English Dub Review: Konohana Kitan “The Sister Strikes”

It’s like The Empire Strikes Back, but with more fox girls.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Satsuki and Yuzu are going about their morning business. Satsuki is pretty beat after working a hectic cat wedding the day prior, and, thinking its a snack, accidentally eats some “shrinking” medicine which shrinks her into a miniature state. The other girls think its adorable. but Satsuki, dedicated to her work, opts to ride on Yuzu’s shoulder to direct Yuzu about her work for the day.

Yuzu, with Satsuki in tow, greets a new guest, who tells Yuzu she got lost along the way to the inn. She’s been walking the mountain path, and remarks, while getting her feet soaked at Yuzu’s suggestion, how lovely the garden is when the leaves change. Satsuki is surprised to see Yuzu be so perceptive as to notice that the guest had traveled through the mountains, and asks Yuzu how she gathered that information. Smiling, Yuzu reminisces about how she, too, got lost on the way to the inn when she first arrived and could tell by the traveler’s dirty feet that she had been through a similar circumstance. Satsuki feels a sense of pride at how far Yuzu’s come since she first arrived.

Later, after the innkeepers take a bath, Yuzu cries over Satsuki’s shrunken condition, claiming that she feels helpless without Satsuki’s guidance and wishes to help her in any way she can. But, as the two go to sleep, Satsuki relishes in knowing that Yuzu will be just fine. All works out though, as Satsuki is returned to her normal size the next morning.

The second half of the episode introduces us to Satsuki’s sister, Hiiragi, who was chosen to be a priestess while Satsuki became an innkeeper, at their parent’s request. Kiri, perhaps enjoying the drama, decides to assign Satsuki and Yuzu to the care of her sister. While Satsuki tries to be professional, Hiiragi wastes no time in embarrassing her sister. Hiiragi admonishes Yuzu for being a newbie at the inn, but Satsuki sticks up for her and tries her best to remain composed while her sister continues to try and get her goat.

Yuzu gives Hiiragi’s traveling companion a bath and is regaled to some knowledge about Satsuki’s past. Turns out, Satsuki was originally supposed to be the priestess, and apparently still dreams of being one. The next morning, Hiiragi helps a wayward princess down from the roof of the inn, and Satsuki laments that she can’t stand how much of a show off her sister is. Yuzu notices that Satsuki looks up to her, and observes that maybe Satsuki and Hiiragi like each other more than she lets on. Hiiragi wants Satsuki to be a priestess like her, and Satsuki secretly wants to be close to her sister.

Later that night, the princess wants to see a traditional temple dance. Hiiragi’s partner pretends to come down with a fever, lining up Satsuki to fill in for her and fulfill her dream of being a priestess. Satsuki is reluctant, but Hiiragi convinces her to give it a shot, and Yuzu pushes her onward to fulfill her guest’s request. The two perform an elegant and beautiful ceremony, delighting the princess and coming together as sisters. Hiiragi wants to congratulate Satsuki, but Satsuki runs off after the ceremony into the forest. Yuzu finds her, teary-eyed and resentful. Satsuki confesses she’s envious of her sister’s talents, and that she’s always lived in her shadow. Yuzu cries and apologizes for pressuring Satsuki into doing the dance, but Satsuki replies, with conviction in her heart, that she will always do what is best for her guests. What matters to her is her dedication as an innkeeper, and that she was happy to do the ceremonial dance for a guest of Konohate. The episode ends as Hiiragi leaves with her partner, and reveals to us that, in actuality, Satsuki was chosen by her parents to be an innkeeper because of how capable and smart she was; so it is with sibling rivalries.

Our Take:

This was a heartwarming and joyful episode. Instead of going for the parables about wanderers that the show usually depicts, we get a good episode with plenty of character development for Yuzu and Satsuki, and I’m quite happy with it. This show does really well when it takes its time, and there’s no better example of that than the realistic and charming rivalry that Satsuki and Hiiragi share. Its a warm, cute episode that leaves the viewer with a fuzzy feeling and a sense of peaceful resolution; exactly the sort of thing that a show like this should strive for.