanced at Hikaru before responding, as if the main reason to respond was for Hikaru’s sake alone. Hikaru’s questioning and fascinated looks also played well. I’m probably reading too much into this but I can’t help it.

After the brief encounter with Mansairaku, Hikaru pulled herself together and accepted her duty to carry Raikou’s burden. She presented the magatama to the capital’s leaders only to be told that her quest is unfinished. Basically, those greedy politicians insulted her while trying to use the Minamoto clan’s warriors’ skills. Senmei, as usual, remains mysterious (and creepy), never letting anyone read his mind.

The search of the two remaining magatama becomes the focal point of the series. Hikaru along with Tsuna and presumably Sadamitsu will travel in dangerous terrains to complete their mission. I’m psyched.

Random thoughts. I’m getting some Juuni Kokki vibes from this series in terms of atmosphere and narrative. I know they are entirely different but they somehow seem similar. Also, I kept picturing Sai (HikaGo) appearing any moment to play Go.