Uchouten Kazoku – 12
Just marveling in the art of Uchouten Kazoku
What chance does Yashiro have at trying to save Yasaburou? Is he really going to storm in, or will he come up with another idea that will work better?
Circularity
Open your mouth and close your eyes…
Once again, I liked the circularity that Uchouten Kazoku continues to show, with this time it being represented by the ping-ponging of the catch phrase of the last two episodes: “Back in the Game!” I found it funny, tho, that this got less significant each time it was used, the final time with Kinkaku and Ginkaku using it while they were still stuck in the cage inside Yajirou’s Fake Eizan Electric Railway. Not exactly their crowning achievement. And the fact of being inside Yajirou’s railcar is itself circularity again, with his use of that catchphrase signifying his return to the ability to transform into his favorite form. I also liked that the railcar had frog eyes, in addition to the lights that the actual DEO 600 series had.
A railcar with frog eyes
The back and forth of “oh yeah, well how about THIS!” counter-punching was very enjoyable, from Yajirou showing up to the revised trap of Teramachi Street to making Yajirou into the Flying Fake Eizan Electric Railway (this last was a bit of a stretch, tho). And the circularity continued with the reappearance of the Fuujin Raijin Folding Fan, whose absence previously caused Yasaburou’s hiding for 3 months, and whose appearance here elicits the biggest laugh out loud I’ve had for the whole summer, when Yasaburou smashes Yajirou at high speed into Chitose-ya. That was just completely unexpected, and yet perfect.
Ka-Bammo!
The Big Setup
Yaichirou finally makes it to the restaurant
Everything is definitely getting set up for the finale. We now have all of the Shimogamo free except Mother, but she’s not in imminent danger at the moment. We have the tanuki, the Friday Fellows, and Yakushibou all at the Sensuiro restaurant, in adjacent rooms even. We have a standoff between Yaichirou and Soun about the accusations of Soun’s scheming. We even have Yasaburou going along with the Friday Fellows under the pretense of seeing a tanuki or even trying tanuki nabe.
The Friday Fellows are still relevant
But there are still quite some big wild cards hiding in the deck, and I think the biggest ones are Juroujin and Benten. Benten we all know about, but Juroujin is definitely someone who’s got more to him than we’ve experienced? Does he have powers like a tengu? Or is he even a tanuki (having the oldest of the Friday Fellows be a tanuki would be pretty amazing, I think)? And does he know the truth about Yasaburou? Who knows what Benten whispered in his ear.
Too bad it wasn’t these two caged tanuki
And Soun was asking for proof that he had sold Yaichirou down the river? Well, now the proof is sitting in the next room, in the forms of Yodagawa and Juroujin, both of whom talked to him with caged tanuki present. Just how devastating will the truth be to Soun? And what role will Yakushibou play, with his short temper and his easily offended tengu pride?
We’re definitely headed for a bangup ending. Will anyone end up as nabe? Or will everyone live through the night? Uchouten Kazoku has pushed all the elements up to the very precipice, and we’re just waiting for the slightest motion to tip everything over the edge in a headlong fall to the conclusion.
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: iLurker with 6 comments
The first screenshot that you put up is stunningly beautiful. In fact, there are many in Uchouten that I can just pause the screen and be awed.
I like this episode. It’s fun and exciting — a good change in mood from the past few weeks and leading up to the finale.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, it can be tough for a second act (or even third of four?) to have its own impact at times, but this episode seems to have done it. Playing off the rivalry between Kinkaku / Ginkaku and Yasaburou, getting Yajirou out of his well, making Yashirou be more heroic, and setting up the finale. All a lot of work, but it did well.
I’ve included a few screenshots in my posts that I just like for their beauty. And there have been even more sequences that a single screenshot doesn’t do it justice – The waterfall on the Kamo river, the trees wreathed in smoke from Benten’s cigar, the moon hanging so huge over the rooftop.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Benten on her first flight through the tree.
POWUH: iLurker with 6 comments
Oh, and the upside down view on the river through the eyes of the devastated Yajirou… I think you had that one in one of your episodic reviews.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
well yea seeing this all this frog bro is back just need a get drink & like popeye take his spinach to the rescue!!!
with all happen yet 1ep to go yea it’s all going down on the next ep.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
whose appearance here elicits the biggest laugh out loud I’ve had for the whole summer
Yeah, that one had me falling of the couch as well; his little brother had more control.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
This was everything a penultimate episode should be: exciting in its own right, bringing all the elements together for the finale and leaving you hungering for that last episode.
There are still a couple questions I’d like answered next episode besides who, if anyone, ends up in the hot pot. Who exactly is Juroujin? And what is Benten’s relationship to him? She was almost acting like his concubine.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Oh, the sweet feeling of knowing the guy is about to exposed and disgraced before he gets his well deserved punishment. Soun is confident right now but that’s going to fall apart once he sees what’s on the other side of the room. “A tanuki who boils tanuki in a hot pot?” “Such a cruel tanuki does not exist in this world.” What a sleazy, hypocrital bastard.
That folding fan is too overpowered. A simple movement and you could tear a building apart. And they people have these things. Someone has a screw loose.
Even if she doesn’t say much, Benten’s appearance alone can pierce through you, make one shake into submission and lose their sense of self. I think I can understand why Yasaburou is never able to hold his human form around her.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The fan is as powerful as it is. It’s the idiots that think they can work the thing…that’s when the trouble begins. Notice…the little brother used it to much better effect…