English Dub Review: To Your Eternity “Those Who Follow”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Parona, March, Fushi, and the old lady escape from the Yanome prison. However, March stops Parona from taking the bear’s head saying it would be selfish to try and pass off the bear as Oniguma. The group heads to Ninanna, but Hayase’s group follows them. Amidst the shooting March takes an arrow meant for Parona and later she succumbs to the injury. Fushi, moved by her actions, transforms into the large bear and goes on a rampage for March.

Parona stops Fushi from destroying the town and tries to take her life, but Fushi stops her. It transforms into a large bear and leaves. Parona returns to Ninanna with Fushi and delivers March’s letter to her parents. However, the villagers spot Yanome coming and Parona tells Fushi to run. It does as Parona reaches the top of a watchtower and spots Hayase ready to fire an arrow at Fushi. Parona takes an arrow that March gave her and shoots Hayase’s hand.

Our Take:

To Your Eternity continues Fushi’s journey and concludes its time with March and Parona. The beginning really helped with understanding Fushi’s actions from the previous episode since it doesn’t talk much in its human form. The narrator provides a good explanation of the orb’s development as it follows Parona and the others out of the prison. Furthermore, Fushi’s desire to make sure that Parona lives after March’s death was a good indicator of the values that March taught him.

Now March’s death was expected, but the emotional impact still hurt. March talking about her dreams and growing up as an adult while influencing Fushi was bittersweet after she took that arrow. She springs Fushi to attack Hayase and her group with her desperate desire to do something to help Parona. There’s also Parona “eating” her thank you meal and telling her parents about her letter was great. Her grief in March’s death was extremely well done.

Then there’s the tradition that Parona wants to stop. It ends up being resolved with Fushi’s presence as the giant bear that the villagers perceive as Oniguma. Furthermore, March’s parents acknowledge that they should have been the ones to save their daughter from it. Hopefully, the village will change after March’s death.

Lastly, there’s Hayase who appears to have gone mad after Fushi’s rampage. From the chase, Hayase’s main priority was Fushi rather than the others. Fushi’s strength could have affected her opinion on it to a drastic degree. There could be more conflict between the two nations with the arrow that Parona shot at the crazed Hayase and it could affect Fushi’s journey as it travels through the land.

Overall it was a good episode with tear-jerking moments on March’s passing.