Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyo – 24 [END]

The end is just the beginning

Oh wow, it’s really the end of Nurarihyon no Mago season two. Time flies so fast. Well, at the last few episodes because surprisingly I ended up enjoying the end of Nurarihyon No Mago. Funny how in the beginning I just wanted to get over this, but now a part of me misses Rikuo already… :’<

Putting it into words, the last episode of Nurarihyon no Mago is not that long or complicated. Rikuo’s first counterattack against Seimei didn’t work, but he managed to survive Seimei’s attack because of his Hundred Night’s Parade supporting him. Rikuo and the rest are discouraged though because Seimei still remains unscratched from Rikuo’s second attack (which gave Rikuo and the rest lots of damage), until Seimei’s right arm rots and falls off. So, the second attack worked! Realizing that his body isn’t adjusted yet to this world, Seimei returns to hell with used-to-be-Hagoromo-Gitsune’s minions, including Ibaraki-Doji and Kidomaru.

Seimei’s unsuccessful attempt to raep–um, defeat Rikuo

Before her last breath, Yamabuki Otome takes one last glance at Rikuo, saying that if she had Rihan’s child, he would’ve looked just like Rikuo. Realizing the importance of Hagoromo-Gitsune to the non-Seimei peeps, Rikuo allows Kyokatsu Jr. to take Yamabuki Otome’s body. Kyokatsu Jr. has her sweet moment where she scolds her youkai friends, saying that Hagoromo-Gitsune will be revived someday. D’aawww. Determined to be stronger, Rikuo asks Nurarihyon to promote him as the Third Heir and asks Akifusa to create a sword stronger than Nenekimaru so that he can defeat Seimei. More d’aawww.

Sometimes memory is better than reality

Unexpected allies

Suddenly Rikuo is transported into the pineapple hair world, where he meets his dead father Rihan and hot version of Nurarihyon. Rikuo’s pissed because his fellow pineapple heads keep teasing him, but he then realized how nice it is to be with his grandfather and father. Before Rihan leaves, he calls Rikuo the Third Heir, indirectly passing the responsibility of the Nura Clan’s leader to him. After nodding confidently to Rihan, Rikuo wakes up and sees his mother’s face. Turns out everything is just a dream (at this point I’m blowing my snot already).

Don’t underestimate dreams. They’re meaningful when they want to be

The night comes, and Rikuo arrives at the main hall decked like a mafia while the rest are already waiting for him (decked like mafia minions too). Rikuo states the rules that he created: 1) He forbids harming of humans, and 2) He will not tolerate those who breaks Nura Clan’s code of honor. No matter what, the Nura Clan members should never lose their fears even when they’re losing. That is the kind of organization Rikuo, the Third Heir, wants to lead.

This is the start of the Third Heir’s Night Parade of a Hundred Demons

Extra Screenshots:

Rikuo’s Night Parade of a less-than-a-hundred Hundred Demons 

Suddenly the whole Hidemoto the 13th x Nurarihyon shipping business isn’t that hot anymore

Obligatory Wakana cuteness

Nura Clan’s Hall of Fame

Obligatory Tsurara x Rikuo

End Thoughts:

The most fabulous episode of all. This episode is mixing my emotions like a fruit punch with too many fruits combinations. I was tearfully in awe while feeling a little bit proud of Rikuo because of his promotion as the Third Heir. The end was satisfying, and I couldn’t have asked for more from Studio DEEN. Thank you so much for making the second season better than the first one, DEEN! See? You can do it if you try!

The fight against Seimei was pretty disappointing though. Not because of the typical animation for every JUMP fighto where everything just explodes and the next thing you know everybody falls down going “Aaahh!” Well, that’s one. The second is how everything ended… How do you say it? Too peacefully? Anti-climatically? Either way, the fight was a HUGE letdown. I don’t think it’s because how they’re trying to adapt with the manga faithfully, but I think it’s because the anime is emphasizing too much with the battle against Seimei. Honestly I don’t know how it ended up this way because I thought the main boss was supposed to be Hagoromo-Gitsune, and Seimei was supposed to be a side dish that’s to be served as a main dish in another arc.

But it’s forgiven since the animation was decent. And let’s face it, they’re trying to squish it so that it’s finished in less than fifteen minutes. It’s not as beautiful as Chihayafuru’s or as clear as Ouma Shu’s moments when he’s using the Void in Guilty Crown of course, but nevertheless, the details are pretty good. I totally love that moment when Rikuo was thrown onto the wooden floor, breaking a series of woods. I can’t help but pause at that scene then look at the broken woods. They sure are taking the little details into consideration at the last episode! I’m sorry but I just love looking at little details like that. I’m a sucker for small unnecessary things such as that. And those awesome sakura petals when Rikuo was dreaming? God I totally love that scene. The color was so pwetty I can’t help but gasp when I see it. Hell, the colors are pretty good in the last half this episode, especially that part where Rikuo was dreaming. It was definitely giving me eyegasm. The darker scenes (where it’s supposed to be at night or when the light is behind your back) are too dark though (as usual), but I’m tired of complaining about that. I’m not going to have that ruin my mood. Except that, Studio DEEN was doing a pretty good job at the last episode. Seriously, why can’t they do this in the first season?

I did mention that I was crying right? I was crying like mad when Yamabuki Otome died, and I was bawling when I saw Rihan’s reflection at the pond (and squealing at the same time, of course). Rikuo’s dream is obviously my favorite part because all three leaders are together, and Rihan NNNGGHH.  Dreaming or not, I was happy because Rikuo was able to spend some moment with Rihan. It breaks my heart every time I remember that Rihan is dead because he’s such a BAMF. That moment where Rihan called Rikuo the Third Heir is really deep, and I can feel the fatherly love Rihan has for him. The same goes for Yamabuki Otome when she caressed Rikuo. The future she imagined just shows how much she loves Rihan. It was just heart wrenching. Kyokotsu’s claim that Hagoromo-Gitsune will come back gave me a little hope though. Is there a chance of Yamabuki Otome/Hagoromo-Gitsune reviving? I’m not so sure about that since it’s already one thousand years for Hagoromo-Gitsune, but whatever. Anything is possible in anime. And this gives me a reason to ship Rikuo with Yamabuki Otome too.

One thing that bugged me in this episode is Minagoroshi-Jizo though. He was stabbed by Rikuo (Or was it Nurarihyon? Either way, he was stabbed), so why is he healthy like a horse in this episode? He was stabbed damn it! Blood was spurting from his chest! Even those katakana characters were flying out of him! Hell, I even checked Nurarihyon Wiki just to make sure whether he’s supposed to be dead or not. I even Google “Minagoroshi-Jizo’s death.” And yup, he’s supposed to be dead. So why is he alive here? Did the director forget that he was dying last week? Whatever the case is, I don’t like this. This is a big deal since he’s Sanmoto Gorozaemon’s eye, and Sanmoto Gorozaemon is the main villain for the next arc. I hope they can take care of this part properly in the third season.

Haha, I’m thinking of a third season already when they’re not even announcing about it yet. Will there be a third season? Although I’m not into the newest arc, but I really hope that there’s going to be a third season. I’m attached to Rikuo already. I’ve followed him even when he was a human in denial until now when he’s the Big Boss of the Nura Clan. I’m liking the character development of Rikuo, and I want to see how he’s going to be at the end of this series. It’s too bad that this show is slightly underrated. This show needs more love because it’s WORTH THE LOVE.

See you in the third season! If there’s any.