And the rain comes tumbling down…
What They Say:
Episode #8 “Boys, Lamenting in the Rain”
The sun hides behind rainclouds as those Tenka left behind try to come to terms with his execution and continue on with their lives…
The Review
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The opening and ending animations have changed to match the new direction of the show. I expected that would be the case, considering recent events. How do you cope with the lose of a loved one as close as a brother? Soramaru is lost in mourning, dazed. He wants to bring his brother’s body home but Tenka wanted to be autopsied so that others might learn more about the Orochi. Chutaro isn’t doing any better, sitting in the rain waiting for his lost brother to return home. It’s a sad scene all around.
The Yamainu troop is having an equally difficult time. They are almost disbanded when they can’t take the orochi alive, and are instructed to keep watch over the Kumoh bothers. It’s almost as if the local officials want the monster for themselves. Sousei agrees to keep his promise to teach Soramaru and starts training with him. Sora’s heart just isn’t in it right now though, and Sousei’s not exactly warming up to his old friend’s younger brother.
Shirasu finds Sora sitting on the porch and Sora admits to him that he doesn’t think that he’ll be able to keep training and that he’ll never be as strong as his brother. Chutaro overhears him talking about the murder of their parents and the injury Tenka received at the time, and realizes that no one ever told him anything either. He runs off and his brother doesn’t even give chase.
We get a brief flashback to Sousei joining the Yamainu troop as a child, and falling under the tutelage of the Kumoh brother’s father. Sousei was the first on scene of the aftermath of the slaughter of the brother’s parents. The flashback seems abruptly placed, and it’s just rubbing more salt into the wound that is the ongoing struggle of all these characters.
Another criminal escapes into the woods near the lake and the cops call on Soramaru to help. Before that can happen they find the ninja girl Nishiki cut up and passed out near the shrine. They take her in and treat her wounds, and she once again begs Shirasu to restore the clan, which he again refuses. When Soramaru heads out to hunt down the criminal she follows him, and we find out how one becomes a Fuuma ninja. Nishiki failed in becoming a full ninja of the clan and was outcast. Soramaru starts to think of her like a kindred spirit, and asks her to stay and help.
It’s a bit sad that it took someone else equally downtrodden to kickstart Soramaru. As if he didn’t already have a brother to protect, who is currently having yet another run in with the escaped con Kagami.
Episode Grade: B –
On to episode #9…
