One year after the events of the political turmoil happening in Japan from the changing times in 1862, Jinya finds himself reliving the life he wishes he had...
Video Review
What Stands Out About This Episode?
A DEVASTATING Callback
It’s been about three months since episode 4, where this episode takes us back to the same place our demon friend Mosuke perished and we got to see what disgusting events led to his wife passing away. Mizuho Temple is that same place. Jinya heard rumors of a man-eating demon and went to slay it. If your memory serves you well, some may end up realizing that the poor woman that Mosuke’s wife ended up consuming, was the same woman that is featured in this episode.
An Episode that Defines what Makes Sword of the Demon Hunter so Good!
One of the best qualities about this episode is the mystery that holds your attention throughout. After defeating the “man-eating demon” at Mizuho Temple and assimilating it, Jinya ends up back at the Soba Shop to find an interesting turn of events.. We don’t know exactly why Jinya is experiencing an entirely new reality with a woman claiming she is his wife and that the baby she is carrying is his daughter.
This might be one of the most attention grabbing starts to an episode because it clearly represents a bigger picture connection to our MC that can lead to just about every direction possible from heartfelt and wholesome to something extremely nefarious.
Urikohime & the Amanojaku
In Japanese folktale, the Urikohime and the Amanojaku play similar roles throughout their variations. Urikohime is generally an innocent human child with a bright future that gets tricked by the Amanojaku, who at various times replaces Urikohime’s life by “wearing its skin.” Sorry for taking the dark route there.. This is where we start to think hard about who is the Urikohime and the Amanojaku in this situation? Is it related to Natsu or Jinya’s past? Or is it literally right in front of us with Yunagi and the baby?
By the time the Urikohime and the Amanojaku story ends up getting its explanation, we are at peak speculation and mystery as to what in the world is happening?! Jinya has a wife and a kid? The kid is adopted and Yunagi keeps saying questionable things about hating the baby. He keeps having flashbacks of both Shirayuki and Natsu at different parts of the episode. What makes it even more perplexing is Yunagi expressing things about her backstory and knowledge that only Jinya would know.
By the end of the episode it paints a clearer picture as to who the Amanojaku is and how she differs from the story. Yunagi is the Amanojaku that can lie unlike most demons. She played the role of the mother and protector at Mizuho Temple, rather than taking the place of the baby (the Urikohime). However, her disdain for the adoptive daughter is clearly a quality of the Amanojaku that feels the jealousy and some resentment over how special that baby’s life may end up being with the right caretaker. That caretaker? Jinya..
Jinya’s Regret
This may be the episode that Jinya expresses his regret and comes to terms with how he has felt about Shirayuki, his biological father and Natsu. Every relationship ended in tragedy and he has regretted it all. But most of all, this entire illusion ability called, “Falsehood,” is one that creates an illusion based on one’s memory. This entire scenario and illusion between Jinya, Yunagi, and the baby is exactly what Jinya wanted for his life with Shirayuki.
No matter what one says about the events of episode 1, and episode 14, we all know deep inside that it was wrong for Shirayuki to choose Kiyomasa and wrong for Jinya to allow that to happen, when deep down both wanted each other. However, they chose the perceived “duty” over their own feelings and that still led to one of the worst outcomes possible for Kadono.
OTAKU SINH 