Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori ep.13

January 7, 2007 | 14 Comments

I almost forgot that this series returns on air this week. Unfortunately, this is a rather disappointing episode and is quite ridiculous as well in terms of the grudge. I'm not sure which one is worse this one or the one where someone sent another person to hell just for spilling coffee. At this rate, someone is really going to send another person to Hell just because that person took the toilet paper that the first person wants. I think the interesting thing about this episode is actually the revelation of Kikuri's power. It's kind of strange to know that her power can be used for good but when I think about it, it's debatable whether or not what she did it with good or bad intention. If none of those interest you, this episode also features a completely irrelevant but amusing scenes of Ai and Kikuri stuffing their stomach with Oden.

The episode begins with a man running away from an assailant but his assailant eventually corners him to a small temple. The assailant then makes a pun about horses (since the guy runs as fast as a horse) by saying that there are different kinds of horses (uma) but the one that he can't forgive is curious onlookers (yajuuma) just like his victim. With that said, the assailant uses a skewer to stab the neck of his victim. The next day, the victim is found dead by the police and strangely his fingers have been twisted in such ways so they form V (victory/peace - depending where you live) sign (Japanese people like to make this sign when their photograph is taken). According to the police, this man is the 5th victim in the latest serial killing. Inside a Yakitori shop/Izakaya called Kihachi, the patrons are talking about the possibility that the killer is someone living in this town. They're particularly worried since the guy who got killed seems to be an innocent.

When they ask the tenchou (shop owner/manager), Kusumi Kihachi, the guy coldly tells them that there must be a reason that the guy got killed. This comment leads the patrons to talk about grudge and Jigoku Tsuushin. Their conversation comes to a halt when a woman enters the Izakaya. As it turns out the woman is the family's doctor and she's urging Kihachi to go hospitalised himself (because he's been suffering from frequent heart attacks). That night, Kihachi access Jigoku Tsuushin and types in Tatsuhiko Makimura as a grudge subject. Before he can press the enter button, however, he remembers the man who got killed the night before. Because of this he changes his mind and closes the page. The next day, Ren, Hone-Onna, and Wanyuudou arrive in the town. Hone-Onna is going to investigate Tatsuhiko Makimura, Wanyuudou will gather info from around the town. That means Ren gets to be in charge of investigating Kihachi.

Ren gets an idea to work part-time at the Izakaya to gain info and much to his surprise, Ai and Kikuri think it's a good idea. As a result, the three of them end up working as waiters/waitresses. Ai and Kikuri decide to take an order from one of the customers but when Kihachi finds out that the guy is ordering Sake, he reminds the guy that he has to drive later on. The couple ignore Kihachi's suggestion to lay off the booze and insist that Ai and Kikuri bring their order soon. In retaliation, Kikuri unleashes some kind of ribbon which knocks over the condiment bottles, shocking the customers in the process. The couople becomes pissed off and starts making ruckus. Because of this Ren tells the man that if he wants to talk, he should talk to him. The two end up having a brawl outside the Izakaya but Ren manages to evade the guy's punch. He then scares the guy by showing his large eye on the back of his head. This effectively scares the couple.

Later on Ren finds out from the other patrons that Kihachi never allows customers who come with cars to drink alcohol. All of this happened after the accident that happened 5 years ago. As it turns out, Kihachi's wife and son was killed in an accident involving a truck. His daughter, Tsubaki, survived the accident but ended up in a coma up to this very day. The next day Ren decides to come to the hospital to bring flowers for the daughter. When Ren tries to initiate conversation with her, Kihachi tells him it's useless trying to awake her. In response, Ren opens the curtain, saying that the dark room is not suitable for someone as young and beautiful as Tsubaki. He also thinks it'd be problematic if Tsubaki's own father gives up on her. That night, Ai and her associates sit at an Oden stall that Wanyuudou operates. Upon hearing Ren's story, Wanyuudou wonders if Makimura was the guy who was responsible for the accident.

Ren refutes this, informing his colleague that the driver was also killed during the accident. Wanyuudou's thought got interrupted when Ai asks him for Hanpen while Kikuri asks for Wiener sausage. Hone-Onna reveals that Makimura is just a normal person who doesn't look like someone who would incite a grudge from anyone. Moreover, no matter how many times she investigated the guy, she can't find the connection between Makimura and Kihachi. Cut to Ai and Kikuri ordering Ganmodoki and Wiener sausage respectively. This makes Ren wonders why Wanyuudou decides to act as an Oden seller. Wanyuudou points out at the police station across them where a TV announcer is reporting news. There are also several curious onlookers making V signs behind the reporters. Wanyuudou then hands in an envelope containing investigation photos of the serial murders. Ren quickly notices that the victims all made V signs post-mortem.

Hone-Onna mentions that the murder weapon is bamboo skewer this immediately reminds Ren of the skewer that Kihachi uses to make his Yakitori. Meanwhile, after gulping a Gyuusuji, Ai asks for Wiener sausage and so does Kikuri. Much to Kikuri's disappointment, this is the last Wiener sausage available and since Ai asks first for it, she's the one who get it. The next day, Kihachi's doctor continues to persuade him to hospitalised himself but Kihachi refuses as usual. Ren and Ai who are inside Tsubaki's room find out about his problem and realise that Kihachi is also sick. Ai tells Ren that Kihachi's face is the face of someone who's about to kill a person. Upon hearing this, Ren decides to tail Kihachi and true enough, Kihachi is seen trying to skewer Makimura when the later walks under a darkened train tracks area. However, his chest feels painful all of a sudden, allowing Makimura to run away. Ren arrives in time and takes Kihachi back home.

At home, Kihachi admits that he's the serial killer of the 5 victims. He then reveals how 5 years ago, a truck hit his home, killing his wife and son instantly while sending Tsubaki into a coma. While the TV announcer talked about this, several idiots walked behind her and flashed the V signs just so they can appear on TV. Needless to say Kihachi was angered with their display of disrespect. 3 months ago, Kihachi was also diagnosed with a disease and realised that it's too late for him. Because of this he decided to use the reminder of his life to get rid of these idiots. However, he doesn't have any power to finish off his last victim. In addition to this, his face was spotted by the victim. Because of this he logs in to Jigoku Tsuushin and enters Makimura's name in it. He's immediately taken into Ai's world and is given the doll and the drill. Kihachi doesn't mind since he thinks he's going to Hell for killing those people.

Ai, however, tells him there's an entirely different indemnification for those killings. She explains how going to Hell is the price Kihachi would pay to use her service. She, however, would not be involved in the punishment of sins which Kihachi committed himself. Kihachi is confused about this and wonders if there is another punishment for killing those people. Ai thinks that's probably the case. Kihachi is then returned to his home all alone and after looking at a picture of his family, he decides to pull the string. As a punishment, Makimura finds himself surrounded by people who flashes V signs behind him when he tells the press that he has seen the face of the serial killer. These people's face then melts, scaring Makimura off. After meeting one-eyed Ren and firewheel Wanyuudou, Ai appears in a news reporter outfit and send Makimura to Hell. When he's on the boat, Makimura is surrounded by hands which makes V signs and attacks him.

In the aftermath, Kikuri visits Tsubaki at the hospital and seems to hear Tsubaki talking to her. Upon hearing the message, Kikuri kisses the girl on the lips. Meanwhile, Kihachi is carried out on a stretcher while reporter asks him if he's really the serial killer. Just as Kihachi about to close his eyes, however, the doctor tells him that his daughter has regained her consciousness. Kihachi suddenly sits down on the stretcher screaming loudly in regret. Somewhere close, Ren realises that this is the other punishment that Ai was talking about when she gave the straw doll to Kihachi. The fact that Tsubaki will now find out that her father is a murderer. Wanyuudou, however, is confused about this and wonders why the daughter suddenly regains her consciousness. Especially since the doctor herself has almost given up on her. Kikuri simply laughs quietly upon hearing this while down on the street, Kihachi still regrets his decision.

Impression:

While waving your fingers and making V signs in front of a site of an accident is very tasteless, I think killing them is a bit over the top. I don't understand why Kihachi didn't just confront these guys back then. It's interesting to see that his punishment ends up being twofold: his daughter knowing that her father is a murderer and being sent to Hell after he dies (which won't be long judging from his frequent bouts of heart attack). This makes me wonder if Kikuri really did listen to Tsubaki's words or if she just made it up so she can awake the girl and punish Kihachi. It's interesting to note that although the result of Kikuri's action was positive (awakening a girl who would have been in a long coma otherwise), her motivation is ambiguous. On the one hand, her action brings grief for Kihachi. But when you think of it, he does deserve it for killing those people. Maybe Kikuri's purpose in the team is to balance out the ridiculous nature of the grudge seekers.

© memento 2003