Season Two Ep 2 review

 

S2E2 is out, and I can declare wholeheartedly that I love it! Yay!

After my venting session for S2E1, I am glad to report that I truly love S2E2. Yes, I still regret the fact that the Momiji-gari trip (or the orchard date) was excluded from S2E1, and I think that decision is still a mistake. However, I am glad that the pampas grass and moon viewing scene is on (OMG the animation of the moon and the pampas grass was gorgeous!), complete with Ōdanna-sama’s naked chest… oh and Byakuya’s and Saraku’s as well!

Unfortunately, Ōdanna-sama was not standing on the ground. Instead, he was inside the onsen pool, and thus when Aoi came in with Chiaki-san, the Master didn’t scream and jumped right into the pool. I would’ve loved to see that actioned…

But other than that, I do love the build-up of Ōdanna-sama’s and Aoi’s relationship here. I love it that Ōdanna-sama teased Aoi about whether she wanted to skin-dip with him in the onsen, but then specifically asked Byakuya and Saraku not to tease Aoi about the marriage. Ōdanna-sama even said that he is willing to wait until Aoi is ready for the matrimony, however long it takes (within a human’s life span… and his own life span, I guess…).

Still on the Ōdanna-sama-related scenes, I love it that the rooftop garden (or rather, the loft garden underneath the roof) scene was retained pretty much intact. The annoying crow was there to disturb Aoi, and Ōdanna-sama rescued her in the nick of time. Ōdanna-sama’s farmer suit and hat are so cute. Particularly the hat, because it accommodates his horns! Ōdanna-sama showed his dear “my vegetable garden”, to which Aoi riposted whether he was really an oni. When he replied that he had legitimate oni credentials, Aoi jabbed again with “complete with your vegetable garden, right!”.  

I love their banters…

 

Ōdanna-sama also showed Aoi Ōgondōjisama’s mansion, which can only be viewed through the fountain. This mansion is the mansion that Aoi found herself in S1 when she was looking for some ayakashi children (who got lost when they were playing in the basement).

Then the most beautiful scenes, when Ōdanna-sama asked Aoi whether she despised him, and she practically said no, and although she sometimes wondered what her life would’ve been if he didn’t kidnap him to Kakuriyo, she was actually now happy there.

Ōdanna-sama then smiled and said “iwareta na…” or “ouch” or “touché”. So cute and… touché! 

Aoi later said that she had come to love everyone at Tenjin-ya, to which Ōdanna-sama said that, for him, Tenjin-ya is also a place to belong. If he doesn’t belong to Tenjin-ya, he has no place to belong anymore.

That is such a sad line, because we (at least readers of the light novel) know why he said that. Tenjin-ya is the place that Ōdanna-sama built from scratch with Ōgondōjisama, and it’s really his place to belong…

Aoi was wondering about how pensive Ōdanna-sama looked when he uttered those lines when the gorgeous oni attempted a close approach…

 

Only to abandon the effort moments later, resulting in the girl blushing like crazy!

 

Ōdanna-sama then said that Aoi didn’t have to worry, for he wouldn’t touch her without permission. When Aoi stuttered because she recalled the almost-kiss in S1E20, Ōdanna-sama apologised. He shouldn’t have touched her without her consent.

Sweet gentleman… I mean, gentle-oni…

Aoi though, was wondering why he had to apologise. In a normal situation, of course a guy making such an approach has to apologise if there was no consent. However, in Aoi’s situation, she actually didn’t mind if the kiss happened.

Anyway, then Ōdanna-sama proceeded by telling Aoi that he’d show her his vegetable garden. When Aoi commented that Ōdanna-sama didn’t like pumpkins (she knew it from Ginji-san), but he grew them anyway, he said that he just loves growing things, and he’d just give them away later. I bet some of the kitchen vegetables are also coming from the Master’s vegetable garden!

Then Aoi cheekily invited Ōdanna-sama to the “Halloween” pumpkin party, where she’d cook some pumpkin dishes to overcome his dislike of pumpkins. Ōdanna-sama consented with a sweat, which invited both of their laughter.

My sweet OTP…

 

I still miss Ōdanna-sama’s Season One appearance, but his charisma is showing more and more in this episode, which makes this fangirl happy.

Now let’s talk about other scenes. 

 

 

We learned about Kasuga’s backstory with Kiyo… which might have been told in light novel Vol 6, but TBH I cannot remember. It might be in Vol 8 as well, for all I know. I like it that Kasuga is marrying her childhood love, and because Kiyo as the Northern Land Hachiyo is very important in helping Ōdanna-sama’s case later, I do like it that Kasuga is married to the Northern clan soon. I do still wish that we have less Kasuga in E1 and instead we have the autumn leaf/orchard date…

Anyway. Ginji-san appeared as well with his request for the pumpkin festival. Ginji’s S1 appearance was hands down was more handsome than the S2 appearance (also the case with almost all male characters – except for Chiaki). However, S2 Ginji actually looks closer to Laruha’s character design for Ginji… (I still prefer the S1 design though). Ginji will be more prominent again in later episodes, particularly when the team was searching for Ōdanna-sama.

 

 

Next Saraku – which I grow fonder and fonder due to his nerdiness and braids and the general relaxed attitude. I am looking forward to seeing his wagon for the airship restaurant and also for his rocket which would make O-Ryō and Akatsuki almost throwing up (Vol 9 Epilogue).  And if we talk about Saraku, we need to talk about the Iron Mice – who is super cute despite the name! Super cute! Chibi (which didn’t appear this episode) has a contender!

Speaking of Chibi, will he appear in next episode, I wonder? In Vol 6 Ch 9, he was having a conversation with Ōdanna-sama about gardening before Aoi served him some pumpkin meals.

Next: Shizuna. I like it that Shizuna donned her lab coat in her lab, complete with glasses. She looked a bit different with the lab coat on, but I like it. Shizuna's lab work is very important because the medicine she's working on will help Ōdanna-sama's case.

Then circling back to Byakuya, who approved the Inferno Buns without hesitation. I am glad that Byakuya’s design has minimal changes from S1, hence at least there’s a degree of familiarity there. Since Byakuya will be prominent in the effort to rescue Ōdanna-sama, I am looking forward to seeing Byakuya again. Oh yeah, and to see him kicking Raiju’s ass as well (Vol 6 Ch 10)!

Speaking of Raiju, I bet we will see him in Ep 3. I don’t want Vol 6 to wrap up so soon, because it means that we will have only three episodes for Vol 6 – that is compressing 10 chapters into three episodes. I still think it’s crazy. However, if the reason is the lack of funding, I can only sadly understand… and wish that Gonzo and Makaria had better funding support…

(like, you know, collaborating with Kadokawa Sony for S2… because Kakuriyo belongs to Kadokawa anyway).

But anyway, so, we will have Aoi serving the pumpkin dishes to Ōdanna-sama in Ep 3, and thus the light kiss! Please Gonzo and Makaria, please retain the kiss! It’s very important please please please!

 

Particularly because I bet the pumpkin festival is at the first half of Ep 3 (where Ōdanna-sama should be kissing Aoi after giving her the Obsidian Key), and then there will be a lag where Ōdanna-sama is going to Yōto and henceforth went MIA.

 

Super fast pace, and I still don’t like it. However, as long as they retain the development of Ōdanna-sama and Aoi’s romance and give us the gorgeous Vol 10 Ch 5 rescue and kiss (Aoi kissing Ōdanna-sama instead!), this fangirl is still happy.

Oh, and I want more of Katsuyuki Konishi’s Ōdanna-sama song at the end. It’s way too short! It’s not hitting my heart the way Season 1 Ōdanna-sama theme song was, but hopefully if I listen more, I will like it better. Still, Season 1 has better songs to date… and I wish they can play those songs again in Season 2…

By the way, if you want to make a manju like Aoi did, follow this Kakuriyo recipe. The filling options are anko (azuki bean paste) and cream cheese. Yummy!