Check out last week’s episode twenty review here.
Hmph. I feel like a lot happened this episode, but at the same time nothing at all.
Maybe it’s because I’m half sleep and desire to edit this in the morning, but none of this really made sense. Since we are towards the end, can I just say that sometimes this series feels like a revolving door of characters?
Characters that are oftimes introduced and built up to be something special, only to die off screen before the next episode’s credits can even roll. Or, they are introduced to be threats, only to appear randomly each time as needed.
Then the character disappears back into the abyss until there is trouble and they are permitted screentime again.
Let’s take Rin for example. At this point, she’s kind of like the terminator of anime. She always comes back. With the exception of the Manji rescue mission arc in Edo with Doa, nothing bad has happened to her. You know, aside from the whole brutal murder of her father and the rape of her mother right in front.
Yes, I know Rin has mental anguish and PTSD. Compared to a Hyakurin type of character though, she’s gotten off scot free. Even Habaki’s random pair of kunoichi have gotten into worse tussles than Rin. It’s not that I want to see harm come to her, but I just want something to…stick? I guess?
A consequence for being too naïve and trusting so that she may change her behavior in the future.
Although, judging by the determined look in her eye when speaking to Renzo, she may already have.
But at the same time, is Renzo that much of a joke that no one took his ‘threats’ seriously? And what type of life has Renzo led that he cannot tell the difference between Shira and Manji? I have to question just how sheltered the boy has been. To be quite honest, although this may not be nice to say, if they really wanted to break him…they could have just told him the truth.
Renzo is currently too mentally unstable to handle it. He would have had a breakdown and the threat would have been eliminated. I’m not sure why everyone is trying to protect him, or rather tolerating his presence. Or why he wandered into their camp, despite it being winter.
How can you attempt to murder two people, watch your current master be eaten alive by dogs, then decide to go sit by the hot pot and talk about your revenge when you have yet to know the reason behind it?
I did like Magatsu’s suggestion to Renzo though: find out who the Itto-ryu are and if you still want revenge, Manji will be around. Renzo has his whole lifetime to figure out his weak stomach for revenge. Will he do it? Who knows.
It was interesting seeing Habaki’s bastard realize that her father doesn’t care for her, and only wants to keep her alive for her blood. She is only a reminder that he existed on this earth. Nothing more, nothing less. If we didn’t need another reason to dislike Habaki…
Oh well.
The Itto-ryu are dropping like flies, and it seems like aside from the new recruits, The Greatest Anotsu Kagehisa is still alive. Although, his days seem numbered.
Are Magatsu, Habaki’s kunoichi, Rin and Manji all enemies if they frequently fight for the same cause? Hasn’t the time yet passed for Habaki’s seppuku? What do you think was in that hotpot?
And Seriously – why didn’t Renzo take up the mask painting profession?
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次の巻: A Gaze Toward the Sea
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