Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori ep.23

March 20, 2007 | 24 Comments

Trust it to the writers of this series to leave the exciting stuff in the last few episodes. Having said that, I think we're officially in the major arc for the season: the Lovely Hills. Judging from the way the arc has been developing, I'd be surprised if there is no major massacre happening anytime soon. This episode also proves that there is something inherently wrong with the Jigoku Tsuushin system. Humans are already vengeful by nature but providing a 'weapon' which allows them to channel their vengeance would lead to this kind of situation. It never fails to puzzle me how the vengeance seekers tend to ignore the "hontou ni" part of Ai's drill when she comes to bring a straw doll for them. At any rate, Ai would probably have to recruit some more helpers now because demand for those elusive straw dolls will skyrocket very soon.

The episode begins with Enma Ai and Wanyuudou overseeing the town of Lovely Hills. Inside a culture centre, a group of townsfolk are practicing a choir. However, it becomes apparent that one of the singers is off key. When the conductor asks the group to sing the song one more time, a man can't help but criticising another. When his wife reminds him that he can be heard, he tells her that he doesn't care. Meanwhile, Takuma realises that he’s been observed by Ai. He wonders if she has business with him or if someone else has placed a request. As Ai jumps down, Naito, the man who was offended by the stinging criticism about his singing can be seen pulling the red string off a straw doll. This effectively caused the man who insulted Naito to disappear immediately. Back at the bridge, Takuma asks Ai to stop but she disappears behind a bus. At the same time, the wife of the missing man finds out that her husband is not inside the room anymore.

Back at the bridge, Kikuri, who is now swinging like a monkey, approaches Takuma. Takuma decides to ignore the brat and tells her not to appear in front of him. In response she asks him if he hates her and when he denies it, she continues to pester him. Inside a house, a detective is asking Naito about the disappearance of Komaki Kimihiko. The detective is particularly interested to know what Naito and Komaki were talking about. Naito claims that Komaki was just asking his advice about stocks since he used to work as a financial advisor. He claims that they were going to go home together but on their way, they met that 'devil child' and Komaki ended up talking to the boy. Wanyuudou who hears this is disgusted that Naito is willing to falsely accuse a kid with a crime. Ren wonders how the detective will handle this. The detective decides to ask Takuma if he knows someone who can testify for his alibi that he was standing at the bridge back then.

Unfortunately Takuma remembers that his only two witnesses are Ai and Kikuri so he tells the detectives that there was no one. After a while, however, he remembers that he also took a bus. The detective decides to ask the bus driver if he saw Takuma. At first the driver claims that he saw the boy but when an old man claims that he was on the bus and didn't see any boy, the driver changes his opinion. A passenger asks the detective to find the suspect already while another suggests that it's probably the kid. Later on, the detective laments about how everyone has turned into suspicion and fear. He, however, realises that this is inevitable since the incident has not been solved. While trying to look at his computer to see if he had overlooked something, the detective overhears a group of people talking about how the missing people have probably been sent to Hell. They believe that Takuma is the devil's child who's been using Jigoku Tsuushin.

After checking with the computer division, the detective finds out that Takuma did access Jigoku Tsuuhin but he couldn't connect. She tried to access the site at 12 midnight but can't connect to it herself. The detective wonders why it has to be 12 midnight but his colleague simply tells him that's just how the rumour goes: one has to access the site at 12 midnight. When he asks her whose rumour, she only tells him that it's all over the internet and a popular urban legend amongst the young people. That night, the detective becomes trouble with this development to the point that he becomes absent-minded. His sister complains about this since she's gone out of her way to make Sukiyaki. He decides to ask the sister, Hotaru, if she's heard about Jigoku Tsuushin. She suggests that he investigate Takuma's browsing past but upon seeing his reaction, she realises that he's done exactly that. Because of this, she suggests that he asks Takuma directly.

The detective tells her that even if he does, he's not sure if the kid will tell the truth. Upon hearing this, Hotaru realises that everyone's pressuring her brother to find the suspect but Takuma has closed off his heart. With this in mind, she sets on helping her brother's investigation. She, however, decides not to tell him about it. Meanwhile, Naito has gathered a few people to watch over Takuma, claiming that they must protect the city since the police won't do anything. Unknown to them, their action has been observed by Wanyuudou and Ai. Wanyuudou is revolted with their vigilante act and wonders if Takuma is asleep. Ai thinks the boy is still awake and singing. True enough, Takuma can be seen inside a bath. The next day at school, Hotaru is busy scribbling something on her notepad, prompting her friend to ask her what she's doing. Hotaru admits that she's trying to find a solution to the case for her brother's sake.

Meanwhile, the woman who sent Kakinuma (the guy who killed Takuma's mother) to Hell can be seen arriving at the police station. She tells the detective that Kakinuma had told her that he's gone to the countryside to relax because the guy has no job. When the detective asks her if Takuma has nothing to do with Kakinuma's disappearance, she confirms this. This causes Ren to wonder if her conscience makes her feel guilty. Because the woman, whose name turns out to be Yoshizaki, volunteers to help out, the detective asks her if she knows anything about Jigoku Tsuushin. Yoshizaki suddenly becomes horrified and decides to excuse herself, claiming that she doesn't know about it. Later on Yoshizaki is seen speeding on the road while checking her hell mark on the rear-view mirror, she doesn't pay attention to the street. Before she knows it, there is a truck coming towards her, sending her car straight into the river. Kikuri who sees this seems to feel sorry for her.

That evening, the vigilante group meets up again to inform Naito that Takuma hasn't gone out since last night. Despite this, Naito still accuses Takuma as the devil's child, suggesting that the highway accident that happened in the daytime was probably his doing as well. Much to their surprise, Hotaru is seen approaching the house and introducing herself to Takuma as Neshiai Hotaru. Through the speaker, she claims that she just wants to talk and help him, prove his innocence. Takuma, however, thinks it's impossible and suggests her not to associate herself with him since everyone who does ends up suffering from it. Takuma, however, stops on his track when Hotaru mentions that she knows about Jigoku Tsuushin. Meanwhile, the vigilantes think it's dangerous to let Hotaru to enter the house. Before they can stop her, however, Hotaru already enters the house. Once inside, she immediately guesses that Takuma accessed Jigoku Tsuushin.

Hotaru believes that Takuma had a grudge against Kakinuma and surprisingly, Takuma admits this. Upon hearing this, Hotaru wonders if this is because his mother's death. Wanyuudou who overhears the conversation with Ren and Ai praises Hotaru's investigation skill. Ren is not surprised though since the girl is a detective's sister after all. Back to Takuma, he claims that he didn't use Jigoku Tsuushin. Hotaru also believes this and thinks that Jigoku Tsuushin is just a rumour on the net. In response Takuma tries to convince her that Jigoku Tsuushin does exist and asks her where Kakinuma could possibly be. Hotaru tells Takuma that although she has no idea where Kakinuma could be, he must have been taken by someone and that Takuma's father was injured because he was trying to stop the perpetrator. Because of this she wants Takuma to tell her the criminal but Takuma simply leaves Hotaru alone and goes back to his bedroom.

At the hospital, the detective inspects the body of the dead woman unaware of the hell mark that presents on her chest. Inside his room, Takuma is startled when Ai tells him that it would have been okay if he told Hotaru everything. In response, Takuma tells her that Hotaru wouldn't believe it even if he had said it. Ai, however, reminds him that the entire townsfolk would blame him for the deaths if he doesn't tell the truth. Takuma, however, doesn't care if that happens because maybe then everyone will be satisfied. Ai informs him that this is no longer just his problem. Soon, someone else will be sent to Hell. In response Takuma asks Ai not to tell this to him and she could have refused the requests. Unfortunately Ai tells him that this is not her decision to make. Takuma can only cry on his pillow, saying that no one understands that if they do bad things, one day the deed will come back to them. Downstairs, Hotaru wonders what Takuma could be hiding when Kikuri suddenly appears.

Kikuri immediately asks Hotaru why she didn't believe Takuma in regards to Jigoku Tsuushin. Kikuri doesn't waste time and tells Hotaru that it exists and unleashes a long white cloth out of her kimono and moves it around while she laughs like a psycho. Before Hotaru can run away, the cloth already wraps around her while Kikuri declares that she has an invite for one. When Hotaru opens her eyes, she finds herself in Ai's sunset world. Meanwhile, Hotaru's brother becomes worried because she hasn't come home. He eventually finds out that Hotaru has been investigating the case for his sake. Because of this he goes to Takuma's house and on his way notices Naito and the vigilante group. Upon seeing the detective, the vigilante wonders if he's here to arrest Takuma but the detective denies it and instead asks them what they are doing in the area. When they claim that they've been watching Takuma, the detective asks them if they've seen a high school girl coming.

The group confirms this and tells him that she's still inside. When the detective talks through the speaker, Takuma tells him that the girl has probably gone home. The vigilante accuses Takuma as a liar so Takuma has no choice but to let them in. Everyone is shocked when they see Hotaru's boots still located in the entrance but they can't find Hotaru inside the house. Naito, however, grabs Takuma and accuses him as devil's child who doesn't hesitate to lie. When the detective asks Takuma about Jigoku Tsuushin, Naito forces the boy to confess. Takuma looks into the detective's eyes and asks him to believe him so the detective tries to stop Naito. All of a sudden Naito disappears, scaring everyone in the room. Outside, it's revealed that Komaki's wife was the one who pulled the string on Naito. While Ai and her associates look concerned for Takuma, Hotaru finds Ai's house and thinks she can make a phone call from the house.

Preview

Impression:

Well, it's clear now that the Lovely Hill arc will be the major arc for this second season. I certainly didn't expect this when Takuma was first introduced in episode 14 but this seems to be confirmed now. At any rate, am I the only one who notices the similarity between this town and Ai's original village? I think there is a good reason as to why the first episode of this series started by showing Ai killing off the entire population of her village. The question is, would similar incident happen in Lovely Hills? Would Takuma finally snaps and sends all of his Hell spawn neighbours back to where they rightly belong? Sure, every now and again you find decent people like the detective and his sister. In general, however, the entire population seems to be rotten to the core and relies more on mass gossip than their own brain cell to do their thinking. Naito is the worst of the lot. He had the guts of accusing Takuma when he's the one who has sent someone to Hell.

Most importantly, what role does Kikuri plays in all of these? Even after 23 episodes, I still can't get a reading on her. There are times when her action is just completely unpredictable. When the car drowns in the river, for example, she looked as if she feels sorry for the driver. She also went out of her way to convince Hotaru that Takuma is not a liar. However, what is she intending to do by sending Hotaru to Ai's sunset world? Oh well, while Hotaru is in it, I hope she opens the paper door that obscured grandma spider and give us a peek of her real form. I want to see something completely horrifying. Maybe she can go on some kind of Dante's Inferno journey, seeing of how those who have gone to Hell are treated. Unfortunately, next week seems to be more people going insane and sending one another to Hell. At this rate, I can see someone sending another person to Hell just because the person got the last toilet paper in the supermarket.

© memento 2003