English Dub Review: Golden Kamuy “Let’s Talk About the Past”

Speaking of times long past.

Overview:

The group escapes Edogai’s house and the Seventh Division.

Our Take:

Sugimoto and Hijikata realize they have similar aims and decide to team up.

Most importantly comes a touching sequence: Shinpachi finding out about Hijikata’s imprisonment. Even though he had been teaching at the prison for years, the warden never informed Shinpachi that Hijikata had survived. To understand this, you need to know a little bit about the Shinsengumi and Shinpachi as a person, for he was an actual person that existed, unlike Sugimoto. Shinpachi used to be part of the Shinsengumi, who were loyal to the country’s old government during a time of great change. Before the push north that resulted in the final battle that Hijikata died in, where the Shinsengumi took their last stand, Shinpachi had an argument with Kondo, the leader at the time, and left the group. Although he had fought against the Imperial army, he laid low and was not punished for his transgressions. He later became a kendo instructor at a prison- the same prison that Hijikata is at in Golden Kamuy.

It’s been years since they last saw each other, and Shinpachi’s feelings have changed. He feels now that Hijikata made the offer all the more bitter to him so that Shinpachi would leave before he inevitably got killed with the rest of them. Hijikata denies it, but you can’t help but feel like there’s some truth there. And we see them as their younger selves once again, still talking like old friends. It’s a moving moment.

It seems like they skipped an arc, or at least were rearranging it. Next, they should have stumbled upon an Ainu village which was being kept under wraps by a group of escaped prisoners, but this time they skipped straight to Shiraishi’s fears. Not sure why they did that, especially since they’re likely to skip a later arc as well, but details.

Shiraishi realizes that Sugimoto has recognized Hijikata from somewhere, but is unable to place exactly where. We all know by now that Sugimoto is something to be feared when he’s angry- not just because he’s unkillable, but because of how brutal he is. Shiraishi fears that Sugimoto will realize his betrayal and murder him, and worries for his life. He decides to escape but ends up in more trouble. Of course, this is after Hijikata decides that Shiraishi for the next stage of his plan…