Nabari no Ou, Episode 13

And we’ve hit the halfway mark.

The episodes opens with the Kouga ninja, three of whom are attending to the ailing headmaster of the front-world academy, Alya Private Academy. He is worried about the future of both the academy and his clan, but the three girls, apparently all student council members, tell him to not worry so much and leave it to them to be concerned about it all. At the end of the scene, after they have left, a cat’s shadow appears on the floor.

In Banten, the Banten group, along with Juuji, prepare to leave for Kouga. Hanabusa is also leaving, although she is off to work on the fossils dug up at her last dig. She assures Kumohira that Yoite and Miharu will be back sometime after telling him to look after them; Kumohira had reacted evasively when she had told him to keep an eye on them. She kisses Kumohira before departing, leaving him embarassed in front of the others. As they walk along, Kouichi mentions the reason that the Kouga have invited them (the future of Nabari), and Kumohira talks about the kinjitsu scroll, the Daya, and how he plans to get it. Raimei is deep in thought about the scroll, and repeats ‘kinjutsu scroll’ after Kumohira, but manages to convince Kumohira that she said something about getting him on the train (‘shinkansen’).

The Kairoushuu car is getting pulled out of the water as Yukimi informs the group that they are on stand-by until another car can be had. Yukimi also warns Miharu to not reveal that he has the Shinrabanshou, and Raikou asks Miharu if he knows much about the Daya. Miharu has read about it, and we learn that it enables one to make a cure-all medicine… or a deadly poison, depending on how it is used. Raikou also says that it is rumored to be able to help a kira user, which piques Miharu’s interest. But Miharu asks Raikou if he is doing it for Gau. Raikou says that he is, but that it depends upon whether Gau wants it or not. Raikou also states that Yoite seems to be very important to Miharu.

Suddenly the group is approached by a young, white-haired girl, who reveals herself to be a Kouga ninja from Alya Academy. She brings them to the academy, and Yukimi rattles on about the school itself. The girl, Kurookano Shijima, states that most of the students don’t realize there are any ninjas there, as the ninjas are part of special classes. Shijima becomes irritated when Yukimi keeps looking around as they walk, although Yukimi defends with the fact that, in the front world, he is a writer, so he naturally does such things.

The group enters a special building for the ninja, and overhear a group of teachers and administrators discussing the headmaster in unkind terms. When they step into the main hall, all the Kouga ninja students are there, staring down at them from above on the second floor walkway. It is quite clear that the students are not happy with the presence of outsiders on their campus and in their dorm. Katarina, one of the earlier student council members, says something about Shijima’s bringing of the group in without telling anyone, but is told by Subaru, the third girl from earlier, that “all the preparations are in place”.

Shijima shows the group to their rooms, and leaves them. Yoite tries to go off to get the kinjutsu, but is stopped by Yukimi, although he goes off sulkily anyway. Yukimi opens the window to get some fresh air, and discovers Kumohira doing the same from the next-door window. Both quickly retreat into their rooms, Yukimi remarking that it’ll be getting more interesting while Kumohira grouses that it’s going to be more difficult now. Both Raikou and Kouichi misinterpret their behavior and tell them that the bathroom is down the hall.

Later, both the Kairoushuu group and the Banten group are in a meeting with the Kouga student council (from now on, seitokai, as it is faster to type). Kumohira yells at Miharu and is forcibly removed by Kouga ninja at the close of the meeting. Afterwards, the student council goes to see the headmaster, but while they are assuring him, the assistant headmaster, Kannuki, bursts in to harass the headmaster about declaring a successor. The seitokai calls him out on his behavior, as he is the natural successor himself, and they suspect less than illustrious motives – he wants the Daya, specifically. But the clash is cut off when Shijima notices that both Raikou and Yukimi are listening in from right outside the window. After they both jump down, Shijima tosses them a campus map, and Subaru warns them not to take them too lightly.

Back with the Banten, Kouichi supposes that Yoite is probably also around although he did not attend the meeting. Juuji reveals that she is still really shocked by Miharu’s apparent betrayal. She questions Kumohira after he comes in the room, but Kumohira admits to not knowing what Miharu is planning. He also states that the Kouga have refused to answer any questions until the next day. Kouichi advises that they themselves speak to Miharu, and says that if it comes to a fight, then so be it, surprising everyone with his bluntness.

Yukimi and Raikou discuss the disputes amongst the Kouga in their room, noting that the teachers and the students seem to be in disagreement. Miharu goes to check on Yoite, who is looking out into the night in the next room with the lights off. He wraps a scarf around Yoite’s neck, saying that Hanabusa sent it along, despite Yoite’s attempts to shake it off. He also remarks a bit conversationally about how dark it gets when night comes to Alya, and Yoite replies that he likes how the night swallows things up, that he wishes it would do the same to his existence. Miharu says nothing.

After going to bed, some of the Kouga students attack both groups. Yukimi fights one, and fires, but it is shown that he fires the gun next to the boy’s head so that the bullets simply go past, and he says that that is enough, since the ninja is still just a kid. He and Raikou check next door – Miharu and Yoite are missing, but their would-be assailants are unconscious on the floor. In the hall, they are attacked again, and Subaru appears, misunderstanding the situation.

Elsewhere, Miharu stops Yoite from using the kira on one of the Kouga students. Raimei strikes him down with her sheathed sword, and Juuji threatens him further, as Raimei demands to know who ordered the attack. The boy reveals that it was Kannuki. When Miharu speaks up, Raimei rushes over to greet him, although Juuji gives him a dark look. As they are speaking, Shijima appears, wanting to know what the ruckus is all about. So do Subaru and Katarina, and the seitokai all assume that they have attacked the student assailants in a quest for the Daya. A fight breaks out.

The group tries to escape, but the seitokai keeps engaging them in combat. Miharu finds a stairway and shouts for everyone; however, Katarina tackles him, and they both fall down the stairs. From a distant window, Kannuki looks on, smirking, as he states that the academy is going to end up in ruins, all the while looking like a Leiji Matsumoto escapee.

Impressions:

No, I couldn’t resist that last line in the summary. Ch-check it out:

See what I mean?

Anyway, I mentioned the cat shadow, although it seems minor, because I’ve been suspicious of Miharu’s cat (of all people!) for a while now. That cat is always around – hell, it even shows up in the OP! And it just catches my attention for whatever reason. So that cat shadow really has me wondering, since they certainly wouldn’t bother with such a detail unless is mattered somehow.

Still waiting for some more back-story of Kouichi – we still haven’t found out what Yae saw in his mind.

I really like the Kouga seitokai. I like the individuals themselves, and I find their variety to be pleasing, given that anime usually lacks such variety in characters physical appearance-wise. Katarina appears to be African or African-American in descent, which is reflected in not just skintone but overall body type and facial features, all of which I just find very cool since anime fails to do so usually in the few times Afro-whichever characters appear. Shijima is the young-looking one (I hesitate to call her ‘loli’ since, although she looks younger than the rest, since she doesn’t really cater to any fetishes), with a seriously weird posture and an average body-type outside of her short stature. Subaru on the other hand is tall and thin. I can’t pinpoint exactly why I find this mix so thrilling, but I do.

To our BL crowd, the Miharu and Yoite scarf scene, along with Miharu’s earlier talk with Raikou (Raikou: “It seems like you two are more than friends.”) should make you happy, with Raikou’s sentiments toward Gau as a little added extra. I’m still not willing to commit on the Yoite and Miharu thing, although I think i made it very clear what i think of Raikou and Gau.

On a silly note, I’m bummed that Raimei finally changed her school uniform – I really liked the one from her school in Tokyo! Oh well.