Empress : Kaiserin

Tactics 11

Keh. I'm wrong. Nothing suspicious about Miyabi, but I don't really like her... I guess although she did attempt to make some meaning out of her remaining life, she's still as weak as a damsel at the end. And I think it explains why Haruka was sympathetic towards her. He was as gentle as well. commenting that "it's [my] first time witnessing someone die with a smile". Nice.

Honestly I really don't know what to comment on tonight's episode... I waited 24 hours in anticipation, but was quite disappointed at the point of Miyabi's death. I expect more mysteries to solve, and more action... But Mai turned out to be the culprit in the end (Kantarou and Haruka reluctantly marked her as "a sinner") and well, that's all to it. She tried to kill Haruka (it's reveal Haruka is powerful against Onmyou to save Miyabi, but Kantarou intercepted and saved him, blah blah blah... I find the front part too narrative... Not engaging, nor was it anything close to interesting. The only part I did "shout out" comments is where Kantarou appeared in a change of robes. (I'm pretty confused about Kantarou's change of clothes in the anime - are the red and green robes some kind of ceremonial costume actually? Kan-chan wore it for the fortune-telling ceremony for the night but changed back to his red and white kimono the next day) Kantarou's power wasn't really flashy this time as well, but we now know he's able to exorcise as well. Bleh, what am I talking about?! Definitely Kan-chan is able to do that, duh...! Er... but what I really mean is that I find that part about exorcising Suzu more spectacular than the rescuing of Haruka.

The episode only gets better after the death of Miyabi. Actually, it's the best part. Finally some kind of character development and a suggestive plot development. The topic of hate, that is. It was quite a shock when Mai shot Kantarou with a "I hate you, Ichinomiya Kantarou." after the latter refused to help Miyabi (actually Mai had tainted her soul with her killings of those young men and so it was possible to exchange her soul with the dying Miyabi's). Wow, the impact came strong. I was really quite taken aback - if she was quick to regret what she had done, she was also quick to hate again. Some personality she has there. ^^ And it touched on the fact that no matter how strong the teamwork is between Kantarou and Haruka, or how compassionate the both can be, they can still became the object of hatred - Mai's, in particular. In short, a team consisting of a human and a demon may be powerful, but it plays no significant role regarding emotional issues. I do pity the fact that things had to turned out that way - because for the first time in Tactics an episode had a sad end, but Kantarou was kind enough to tell Haruka that Mai's hatred towards them can be useful as her motivation to pursue her knowledge and skills of the Senjutsu. The ending also reflects the fickle hearts of the human kind. After Miyabi's passing, the villagers directed their dependence immediately onto Mai the next day. Suddenly all the dotings and concerns the late Miyabi used to get were now re-directed to Mai, the new miko of the village. It reflects so badly on the villagers, but they are not aware of it. If Miyabi is dead and gone, then why remember her? We should be practical, not emotional, and go lick the shoes of the new miko Mai! So in the end we realised that the scene of the dying Miyabi may suggest a heart-wrenching plot, but she died, for nothing. She failed at the attempt to leave a piece of her existence with the world she departed from. And because of that, she remembers Kantarou's words to her and fly free in the wind as a butterfly. She visits Haruka's lips to mark the signature of her love, and decides to drop by to greet her dear sister. The butterfly's freedom didn't last long; she was slowly chewed away by a praying mantis - and all this occurs just beside Mai, who's wearing a smile on her face. This, my dears, is what they call morbid.

Yes, after all the fuss about the two-parter, it presented to us a morbid ending.

Morbidly, I present you the crossover of the 11th episode:
1. Youko swatting the mosquitoes and clapped her hands three times - Ed from Fullmetal Alchemist
2. the angsty sisters - the angsty brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist
3. the posessed mirror - Fushigi Yuugi and Inuyasha

posted by empress @ 7:39 PM