Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen – 08
If these are fire “salamanders” then I don’t want to see what dragons look like
…I feel bad posting this almost right after my episode 7 post, but I guess them’s the breaks.
I was expecting a bit more razzle dazzle out of this episode, but I’m starting to like the idea of the big boss not being an overly evil baddy but just a big blob of spores. The Impure King isn’t so much a demon as it is a piece of moldy bread that got unruly. It simply expandsand kills people in the process, because that’s how it survives. I originally found this quite boring, because they’re basically poking a giant fungus with hot sticks until it dies (and it’s not working very well either). It has no personality, no thoughts, and no ambitions. It just…gets bigger.
The Impure King started to grow on me when it took on the form of a castle (because why not) and then became so incredibly huge that it was hard to fathom trying to fight this thing at all. Isn’t that the most terrifying thing to fight in a way? A creature with no feelings or regard for the damage it inflicts on mankind – one that just silently grows and grows until there’s no room left. It’s hard to wrap your head around such a thing because it seems so unfair, so impossible to be reasoned with. It’s like a force of nature. The vastness of it all is also rather impressive. It takes up a good chunk of the mountain right now, and it doesn’t look like it’s about to stop yet. It genuinely creeps me out…a lot moreso than Todo!
But Todo adds that razzle dazzle I was talking about. They couldn’t just have the monks wave their staves at what looks like blobs on uncooked dough all day. They needed a nefarious villain with ulterior motives and all that to keep things I N T E N S E. I like that he’s just a regular human who has dove headfirst into a pit of unrelenting evil, trying to prey on the weaknesses of others. He seems to be doing a number on Yukio, and it’s exciting to see whether or not he’ll take the bait.
I mean, I doubt Yukio would ever actually turn on Rin (it’d be a little too dark if he did), but it’s still a fun notion to toy with. Because it’s plausible. We heard Rin’s side of the story, and now it’s time to see what Yukio had to go through. Rin had no idea that Yukio was working his fingers to the bone while he was drooling away in his bed, unaware of his origins. I don’t blame Yukio for harboring some animosity deep down inside for his brother who was so pampered in comparison. The favourite child. Todo also brings up another interesting accusation, one that makes Yukio out to be a tool whose only purpose is to mechanically follow the path Shiro set him on. With such harsh parenting, it’s easy for Todo to twist the context around and make it seem like the only reason Shiro bothered to train him was so he could be a convenient bodyguard. But we know Shiro, and he’s not the type to be verbal about his true intentions (which are almost always sweet and mushy). I just hope Yukio realizes this…but not after a bit of torture. It’s fun watching him put on the ropes for once!
All I have to say about Bon and Tatsuma is “yay, they made up, and now Bon has red flames while Rin has blue ones!”. Just thought I’d get that out of the way so I can relay my thoughts on the most unintentionally funny scene of the episode. Let me leave you with my personal interpretation of the Vajra summoning scene to close the post.
Vajra: Who has summoned me, the great Vajra, destroyer of worlds?
Monk: We have, please help us!
Vajra: The cost for my all-consuming flames is the blood of 10,000 men. Then, you will be able to vanquish any foe who dares to face you.
Monk: Uh, we got like 5?
Vajra: SHINY STICKS WITH FIRE IT IS THEN
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It goes to show that what you expect and what you get are two different things. Before the season even began, upon learning the arc’s title, the “Impure King”, I figured the story to be surrounding some ambitious wayward figure. Rather than a villain, everyone is more or less facing a supernatural disaster or demonically powered plague on a gigantic scale. Moldy bread? Funny, my impression is of a mushroom.
At least there was confirmation on what the Impure King’s final form would be. Most of the episode, I didn’t have a clue as to what it was trying to become.
A relief Tatsuma survived by the skin of his teeth. Yeah, some would call it cliché he’s still alive despite a stab to through the throat but I didn’t want to see things end on a sour note between him and Bon and the intentions behind his actions over the years along with the willingness to sacrifice himself for others only serve to increase his likability.
Todo is one of the more dangerous type of antagonist: the psychological sadist. Anyone can physically inflict pain. A physical wound is final but emotional damage can go on for the term of a person’s life. All that’s needed is to know where to hit. For him to effortlessly get under Yukio’s skin, he must have really been like him in his earlier years. Still, he’s an odd one revealing he didn’t become a demon but was using one for a power source before switching to Karura. My bet’s on him finding some forbidden spell to achieve that feat. Also, Todo didn’t just get younger, his voice actor was switched. Going from Kazuhiro Yamaji to Junichi Suwabe.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I wasn’t expecting a giant mushroom to be the end boss either. I kinda want to see it explode and spew spores everywhere…
It’s probably better they didn’t kill him, because then we’d have too many characters with fathers who died traumatic deaths lol. It was nice to see them make up too.
Yeah, Todo knows how to jab in where it really hurts: emotional weaknesses. He’s getting more and more interesting now that he’s not just some random old dude (And yes, I noticed the voice change too! Suwabe~)
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
They look more like fire-breathing raptors.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
So, the last time it was the sex lives of monks, this week it’s medieval alchemical texts….
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I can’t believe I’ve lived this long without knowing how badass salamanders could be
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey, it’s as they say: You live and you learn.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Or how effed up medieval scholars were?
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*sigh* I didn’t want to say it but a previous comment of mine has been in the spam filter for more than a day now.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Sorry, there’s nothing there. And since the last update, it’s been a lot easier to see held comments (since they usually don’t get flagged as spam now).
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Looks like someone else restored it before you went in to check. Take a look at the first comment’s time stamp. It’s more than a day ago.