Saiunkoku Monogatari – 48

This episode was definitely more fast-paced than the previous ones. Lots of things happened, and I really loved it. It basically consisted out of two parts: one focused on Eigetsu and one on Shuurei. It’s quite surprising, I expected Shuurei to take a long time to get back to the Sa-province, but due to the fact that everyone is racing to reach the Sa-province as fast as possible, they move considerable faster than they did before, when they had to watch out not to get caught. What also surprised me was Seiran: he actually stayed in the capital. Instead, he sent Ensei his sword, and that’s all we hear of him during this episode. The best part of the Shuure-part was when people started to refuse to let Shuurei pass because of the rumours that she might be the cause of the disease. The bad part is that Shuurei is actually starting to believe this. After all, if Li Senya really is THAT Li Senya, he’d indeed be causing trouble because of her, which means that she indirectly is the cause of so many people dying. The best part of the episode, though, definitely was the Eigetsu-part. To start, some more parts of his past get revealed: the parts that tie everything together. Yougetsu turns out to be a spirit, who saved Eigetsu when Doushu found him, killed by his own parents. This makes me wonder: is Yougetsu one of the sages who helped the first king? Anyway, Yougetsu’s condition for saving him was that he could only remain alive for twenty more years. When Yougetsu saved Doushu, these years probably not only got divided, but also considerably reduced. Otherwise Eigetsu would have lived till his sixteenth, while he’s around twelve years old right now. The reason Yougetsu saved Doushu probably also was because of the way Doushu treated him when he appeared. He never even once got angry or surprised with him. Anyway, in the present time, a lot of things also happen: most notably Eigetsu being kidnapped and tortured (O_o) by a Doushu-lookalike. If I had to guess, then he’s on Riou’s side. As for the reason? Yougetsu? Do they want him? In any case, I definitely do NOT want to miss the next episode, as something tells me that something incredible is going to happen. Meanwhile, elsewhere Kourin is coming after Eigetsu (another reason why the next episode is promising to be really good), Ryuuren realizes that Eigetsu is in danger (ditto), and we see the introduction of two new side-characters: Shuuran and Riou. Their family was struck by the disease. Shuuran finds her support in Riou, while Riou thinks he abandoned them. Even though it was the first episode I saw them, the discussion the two of them had was already quite touching, and I already like them A LOT. Shuuran already shows that she is really strong. … And why the HECK did Riou have the same name as the other Riou!?!]]>