Tokyo Ravens – 08

These guys might give Kon a run for her money.

Well there it is, ladies and gentlemen! Everything you ever wanted to know about Touji and more!

Oni Touji

Touji: This is my angry face.

This episode basically took everything we thought we knew about Touji and blew it apart. Underneath that calm, cool, and calculating exterior lies a hot-headed idiot not too much unlike our very favorite Bakatora. I guess it makes sense now why they’re such close buddies. Aside from being together for so long, they’re actually just like each other personality-wise. The only difference is that Touji can hide his inner idiot under a poker face and isn’t nearly as ignorant as Bakatora. I find it a little silly that they had to use the “friendship overcomes everything” cliche to bring Touji back to his senses when he’s on the verge of giving himself over completely to the oni that’s possessing him, but I’ll let that one slide because I found the depiction of his compassion to be rather genuine.

A Real Oni

Apparently Kakugyouki can tower over others when he wants to.

With that out of the way, there’s quite a bit of speculation on my part that’s been debunked thanks to these recent developments. We know now that there’s nothing more to Touji than just a good, old friend. No strange and obscure connections to Yakou or his familiars, apparently. Which is fine, because honestly some of that speculah was pretty far-fetched to begin with. Instead, we’re treated to more of the real deal as someone whom I am pretty sure is the real Kakugyouki shows up again to guide Bakatora on his way. This rules out any possibility of anyone else being a reincarnation or host of the legendary oni, and leaves only our hero as a potential second coming of one of Yakou’s familiars. This is again getting into cheesy cliches, but it’s looking like Tokyo Ravens really will pursue the sort of destined relationship between Natsume and Bakatora as the reincarnations of Yakou and Hishamaru. Or of course it could still take the route that no one is a reincarnation and all of that is just bull, which I personally would be in favor of. There’s plenty more “making our own destiny” cliches to be had with that.

Spiritual Disaster Time

Finally a nice and friendly Divine General.

Returning to this episode, we meet yet another Divine General. This time it’s Zenjirou, the guy with the sword who we saw fighting a tree (yes, you read that correctly) briefly on TV in the premiere. Fortunately, he’s not one of the crazy ones, and actually helps keep the unruly Reiji in control with the aid of his two goofy tengu familiars. By the way I’m even more pissed off at Reiji now as the weight of his actions in letting the chimera go come into perspective. How do you seriously justify letting a potential disaster of such great magnitude slip through your fingers because you’re too busy bullying some children and provoking the temper of yet another potential disaster which has already been sealed and treated by an expert? This guy may have the walk to back his talk, but his talk just needs to change in any case.

Chihiro won’t be stopped.

Anyway, Zenjirou comes across as a really nice guy, but I’m deathly afraid for him because he’s partnered with the suspicious Atsune. I swear, it’s only a matter of time before the guy reveals his true colors and stabs Zenjirou in the back while the Divine General is preoccupied with exorcising the chimeras or protecting Natsume and Kyouko from said spiritual disasters. And speaking of Twin-Horned Syndicate sympathizers, I still can’t see the disheveled Chihiro as a real antagonist despite his unwavering determination to initiate a catastrophic spiritual disaster. He keeps mumbling about the now-deceased Chief Dairenji as if the guy were some sort of admirable figure, so I figure his misplaced loyalty to his former superior is being exploited by Douman. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if Chief Dairenji himself were unconsciously manipulated into causing the disaster two years ago.

Now that the mystery of Touji has for the most part been resolved, Tokyo Ravens moves on to tantalize us with Kakugyouki. The obvious question is: why is the former familiar of Yakou working with such unsavory characters as the Twin-Horned Syndicate. And the obvious answer to that is: merely because their interests align. For the moment. No doubt Douman has more in mind beyond kissing Natsume’s feet after brainwashing her, and I can’t imagine whatever it may be interests Kakugyouki. Most likely the familiar has some unfinished business with his former master and would like the chance to have a private chat to settle things. So perhaps his helping Bakatora this episode is a hint that he’s got his own agenda and might turn against Douman in due time. It would certainly be nice to see something go out of the ever-plotting guy’s control.

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