「魂をつなぐもの ~蘇生~」 (Tamashii wo Tsunagu Mono ~ Sosei ~)
“Connecting Souls ~Rebirth~”

This week’s Yakumo was pretty darn good. Even though I’ve been complaining about the crazy pacing and the lame detective cases, the past two weeks have been a breath of fresh air. While it’s not as creepy as I hoped it would be, the story makes up for it entirely. Yakumo’s finally broken out of his shell and is starting to become more open. Not only with people around him like Gotou, but with how he handles his relationship with Haruka. Especially since when she sports the red necklace is looks so much better on her neck than on Yakumo’s hand. The overarching mystery is also finally solved this week. Like a lot of you speculated – Kinoshita-Sensei was the doctor that was actually committing the murders. In a futile attempt to bring his daughter, Azusa, back to life he ended up taking the lives of numerous young girls. After failing so many times he goes crazy when he learns that Haruka would make the perfect container for Azusa’s soul. What I don’t understand is how Haruka is the perfect container for his daughter, especially since she is a college student and his daughter looks like she was in high school. Combined with the fact that all the previously murdered girls were in high school as well, I guess it shows you how far a person can succumb to when they want something badly enough. In the end, after a lengthy and action packed “save Haruka from drowning” scene, Yakumo confronts Kinoshita-sensei with the girl who was possessed last episode next to him. Somehow he manages to resolve both cases at the same time. After explaining to Kinoshita-sensei that each and every time he killed a girl in hopes of trying to being Azusa back, he was instead killing her over and over. Explaining how Azusa felt guilty and possessed them right before they died just to experience the pain and the fear of death that they felt. Just as Kinoshita-sensei begins to break down after realizing how horrible his deeds were, the possessed girl comes back to life. With Yakumo explaining that the spirit probably gave up after hearing the conversation between Yakumo and Kinoshita-sensei – understanding that possessing someone won’t bring you back to life.

Not only was this mystery awesome, but there was some great action scenes that accompanied the detective work. Yakumo notices some strange books on Kinoshita-sensei’s bookshelf – most of them pertaining to resurrection and bringing the dead back to life. I wouldn’t want my doctor to be interested in the occult, and I thought that this should have raised a huge red flag. Of course Yakumo and Gotou don’t think anything of it until Haruka’s life is in danger. As Gotou and Yakumo race to where Haruka is being held captive, they arrive just as she’s about to be tossed into the river. Both Gotou and Yakumo really show what they’re really made of. As Gotou tries to prevent Haruka from falling for as long as possible, struggling to keep a hold on the rope that’s tied to a cinderblock as he’s getting wailed on by a Kinoshita with a metal pipe (props to Gotou’s manliness). As Gotou finally succumbs from getting the crap beat out of him, Yakumo immediately leaps straight into the river without any hesitation to save Haruka’s life. Among all the action, Gotou finally figures out that his new partner isn’t gay, but just overly zealous. Seeing how Gotou’s partner is a HUGE fan of the occult, he literally almost wet himself when he learned he was going to work with someone (Gotou) who was a “psychic detective”. It’s pretty funny to see him all sad and depressed after learning that his idol was a fake. At least Gotou can stand to be within a few feet of his partner now, instead of trying to get him to back off all the time.

In the end, the guy with the two red eyes was the real antagonist – pulling all the strings from the shadow, manipulating people to kill others, just to lure out Yakumo. Like I guessed a few weeks ago, HE IS Yakumo’s father. Now in my head about twenty questions just appeared. What the hell did his father do this mom that made her want to kill her own son? Where the hell has he been this entire time? Why is he trying to destroy his own son?! I don’t know if any of these will be answered in the next seven episodes but I know that the series itself has finally grown on me.

*After listening to the ED like a million times as I wrote this post, it’s actually a really soothing song! I like it<3

 

Preview

21 Comments

  1. Luke, I AM your father! – Just had to say it. I am afraifd he wants to turn Yakumo to the Dark Side, like certain other father…
    BTW, Yakumo’s and Gotou’s heroics on the bridge aside, I loved the desperate possesions by the daughter’s ghost to ease murdered girls pain. Again it underscores it is the living who are real wrongdoers.
    Yakumo Fangirlservice spotted in the preview!

    ewok40k
  2. Shouldn’t the “Not only was this mystery awesome, but there was some great action scenes….” paragraph come before the “In the end, after a lengthy and action packed “save Haruka from drowning” scene ” ?
    Why did you change the order with writing the conclusion first and then the action scene?O_o

    Nevertheless as you pointed out,this episode was by far the best one!
    I have a doubt regarding the red eyes.The person with glasses is shown to be Yakumo’s father right? And we also know that the shrine priest (Yakumo’s uncle) has a single red eye.But he is Yakumo’s mother’s brother.So how come his maternal uncle and father both have red eyes O_o I understand Yakumo got the single red eye as his father has both of his eyes red,but how come his maternal uncle?Maybe his father and uncle must be related somehow.Or they would explain this whole red eye concept.But as you pointed out,this is just a 13 episode series,so the chances are slim.
    Hope it’s explained in the manga!

    Fai D Fluorite
    1. Seeing as this is a “conclusion” type episode, might as well ruin the ending for everyone who reads the post, yeah? Too bad the mystery still wasn’t a HUGE mystery :/

      If I understand correctly, his uncle can not see the dead. His red eye is a fake. He chooses to pretend to have one since he wants to understand the kind of pain Yakumo goes through.

  3. yeah the series is getting to be not a mystery series but more n being a touching drama this episode.

    I think Yakumo’s father is not tring to destory him but to make him see the “truth” of existance, mainly its dark and should be embraced. Truth is like the facets on a diamond. Yakumo’s dad’s “truth” is not the only “truth” thus his failure here.

    Zaku Fan
  4. nice guess, Takaii 🙂
    maybe his father really want him to be consumed in darkness and then unleash true potential like having both eyes red?
    on the other hand, Yakumo still acts like a jerk from time to time… though he IS certainly more likable now

    jrj
  5. Yeah this was the best episode yet, some good action, drama, character development and revelations. I especially liked the confrontation with the killer about his daughter, it strung an emotional chord with me that I didn’t expect from this show; a pleasant surprise.

    Dawn

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