天下制覇

Man… did Kenichi get an animation budget when I wasn’t looking?

So, ever since Ikki Tousen DD ended, I’ve been looking for something else I could cram into my schedule, and unfortunately, almost everything that I care enough to write about (and wouldn’t be corrupted to fuckall by my imperfect Japanese) airs on Saturday nights, and since Hayate and Gurren-Lagann are already blogged to fuckall, I decided to snag this week’s Kenichi, and see what the gap between the fansubs and the raws was since I got lazy and stopped paying attention to the raws around episode 7. The show’s really not particularly plot heavy, so I assumed I’d be fine. Ha.

Impressions:
Besides my lack of understanding about what is going on or why in particular things are happening, this was an extremely enjoyable episode. This was probably the best animated episode of the show I’ve seen, (keeping in mind that for the moment at least, I’ve not seen the previous seven) and I really liked the way that they handled the fight between Hermit and Kenichi, though the extended Hermit flashback in the middle of it was pretty cheesy. Oh well, that’s pretty much par for the course for the show.

Miu et all vs Loki

Conglomerate of the Hermit vs Kenichi Fight (sorry for the semi-poor editting, I’m lazy)

Summary:
Kenichi busts into an abandoned church-looking place searching for Honoka and demands that Hermit return her. In the tree above, Sakaki and Akisame watch on. Hermit tells Kenichi that he was trained by Sougetsu (Ma Kensei’s brother) and the two begin fighting.

Elsewhere, Takeda and Ukita are lost and have no idea where they’re going to find Kenichi. Nijima and Miu show up and all four go running off to help Honoka. They’re stopped by one of the Eight Fists… Loki, who snaps his finger and a bunch of clones walk out, one of which is clearly fatter and more out of shape than the others. They grab staves and prepare to attack while Nijima runs away.

The clones attack with their electrified staves in a very very well done fight scene, not to mention the shocking revelation that Miu apparently has a black hole in her skirt. They’re no match for the threesome though.

Back at the church, Kenichi and Hermit are more or less fighting evenly while the two masters have broken out the beer. Kenichi gets Hermit into an arm lock and demands that Honoka be returned. Hermit suddenly reverses the arm lock and starts beating on Kenichi. He manages to step behind Kenichi and lands a chi blast to his gut and then another. He feigning attacks though Kenichi sees most of them and reacts, but a couple still get by.

Back with Loki, Miu has collected nearly all the electric sticks and gets rid of them while Takeda finishes the last one off. Ukita checks under his mask and they prepare to keep going, but the fat one gets up. They ignore him and continue on.

Over in Hermitland, Kenichi is on his hands and knees while Hermit taunts him. PS, the eyecatch was delicious delicious Miu. Which was far better than the extended five minute flashback that followed consisting mostly of “Hermit had a sick sister who died and he’s very sad about it.” I assume this was foreshadowed before with Honoka or something, but *shrug*.

After his flashback, Hermit is a bit more insane and bleeding from the eye. He jumps to attack and knees Kenichi into the air, but Kenichi grabs his hand before he can slam him down. Hermit then feints another punch at Kenichi’s face, only to chop him in the back of the neck when Kenichi moves to block.

Miu et all finally arrive at the church grounds and start looking for Kenichi and Hermit. Kenichi is down and Hermit declares the fight over. Kenichi does his usual “you’re wrong and nobility wins and I love my sister etc etc” speech and pulls himself up. He takes a fighting stance again (the bgm in this scene was really great) and both declare their love for their sisters while leaping to the attack. Kenichi avoids a couple of Hermit’s chi/feints, but takes one in the face in order to let loose his own at Hermit’s gut. Hermit blocks it with his arm though… until Kenichi concentrates and shoots another one sending Hermit flying.

Hermit gets up immediately though and staggers back to Kenichi, muttering about all the different styles that Kenichi is using while mastering none and Kenichi says that he’s the number one disciple around. Hermit says that it’s time to settle it, but Loki steps in, holding Honoka hostage on the church.