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I feel like Tokiyuki and Shizuku has an unique relationship in this show.
Feels like this episode serves as a development for Tokiyuki both personally and for her overall role. They threw in some jokes in between but this felt like an important episode. Yorishige is truly a trustworthy role model for Tokiyuki and he learns so much from him.
Yep. It's a shounen alright. This was the most post-fight/arc shounen episode ever. The first part at least, with poor Tokiyuki having to deal with Yorishige's demands of things that'll recover his "divine power".... sureeee lol.
Welp, at least the water from Shizuku worked like a charm and he got his powers back... how much we betting that he didn't even lose them in the first place.
In conclusion, Yorishige made the first sex doll, apparently.
My twink bf finally back we missed you last week Tokiyuki. Really good episode back after the break last week.
Lmao Yorishige had Tokiyuki out here looking like a freakazoid running all those errands in the first half of the episode. I’m pretty sure bro just wanted the eel to eat as a delicacy and he knew that wasn’t gonna restore his holy powers lol.
Speaking of which though, it was really cool to learn about how Suwa’s powers work and their connection to the land and the gods of the age. He might be a degen, but Yorishige does actually have powers and Shizuku’s demonstration was dope. There’s an entire unseen world that people are oblivious to, and as humans grow more and more, it disappears slowly. Kinda sad when you think about it
Getting to see the Ashikage brothers’ relationship was dope too. Tadayoshi and Takauji on the surface seem like they actually have a nice relationship, but Tadayoshi is growing increasingly alarmed with his brother’s descent into madness. That Buddha drawing was horrifying. So if we know gods and supernatural stuff do exist in this world, Takauji is probably possessed by a demon right?
Sweet end to the episode seeing the universe explanation for Lake Suwa’s recurring winter phenomenon and some fun in the snow. A nice worldbuilding episode with some good lore!
Lake Suwa's 'omiwatari', 'God’s Crossing', is large cracks that form in the winter across the surface of the frozen lake. It occurs when the ice surface stretches due to differences in temperature between day and night.
This was a very interesting episode am glad we got to see more of Shizuku. I wasn't expecting to learn that Yorishige basically invented the worlds first sex doll.
The strength of this anime is not about the animation quality (but it does have high quality animation) but the ability to play it in a non-traditional way. I don't like to use the word "surreal" because as we know, the future vision of this anime is actually "real" in our time, it just seems "surreal" at that time.
Yeah Yorishige sent out Tokiyuki on those errands simply because he was craving specific food and had a fetish to take care of but too bad it made Tokiyuki look like a pervert lol. At least Tokiyuki's retainers admire him so much that they looked past that misunderstanding.
The scene between Takauji and his brother with the buddha painting was a bit disturbing and I think the brother is realizing that Takauji has or is descending into madness. I gotta say that this show does a good job between having silly/comedic scenes and serious/disturbing ones.
While the divine aspects never existed (in real world) I enjoy his progressive perspective through future sight of the divine leaving their world, and that's not a bad thing. Also happy he cleaned up his mess and completely put the young lord in the clear as was simply completing tasking by his orders.
Takauji is terrifying while Tadayoshi is more based. I am curious whether Tadayoshi would ever betray Takauji, we know his "intuition" is not perfect, but it, plus whatever other demonic thing he got going on, is extremely strong and powerful. Tadayoshi is apparently extremely intelligence and though Takauji can't solve his plans, he can bypass them completely with his intuition.
5/5, was a lot of fun mostly and interesting. Wish the best!
Yorishige struggling to recover his divine powers. I'm glad he told Tokiyuki about losing them, asking for assistance in their recovery. A very solemn opening scene with the fallen soldiers at that village being buried. Something which Tokiyuki will have to do a lot of since he's going to be a general in taking his land back. Suwa owe a lot to the village and to Fubuki for helping them. Yorishige really needs his powers back if he is to help Tokiyuki win the coming battles. All the tasks that he had Tokiyuki doing to try and reclaim those powers were hilarious. Getting different kinds of food, making a life sized shrine maiden doll, getting holy water. Some crazy looking tasks that put Tokiyuki in a bad position with his retainers. They had some tasty thoughts about what he needed all that for. Yorishige taking the fall at the end of the episode was good recompense for making Tokiyuki look bad. Shizuku showing Tokiyuki the divine creatures was amazing, all their spirits protecting the shrine. They looked so beautiful for those few moments Tokiyuki could see them. Shizuku is very mysterious and I would love to know more about her. Yorishige speech to Tokiyuki about how this time period is so unique in allowing him to he a fugitive. In our modern times this would he extremely difficult since every place as been discovered and few mysteries remain about the land. He is exactly right, as humans become stronger gods become weaker. We become the masters of our own destiny instead of leaving it up the divine. Takauji is seeing the divine like Buddha as his prey, even his own brother can see something is very wrong with him. As they approach their clash with Tokiyuki
What a good episode!!! The direction of this anime is surreal and incredible!
Seeing a bit about Ashikaga brothers was great, their personalities and abilities, Takauji is an "unknown" that really exudes a unique confidence, something truly worthy of an ultimate villain.
Yorishige is actually an interesting being, despite the somewhat... peculiar requests lol
Learning about the deities and Yokais was also great. I enjoyed seeing all the flashbacks and historical allusions. I love this anime.
This was a very interesting episode am glad we got to see more of Shizuku. I wasn't expecting to learn that Yorishige basically invented the worlds first sex doll.
@Reecey91 If Grashros is accurate, he's still got someone that made a fleshlight thousands of years before, but I feel like virtually no one knows that manga. It's weird anyway
I can say Takauji's brother is more of a human and reasonable than Takauji could ever be. I mean guy seriously drew that and was hoping for appreciation from his brother.. jeez.
Transition episode, but I'd say Yorishige isn't setting a good example for a LOT of kids there xD
>as humans gets stronger then gods will become weaker
atheism wins? religions lose lol
@deg More like religion serves a particular function, especially in Far Eastern cultures like Japan. But I think you'd be hard pressed to find people in modern Japan that aren't especially old who legitimately believe in kami intervening or such. It's often just ritual behavior codified by tradition, Japan values that a great deal, though I'll admit the 4 affirmations seem to be tricky to source in Shinto: tradition and family, ritual purity, love of nature and festivals/matsuri.
A lot of shounen tends to emphasize the importance of unity in diversity, that human spirit that presses on in spite of difficulties, which Japan arguably embodies in their response to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings.
I never studied Buddhism in detail, but the chanting at the beginning makes me curious what funeral rites were being done. Nichiren Buddhism was fairly new at the time, but from what I could parse out, it sounds like they were chanting the Lotus Sutra, but not 100%. It could've been a Shinto rite, even though Buddhism tends to have the association more often with practices relating to burying the dead, etc.
That was very entertaining watching Tokiyuki do all those tasks for Suwa.
At least it all worked out in the end.
Those scenes with Shizuku were pretty cool.
Not going to bother trying to understand that ending scene.
Welp, there goes Tokiyuki's reputation... and Yorishige's too with that S&M treatment. Ha, now that's karma. It was pretty hilarious seeing the first-ever sex doll in action though, plus how the retainers were still supportive despite their Lord's (alleged) perversion.
On another note, I'm really enjoying Takauji as a villain from what little we've seen. He's very interesting with his relaxed demeanour, which contrasts a clearly demonic nature. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some divine powers himself, given Tadayoshi's reactions to the Buddha painting.
Ah, and although that "Gods weaken as humans develop" take isn't anything new for these stories, it's still effective narrarively. Like how everything which was once worshipped long ago can be scientifically explained in our glorious modern age.
Anyway, it's kinda refreshing to have more of a light-hearted episode today. I'm sure it'll pick up again as we near this season's end.
Tokiyuki finally knowing of Yorishige's curse that he now doesn't know of the future, the latter entrusting him for what's to come, it's quite the vital importance.
Yorishige having Tokiyuki to get him eel to regain his powers, it's more like he's just hungry for the umami flavour lols. Even with Alpine leek, it's not doing the trick either, and Tokiyuki having to forage for shrine maiden attire to create a life-sized scarecrow for the ritual...which got everyone thinking that he's a pervert running all of the erratic errands. With some water in the Suwa faraway lands though, the hopes of regaining powers is of essence, and is also where Shizuku does her Kagura Dance as a prayer to the gods. The kiss to impart the holy power to see divine beasts though, Shizuku sure is being cheeky about that, but it's a reassurance that Yorishige's holy power is just weak.
Takauji wanting his brother Tadayoshi to help him forward the Kamakura Shogunate to establish the Ashikaga name far and beyond, they're not dubbed the brain and brawn brothers for nothing. The drawing of the Buddha certainly has the latter captivated, because the overwhelming predatory nature of the former certainly will create a riot for what's about to come with the conflict of the Ashikaga brothers against Tokiyuki within the year and half thereafter. And as times change where divine powers and strength matter, this is their only one life and one period to use it to the fullest.
Haha lols, Yorishige is free...maybe too free for shticks.
Might actually just be the funniest and best-structured non-battle episode so far
The recurring gag with Tokiyuki doing errands for Yorishige is brilliant, the doll making the rule of three in comedy leading to a big misunderstanding among his retainers. This humor subsides with the serenity and lore drops with Shizuku's scene, and the real talk and almost meta-commentary with Yorishige later on continuing the themes of divinity working with his future vision as a retrospective for being written in the 21st century, after all.
It balances humor and seriousness well, cause they're both just strongly written. Whenever Takauji is on the screen, the scene's always have a tense feeling no matter how lighthearted he seems. I was on edge during the entire conversation he had with Tadayoshi. Also the last scene where Yorishige really was just a freak. damn.
Now that Takauji and Tadayoshi joined their forces upon dominating the Kamakura shogunate, Lord Tokiyuki would need to come with a better plan. Even though those brothers are so different in their geniuses, they still get along very well and colaborate.
I believe Yorishige Suwa is more pervert than Tokiyuki, that doll ritual was a bit odd😂
Amazing scene with Shizuku and Tokiyuki back there, where they got to see the Beasts and pray to them for a better world.
The misunderstanding oof and that ending with Yorishige lmao. Shizuku's so cute btw and we got a look in the supernatural. Didn't think the spirits would look golden, I had thought it would look more colorful.
deg said: >as humans gets stronger then gods will become weaker
atheism wins? religions lose lol
Religion, in my opinion, is just a tool used by humans for things they couldnt explain... The more humans started understanding the "science" behind things, the less effective religion became. You still see flat earthers now and then. Its something like that....
deg said: >as humans gets stronger then gods will become weaker
atheism wins? religions lose lol
Religion, in my opinion, is just a tool used by humans for things they couldnt explain... The more humans started understanding the "science" behind things, the less effective religion became. You still see flat earthers now and then. Its something like that....
Oh my god, so you know that part about a divine storm sinking the mangolian army? That was specifically about hojo tokimune (yes same hojo as tokiyuki, tokimune is his ancestor) who famously was leader when the Mongols tried to attack Japan but kept getting sunk cause they kept attacking during monsoon season and so hojo tokimune is well regarded leader because of it lol
I liked the winter scenery in this episode. Shizuku is so adorable. So is Tokiyuki holding that bamboo piece... what are they trying to tell us
Are we summoning Yokai?
These two brothers who overthrew the Hojo, are going to take over Kamakura- I thought the Buddha drawing and the reference to demonic power was interesting.
Multiple references to Japan's conquerors beginning to see themselves as more powerful than religion itself. There is an unspoken warning that by trying to become more powerful than [God] is destined to bring calamity to humans.
Shizuku finally got to show off what she brings to the party with her Miko powers. Loved it. I love how the supernatural is handled in this show overall; the creator clearly has a firm understanding of both history and mythology.
Dukino said: Yorishige struggling to recover his divine powers.
This here is part of it: It is clearly established that even despite certain characters having uncanny fighting ability, speed, or vision, prophecy is the realm of the gods and man must be in tune with them to bridge it.
AkeZZZ said: Lake Suwa's 'omiwatari', 'God’s Crossing'
I'm glad they included that detail since it's in the region.
Lake Suwa is quite beautiful, even in Summer. During the time the show is set in, this lake would have been notably larger.
deg said: >as humans gets stronger then gods will become weaker
atheism wins? religions lose lol
Religion, in my opinion, is just a tool used by humans for things they couldnt explain... The more humans started understanding the "science" behind things, the less effective religion became. You still see flat earthers now and then. Its something like that....
V1P3R0P said: Religion, in my opinion, is just a tool used by humans for things they couldnt explain... The more humans started understanding the "science" behind things, the less effective religion became. You still see flat earthers now and then. Its something like that....
This is a common misconception of religion; it was not a concern whether or not people understood in the past, especially not the common man; that's for the intermediary between to concern with. (shaman, pontifex, etc)
Religion is how man relates to the divine, the astral realm, fate, prophecy, the supernatural, and more importantly how mundane laws and rite should be properly conducted in accordance to higher realms, so as to live in harmony. It is much more encompassing than just being a way to rationalize life.
And of course, right after the best episode comes the worst episode so far...
This show always amazes me with how they consistently follow up the best with the worst.
It is unironically impressive!
Oh my god, so you know that part about a divine storm sinking the mangolian army? That was specifically about hojo tokimune (yes same hojo as tokiyuki, tokimune is his ancestor) who famously was leader when the Mongols tried to attack Japan but kept getting sunk cause they kept attacking during monsoon season and so hojo tokimune is well regarded leader because of it lol
@Metrona
One of the anime depicting this event is "Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki" [2018].
It focuses on the encounter battles on the front lines, though it tells us little about the response of the Kamakura Shogunate HQ, which was separated by 1,200 kilometers east of sea and land.
The events took place 60 years before the time of Tokiyuki. Houjyou Tokimune is his great-grandfather.
It's surprising that not a few people are interested in a mourning scene that seems so boring from a Japanese eye.
The Buddha drawn by Ashikaga Takauji was Jizou Bosatsu (Ksitigarbha in Sanskrit).
He holds an orb in his left hand, and his right hand is shaped like a "rock and roll" sign 🤘 (said to be an intimidation against demons and evil spirits).
Although the deities originated in India, in Japanese folk belief, he is united with the guardian deity of travelers and paths, and with the god of protection against incoming plagues and evil spirits. Statues about one meter high made of stone can still be seen standing by the roadside today.
Furthermore, the legend of protecting the spirits of children who died before their parents from the bullying of Oni added the attribute of a guardian deity for children. He is called "Ojizou-sama" and is one of the closest Buddhas to secular beliefs. Because of these attributes, he is believed that the most suitable for avoiding traffic accidents which involves children. So the statues were erected in increasing numbers during the age of motorization and are still cherished today, offering sweets like children prefer and having red slobber coats worn.
In the girls' soccer anime "Sayonara Watashi no Cramer," there was a player nicknamed "Jizou," whose inability to be active on the field was likened to a stone statue.
In the ep. #09, the statue in the chapel house has a characteristic halo. It's of Amida Nyorai. He sometimes has attendant Buddhas on either side. But in the chapel, there was only one Buddha on his left. She is Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara). Probably, just one additional was available for a poor village.
I don't have enough knowledge to hear and determine the sect from the sutra intoned in the funeral scene. However, I believe that it would be one of the Joudo-shuu, Joudo Shin-shuu, Tendai-shuu, or Shingon-shuu sects, as long as the villagers have been cherishing Amida Nyorai. In fact, it is consistent with the top four demographics of contemporary Buddhist believers in the Suwa area.
I think we can rule out the possibility that it was Nichiren-shuu or Hokke-shuu sect.
As I have written before, the above-mentioned four sects recommended "nenbutsu," the recitation of Amida Buddha's name "Namu Amida-butsu" (I devote to Amida Buddha), to pray for salvation. Nichiren-shu made sutras the object of faith, and among sutras, they claimed that only the "Renge-kyou" (Lotus Sutra) is the truth, and recommended the practice of "Daimoku," in which the name of the sutra is recited as "Namu Myouhou Renge-kyo" ("I devote to the Lotus Sutra"). Nichiren, the founder, also bitterly criticized beliefs inclined toward Amida Buddha. Nichiren always manifested his awareness of the several crises that will fall upon the Japanese nation, and throughout his life he continued to provoke the authorities and other sects with his radical words and actions. As a result, there were intermittent periods of suppression and exile, and the power of Nichiren-shuu did not expand among the people during his lifetime.
The modern Nichiren-shuu has increased its lay followers since about 100 years ago and has more followers outside Japan than any other sect. Its roots are in the Nichiren-shuu in the Kamakura era, but it should be noted that they are doctrinally disconnected from each other and not actually in a relationship of succession.
Note that Buddhism and Shinto (in this case, the faith of Suwa-taisha Shrine) are completely different religions, but for a layperson, there is no particular problem with believing in both as long as there is no conflict in doctrine (this is also strongly related to the religious views of the general Japanese people today. Christmas is the most important event.) There are, however, some unique exceptions that have resulted in the mixed belief systems of Shinto and Buddhism (syncretism).