Season Two Ep 9 review

Again, sorry for the late review; I slept like a log last night after an intense week. However, the good news is, I love Ep 9! Since I didn’t read Vol 8 chapters related to this episode, I was in for many good surprises. Chief amongst them is of course the appearance of Ōdanna-sama’s oni form in Aoi’s dream (complete with the horns). It was but a mere few seconds, but Konishi Katsuyuki’s voice stopped me on my track and I froze, before I replayed that scene again! Such is the power of Konishi-san’s voice in portraying Ōdanna-sama!

However, that’s not the only pleasing surprises in this episode, so let’s go through it sort of chronologically. This review is also quite short because I don’t have the knowledge of the novel to compare the episodes with. Ep 9 covers Vol 8 Ch 1-3, though the intermissions (or conversations) between Kiyo and Kasuga when Aoi was not around were only alluded to.

First, Aoi et al’s winter clothes, of course, are very catchy! Although we only see Byakuya in the Ainu-inspired Northern garb in the first scene, it was enough to dismantle his façade and made us see that he was also able to adopt when necessary. Ranmaru’s choice of garb (the hoodie, still in Ainu patterns) is quite obvious, because he’s been living in the Southern Land forever, and the North might feel quite cold for him, even as a Komainu. Ginji’s light layer is the same with Byakuya, and I guess it’s because the Northeastern Land (Kimon, the Oni Gate) is the closest to the North, and these two ayakashi might have higher cold tolerance. Chibi’s new coat and hat are super cute, btw!

Then the One Piece – I mean pirate (!) – attack was a nice surprise element. It’s a shame we didn’t see how Ranmaru et al managed to fend off the pirates; I’d like to see more actions on that, actually. Speaking of, since one of the pirates (at least) is very cute, I’d say he (and his pirate group) might reappear again later as someone who Aoi helps and later will help Aoi etc.

Oh, and I just realised that Sasuke-kun was not in Seiranmaru. It means that, after eating the oden, Sasuke-kun went back to Tenjin-ya (or Yōto) for more missions...

The second pirate from the right is a cutie!

I am also wondering how Seiranmaru was still nominally functional after being the receiving end of three canon attacks… ayakashi psychic power, perhaps? But if they were attacked by ayakashi canons, surely it amounts to something? Or perhaps Ranmaru (and Byakuya) can easily repaire the damage, the way Ōdanna-sama extinguished the fire in one of Tenjin-ya’s airship in Yōto, back in S1E3 when Suzuran was chased by the kimono maker’s son.

Then we have Ginji transforming into his real form and taking Aoi with him to see Chiaki. I didn’t notice it earlier, but Carol commented about it on x hence I noticed it (thanks, Carol!). Carol also commented that Ginji's S1 form is very similar to Madara's form in Natsume's Book of Friends (and I totally agree). So yes, Ginji’s form here is different from Season One form. What do you guys think? I prefer S1 form, but it is indeed possible that Ginji has some versions of his ‘real form’. This form that we’re looking at might be the ‘female form’? It looks quite feminine to me with the red lips…

I certainly hope that Ginji will use his S1 real form when he and Ranmaru are fending off Raijū in Vol 10 Ch 6!

When Ginji and Aoi went through the underground passage and saw that yeti-like figure, I was thinking maybe that’s the true form of the original Northern inhabitants? Gosh, I don’t have time to check the orchard scene in early Vol 6, but a reader might be able to tell me how the villagers there were described. In Vol 9 Ch 1, Ōdanna-sama did say that the Setsuki and the Northern tribes were the original inhabitants of Kakuriyo before the current majority inhabitants came to Kakuriyo.

By the way, so that snowy tower in the S2 Spoiler is NOT the Clock Tower at the Literature Land (Bunmon)! I should've guessed, because the Bunmon Clock Tower is green, instead of white, and the number is not the Chinese number (the Bunmon Clock tower has Chinese numerics on it).

Also, the Southern mask that Aoi was wearing, that's Ginji's mask. But it also means that it was the very mask that Ōdanna-sama used to meet Aoi for the first time. 

The snow-woman at the inn is harsh, except around Chiaki (I think she has a crush on Chiaki!), and I honestly thought she was O-Ryō’s older sister! They have the same acerbic tones when talking! Ginji flushing when Aoi innocently suggested them to share the bed together with Ginji assuming the form of a fox puppy (or a kitsune child or a woman) is so funny!

I forgot that Chiaki is actually the SON of the Bunmon (Literature Land) Director… the way he spoke of the Director made me think that he’s but a distant relative… and that Chiaki is actually the BROTHER of the Minister of the Right. 

By the way, Minister of the Right (Udaijin) vs Minister of the Left (Sadaijin) are not about the left/right wing party here in the traditional sense; Minister of the Right (Udaijin) pre-Meiji era was the Junior Minister of State and the deputy of the Minister of the Left (Sadaijin). Taira no Kiyomori and Oda Nobunaga were famous real historical figures who also held the position of Udaijin during the Heian and Azuchi-Momoyama Periods, respectively. Still, of course they were very factional, and this “tradition” of conflict was also brought into the Kakuriyo politics. 

Speaking of politics, Chiaki-san said that both the Bunmon Director and the Minister of the Right considered that the preservation of the Hachiyō system and keeping Ōdanna-sama in office as one package. I like it that the translation said “in office”. I think I used “keeps the position as Master” or something like that in my translation, but “in office” is much shorter, so kudos for that. 

 

During the tram/train scene, I like it that the tram is powered by the snow psychic power; that’s very Kakuriyo. Ōdanna-sama’s surprise appearance in Aoi’s dream is such a welcome. As I said earlier, I really miss Ōdanna-sama, and Konishi-san’s voice, even just to say “Aoi” is truly powerful. I guess, to voice a Daiyokai like Ōdanna-sama, you need a powerful voice actor as well, eh, and Konishi-san is a well-done choice for that. 

I also love how Aoi hugged her pillow once she realised that she had a dream about Ōdanna-sama...

Edit 1 Dec'25: I checked Vol 8 Ch 2, and apparently when Aoi was sleeping onboard the train, she felt like she heard someone called her name in her sleep. However, it was not clear who called her in her dream. I like it that the team decided it was Ōdanna-sama who called her in her dream.

I do have to say it here now lest I forget: For Season Three, please return at least Ōdanna-sama’s height and HAIR to Season One design. Please, onegai! His S1 hair is like Byakuya’s – fluffy and quite full. However, S2 Ōdanna-sama’s haircut is terrible! I want his fluffy hair back!

Remember how fluffy Ōdanna-sama's hair was in S1?

...very similar hairstyle to Byakuya's, and I love it!

Okay, now let’s go to the Hyōri Castle. The castle design is very European, but I don’t mind that. It’s somehow fitting, considering how geographically close Japan and Russia is (where some of the designs were taken, I take it). Even the name “Lesak” sounds quite Russian. However, I like it that the kimono design remains Ainu (except for Lesak, but again, his garb somehow fits his edgy character). 

Moving on, I was surprised that Ranmaru and Byakuya emerged with their mellow-ish expression after the onsen session (I want onsen! I miss Japan! OMG OMG OMG!!!). Well, “mellow” isn’t really correct because both of them are still snarky towards each other, but at least they’re now working as colleagues! And Byakuya returned to his white kimono-hakama-haori combo now… I guess he wore the Ainu-patterned Northern kimono for the meeting with Kiyo then. I also found it very nice that Byakuya practically said that Aoi was his daughter (in-law), hence he sent her off for a short journey through the Underground Passage and also taking the tram/train.

A sad surprise that I had was that Kasuga’s relationship with Kiyo wasn’t as warm as I was expecting. I guess things change after years (decades? A hundred year?) of not seeing each other. 

Also it’s interesting that at this point, Kasuga said that the Literature Land Director (Kasuga's grandma) and the Minister of the Right (Kasuga's father) are still considering whether Tenjin-ya and Orio-ya are worth supporting. That’s crazy to think of it, since the Director was actually Ōdanna-sama’s university friend. However, since at this point even Kurogai Shogun and Zakuro (who were also Ōdanna-sama’s university friends) are turning their backs on Ōdanna-sama, that shows how precarious Tenjin-ya’s position here. 

Next, the meals laid out in front of Aoi looked sooo good; I saw my favourite salmon and shiitake there (cooking it with aluminium foil is the standard method in Japan now, but I prefer using baking paper as the wrap). Therefore, I almost screamed when Kasuga threw away some sardine dishes (I was like – what the heck are you doing, wasting food like that!), but the explanation about the poison was clever. As expected from Yūma Midori!

Anyway, so we saw Aoi using Seiranmaru’s kitchen to whip up a big pan of curry for Kasuga, but then of course the guys were also getting hungry again and wanted some too! That was quite funny, actually, particularly how Ranmaru just acted like he also deserved the curry.

I guess, after rescuing Aoi et al from the Silver Pigeons in Ep 8 and also fending off the One-Piece pirates, Ranmaru does deserve to be well-fed…

I do love it how Aoi and Ranmaru just bicker like siblings here...

On the curry front though, I guess Aoi just plunged the tuna at the end into the curry before serving it. Unlike meat, fish doesn’t take long to cook, and if it’s overcooked, it’s yucky. 

Anyway, so Byakuya is going back to Tenjin-ya in lieu of Ginji. I originally thought that Byakuya is better stationed in the North, but since negotiation with Kiyo is done, and Tenjin-ya is securing Kiyo’s gold stamp (with two meal-related conditions attached), Byakuya can return to Tenjin-ya to do damage control, since news about Ōdanna-sama being a jyaki will surely be printed anytime soon.  For that, we need Byakuya’s ruthless strategy to protect Tenjin-ya. 

I need someone like Byakuya in my team.

So then we have Ranmaru and Ginji protecting Aoi and Kasuga in the North. There is a chapter in Vol 8 about the conversation between the two boys, hence we might have it next week. I’m looking forward to it, because I haven’t read that chapter yet. Also, did I tell you that I prefer Hatori than Ranmaru in Ep 7? Yeah, true… but Ranmaru’s hunk factor is very high that it’s hard to resist him either, haha!

Edit 1 Dec'25: I skim-read the intermission between Ranmaru and Ginji, where Ranmaru again talked to Ginji about Aoi (Ranmaru can be such a noisy brother, but that's how he shows that he cares for his little brother Ginji, I guess). Anyway, Ranmaru asked how were things with Aoi, did Ginji still care for the girl? Ranmaru also commented how Aoi never talked about Ōdanna-sama, hence the Komainu wondered if she actually liked the Master at all. Ginji responded by telling how disturbed Aoi was when she realised that Ōdanna-sama might not be coming back to Tenjin-ya (back in Vol 7 Ch 1). Ginji then had a flashback about how Ōdanna-sama asked for his help when the Master decided to help Aoi. Ginji's flashback included the fact about the 'destiny-changing food' that Aoi ate... hence next week we might have a bit revelation there, and a bit more of Konishi Katsuyuki's voicing Ōdanna-sama during Ginji's flashback!

The last two positive observations: I love the little Japanese musical tones here and there in this episode. The conversation between Aoi and Kasuga - for instance - uses some shakuhachi IINM. Also, the winter-feeling ED is very lovely. Would be nice if Aoi always wears that blue kimono in the North, but it's expensive to animate; this series is not financially-backed by Netflix, after all...

This is always the best shot to - again - show how to properly draw a ladies' kimono...(including the emon wo nuku...), because, in some Ep 9 scenes, Aoi's and Kasuga's kimono were still incorrectly drawn

Next week, we will have Aoi whipping some tiramisu… which would be the souvenir dish that she creates for the North, I guess. The other dish – the dish that can only be enjoyed in the North – may be in Ep 11. Oh, and Aoi and Kasuga will be involved in a mountaineering accident or so… is that to obtain one of the ingredients? Is that next week or the week after?

I guess I am looking forward to Ep 10!