In this episode, we see the returning character, Yagen. She is a tsukumogami whom Hyoma has encountered before. Now he meets her again, but this time it is not pleasant. Taiju Kadomori has her under control by putting talismans on her. Yagen attacks Hyoma without recognizing who he is. Will he attack or save her from Taiju?
The opening indicates that Hyoma will attack her. His suspicion of and hatred towards the tsukumogami are still deeply ingrained, as shown in Episodes 1 and 3. He does not hesitate to kill tsukumogami if they attack humans. Even though he has spent time with the Nagatsuki family, it does not mean he goes soft with Yagen. He does not know her well like he does with the family. He just knows her when he goes with Kagami and Suzuri to observe their daily activities.
Taiju Kadomore’s monologue and Hyoma’s action tell a different story, and both make valid points. They reveal Hyoma’s inner transformation, which continues to bring his character to life. He blocks her moves instead of attacking her with full force. He does not want to harm her since he has sympathy for her. In Episode 2, he knows what she has gone through. Now, he knows her life is not getting better since tsukumogami are used as a tool only in Kadomore’s house. Taiju Kadomori does not see him as strong as he is when he is fighting Yagen. He thinks living with the Nagatsuki family has that effect on him. On the contrary, that is not the case. He is probably aware that she is not the type of tsukumogami who kills humans for fun or that she despises humans. She is afraid and fragile, as shown in Episode 2.
The fighting scenes are not interesting. There is little to no tension or challenge. Questions or concerns about whether Hyoma will be defeated or fall into Taiju Kadomori’s trap do not come to mind. In the pre-credit scene, Hyoma beats all the tsukumogami, who are under Kadomori’s control, up. The one-on-one battle with Yagen is predictable, as he will not lose. He is able to hold her down during the fight, as shown in Episode 2. Also, it is most likely that she has not increased her fighting skill since she ended up in Kadomori’s house.
Overall, this episode is OK. The different characters’ points of view and responses to the situation are interesting. These aid in getting to know the characters better, particularly Hyoma’s changes. There are some amusing scenes depicting the character’s perspective on Botan and Hyoma’s relationship. The fighting scenes are unsurprising. Kadomore’s tsukumogami are easily defeated.
Rating: 6.5/10
| Characters, Season 1 Episode 8 | Cast |
| Hyoma Kunato | Takeo Ootsuka |
| Botan Nagatsuki | Yuuki Takada |
| Kagami | Aimi Tanaka |
| Tsubaki Kadomori | Saori Oonishi |
| Taiju Kadomori | Nobuaki Kanemitsu |
| Suzuri | Yoshiki Nakajima |
| Nagi | Hidenori Takahashi |
| Yagen | Yuki Kazu |
