Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori ep.17

February 4, 2007 | 22 Comments

This is definitely one of the better episode from the series. At the same time, it's also one of those frustrating episodes where the victim of the week actually suffers even more as the episode goes on. On a more positive side, this episode features an origin story for one of the main characteres. As far as origin stories go, this one is pretty strange and relies a little bit on the audience's knowledge of Japanese folklore. Because of this, I wonder what casual anime viewers would think if they ever encounter some of the concepts introduced in this episode. One thing that I hope the series would do in the future is to show what happens to those people who get sent to Hell. Would different people get different punishment? Would those who sent someone to Hell get sent to a different area?

A flashback reveals a castle being burnt down. Inside the castle, a Samurai entered a room belonging to a woman and rolled a decapitated head of a man. The man, who turns out to be the woman's Master, told the woman that as he said before, he'd do anything in order to have her. The woman tells the Samurai that she'd rather go to Hell than becoming his wife. Feeling totally rejected, the Samurai lifted his Katana, ready to strike the woman. All of a sudden, there was a voice coming from a Katana asking the woman not to make a rash decision and to live on. The voice sounds similar to that of Ichimoku Ren. However, because the woman either couldn't hear the voice or chose to ignore it, she told the Samurai to go ahead and kill her. As the Katana wondered why humans would do such thing, the Samurai used said Katana to kill the woman. In the present, Ichimoku Ren is looking at a mountain when Hone-Onna informs him that they have a job.

Meanwhile, Ai is in the middle of giving a strawdoll and her drill to a girl called Nene. Upon hearing the 'going to Hell' part of the contract, Nene wonders if she's going to die soon. Ai, however, tells her that she doesn't know and it's none of her business. After Nene is returned to her room, Ren makes a comment about how the target is Nene's own mother. Because of this he and Wanyuudou decides to investigate Nene's mother, who still hasn't come her even though it's already late at night. As it turns out she's busy working as a fashion designer and is in the middle of improving her design. Ren is surprised when he sees the mother's face and upon informing Wanyuudou about this, the other man remembers that they've met this woman 11 years ago. Back then the woman was married to a man who always abused her. In order to protect herself and her daughter, which turns out to be Nene, she pulled the string on the strawdoll and sent her husband to Hell.

Despite this Ren wonders why Nene wants to send her mother to Hell since he knew well how much the mother cared for Nene when the girl was young. The next day, Ren and Wanyuudou decide to follow Nene. Ren wonders where Nene is going but Wanyuudou thinks that even if she goes home now, there's no one there. Because of this, he wonders if Nene is off to meet her boyfriend. As it turns out, however, Nene is not meeting her boyfriend but her grandmother. Upon seeing the old woman, Ren remembers how the old woman was a nasty piece of work. At one point, Nene refused to stop crying so the old hag asked Honami until when Nene is going to cry since Heitarou (Honami's abusive husband) will come home soon. She also believed that Honami's way of rising Nene is not good and wondered why her son married Honami in the first place. In the present time, the grandma offers Nene a pack of Amaguri but Nene refuses.

Because of this the old hag manipulated Nene by saying that she's purposely brings the pack all the way here for Nene. Nene who feels bad about this agrees to eat some. The grandma then goes on to wonder what Heitarou would say if he sees Nene now. She claims that he's also as cute as she is when he was a kid. When Nene looks at the picture of her father, she tells her grandma that she wants to be with her father. Her grandmother agress with this, claiming that if Heitarou is still alive, she wouldn't have to live on her own now. When the old bag starts bad-mouthing Honame, Ren is clearly angry so Wanyuudou distract the guy by offering a cigarrete. Meanwhlie, old bag starts asking Nene if she has decided if she'd leave her mother and starts living with her. Nene tells the old bag that she doesn't have problem with it. She then pulls out the straw doll, claiming that she'd use it to avenge her father if her mother opposes her idea.

Upon hearing this Wanyuudou comments that this sounds like Karma: a wife who sent her husband to Hell is now about to be sent to Hell by her own daughter. Ren is unhappy upon hearing this and quietly walks away from his colleague and refuses to answer Wanyuudou where he is going. This causes Wanyuudou to be unhappy. Inside her workplace, her workmates suggest that Honami models some of the clothes that she designed. Honame, however, refuses but doesn't tell them the exact reason. When she enters the bathroom, however, she reveals that she has the Hell mark on her chest. All of a sudden she feels as if she's being watched but she can't find the person. She tells her colleague that lately she feels as if she's being watched but strangely it doesn't feel threatening. Her colleague thinks that in that case, it's probably Honami's guardian angel who's watching over her. Outside the building, Ren is surprised when Kikuri appears behind him.

Kikuri thinks Ren should tell Honami and she promises to not tell the others about it. Ren asks Kikuri to stop playing tricks and tells her that he's used to things being like this. Kikuri then asks him if he's a Tsukumogami, an item which after hundreds of years, turned into a Youkai (apparition). Ren wonders how told her but Kikuri claims she doesn't need to hear it from someone else to understand it. She then wonders if he was previously a pot or a kettle or maybe a Choutsugai (water basin). Eventually Kikuri admtis that she actually knows that he was a Katana. When Ren confirms this, Kikuri asks him how many people he killed. Ren doesn't answer but he thinks to himself how he doesn't remember how many people he's killed and how many people had used him. He, however, was used for variety of purposes: in a battlefield between two swordsman, to rob money, and to possess a woman. Throughout this, he could only watched.

Upon hearing this, Kikuri once again persuades Ren to say something to Honami but Ren asks her to be quiet. In retaliation, Kikuri tells him that even though he's turned into a strawdoll, his heart is still that of a Katana: boring. Wanyuudou then appears to give the mischieveous brat a spank but she manages to elude him. Wanyuudou then asks Ren what was it that he told Kikuri but Ren claims it was nothing important. Inside her office, Honami rings Nene to apologise for returning late but she's going home now so she asks Nene what she'd like to eat. Although Nene was unresponsive, Honami decides to buy some pasta for Dinner. While she shops, Ren is seen following her around. Later on when Honami's car stops at an intersection, she notices Ren near the traffic light. When she looks again, however, she instead sees a straw doll strapped to the traffic pole. This shocks Honami a little bit and makes her wonder what this could mean.

After the incident, Wanyuudou confronts Ren, asking him what he just did. When Ren denies his action, Wanyuudou reminds him that they are not allowed to be ruled by their emotion. Ren simply ignores Wanyuudou and stalks off. After Ren left, Ai appears so Wanyuudou asks her if they should move Ren out of the case. In reponse Ai asks Wanyuudou if he thinks removing Ren would solve the problem. Meanwhile, Nene refuses to eat and behaves coldly throughout the night. When Honami checks her bag, she's shocked to find a straw doll in it. Nene then enters the room after taking a bath and asks her mother what she is looking for. Honami claims that she's just there to put her change clothes. Nene, who doesn't believe this tells Honami that if she's looking for a picture of Heitarou, she won't find it here. Upon hearing this, Honami wonders why Nene suddenly talks aobut her father so Nene reveals that she's met her grandmother.

Nene also complains about the fact that Honami never talks about her father but Honami explains that she would do so once Nene is a lot more grown up. Nene then drops the bombshell, telling Honami that she'd like to leave with her grandma and not with Honami anymore. Honami tells her daughter that she understands. Nene is surprised about this and wonders if Honami is not going to oppose to this. In response Honami points out that Nene would go away anyway even if she opposes. Before Nene left, Honami asks her to call up if she feels like it. She also provides the brat with her living expenses. Nene ends up staying with her grandma that night and the next day she goes to school as usual. After Nene is away, however, Honami makes a visit to the grandmother's house. She then presents the old bag with a money in an envelope. The old bag immediately accuses Honami of trying to bribe her with consolation money but Honami denies this.

She explains that she doesn't want her daughter to know that her own father abused her mother. In retaliation, old bag accuses Honami as a murderer so Honami asks the old bag what proof she has of this accusation. Old bag claims she doesn't need proof because Honami had the revenge motive to murder her son. Upon hearing this Honami wonders if old bag admits that her son had been abusive towards her. Old bag throws the money to Honami and demands that she returns Heitarou to her. Unfortunately for the two, Nene witness the entire conversation and becomes upset because of this. When she runs away, Honami decides to go after her. The two end up running up through a bridge while Ren and Wanyuudou follows them. Nene threatens to pull the string of the doll and send Honami to Hell even if Honami doesn't believe her. Much to Nene's surprise, Honami believes her, explaining that she once made a contract with Jigoku Shoujo to kill Nene's abusive father.

Meanwhile, Wanyuudou warns Ren that he would stop Ren if Ren tries to interfere with the situation. At the same time, Honami shows Nene her Hell mark, telling her that the person who asks someone to go to Hell will go to Hell as well. Nene doesn't care, claiming that they can all go to Hell. Honami, however, doesn't want this to happen so she tells Nene that she'd grant Nene's wish so Nene doesn't have to go to Hell. As soon as she said this, Honami jumps off the bridge. Ren tries to stop it so Wanyuudou tries to use fireball to stop Ren. Ai, however, appears and stops Wanyuudou. By the time Ren arrives on the bridge, however, he only manages to stop Nene to follow her mother. In the aftermath, Honami realises that Ren was the one who's been watching over her so she asks Ai if Ren could watch over Nene and let her know how Nene is doing. Despite her fear that it might be impossible, Ai tells her that she'd relay the request to Ren.

Preview

Later on, Ren is seen watching over Nene as requested by Honami. He's joined by Hone-Onna and Wanyuudou. Wanyuudou asks Ren if he remembers the first time he met Ai. Ren confirms this and a flashback shows how Ai and Wanyuudou approached Ren the Katana after a big war left him on top of a stone. Back then Ren wondered why Ai was seeking him. In response, Ai told Ren that she knows there's something that Ren was searching for. Ren wonders if he could find it with them but Ai told him that whether or not Ren can find it depends on him. Ai then took the the sword out of the stone and it turned into Ichimoku Ren. In the present, Hone-Onna remarks that having friend is a good thing. In return Ren tells her that he doesn't see them as friends but as family. However, Hone-Onna and Wanyuudou couldn't hear this so Hone-Onna wonders if she's the only one who sees everyone as friends. When she asks Wanyuudou, he claims that he sees himself as her lover. XD The episode ends with Ren wondering if this is less painful than it used to be.

Impression:

Well, we finally find out that Ren is actually a Tsukumogami, an old artefact which after hundreds of years developed self-awareness. I supposed it's appropriate within the context of the series. However, I have to admit that I was weirded out for a minute. It makes me wonder if he's the only anomaly within the group. Apart from the Tsukumogami, however, I don't think there is anything special in Ren's story. As it turns out, the woman that he kept seeing before was that woman who got killed by the Samurai. I think the reason Ren has been concerned for Honami is because in a way she looks a bit like that woman who got killed. Speaking of Honami, surely I can't be the only one who's annoyed that she got the short end of the stick? Not only she was abused by her husband, had to make contract with Ai, and in the end, she had to kill herself so her daugher won't go to Hell.

I think the most interesting issue here is the group's ability to interfere with their client's life. Strangely, Wanyuudou seems to be the only one who's opposed to this. Last week Hone-Onna clearly wants to do this and this week Ren wants to do the same thing. Ai doesn't seem to mind much and there were times in this episode where she asked Wanyuudou to let Ren do what he wants to do. I would have thought that Kikuri would oppose to this but as shown in this episode, she actually encouraged Ren to talk to Honami. Admittedly her intention may not be pure but she presented a good point. If Ren felt that he could only watch while he was a Katana, his current job wouldn't be any different if he can't help his clients. Anyway, I wonder if this episode would set up further conflict between Wanyuudou and the rest of the team since he seems very insistent about them not interfering with client's life. Unfortunately, I suspect the answer will be "no".

© memento 2003