Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta – 03

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While saving Kana and Mina from Mizuki’s runaway car, Touko squeezes them too hard, seemingly killing them, though they’re later revealed as vampires and heal quickly. Kyousuke blames Akina for not beng “dutybound” and they have a row. Mizuki and Kotoha tell Kana and Mina about Akina’s duty as Hiizumi family head to “tune” youkai into their own dimension. But because tuned youkai never return, the act is thought of as murder. In a confrontation by the river, Akina proves he’s inherited the power to tune, but chooses not to use it.

True faith does not require proof (just ask Major Kira!); so throughout the generations the Hiizumi clan has performed their duty with the faith that what they are doing is right, and that they are safely bearing grateful youkai to their proper place, even though no one knows for sure if they’re actually reaching that place, rather than simply being killed. Since becoming the leader of his clan, Akina has not performed that duty, and the youkai have piled up in Sakurashin. But it’s not for lack of faith, or resolve. Akina simply likes having youkai around, so he’s in no hurry to dispatch any of them. Mind you, he’s well aware it’s a selfish decision.

It’s understood that youkai in the human world are “irregular” elements that upset the balance between the dimensions, so things won’t always go smoothly. Take Touka: beneath her cute exterior she’s an immensely powerful ogre, and had the kids she grabbed been human, she’d have popped them like balloons. And shady characters like Lily and Ao’s brother are constantly trying to destroy everything Akina’s built. But regular human society isn’t perfect either. Akina is trying something here, and he has faith it can work.

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Rating:7 (Very Good)

Stray Observations:

  • The car accident scene, which we watched not knowing exactly what those kids were, was perhaps the most visceral of the season; a true WTF moment, set up perfectly by the extremely mundane events that preceded it.
  • Speaking of those mundane events…now Ao is just flashing her panties every chance she gets.
  • Touka’s line to Akina about taking responsibility was pretty funny, especially when she praises herself for saying it.