Tokyo Ravens – 12
That doesn’t look wrong at all.
This week on Tokyo Ravens: the gang goes on a field trip! Actually it’s supposed to be a “training camp” since they practice using their quasi-familiars, but it might as well be just another field trip.
Bakatora no more?
Surely he knows now…
That’s right. At long last, it looks like Bakatora might be able to shed his name of shame and graduate back to Harutora proper! This doesn’t come easy, of course, as it takes a perfect storm of scheming by other parties before we get the “aha!” moment at the very end. It starts with the training camp, during which the gang observe Natsume controlling a quasi-familiar almost too perfectly. Then Touji comes along and attempts to recruit Suzuka (smart move for the smart guy) to fend off any potential Yakou fanatics in the future. This fails temporarily, but Suzuka is instead bounced over to Kyouko, who finally does something useful by using some onsen “skinship” and the love card to “convince” Suzuka to approach Bakatora. If you hadn’t noticed, the child prodigy has kind of grown fond of our dull hero, but feels guilty for “killing” Hokuto. Combine all this, along with testimony from the never-more-useful Kyouko that the only person she knows who can pull off a Hokuto is Natsume, and suddenly Bakatora is starting to really consider the idea that Natsume might have been closer to him for far longer than he had thought. The final nail in the coffin comes during the bus ride back, when he takes a closer look at the ribbon (the very same ribbon he won for Hokuto in the very first episode) she’s been wearing for nine episodes now. NINE EPISODES! Took you long enough to notice!
The Professor
I’ll shove it down your throat~
This episode also brings a plethora of new information that makes clear several things I’ve been wondering. Yes, we already knew that a Dairenji was responsible for the last great disaster. Now, this culprit is stated for fact to be “The Professor”, Suzuka’s now-deceased father. And then comes the interesting bit. We knew the disaster he caused was oni-related thanks to Touji, but it is specifically revealed that he literally summoned an oni into his own body. Quite unlike the near-disaster we witnessed a few episodes prior in which Chihiro had only to piggy-back off the practical exam to rile up a pair of chimera that sort of materialized out of the spiritual streams. But we’re not done yet. Papa Shidou died somewhere along the line (presumably he couldn’t handle the oni or the Divine Generals got to him), so that very same oni then went on to possess -you guessed it- Touji. Going back to episode seven in which the chimera disaster began, Chihiro’s reaction to spotting Touji makes so much more sense now. Now that’s the kind of foreshadowing and consistency that gets my juices flowing.
The fabled Raven’s Wing.
Anyway, Suzuka further reveals that a lot of the information she’d obtained about Yakou came from a report written by a Saotome Ryou, who used to be her father’s subordinate in the Spirit Department. I guess having closed the lead on Shidou (the guy’s long gone besides the memento he left Touji), Tokyo Ravens saw fit to open up a new one. Which is just fine; they have to keep the intrigue up somehow. The only clue we have on this Saotome Ryou is that the guy is clearly still around and questonably one of the good guys, since Jin speaks as if they are acquaintances. Maybe he saw what Shidou was up to and jumped ship before the Professor took the Spirit Department down with him? I would certainly like for him to be on the gang’s side, since apparently he is quite knowledgeable. Knowledgeable enough to know that the legendary Yakou’s legendary coat, dubbed Raven’s Wing, is hidden somewhere in the school while the one sealed in the Onmyoji Bureau is only a replica. That much info suggests to me that perhaps Saotome might be an insider in the Bureau currently. Which is good. Oh, and about that coat. Supposedly it can reveal if the subject wearing it is Yakou’s reincarnation. Quite the convenient bit of hocus pocus, but perhaps there will be some catch to it or that rumor might be false all along. Although it is supposedly straight from the mouth of the veritable Saotome.
Extras
So yeah, the possibilities are endless with this new lead. Saotome could be anything from a strong ally to a trap laid by Douman (one of those pawns he mentioned beforehand). Knowing the crafty villain has already installed one of his men as an insider, I wouldn’t put it past him to have another ace in the hole feeding the good guys false information. Who knows? Maybe the Raven’s Wing could be used to forcefully awaken Yakou’s soul or maybe it possesses some part of Yakou’s soul which will then go on to possess the wearer, thus making it a self-fulfilling prophecy sort of thing if Natsume gets around to trying it on. Which would suck, so I hope that doesn’t happen and is not the case.
About Sumairii
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
I wonder who the mysterious, quasi-silent girl who loves sniffing Kon’s tail and wearing oversized uniforms is.
No Tokyo Raven’s next week due to Japan’s New Year specials, but they’ll be back the week after.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Yeah, I also have a hard time placing that senpai. She’s just made out to be so strange that the only thing we can say about her is “she’s strange”.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, it will be back like around the second week of January. At least we’ll see a whole bunch of new OPs when the second halves of Fall’s two cours shows start playing. I wonder if the new OP for Tokyo Ravens will be as good or better than the first one.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
The Tokyo Ravens author, Kouhei Azano, has confirmed via Twitter that the anime will cover 9 out of the 10 LN volumes currently released.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Whoa. That must be good news to the LN readers, though the fact that they are still ongoing means we won’t get a “proper” ending anyway. Hopefully 8-bit can do a decent job wrapping up though.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
So this is the second anime this season based on a LN that’s taking up a huge number of chapters to be animated.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Those must be really short books. Or they’re cutting out tons. I still go back to the DxD anime: 2 novels per cour.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Index did seven books and side stories in the first 2 cour, and the same in the next two cour. Hard to tell on balance really.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Well this isn’t saying much, but I guess the thing to take away is this sort of metric probably varies wildly from case to case.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
As long as it is cute, gender doesn’t matter. Kon-chan~~~
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Loved how shrewd Harutora was with her to that third year.
Bribing with Kon probably work on anyone. XD
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Rent-a-Kon. Fluffy shippo!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Great episode.
It nicely sets up the future narrative and intrigues while providing good relationship development on multiple fronts. I totally agreed that Kyouko was great this week, from being a good counter to Suzuka to being the driving force needed to have Haru realize the truth about Natsume.
Speaking of Suzuka I like how that she been surprisingly considerate of Natsume despite her own feelings. She’s really started to open up to the rest of cast with this episode and with the vital information she revealed has already become a dependable ally. Thanks to that and Touji’s initiative our intrepid heroes are much less in the dark about their situation and enemies. Oh, her utter embarrassment at the end was way too cute!
Ofcouse the biggest thing here is that Haru has finally caught on Hokuto’s fabled master. Now with this development how their relationship from now on will be effected should be interesting to see. Either way I can’t wait for the 2nd half to start! Gonna miss the old OP though.
BTW, Sumairii did you know that man who came to see the principal was Natsume’s father? Yukikaze who he lent Miyo during the second Twin Horn incident was his shikigami.
Oh and also some good news you might be interested in when the show is over. LN are now being translated at Baka-Tsuki! It’s still considered a teaser of sorts now but 3 chapters have already been in 2 days. It most likely turn into a full project soon. Hopefully if you still like really TR by then it might not be a bad idea to give a read when you have time.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Yup, I did in fact notice that. And from what I understand, Bakatora’s father is his familiar, which is only appropriate enough.
I’ve never read LNs before, but I think I might invest some time in them in the future. Tokyo Ravens included, ofc.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Actually Harutora’s dad isn’t his familiar, Miyo was refering to something else. lol
The only person he was checking up on was Touji.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Actually you’re right, but he is Natsume’s father familiar in the same sense Harutora is Narsume’s.
I.e not in the literal sense, but a symbolic one in the Tsuchimikado tradition.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Yeah, that’s what I figured. =)
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It’s sublime if primary sources are trustworthy.
Wow, yeah, it did take the brick long enough to put it all in one brainspace. I guess we can give him some breaks. He’s been pretty much assaulted at every opportunity since episode one. He’s probably a bit soft in the noodle.
The background is just so juicy. I loved how the possibility is open that the Raven’s Coat is in the Academy. First, keep it hidden, keep it safe. And second, if the one in the Headquarters is not known to be a fake, then whomever could use it, and get a false positive.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
This episode was alright but not as entertaining as last week’s. The bright side was the compelling conversations between the characters. Looks like Suzuka does like Harutora but the fact she’s holding back, other than being tsundere, because of a damaged familiar feel silly.
Harutora is an odd one. If Hakuto was a controlled familiar, doesn’t that mean his feelings actually go to the one who was controlling her? Assuming the one behind it is a girl since a familiar is basically the puppeteer’s representor. Besides, I can’t see anyone still being affectionate towards someone who wasn’t real to begin with after the truth got out.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Ofcourse he does, nothing in this episode changes that but Harutora is assuming the person behind the familiar has the same personality. So liking Hokuto would still be the same as that said master due to those traits.