Anime Episode Review: Toji no Miko 04 & 05

More exciting episodes have released! Episode 4 starts off with our duo running away after their sound victory over the enemy who has found them. Immediately after they have reached what they considered a “safe” zone, Hiyori drops this bomb on her partner:

This is an important discussion, not only because it gives insight to Hiyori’s current mindset, but also reinforces her resolve. And, it shows that she does (to some extent) care about Kanami. She doesn’t wish to drag her companion into her mess any longer, stating that she is not suited for murder, but what she fails to realize is that Kanami is already too deep into the mess to pull out. As exemplified by the manhunt that has been issued for the two of them:

It’s dangerous to leave your partner behind, Hiyoyon! You have to watch each other’s backs now that you are both on the government’s most wanted list! Fortunately, they were able to shake off their pursuers with a little bit of teamwork. After they have safely escaped, they found shelter in what appears to be an abandoned shed. And it is there that they seem to have their first real one on one conversation:

Kanami offers her insight of what sees in Hiyori. She admits that her initial alliance with her was not well thought through, but that she now understands the heaviness in her resolve. It is at this point, that we finally circle back to the conversation in the first sequence of screenshots and Kanami gets the closure she needs for it: she expresses her resolve that she will not abandon her partner. And that she will not be abandoned a second time, because she now understands the weight of what she is doing, and she *wants* to help. After this heartfelt proposal, Hiyori finally opens up to Kanami, revealing her backstory and why she is so intent on killing Origami Yukari.

Friendship levels increased!

Episode 5 starts off with them being found by their pursuers. Uh oh! But wait — what is this?

It looks like they’re actually on the same side! What a surprise! (Not really). I say that only because there were a few scenes that I omitted from these reviews that led me to believe that they actually answered to a different higher power. Now that we have established that they have some allies, they are pursued by some real threats, causing the four of them to split up before they were able to have any kind of a explanation:

And after being split up, a small discussion between the two finally allowed Hiyori to see that Kanami is not as dimwitted as she portrays herself to be. I mean, *we* knew this somewhere around episode two, but Hiyori only just finds out about it here:

Yes, Hiyoyon. You really shouldn’t underestimate your partner… but you should learn to trust her a little more. After all, she has sacrificed much more than any normal  school girl reasonably would in the name of friendship.

And lastly, to answer your question, Kanami. There are so many because they are mass produced:

I can’t say that there were many elements in these two episodes that were really a surprise for me. There were a lot of hints here and there that alludes to things which will happen. For instance, this interaction right here shows me that Sayaka (who was formerly ordered to kill the traitors Kanami and Hiyoyon), will end up being their ally:

Oh, Mai. You’re a master schemer, aren’t you? Using your friendly charm and baked goods to win people over. She didn’t get a whole lot of screen time, but what she did get, I am thinking will become crucial later on. After all, I’m currently under the impression that she is doing some espionage work. And as we all know, intelligence is the key to winning any war. Keep at it, Mai! I’m rooting for you!

We are finally getting to the thick of things and finding out where alliances for certain characters really lie. I feel like I already have a pretty good idea of who the “defectors” are, but I’m hoping to see one or two who will surprise me.

My episodes rating: 

Next up: Citrus Episode 06 & 07 Review! 

~ by jnz5012 on February 11, 2018.