天下制覇

I want to finger bang bang you into my life…

Impressions:

Great episode. I’d rip the action, but it’s pretty disjoint and most of the scenes only last about 40 seconds or so. I loved seeing Raimei slice that one guy in half too. I’m a little surprised that they’re still sticking to Miharu’s trap power in order to ‘defeat’ (well, at least distract) enemies as compared to his general lassez faire attitude towards attacking enemy and ally in the manga, but such is life. Yoite was also relatively disappointing. I had imagined him being a little more tricksy, or at least sneaky about his little finger gun ability, but they just had everybody standing around as he pointed and fired. Hell, you could make a decent gun-fu battle out of finger boy, and hopefully they eventually will, but it wasn’t to be this week.

 Not too much else to talk about though. There really wasn’t much plot movement or the like, just running around and fighting, which I’m perfectly fine with. I like the Ash Wolf leader of this little group (I don’t recall any of them ever saying his name) just for his "man, screw this noise" attitude. I wish Yoite was more interesting, or said more than maybe two or three sentences. The whole emotionless villain thing is just plain lame.

1:40 of recap: Miharu remembers the Power of Nature speaking to him, demanding that he tell her his wish. Raimei’s intro. Blerg. Let’s just skip this nonsense.

Raimei runs up to one of the wounded Fuuma ninjas. She struggles to tell the group that the village is under attack by a monster. He has an invincible technique. Kumohiro breaks out the first aid kit, but notices that her wounds are strange. He thinks to himself that it must be -that-. The ninja passes out, telling Raimei that she has to protect the village’s sacred scroll.

An exposion rocks the village. Another ninja gets thrown around and then stomped on. They surround the last conscious ninja, who then collapses, dead. One of the others demands to know how they’re supposed to find it if all the Fuuma ninjas are dead, but the killer just point over to a shelf of scrolls. The shelf slides open, a hidden compartment.

Some more Fuuma ninja run through the village, but are attacked. They try to fight back, but are quickly defeated. Another Fuuma ninja runs out from a hidden spot in a wall. The attacker finds him. The Fuuma tries to run away with a smoke bomb, but is followed and drops his scroll when attacked. The attacker holds a gun to his head.

In the city, a business man is informed that the Power of Nature has been found. They’re moving against the Fuuma for now though. The assistant wonders if that’s okay, but he assures them that the plan is just starting.

The Ash Wolf holds the kid at gunpoint, calling him dumb. He mocks the kid for being so inexperienced and takes the Fuuma’s sacred scroll from him. The rest of the Ash Wolves join him.

Raimei and the rest catch up. The Ash Wolves immediately attack. They fight briefly, but both sides are very evenly matched. Miharu and the leader both hang back. The Fuuma ninja takes advantage of the distraction and steals the scroll. He runs off, but the Ash Wolf leader calls for Yoite to go retrieve it.

A guy in a cap jumps past and makes eyecontact with Miharu as he goes. He easily blocks the Fuuma kid’s escape. He just points his finger at the kid and then his body convulses and the kid dies.

Kumohira recognizes the move as the Ash Wolves retrieve the scroll. Yoite notes that Miharu has the Power to the shock of the rest of the Wolves. They wonder what to do briefly. Kumohira’s group also tries to figure out what’s going on. Raimei is pissed that Kotarou would be gone at a time like this. She’ll definitely get revenge though. Kumohira stops her, telling her that they’ll lose if they’re not careful.

The Ash Wolves think for a moment, but then Kumohira grabs his group and they run. Raimei protests, retreat is not the way of the samurai, but Kumohira tells her that that kid in the back is a true monster.

Just then, Yoite pops over and blocks their path. He points his finger at the group, but Kumohira dissolves the attack as soon as it hits. The rest of the Ash Wolves catch up. Kumohira commands the other two to take Miharu and retreat.

The three run at the Ash Wolves. Raimei prepares to make a path for Miharu, but Miharu tells her to hold back and runs ahead. He smiles at them, surprising them briefly, letting him slip past and then the other two easily follow while they’re standing stunned. They immediately give chase though.

Raimei stops and prepares to face the three. She slashses one in half then cuts down a second. The third makes it past her, but the leader comes up to face her.

He wonders about a ninja like her, but she angrily tells him that she’s a samurai and demands an answer for why they attacked the village.

He shoots at her and the two fight. Raimei can’t land a blow though.

Kouichi and Miharu keep running along the rooftops. Kouichi stops and prepares to fight the last ninja.

Raimei keeps fighting.

Kouichi and the ninja throw stars at eachother. Kouichi then summons a huge shuriken and throws it. The Ash Wolf dodges and attacks, slashing at Kouichi’s stomach. Kouichi catches his arm, an the returning giant shuriken hits him in the back, killing him.

Raimei catches up with the other two, but the Ash Wolf leader is still following. He tells them that this wasn’t part of the plan an is probably too much trouble. He hops off, but calls to Yoite, saying that they’re leaving now.

Miharu wants to check on Kumohira, but Raimei says that they need to make sure Miharu is safe first.

Yoite and Kumohira keep fighting. He thinks that there’s no mistaking Yoite’s technique.

Miharu et all run past below, but Miharu notices the fight above and stops. Kumohira warns them to stay back. This guy uses a secret technique that’s too dangerous for them. Miharu runs to join Kumohira, forcing the others to follow.

As Kumohira fights, he thinks about the technique. Yoite uses fuses his own life force with the enemy’s and then destroys their body from within. If Kumohira gets hit with it, it could mean his death.

Yoite points his finger at Kumohira again, but this time, he can’t dissolve it immediately and blood starts pouring down his chest. Yoite sends another blast and knocks Kumohira off the roof. As he jumps down, Kouichi throws his shuriken at him. Kouichi’s arm then pulses and is broken from the inside out. Kouichi passes out.

Raimei tries to attack from behind, but Yoite easily dodges and kicks her away, slamming her into the wall.

Miharu grabs Kumohira’s knife and throws it at Yoite, but again, Yoite dodges. Yoite points his finger at Miharu and nails him in the eye. Kumohira gets up and tries to attack, but this time, Yoite hits him in the forehead from pointblank. As Kumohira struggles to dissolve it, Miharu looks at all his downed friends and demands that Kumohira be released, even if it means Miharu is at their mercy.

Kumohira falls down, freed, but yells back that his vow was to protect Miharu even at the cost of his life. This is exactly the kind of thing that Kumohira knew would happen. He bleeds out as he reminds Miharu of his pledge. Yoite stands there like a lump during all of this. Kuohira yells for Miharu to escape.

Yoite points his finger at Kumohiro’s head again and his head starts to pulse. Miharu yells repeatedly for Yoite to stop, but is ignored.

Suddenly, a building explodes and a giant red lynx leaps out and bats Yoite to the ground. It talks to Miharu, saying that it’s a little surprised to see things like this. It dissolves and then reforms into Kotarou Fuuma, who stands between Yoite and Miharu.

Preview:

The walking wounded recover.