Kekkaishi ep.04

November 1, 2006 | 19 Comments

It's unfortunate that the interest for this series seems rather low at the moment. I suspect this is because no one has subbed the series thus far. Of course it doesn't help that the first 2 episodes came out at the same time, making it harder for those who just want to give the first episode a try but don't want to waste half gigabyte just to see it. Having said that, if you have the bandwidth to spare, then please check out this series. Anyway, this is a pleasant episode which concludes the mini-arc involving Tokine's mystery guest. The good thing about Kekkaishi, however, is the fact that some of the mini-arcs are basically foundations for the series' major storyline involving Urakai. This is a mysterious organisation which makes its first appearance in this episode and will become important later on in the series.

The episode begins with a flashback to the time when Yomi was still a young girl. Back then she was taken by a man to see a Kappa-like Ogre inside a cave. He claimed that this is the only Ogre left and shoved the girl forward to make a contact with it. Despite the rough treatment, Yomi looked excited as she told the demon that his name will be Yoki because he's Yomi's Ogre. The Ogre wondered if Yomi really wants him since he's slow and not bright either. Yomi assured Yoki that he will be strong because he is her Ogre. Yomi then produced two rings, one large and one small to make a contract with the Ogre. She placed the large on on Yoki's horn and put the small one on her finger. With these rings in place, a contract was confirmed between the two. Yomi then told the Ogre that from now on they'll do things together. In the present day, the Ogre and its owner are working together to crush Tokine who can barely maintain her Kekkai.

At the same time, Yoshimori manages to untie himself and uses his power to summon a Kekkai. Yoki suddenly feels a sudden pain as the hard tortoise-like shell on his back explodes. Yoshimori then emerges out of the shell and proceeds to jump into Yoki's head before lunging downwards to trap part of Yoki's leg in his Kekkai. As soon as he chants "Metsu", Yoki's leg are cut in two, giving Tokine the help that she needed. While Yoki complained about the pain of having a severed leg, Yoshimori uses the opportunity to challenge Yomi to take back what she said about the death of Tokine's father not having any meaning whatsoever. Yomi refuses, claiming that Yoshimori doesn't know a thing. Yoshimori admits that even if he doesn't know, Tokine's father fought to protect those that he loved. Because of this, his effort wasn't useless at all. Yomi is shocked to see Yoshimori standing up very well even though she drugged his foods not too long ago.

Yomi realises that this means Yoshimori really is the one who's been selected to guard this area. Because of this, she tells Yoshimori that she was wrong before, the one who's truly in her way is actually him. All of a sudden Yoki launches an attack at Yoshimori using its tail. Yoshimori manages to evade the attack and hide himself behind the trees. He then hears a noise and is shocked when he realises that Yoki's severed leg has now crushed Tokine's Kekkai. Before Yoshimori can do anything else, however, someone appears and covers his mouth from behind. That person is Tokine, who is alive and well. Having said that, she's almost depleted all of her energy and therefore can't fight much longer. Because of this, she asks Yoshimori to deal with the Ogre while she takes on Yomi herself. Meanwhile, Yomi becomes happy when she finds out that Yoki can regenerate his legs quickly thanks to the power of Karasumori that lays dormant in this area.

Unfortunately for Yoki, Yoshimori then appears again and starts dismembering various parts of the Ogre's body. But because of the power of Karasumori, Yoki manages to regenerate them again. Yoshimori decides to change tactic and dismembers both of Yoki's leg, causing the Ogre and Yomi to topple sideways. Tokine uses the opportunity to take Yomi as a hostage, ordering her to tell her Ogre to leave this place. Yomi refuses and by using the ring in her finger, manages to contact Yoki without even using her voice. Once Yoki finds her, she elbowed Tokine and jumps back to her Ogre's shoulder. Yoshimori eventually loses his patience and orderes Yomi to leave now because this is not her place. In retaliation, Yomi tells Yoshimori that of course he doesn't understand since he's one of those selected few who gets his power ever since his birth. A flashback then reveals how Yomi has always been mocked by others for having a lousy Ogre.

Even Yomi's own father didn't believe his daughter when she told him that she will make Yoki stronger. Yoki and Tokine's father were the only two who actually care about Yomi's feeling. However, Yomi believes that any kindness shown by an adult is a lie and ever since then, she refuses to believe in anyone. In the present day, Yomi orders Yoki to become stronger by using Karasumori's power. Yoki's eyes suddenly becomes crazed and he now sports multiple tails much to Yoshimori's surprise. Yoki likes the transformation and decides to draw more power when he suddenly feels a sharp pain. He believes that the ring that Yomi gave him is what restricted his growth. Because of this, he decides that he doesn't need Yomi anymore. The Ogre destroys the ring on his horn and hits Yomi with his tail, sending her flying backwards into the air and down to the ground. She would have been dead if Yoshimori did not catch her body in time.

Yoshimori tells Yomi that her pet is not what he used to be and therefore he could no longer hear her voice. At the same time, Tokine's grandmother is seen running together with two mysterious monks who apologise for not realising what 'that woman' have done sooner. Tokine's grandma, however, thinks that this is their responsibility. Their presence is quickly joined by Yoshimori's grandpa, who ends up tagging along with them. Back to Yoki, the Ogre has now shed its outer skin and reveals a leaner, stronger body. Yoshimori decides to leave Yomi in Tokine's care and decides to fight Yoki. Before he can do this, however, Yomi asks him not to interfere with Yoki. Yoshimori apologises to Yomi but he can't let Yoki to go on like this but he promises her not to kill him since he is her important Ogre. After Yoshimori left, Tokine tells Yomi that she must think that Yoshimori is a fool for saying that but he was serious of what he said.

Yomi tells Tokine that she doesn't want a pity from them but Tokine tells her that she does not pity Yomi. If it were up to her, she'd kill that Ogre. However, Yoshimori clearly has different idea from her. From a bush, Yoshimori realises that Yoki has gone smaller so he tries to entrap the Ogre in a Kekkai. Unfortunately, with the change in size, Yoki has also become faster and manages to avoid the Kekkai. The Ogre then proceeds to run around the forest before jumping onto the school building, destroying the place like a little kid. Yoki then jumps downwards to face Yoshimori, asking him if he's the Kekkaishi who guards this place. Yoki is pleased to hear this because this area even provides a challange to test his power. The Ogre runs towards Yoshimori trying to attack him but Yoshimori already prepares a Kekkai to block the attack. Yomi suggested that Yoki uses the stone with the barrier ward to destroy Yoshimori's Kekkai.

True enough, the strong manages to penetrate Yoshimori's Kekkai, forcing him to roll sideways. However, when Yoki finds out that the rock is covered with charms, he tells Yomi that this is the kind of thing that weak people like her uses. Yomi becomes sad to hear this insult but she accepts it because Yoki has become stronger than ever. Meanwhile, Yoki is annoyed that Yoshimori has done nothing but defending himself. In return Yoshimori reminds him that Yoki hasn't been able to destroy his Kekkai using his own power. Because of this, he challanges Yoki to do just that. Once again Yoshimori activates his Kekkai while Yoki pounds at it with his own bare hands. Yoshimori realises that he doesn't have the chance to create a Kekkai for Yoki on his own. Because of this he decides to enclosed himself and Yoki in the same Kekkai before getting out of that Kekkai on his own. Yoshimori then makes the Kekkai smaller so that Yoki can't move much in it.

Yoshimori then mocks Yoki telling the Ogre that it better not move or else he'll blow up its head. He then orders the creature to leave this place or else. Yoki refuses and tries to pound Yoshimori's Kekkai from within. When that didn't work, he tries to upgrade his own body by drawing more power. Yoshimori can't help but being impressed that Yoki still manages to evolve even while inside his Kekkai. Not far from them, Yomi continues to egg on Yoki to become stronger than everyone else. Because of this, a bulked up Yoki continues to draw power from Karasumori's site while trying his best to break out of Yoshimori's exteremely durable Kekkai. All of a sudden, however, the two monks seen earlier appear in the area. One of them throws away his hat which promptly returns to his hand in the form of two light energies called 「月刃」- Geppa (Moon Blade). The monk then throws the Moon Blades toward Yoki, slicing the creature into two.

Yoshimori is not happy to see this and asks the Monks to introduce themselves. The Monks claim that they are Urakai's 「実行部隊」- Jikkoubutai (Execution force) and their names are Hakudou and Oudou. The reason they are here is to apprehend the defector, Kasuga Yomi. Meanwhile, Yoki's body tries to revive itself by joining its two split self but Hakudou notices this so he orders Oudou to destroy it with 「炎陽玉」- Enyougyoku (Sun flame sphere). Yomi is horrified to see this and tries to stop the monk by jumping towards Yoki. Yoki, who momentarily regains his memory of Yomi, manages to push his master away from danger. Yoshimori catches Yomi's flying body and lands in time for Tokine to create a barrier to protect them from the flames. Tokine, her grandma, and Yoshimori's grandpa then sends the remains of Yoki's essence through the portal. Yoshimori, who sees something floating inside the debris, decides to make a grab for it.

In the aftermath, the Monks tell everyone else that they'll deal with Yomi. They also admit that Urakai has vested interest in this dangerous but interesting site. Before they can leave the area, however, Yoshimori gives something that he salvaged from the debris: it's a small horn belonging to Yoki. Yomi is saddened by this because she remembers what Yoshimori once said about things that brings up painful memory and considers the horn to be such things. She, however, is surprised when Yoshimori points out that there's movement coming from the horn. Out of the horn, a mini Yoki appears. Having said that, Yoshimori believes that it may not be able to become big or strong anymore. Yomi is touched to see this and tells Tokine that she thinks she finally understands why Tokine's father tried to protect his family. The episode then ends with everyone cleaning the place up and Yoshimori asking his grandpa about the mysterious Urakai.

Impression:

There are times when I feel sorry for Yomi but in general, it's hard to sympathised with her. She reminds me of people who looks down on those who are weak/emotionally frail/different. The ironic thing about this kind of people is that they usually are not that different from those that they consider as their inferior. For example, judging from the flashback, Tokine's father had nothing but genuine concern for her and yet she looks down on him and thinks that his sacrifice had no meaning whatsoever. It's not until she lost Yoki that she realised her mistake. It's interesting how both she and Yoshimori started out the same. They both were emotionally frailed kids. However, Yoshimori's harsh experience turned him into a compassionate person while Yomi's experience made her bitter and holds contempt for everyone who looked down on her as well as those who are weak. In a way, this makes me appreciate Yoshimori even more as a character.

There aren't that many character development given to Tokine, which is strange considering that her father was the one who got insulted by Yomi. Speaking of Tokine, some people would probably kill me for saying this but I just don't see the chemistry between her and Yoshimori. She's too mothering towards him that I don't see how she would be attracted to him. It's interesting to note that originally, Tanabe Yellow, the author of the series, didn't include a heroine for the series. It's not until he was forced by his editor to include a female character that he decides to add in Tokine. He then makes her an older girl to give the series a little bit of a twist. Anyway, this was a pleasant, fast-paced episode complete with fluid animation. I am also excited to see next week's episode, which sees the arrival of the ghost of a Pattiserie chef. For some reason the design for that character reminds me of Kawachi from Yakitate!! Japan.

Preview

On next week's episode: Yakitate!! Japan + Ghost Hunter = Kekkaishi!!

© memento 2003