Unwatched nine-year-old prequel aside, Utawarerumono continues to churn out entertaining little yarns chronicling the adventures of the hapless Haku and capable Kuon. This week they join Ukon in escorting a kind and adorable young princess, Rurutie, to the capital.
Along the way, the girls enjoy a hot bath, but Kuon hears someone lurking in the woods and runs out to confront them, but in her absent-mindedness ends up presenting her naked self to Haku.
The convoy is eventually attacked by bandits led by a feisty young woman (Nosuri) and a rapey old man who steal all their wagons containing tribute for the emperor, but Ukon lets them ride off without a fight, causing Haku to suspect the super-strong badass has a plan in mind for foiling the thieves.
Nosuri, by the way, quickly ends her alliance with the rapey dude when she learns he’s built a large hideout in the canyons where he intends to bring more women and children to victimize. She don’t want no part of that.
Even when things don’t go exactly according to Ukon’s plan, and the rapey leader ends up right back where Haku and the girls are, the fact that Haku made Rurutie’s plump, affectionate riding bird fall for him back in the beginning of the episode pays off, when the bird dispatches the bad guys in a protective rage.
The bandits are arrested by imperial guards, and the way is clear for the rest of Rurutie’s journey to the capital, where Kuon is certain Haku can find a good job, even if he claims not to be ready for one yet, because he’s perhaps the laziest protagonist of the Fall, yet still somehow likable simply because I’m not sure I wouldn’t act the same way as he if thrust into such an unfamiliar world.
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At the beginning of the episode, I thought the scene with Haku washing his face was going to lead to one of those stupid boob grab moments when he was looking for the towel, but it instead lead to a humorous bird swooning scene. I kind of also enjoyed how Kuon didn’t immediately attack Haku when he saw her as would also happen in a typical harem scene. For me, the best part of this show are the exchanges between Haku and Kuon (especially Kuon’s varied expressions) and it’s kind of unfortunate that this series isn’t a slice of life about their village life.
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Agreed; the show is at its best when focusing on those two. In fact, this seems to be a whole season of balanced, reasonable, pleasant male-female relationships. What’s going on here?!
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Well, probably the typical harems from a few seasons ago probably crashed and burned and now the production companies are going to be more careful to avoid repeat fails.
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I hope so, because if I see another stupid boob grab I will fly to Japan and punch writers.
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