English Dub Review: Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls “Tadanaga’s Change of Heart”

Tadanaga is just a weird dude all around.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Last week, a strange man challenged Hachirou’s ninja skills to test his mettle, and this episode, he reveals that the estranged Tadanaga would like to speak with him.

Post-opening credits, Namenba and Gorone discuss the political matters that have been going on between the Tadanaga family. They theorize that their own ninja clan has been caught up in the politics between the forces of the shogun and the Joujinshuu. It would seem that Joujin has been using his powers to pull strings from the shadows, and to that end, they must consult with the shogun to find out the truth. It’s not an easy task, but Namenba has a plan: break into the palace, as ninjas are ought to do.

Sneaking inside, she initially counters resistance but uses her kunai attached to strings to deftly execute her attackers. Soon, she makes her way to the chambers of the Shogun, and drinks some unknown liquid before creeping her way down on a rope, Mission Impossible style. Hanging just above the sleeping shogun, she opens her mouth and deposits the liquid into the shogun’s mouth. The elixir is some kind of suggestibility potion, and Namenba uses it to get intel from the peaceful shogun about the deployment of ninjas to deal with his brother. But before Namenba can make her escape, she’s discovered by the guards and has to flee to the roof, where the strange man who met with Hachirou earlier awaits.

Back at the village, the Iga clan ninja girls discuss how the arrival of this mysterious castle has been good for business, though its ominous presence is something of an ill portent. Hibiki thinks its the Joujinshuu, and at the mention of that, the rest of the girls want to jump into action to see what’s going on. Hibiki tells them to show restraint, however, until they can better size up the situation.

Later, we see Tadanaga, in his exile at Takasaki Castle, meeting with Hachirou to discuss why he’s summoned him there. Tadanaga reveals how he bore witness to Joujin’s defeat of the Five Treasures of Kouga. He goes on to say how he was coerced by Joujin, and how the serpentine castle known as “Murakamo” has appeared, the very same castle the Iga were speaking about earlier. Tadanaga inadvertently paid for the construction of the castle, at the coercion of Joujin, and the death of the Five Treasures was key in that happening. Tadanaga continues to share what Joujin told him all those years ago, but there is a layer of deception underneath his words. We see none other than Saizou, sitting cross-legged on the roof of the castle, using his floating eye magic to reveal armed guards ready to ambush Hachirou. Tadanaga goes on to testify that he witnessed the moving of a cursed forest on his return from his travels, and that he knew, at Joujin’s behest, he needed to stop the forest from moving. Monkeys soon began to pour from the forest, and it was then that Tadanaga slaughtered the monkeys, the crime which earned him his exile. Tadanaga tries to convince Hachirou of the validity of his actions, that he must fall in line with him for the good of Japan. Hachirou refuses the mad ex-lord, much to Tadanaga’s fury, and soon his guards are upon them. Using both Saizou’s floating eye magic and Hachirou’s suicide-inducing magic, they dispense with the guards, and make their exit. But Tadanaga realizes they’ll have to keep Hachirou quiet, and ends the episode by declaring that they must track the ninja clan leader down, lest he spills the secrets Tadanaga has revealed.

Our Take:

This episode was…confusing, to the say the least. I’m not sure if its a translation problem or a writing one, but the political complexities of what’s going on in this show are at times completely baffling. This episode was bogged down in long expositional dialogues and bizarre plot developments, in a show that already suffers from an excess of hammy fights and unrealistic characters. The truly unfortunate part is that all this plot contrivance really just amounts to some plain and simple fighting, which makes all the exposition just feel like filler. Better luck next week, I suppose.