All is not as it appears.
What They Say:
Episode #10: “The Day the Trick Magister is Chosen”
The Review
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Yasaburo, his family, and the rest of the tanuki are momentarily spared the wrath of Benten. There’s no big knock down, drag out fight between her and the Nidaime. After she got whooped last time it’s clear she knows better than to directly challenge him again. Benten turns her back on Yasaburo and leaves, but she doesn’t leave Yasaburo’s thoughts.
The season progresses and soon Christmas rolls around, a holiday that tanuki love because they love celebrating for no reason. Their exact words, because obviously, a Christian holiday is rather meaningless to magical Japanese woodland creatures. Yaichiro is sworn in as the Trick Magister, much to the delight of the other tanuki and his family. However, his brothers are not present at the ceremony. Yashiro is at work at the factory, Yajiro is up north, Yasaburo goes into hiding after he made an enemy of Benten. He made an enemy of Akedama as well and is excommunicated by the old tengu. Spending time at the little house in the woods playing shogi against the tanuki artist he whiles away the hours. Professor Yodogawa warns Yasaburo that he’s still considered a member of the Friday Fellows and that at some point they’ll expect him for the hot pot, one way or another.
Suddenly a fact comes to light that turns everything upside down. Yajiro finds his way north to a secret town of tanuki. There’s an adorable scene where he meets a young tanuki girl who talks his ear off before showing him the way. After he makes his way to the elder he went there to see and pays his respects to, he gets the older man up to speed on life back at home. When Yajiro reaches the point in his tale where he says the two families have made up there’s a pregnant pause as an unfamiliar tanuki man steps forward to question the actions of the Ebisugawa’s eldest son. Our very obvious suspicions are confirmed when Kaisei approaches Yasaburo concerned that her older brother isn’t acting like himself. Yasaburo is certain it’s just because he’s matured, by Kaisei knows her brother. So who is the imposter tanuki taking the place of the older Ebisugawa sibling and why?
Things take another turn for the dark in this episode once again. While Yasaburo and Kaisei chat, in tanuki form, they are tracked down by Tenmaya and both are tranquilized (presumably, there’s no blood) and we’re left hanging on the threat of capture, again. It’s easy to say that the two tanuki will survive this encounter, but that doesn’t mean they are completely immune from danger. This season has just been a cavalcade of cliffhangers.
There are some stunning shots in this episode. Plenty of new locations, scenery, and random background characters with crazy stares. Yasaburo’s dream of Benten is especially beautiful looking and somewhat terrifying.
In Summary:
For a very beautiful episode of Eccentric Family, there’s an ominous wind is blowing for the Shimogamo brothers. On the anniversary of the death of their father, it’s a time for new beginnings, but they aren’t free from the dark cloud of that prior event. There are hints that not everyone is whom they appear to be, and Yasaburo is haunted by the thoughts of a vengeful Benten, and hunted by someone else. There’s an imposter in their midst, one that may render the truce between families a moot point. Heck, Yasaburo and Kaisei might not even live that long. Will Benten show mercy or will she embrace the dark side?
Episode Grade: B +
Streamed by: Crunchyroll
