Otogizoushi: Episode 08

After the introduction of Kintarou in the last episode, travelers continued their journey until they reached the Kumaso’s base. Unfortunately, they were quickly spotted and were attacked with cannons. Retreating remained the only choice. Armed with a strategy and new weapons, they came back only to find a lone warrior protecting the place. Shutendouji, the head of the tribe, led the rest of the Kumaso warriors toward the capital. To protect their beloved homeland, Raikou and company quickly turned around and hoped to outrun their soon-to-be-attackers. Am I smelling action major action next episode?

We all know that Urabe is our travel party’s resident brain. With her cool exterior and serious manner, who would’ve thought Urabe will be an ongoing source of humor for this episode. Instead of fearing the fire cannons aimed at them, she turned her head up the sky, clasped her hands, and marveled at the wonderful new technology. In another series, animators would’ve literally added sparkles in her awestruck eyes. Frankly, this tiny bit of a scene came as a surprise. And as soon as she had the chance to experiment on the gunpowder residue, she amazingly turned on her giddy side. Strange but hilarious. She even had a goofy look on her face while attacking the Kumaso’s fortress. I’m starting to warm up to her.

Another unanticipated development came from Sadamitsu. In a quiet moment with Kintarou, he mused on having a family to call his own. He mentioned Suzaku-In, a place from his childhood memories, and remarked on his partiality to their hydrangeas. His encounter with Ivan, a gaijin who found a home through a loving wife and kid of his own, emphasized his want for a deeper connection to a loved-one. He’s definitely not as shallow as he tries to portray.

During the Kintarou-Sadamitsu conversation, Kintarou’s father was not mentioned. Was this coincidental or part of a future subplot? Maybe despite Kintarou’s disposition, an angst-y side resides within him. Err, but that’s probably too much of a stretch.