Check out last week’s episode twelve review here.
Hmm. I don’t know why, but I always feel like I’m missing something when watching this show. I don’t know if the story just jumps around a lot, or I’m just not smart enough to catch on. Either way, we’ve been watching this for thirteen weeks now, no sense in stopping now.
Let’s finish the remaining eleven weeks out with hopefully positive, conducive reviews!
So, it appears there was a sort of time skip. And during that time, Rin and Manji got even closer? It is unclear whether in that animation flash Rin kissed a sleeping Manji, or hugged him.
Giichi tried to buy Hyakurin’s freedom, but Kagimura Habaki would not allow it. I didn’t know that is who was employing them and forcing them to work off their debts, rather than dying. It was discussed, but maybe I just never connected the two together before. I’m glad Hyakurin dyed her hair back black, it means she is turning over a new leaf and leaving the trauma of the blonde-haired lifestyle behind.
It was also quite sad that when speaking to Rin, she simply mentioned that Shinriji “went home to be with his mom”. When Rin remarks how nice that is, Hyakurin agrees with a palpable sadness in her voice.
Rin has got to be the most careless anime character I’ve watched in a while. She has absolutely no perception of her surroundings, and even when she does it is to a very short degree. Hyakurin dyed her hair black, has a sprained wrist, and simply said “Shinriji has left us” before detailing where he might be. I don’t know if the two discussed Shinriji’s mother during their little sleepover episodes ago, but shouldn’t you be able to put at least two and two together and make a passable judgement with just that information?
Read between the lines and Hyakurin’s visible body language shift when that young man was brought up?
I mean, is it just me? I feel like I ask this each episode, but am I being too hard on Rin?
When she was training with the sword and could only slice the twig six times in the air, I thought that was some progress. Swords are actually heavy and if you aren’t used to it, your stamina and mobility would be limited.
…But then I remember that Rin supposedly trained two years to avenge her parents and again have to wonder what type of training she was doing. It sure as heck wasn’t mental, because her will is not strong. It wasn’t physical, because her body is weak.
…was it positive thinking? Was she training to see the positive in those around her, as to not cloud her world view? That I could understand. But she would also need to step up her ‘talk-no-jutsu’ skills if she would like to go that route.
Progress is progress, though. It’s not regression. At least she can now hold a sword, thirteen episodes in.
Good for Rin, I guess.
Changing gears, we saw The Greatest Anotsu Kagehisa burn the headquarters and his loyal servants scatter. I know they aren’t really his servants, but his equals of the Itto-ryu.
I wonder what happened to Makie, I didn’t see her there. Did she stay behind in that village? Did she die of her infection? We’ll never know I guess, unless she is mentioned or randomly shows up again. Well, not randomly…I guess she was keeping tabs on Kagehisa once she knew he was within the village. Or maybe her Kagehisa-senses were tingling. Who knows, it was unclear.
I enjoy a good mystery anyway. Vague storytelling doesn’t bother me. It may only be vague because I am unaddressed to the intricacies of Edo life. I only know a brief overview and then even still, maybe there are things being shown that only a Japanese would understand.
I wouldn’t know.
But I am enjoying this show, and it should be interesting to see what’s going on with Manji next episode.
Do you think Rin lacks perception? What is Kagehisa planning? Is Kagimura Habaki working for the Shogunate, or on his own accord?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Mugen no Juunin episode reviews!
次の巻: A Return to the Beginning
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