Short Synopsis: Genji gets involved in a pretty nasty scandal.
Episode Rating: 8/10 (Excellent)
Another difficult to understand chapter, so it took me a while to understand what’s going on, but nevertheless it was another excellent one. Genji continues his string of seductions, but this time he gets caught by his latest victim: Roku no Kimi, who seems to be one of the new emperor’s concubines. At the moment, I know nothing of how the family ties worked back then, but does Roku no Kimi have the same last name as Genji, meaning that she’s some sort of family of his?
In any case, he gets found out and this creates a very big scandal, and especially Roku no Kimi is very upset because of it basically putting him under house arrest by the new emperor (apparently, I was wrong when I claimed Genji’s son to be the future emperor, since the Emperor already had a crown prince selected, it seems).
So at this point there’s just one episode left. It obviously doesn’t look like the series will reach the end of the novels, but I can’t think of any logical situation in which this series could lead to a disappointing ending. If the creators just animate the next chapter, I’ll be happy enough, because unlike shows as Tytania, this isn’t really a story that needs a conclusion. This series is more like, we’re given a glimpse at Genji’s life, and at some point it stops, and it’s not like most series out there, which are really building up to their climaxes.
Roku no Kimi is the same woman as the one he seduces in ep. 6, Oborozukiyo ( or the woman who says the ‘matsu onna’ line). She has entered the court to serve Genji’s older half-brother who has inherited the throne, so she is a royal concubine now as you say. However, their affair continues and the new emperor’s mother, who holds a deep grudge against Genji’s late mother, wants to charge him of treason for that affair and other affairs, including one with the emperor’s miko at Kamo (Saiin no Asagao – whom the series only mentions by her title). It seems the emperor isn’t keen on this idea, but maybe he is somehow forced to do something to Genji as a punishment in that court scene. I think this is what leads Genji to exile himself to the distance bay of Suma. Partly to protect his son by Fujitsubou, who is appointed the crown prince at the late emperor’s final order when the current emperor ascends to throne.
Roku no Kimi means ‘the sixth one’. She is the sixth daughter of the Minister of the Right, and she is also younger sister to the current emperor’s mother (that means she is the emperor’s aunt…but Heian people didn’t see this kind of relationship between kins incest). However, she is not related to Genji. “-no Kimi” is not a last name but designates a person, and for Genji he is “hikaru no kimi” or “the shining one”. In fact, names of characters in the original are not their real names. They are mentioned by titles or some kind of pseudonyms that relate to their status. Genji means “one in the Minamoto clan”. Fujitsubou (Wisteria garden/pavillion) is the name of a pavillion in the royal palace where she stays. To no Chujo is a rank of the nobility. Rokujou means the sixth street, which is where she lives. Aoi is named so because of her carriage men’s scuffle with Rokujou’s in the Aoi festival. And Murasaki means ‘purple’ and may be the name of a kind of flowering grass that yields purple dye. Genji calls her so because of her resemblance to Fujitsubou (wisteria blossoms are purple), and because purple symbolizes deep bonds or close relationship. One of the few characters mentioned by their real name is Koremitsu, Genji’s retainer, to show how close he is to Genji. It’s quite a strange custom, but I remember reading that it was practiced to avoid giving identities to the characters which might coincide with real people in Murasaki Shikibu’s time. However, her readers would know whom the characters took after in the cycle of court scandals.
At first I thought the series is going to end with Genji going into exile, but from the preview it seems that the end will extend to his return to Murasaki. I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand it’s good that the series will end with the beginning of Genji’s happiest and most glorious period in his life. On the other hand, the exile arc involves another important female figure, Akashi, who gives birth to his daughter who will someday marry the son of Genji’s brother and become an empress. At this rate I doubt Akashi is going to appear just for the sake of accuracy in the last episode.
And I still don’t know if Genji and Murasaki are married. It seems more likely that they still aren’t, though. However, I quite understand if it is to be changed because at the time Genji consumates their marriage, Murasaki is still a minor according to our standards. Moreover, she is shocked and appalled by his action, which she can’t comprehend. She avoids seeing him for an indefinite period and no reconciliation is mentioned in the novel. When she is mentioned again, it seems she has grown up a little and taken up the role of a good wife already.
I like how Genji’s and Murasaki’s relationship with each other develop in this series, quietly and subtly. But I couldn’t help but wish they are shown together more often. I’m looking forward to the last chapter to see what will become of them.
i love this episode! the emperor is so kind-hearted that it’s impossible not to feel sad for him that roku no kimi doesn’t love him back.
i really wished they would extend this series just so that they can follow the novels to the end. but i guess i can only look forward to a strong ending.
*fingers crossed*