English Dub Review: Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls “Like a Rhinoceros”

This week, we discover the enormous weight Shikibu carries.

Overview (Spoilers below)

The Kouga and Iga ninjas meet to discuss their battle plans against the Joujinshuu for the last time before the assault. Things are going smoothly until Shikibu’s armor springs a fastener and has to go be repaired. Negoro insists that he take a look at the armor, and brings Hibiki and Hachisu along as well. Negoro takes a look at Shikibu and realizes his muscles have grown, and his armor needs to be resized. He tells Shikibu to go take a bath and wait for his new armor while wearing his old one. During this time, Negoro explains Shikibu’s secret disease: his muscles can’t stop growing, and left unchecked, will make his body explode. His armor is not just protection for him, it also compresses his body so that his muscles will stop growing.

Just then, while Shikibu is away, Hachisu realizes that the workshop is surrounded by three masked ninjas. While Negoro and Hibiki stay inside, Hachisu deploys to take out the enemy ninjas with superior firepower. She takes out one with a long range lead delivery to the brain and quickly dispatches another with a barrage from her six-gun shooter. The last ninja is no pushover, and ambushes Hachisu, getting into close range and knocking the gun out of her hand. The last ninja, a monstrous, mummified beast of a man reveals that his target is actually Hachisu, and not Hibiki. In response, Hachisu dives for her gun and launches some shots to the ninja’s chest. To her horror, though, the bullets can’t break through the creature’s monstrous skin. Hearing the gunshots, Hibiki tries to run off to help but is soon called back, and Shikibu soon arrives to back up Hachisu.

Shikibu quickly tackles the ninja to a tree and starts to strangle him, only to find he can’t seem to finish the job. The enemy ninja says that Shikibu is a monster just like him, which sends him into a rage. He throws the ninja through the tree and runs off with Hachisu.

Shikibu and Hachisu hide in a cave from their opponent. Shikibu, stuck in his old armor, isn’t doing good. His muscles are acting up and it’s ripping up his body inside. Shikibu then goes on to explain his backstory, where he was brought up at a temple of Buddhist monks during his childhood. There, he was taught by the monks that he is something of a monster, and that to live of a life of peace he must be forced into the life of a Buddhist monk. He is raised and taught to make no friends, to find no love, and to lead a life of solitude,  “like a rhinoceros,” they say. This made Shikibu’s life a living hell, that scarred him for life and made him feel like a monster.

Back in the present, Hachisu tries to talk some sense into Shikibu, telling him that he shouldn’t worry if he is being punished by heaven or not, he shouldn’t care what other people think of him. Hachisu tries to help Shikibu with his pain, though the poor giant is still ashamed of his body and doesn’t want to disgust her. Hachisu doesn’t care though, and unbuckles some of his armor and uses her own clothes to adjust his gear.

Hibiki, carrying Shikibu’s newly made armor in tow, runs off to find the two other ninjas, only to get ambushed by the mummified ninja. He has her on the ground but is interrupted by none other than Hachirou, who has come back to help fight the Joujinshuu. He uses his eye magic to stun his opponent, and then stabs him right in the chest, taking him down instantly. Hibiki then tries to plead with Hachirou to come home and work with them to fight the Joujinshuu.

Back with Shikibu, Hachirou is naked and taking aim over Shikibu’s shoulder at the cave’s entrance. In her defensive position, she tells Shikibu of her upbringing, how she was terrible at her kunoichi training, and how using the gun was the only thing she excelled at. She parts this wisdom to Shikibu, that he shouldn’t allow other people’s words to choose how he leads his life. This inspires the armored giant to break through the cave with his mighty strength, taking on the mummified ninja (Who’s still alive) with his newfound confidence. Though the ninja mocks Shikibu again, it doesn’t matter. Shikibu snaps his neck and stands tall over his dead body. He knows now that he and his friends will take on whatever lies ahead together.

Our Take:

Wow! What an unexpectedly excellent episode. I was thoroughly impressed with this showing of great characterization and emotional scenes from a series I usually associate with a stale stiffness. Shikibu’s backstory was truly heart-wrenching, and his recovery with Hachisu’s help was a great moment between those two characters, who feel more real than ever. As good a time I had with this episode, though, I do find it unfortunate they didn’t do this kind of character development earlier in the season. Episode 11 is a pretty late time to start revealing who your character’s actually are. Problematic, but still a strong episode.