life line by line

The staff of Tactics are stretching my patience on how many more filler episodes they can do before I get pissed but luckily for them, I still enjoyed episode 19 as Youko-chan once again stars as the main attraction of it. Blossoming love, snakes, and the reality between youkais and humans are nicely played as we watch Kantarou and the crew deal with the newest “threat” of the week.

As what seems to be the usual, Tensai11 is three steps ahead of me and has already reviewed this episode. Definitely go check out her synopsis as her views usually differ from my male-oriented ones

So Youko is at a nearby temple trying to catch leaves when Fu Chien a young man comes up to find her doing such an activity. Entranced by Youko’s innocent display, one can tell the young man is already falling for Youko.

Kantarou, Youko, and Haruka are drinking tea back at home… or what can pass as tea as their continual poorness has led to the usual low of supplies; including tea leaves. Kantarou complains they’re drinking nothing but hot water while Haruka and Youko show their deeper understanding of drinking tea The young man from before comes by, surprised and delighted that he has run into Youko. His name is Fu Chien Yoshio and owns some famous Kimono store that has recently run into trouble. White snakes have constantly started to appear, scaring off customers and all the workers. Kantarou reassures Yoshio that it’s actually good fortune the white snakes appear and some other BS. Somehow Youko gets herself a job at his store, which makes Yoshio happy.

We find out life at Yoshio’s isn’t all fun and games. His adopted father bluntly hates Youko and tells her she’s not going to marry Yoshio if all she wants is part of their wealth. Yoshio defends her, but at the end Youko basically tells “hey b*tch, just play me for the work I do okay?” What follows is Youko showing off all the hard work she has been doing as Kantarou’s slave and does all her jobs perfectly (is she a ninja?). Yoshio later that night gives Youko an hair accessory/pin-thingie, pimping out his game and whatnot. Also learn that the store is going down unless Yoshio can find a way to save the store. Any more potential Youko-Yoshio love fest gets killed as Yoshio’s father comes in (dang parents always coming in at the wrong moments!) demanding if Yoshio has brought food to his mother yet. Of course not since Yoshio was trying to get some from Youko, so he has no choice but do it now… Youko wants to help but Yoshio tells her not too… and when she does, the whole place is shaking! Some god “protects” Yoshio’s family and only through his mother can they make sure it stays that way. It doesn’t like outsiders I guess…

Youko knows something is up and heads back home to get one of Kantarou’s seals/barriers. Short little comedical moment with Muu-chan and Sugino house sitting and cleaning the place up in-exchange for all the bugs Muu-chan can eat! Just as Youko is leaving with one of the seals, Haruka is right outside asking if she know what she’s doing. Youko just wants to help him while Haruka says it’ll never work out between youkais and humans, which Youko knows too.

Youko makes one more stop over to the “Mysterious Society” where Rosalie and Suzu have apparently become friends. Youko ask the two if they have any ideas on how to save Yoshio’s business, which neither gives any suggstions… that is until Rosalie hints to Youko about something with the couch.

… Couch covers! Yoshio’s store is saved and it’s all thanks to Youko. He goes onto praise her time and time again, with Youko kindly denying it was all her ideas. Along the lines, Yoshio has put some moves on Youko, ending with the two hugging each other while Youko looks over to make sure the seal is still working. Yoshio wants to give something to Youko… it’s the family’s wedding kimono! Youko cannot accept it or anything, thinking back to her talk with Haruka but Yoshio convinces her to at least try it on. It’s way too big for her, but Youko still looks cute when the seal breaks down and the wedding kimono wraps around Youko trying to kill her!

Yoshio goes to beg his mother to stop it and save Youko, which she replies is his punishment for going against the rules of the family. Enough is enough and his mother is pissed, we finding out she has been the ONLY female of the family and transforms into a huge white snake! What was pretty obvious anyways, Yoshio’s “mother” goes after Yoshio and is about to eat him for his ultimate punishment when Haruka and Kantarou come to save the day (as usual)! One battle later, Yoshio’s “mother” is defeated and we find out Yoshio totally hates youkais.

A few days later, we see the store broken down. Yoshio and Youko are talking where they initially met, with Yoshio wanting Youko to come with him where he’ll start the business over somewhere else. Youko sadly ask what Yoshio thinks of youkais, where he tells her he hates them since they were the cause of all his problems. She then says she can’t go with Yoshio, leaving him shocked as she tearfully says it’s because she’s a youkai too… and disappears as various leaves blow between the two.

Youko is sitting on the porch, with one of the red leaves in hand thinking over what has just happened. Haruka and Kantarou prove they are like family as they’re there for her, giving her some tea with lots of tea leaves Youko thanks them and remarks it tastes bitter…

S’okay episode as I’m pretty much biased towards Tomoko Kawakami’s roles. The only thing that one might call interesting and part of the larger plot was the hint of the relationship between youkais and humans. Perfectly exemplified by this episode, it’s going to be a long road before youkais and humans can peacefully co-exist. With people like Kantarou, Haruka, and Youko though, the relationship between humans and demons does seem all the more possible than before.

Now I can only hope for all that is good that Tactics will go back to the main arc and get some evil bad guy actions coming along! (don’t watch the previews, so not to ruin it for myself)