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I enjoyed this episode, despite it almost qualifying as filler. It felt like the calm before a storm, with Dororo suffering a bit as usual to balance out the light-hearted atmosphere.
Or at least, I believe that is what they were trying to convey.
The entire arc was goofy, and had a persistently sinister undertone. Picking up on the events of last week, the dynamic duo is in search of a blacksmith named Munetsuna. After Hyakkimaru’s mom refused to fix his prosthetic limbs, the two presumably journeyed to the nearest town that had a reputable option.
I know Dororo makes a comment that they could use a horse, but why didn’t she take money to buy one? There was enough money for a lifetime and a half in that cave (that hopefully nobody robs). She could have grabbed more for their living situations. Then again, she is a little girl and Hyakkimaru is kind of useless when it comes to socialized human survival, so I’m probably being too hard on her.
Hyakkimaru decides to nuzzle everything in existence to show his affection and ends up doing this to Munetsuna’s daughter. She (for some reason) falls head over heels in love with the ronin ragamuffin at her door and an amanojaku…almost gets the pair married? For…kicks? I mean, the creature had been trapped in the statue for a while but if that was the case, just how long was the village under its spell?
I don’t think Hyakkimaru’s vision is impeded without his swords, but I can’t think of any other reason he didn’t sense the creature. Maybe it was just a mischievous youkai, but it is odd to say the least that their backwards way of life had become normalized. Watching the villagers’ insult one another reminded me of how friends and I would indulge in “opposite days” as kids.
The only one unaffected seemed to be the grouchy old blacksmith, who inherited masks to protect him from the youkai’s tricks. It is kind of funny that everyone thinks he is brash, when really he is being genuine and the others are simply spouting nonsense.
For the most part, it was a silly episode and then Hyakkimaru accidentally almost strangles a little girl to death while under a spell. Dororo cries and looked extremely hurt, and Hyakkimaru hugs her to try and console her. Then there is this sequence where Hyakkimaru, a blind ragamuffin ronin, goes on to say everything looks happy and places a flower crown on a horse. Okay, I’m exaggerating about the horse part but I wouldn’t have been surprised if a laugh track queued up in the background.
I’m sure next episode is going to be brutal and since it’s out…I am going to leave this review here.
Did you enjoy the pacing of this episode? Why would a girl marry a traveler she just met who offered no dowry? Do you think something terrible will happen to Dororo, given the “I’m the only one who can be by his side” foreshadowing?
(Is it ironic the show mentions Banmon the one time I don’t?)
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Dororo 2019 episode reviews!
See you back here next Monday for another one!
次の巻: The Leaves Fall with Blood.
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