First Impressions / Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls

「鎮護石の秘密」 (Chin go ishi no himitsu)
“The Secret of the Guardian Stone”

As we near the end of the series, it’s becoming increasingly clear that all of Hyakka Ryouran up till this point has been a prelude to the grand showdown next week. This was really the first time a larger purpose of the story has emerged, and I was frankly quite surprised at the degree to which the show weaved everything together – from Gisen’s attempt to revive Amakusa Shirou, right down to the recent appearance of the Dark Samurai. It was certainly no coincidence that the Dark Samurai knew where and who to look for at the Yagyuu dojo, and what happened to Nia in her confrontation with the Four Sword Demon is crucial in this respect. True to form, the conniving Tokugawa general had a hand in this conspiracy all along and with the latest revelations, it was finally made clear just what the Guardian Stone is – an enchanted rock hidden under the sacred Mount Fuji. The connection between the Guardian Stone and the resurrection of the Dark Samurai has been vaguely hinted at in the past, but what was not apparent previously is how the events were tied together – and indeed, the elusive nexus was not nearly as straightforward as I thought.

To my great surprise, it was the epic face-off between Juubei and Gisen back at season one that triggered the recent happenings – whether it was the weakening of Guardian Stone’s barrier or the revival of a certain vengeful spirit. The latest unveilings have, without a doubt, caused an internecine strife among the Dark Samurai, and there’s a growing sense of disaccord in their midst that has now become ever more conspicuous. Inshun and Mataemon are clearly poles apart in terms of where they stand and while Mataemon has fully embraced her mission of carnage and destruction, Inshun has thus far resisted the evil spirit’s influence and clout. Then there’s Musashi and Kojiro who exist as the wild card in this impending confrontation, and where their ultimate loyalty lies is still to be determined. Nothing matters to Musashi as much as the upcoming battle royal – that much is clear, but her obsession with Yagyuu Juubei is probably not going to sit well with Kojiro, whose affection for her comrade verges on the edge of mania. The unexpected intervention of the evil spirit has evidently confounded the difficult set of relationships further and I suspect the animosity among their own ranks will only intensify as the imminent showdown approaches.

It’s not just the Dark Samurai who were perplexed by the recent turn of events, Muneakira’s Master Samurai were also presented with a fascinating dilemma of their own. The secret behind the conception of a Samurai Bride is highly complex, to say the least, and a risky proposition like that will never make it past Muneakira’s conscience. There’s probably an easier way to get around this – maybe a consummation of love would do the trick – but as things stand, I can’t say I’m too optimistic about their chances of winning and badass-Juubei will most likely have her hands full in the forthcoming battle. What comes next for the Samurai Girls is hard to tell, but if there’s one thing that I’m remotely assured of at this point, it would be the grandiosity of the incoming showdown – and no question, I’ll be on pins and needles waiting to see how it all wraps up!

Random tidbits:

  • All serious conversations must occur in the bathtub – Gisen look especially seductive when she’s dripping wet!
  • Gisen is not just a master of wordplay, she exceptionally skillful with her tongue too!
  • It looks like Gisen’s Evil Eye might be making a return very soon.
  • “There are only six of us!” – That one had me laughing out loud, and just like Hanzou, I’ve completely forgotten about Sasuke!
  • The dere dere side of Nia is too adorable for words – another addition to Juubei’s ever-expanding yuri harem?
  • “Hanzou, you’re the right person to be my Samurai Bride” –The nerve of some people! I hope Sen Hime punishes her real good.
  • “I’ll have that beast Muneakira all for myself” – While everyone was hard at work, Kanetsugu’s off stealing food!
  • “Please refrain from taking pictures of me, it’s unsettling” – Nia’s comment was probably directed toward yours truly. Gotta stitch up those naughty pictures like a pro, only for you guys!

tl;dr: @SeishunRC – #HyakkaRyouran Samurai Bride 10: Samurai Bride, Guardian Stone, vengeful spirit and discussions that can only occur in the bathtub – the intrigue and mysteries were weaved together beautifully! #Anime

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31 Comments

    1. Ufufu~ No pun intended indeed. I <3 that cap lol
      Gisen would probably side with Muneakira in this conflict. She’ll then use her Evil Eye to make Keiji head over heels in love with her :3

      Seishun
      Reply

  5. ok, so we finally know how and why’s of th stone, the Dark Samurais and the Samurai Bride.
    I admit I am amazed how Tokugawa-aniki managed to frame Yagyuu dojo into being speed bump for the DS. Magnificent Bastardry!
    Other than that, the split in the DS camp is making them vulnerable to divide and conquer. And we still dont know who is that dark spirit that resurrected them (Amakusa? or some other Tokugawa’s foe?). Apart from Mataemon, I can see all of them becoming friends with our haremettes after the battle is done.
    As for the Samurai Bride ritual, it seems that when all our haremettes pour their KI into one, we could have something of a octosome with only 2 persons involved. Ingenious solution to the harem conundrum ,indeed!
    Last but not least it seems Gisen is starting to get her power back, and is a wild card in the incoming storm…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. “Octosome” – that’s my word of the day, LOL just LOL
      The vengeful spirit is probably not Amakusa – it’s probably an amalgamation of those who hold a grudge against the Tokugawa.
      I wonder what’s going to happen to the Dark Samurai once the barrier is fixed – would their resurrected body vanish in thin air? A bittersweet ending could be in the works :3

      Seishun
      Reply

  6. https://randomc.net/image/Hyakka%20Ryouran%20Samurai%20Girls/Hyakka%20Ryouran%20Samurai%20Bride%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2003.jpg

    You know, for someone who’s usually the butt of the comedy (pun intended) and “abuse” in the dojo…

    https://randomc.net/image/Hyakka%20Ryouran%20Samurai%20Girls/Hyakka%20Ryouran%20Samurai%20Bride%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2010.jpg

    …Naoe’s still got skills.

    And yeah, usually if there’s some sort of huge chance of death to obtain some great power, either…

    1.) There’s some “hidden” alternative that’s magically discovered that can get around it.

    2.) They chance it and still manage to succeed due to their bonds.

    3.) They ALL manage to somehow obtain it at the same time in some magical way.

    4.) None of them get it and they still manage to win anyway somehow.

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

    1. And yeah, usually if there’s some sort of huge chance of death to obtain some great power, either…
      1.) There’s some “hidden” alternative that’s magically discovered that can get around it.
      2.) They chance it and still manage to succeed due to their bonds.
      3.) They ALL manage to somehow obtain it at the same time in some magical way.
      4.) None of them get it and they still manage to win anyway somehow.

      A few rules of shounen final battles/crisis huh?Shows like Hyakka Ryouran or Valvrare won’t suffer from having those shounen elements since no one’s looking for a more “down to earth” last battle or crisis solving in them(in the case of Valvrare,we’re all actually waiting to see how it’ll make it even sillier) but series that take themselves seriously will 😛

      MgMaster
      Reply

    2. It’s probably going to be “There’s some hidden alternative that’s magically discovered” and Juubei’s most likely the one who will succeed at it :3
      That said, a harem Samurai Bride ending works for me too!

      Seishun
      Reply

  10. I’m still trying to wrap my finger around their timeframe, or at least how they’re handling it. I mean Yukimura has a freaking I-pad but the mere thought of a camera frightens Nia due to the “Soul stealing Device” mentality. I will also say this, I love Kojiro’s voice, her voice actress sure knows how to sell those serious/slightly angry lines of hers.

    SDFSDG
    Reply

  12. Seishun, on the topic of Random Curiosity’s “About This Site”. Stilts’s link to Stilts out loud doesnt work anymore (since it has been renamed), the links to “contact me” and “email to me” near the bottom dont work either. Otherwise its a lot better than the previous “About This Site” 😛

    brent
    Reply

  14. While I didn’t expected something truly deeper for the real issue of SB, the “sore losers from the previous era card” was a letdown. No archenemies like Amakusa or a more scheming ideal, just a warmonger that is unsatisfied with peaceful times. Yoshihiko is another letdown. The Big Honcho of Great Japan is just a pushover, that just let Muneakira and co. to fix everything that Nia can’t instead of just make a more powerful force. With the revelation, some of the characters are also off the mark. Musashi and Kojiro are inverted: while Kojiro is the cool down, mental chara, Musashi is the hot-blooded one that wants a good fight. Mataemon and her mechanical upgrades also falls from grace, leaving only Inshun to be the saving grace of the DS.
    As for the SB secret, it’s clearly made to put an end to the franchise (stupidly, bt the way), and with some hope, Muneakira will see that the script sucks so much to even try that. Gisen is another empty hole here, as she didn’t even undergo ki training, and now, with the power of the plot armor, her Evil Eye is about to return. C’mon Man!!

    SeedStriker
    Reply

    1. Who’s to say Gisen hasn’t been training? Just this week, she was seen hard at work preparing for the incoming showdown in the bamboo field.
      I’m not sure how Amakusa Shirou is that much different from the vengeful spirit – they’re both seeming pure evil that wants to end the peace of the Tokugawa era, hardly groundbreaking if you want my honest opinion.
      I think you’re expecting a little bit too much from the story. Hyakka Ryouran is, first and foremost, an ecchi comedy – funny skits and beautiful characters are things that the series excels at – and based on those criteria, I’d say the show is doing a bang-up job 😉

      Seishun
      Reply

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