Uchouten Kazoku – 11
No matter how things look now, you know these two will get theirs…
Uchouten Kazoku continues to be everything you could ask for in storytelling, and even though this was, in essence, the second act of a three act story, it did far more than just set up for the final piece next week. So what went on this week?
Out of the Frying Pan
Not exactly the friendliest gesture
We were fearing for Yasaburou’s future when the Ebisugawa goons had him surrounded. But we have an intervention from the big wild card from the show, Benten. It’s pretty inevitable that she would help Yasaburou… some. She’s not interested in fixing everything for him, and she still seems to be looking forward to the yearly tanuki hot pot.
Never forget who’s in what position in this show
And Yasaburou, in more mood to argue than usual, takes her to task a little bit for her callousness, even reminding her that she is human when she calls herself a tengu. But I don’t know if human is any better, since as has been shown repeatedly, humans are far above both tengu and tanuki as far as the food chain, both figuratively and literally. Yet, she’s willing to at least give Yasaburou some information, and get him out of a jam.
And Back Into the Fire
I was surprised they could pull this off
Unfortunately, Yasaburou gets himself right back in. What he thinks is a sacred gift is really an actually clever plot from the idiot brothers, Ginkaku and Kinkaku (although Ginkaku is SUCH an idiot that his job is to be a wall covering, even though he’s the decorations for the whole store). I thought the naming of the episode, “Back in the Game” was a reference to Yasaburou escaping Soun at the beginning, but here the tables are turned with the same phrase, gleefully repeated by Kinkaku. Unfortunately, this leads to perhaps the worst part of the episode, Kinkaku getting scolded over the phone when he tries to call Kaisei. It seemed a bit too much plot convenience for Kinkaku to call her right then, giving up their location and situation.
Their paws are so cute like that
Also in a bad way are Mother and Yaichirou, who are both in the clutches of Soun. And Soun tries to play it cool, offering up more than one tanuki to Jurojin, one of the Friday Fellows who represents the god of longevity (and is a really old man), but when he mentions taking both Yaichirou and Mother, Soun quails, unable to give up his former love (and apparent crush). This part had a bit of a Severus Snape feel to it, and Soun doesn’t really come off any better than Snape did (even if Harry Potter did think that Snape was redeemed, nobody else did). Soun is still terrible, and even threaten’s mother’s life if Yaichirou tries to escape, after he’s said he couldn’t get rid of her. Mother, in true motherly fashion, tells Yaichirou to run if he gets the chance, not worry about her. And I think it’s clear that if Soun is the future of tanuki society (as he claims to be), it’s a bleak winter ahead.
How can a cartoony animal carry so much emotion?
But All is Not Lost
Kaisei gives Yashirou the Alley-Oop
You knew that Kaisei would play a role, didn’t you? Of course, it’s not too major, but she’s the brains behind Yashirou’s escape attempt, and giving the little guy credit, he was investigating and trying to get out. It was even his attempts to find a way out that let Kaisei learn he was there. And being fairly certain that she’s the focus of the goons, she launches Yashirou away to save Yasaburou. But what can the smallest Shimogamo do?
What will Yashirou decide?
We didn’t get a conclusion to the story yet, but we did get a lot of progress. And we’re finally in the current story, one that is playing out in front of us, rather than someone else’s remembrance. The question is, who still has a part to play? If you haven’t yet, I would really suggest you don’t watch the preview for the next episode, as it’s pretty spoilery, but there are quite a few characters that could still play a part: Yodagawa with second thoughts, Yashirou, Yajirou, Yakushibou, even Benten could return in her enigmatic way. But as always the story is being told with care and craft, and I’m definitely looking forward to next week’s episode (there are two more in the series).
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
this keep getting more “hmm” to watch give already conspiracy is one thing yet all this happen.
cause evil uncle doing cause he was once want his brother’s wife yet him & those smugy faces twins give one of them wearing a (bleepin) METAL DIAPER trying to screw main family?!
well at least kaisei is only white sheep who want help main family & that you “preview spoilers” cause what happen next all aboard.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Kasai’s Alley-oop, made me woop.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
So Benten has interfered in Soun’s plans in a small way. Perhaps she’ll yet interfere in a big way as I’ve thought for some time. And even Soun surrounded by his thugs isn’t stupid enough to take her on. Just how scarily powerful is she?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Benten is far beyond anyone else in the show in terms of individual conflict power and social power she can bring to bear. She has the Friday Fellows, a semi-secret society that certainly has social influence. She has the Kurama tengu, a group of relatively powerful beings. And she has herself, a beautiful woman with a sometimes capricious nature, and a tangible power.
Sure, she may not hold up against the army or even the police, but apart from that, none would oppose her lightly.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
The Friday Fellows and the Kurama tengu weren’t there. Yet Soun still feared to tangle with her. She’s not just the most powerful being in the show–she must be immensely powerful and as you said she’s capricious. That makes her even more frightening.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
No, they weren’t there at the time, but Soun is not so stupid as to think there wouldn’t be lasting repercussions if he were to butt heads with her, and a lot of that comes from the influence she wields not just in raw strength but in economic and social power. Soun is trying to be a businessman with the Fake Electric Brandy, and the consequences of tangling with Benten to that business and his family would be far reaching.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I can’t believe the idiot brothers, Ginkaku and Kinkaku managed to set a trap for Yasaburou of all people. For them to actually have their brains in use, they must be desperate. There’s no end to the pity I feel for Kaisei being born into such a rotten family. I can bet she resents herself to an unfathomable extent.
Benten’s talk with Yasaburou piqued some interest. She, seemingly in a proud way, called herself a tengu so I’m wondering if she ever had a problem with being a regular human. She was abducted after all.
What I hope for the end is that a switch is made and Soun ends up in the hot pot instead of Yaichirou. There should be a limit to how evil a person can be and Soun is so dispicable it makes me seethe a bit whenever I see him. And he should give up on the mother’s affection. There’s no point in fighting for someone who doesn’t want you especially when you’re bullying her own children. That’ll grant nothing but lifelong hatred.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Yes. Sending her husband and one or more of her sons to the hot pot is hardly the way to win Mom’s affection. But Soun is so despicable that he might not care if he doesn’t have her love and is willing to settle for having her body.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Except that he’s supposed to be married, and it would be problematic for him to be a philanderer. I think it’s just general affection for her, that he couldn’t see her be killed.
I don’t need anyone to be eaten for a satisfying show. Really, if Yaichirou and Yasaburou get out of this, Soun (and Kinkaku and Ginkaku) will be completely disgraced anyway such that they will likely be shunned from tanuki society.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The issue with Soun and Mother, I think, demonstrates his desire to have, but not earn, to take, but have no right to it. And with that sort of situation, the prize becomes empty before long.
POWUH: 700-799 and Parkouring Fanboy with 776 comments
Oh god, this was one of my favorite episodes of anything in a long time. I knew the story couldn’t possibly have Yaichirou just get taken without a struggle – that would be boring – but it sure seemed like it might be headed that way when Yasaburou got captured. Setting up the hopeless situation of all the family members (except the frog) captured, then the glimpse of hope as a sequence of lucky coincidences went their way, resulting in Kaisei saving Yashirou and sending him off to save Yasaburou, now having to conquer is own demons to save his brothers… it’s so much fun. Stories like are at their best when everyone is pushed to their limits, when just a single wrong bounce or second of hesitation means disaster. I wasn’t a huge fan of recent episodes, but the way things are paying off now, it was all worth it. Can’t wait for next week.