Shunki jumped from nowhere to be my second favorite character. She completely captured my attention during the whole episode and she is clearly one of the characters whose mystery is revealed.

I am wowed by her greatness.

Episode 33 deals with the actual happenings when the day came for the ceremony of the new Sa clan leader. Shuurei has finally found out where Kokujun is kept and is on her road to save him. However, other people are also going forth for different things. 覆水难收 meant literally when you pour water out, it’s impossible to retrieve it back. That meant that there is no way to get back what you want even if you regretted it.

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Episode summary

Shourin had found out about where Kokujun was, which was as Shuure suspected to be a small temple within the house. Shourin reported that there were guards around but Shuurei said that the ceremony for the Sa leadership was tonight and there would be less guards dispatched there. Shuurei asked Shourin to help but it seemed that he had other assignments. Shuurei went over to Sakujun, as he was drinking and non-chalant about the whole ceremony.

Sakujun said he was not interested in going, but asked Shuurei to tie his hair and brew him some tea. As Shuurei tied his hair, he noticed that he was a bit too relaxed and nice and he asked for the special tea. Shuure i refused to (even though there’s only that tea left) and got him hot water instead. She said the tea would cause some problems with his stomach with the amount of alcohol he drank. He also said that he would pass back the hairpin after the whole ceremony but she said it would make no difference if he gave it back now, as Sakujun said how unromantic she was. He was however surprised that he would use such a word.

Eigetsu and Ensei were on their way to the ceremony, as Ensei warned Seiran to protect Shunki since some of the Sa clan members knew who Shunki was. As Seiran and Shunki crept into the mansion, Seiran realized the reaction from his sword as we saw a flashback about the origins of the two swords. When the two swords were separated, they would have a strong reaction and Seiran’s sword was of the feminine nature to control, just like Yin and Yang. The two swords were intended to slain evil spirits and were crying out. Seiran wanted to give the feminine sword to Shunki but Shunki simply placed ear plugs on Seiran and went out with pink glowed eyes. She then talked as the environment changed into waterpaint colors and everyone fell when it returned.

With that, Shunki left, with Seiran saying how all the women here were very strong in character and Seiran was more fitting for the feminine sword. Shuurei was going over to the temple as she found the guards. She tried to get in, but the guards said that Chuushou was giving specific orders not to allow anyone to get in. Shuurei said since there was no one inside, and only gods could cast curses, not deities, which was why she should be allowed in. The guards tried to chase her away before Shunki appeared immediately.

She told Shuurei to cover her ears until she had finished it, as she ordered all the guards to fall asleep as they dropped. Shuurei was shocked what was happening as Shunki introduced herself. Shuurei thought she was mute but Shunki was not allowed to use it as her voice had a bewitching effect that could affect others, which was why Eiki warned her not to use it. They then rushed over to the shrine, as an injured Chuushou came out.

Sai Shou then appeared to supposedly pass the Sa family symbol to Chuushou but Sai Shou passed him an empty box. He said it was his way of telling the Sa clan that they would not succumb to the tyrannic actions of the Sa clan. Sai Shou then said that the elite troops and Kouling’s officers would be out there to stop Chuushou’s attempts to burn the town down. Chuushou only laughed cynically, saying that they could capture corpses. He then said that the ceremony would be used to destroy and kill everyone that was hindering him, just like what Sa Enjun did.

Shuurei then chased up to Chuushou, mending his wound as a last service before his death and told him that if he had the pride of a Sa clan, he would steal. Sai Shou then said that Shuurei had shown and done everything she could as a governor as he passed her the seal of the governor. As Chuushou continued to lie around the tree, the young version of Shou Taishi appeared, telling Chuushou that if Enjun had both talent and luck, he would not have to suffer. Shou Taishi said he had never seen a person more silly than Enjun, who charged into danger with such courage.

Shou Taishi said that the thing special about Enjun was his sheer determination and that he never complained of his status. Enjun did things not to be better than anyone but just because he was doing something that he believed. Shou said he was sending off the last journey on behalf of Sa as he reminded what happened during that night of killing. In the flashback,Eiki rushed out and told Enjun that it was not his fault and he did not have to bear everything alone. With that, Chuushou died as everyone rushed around to do their things, Eigetsu and Ensei for the ceremony, while Shunki and Shuurei finding Kokujun in the algae-filled underground.

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Thoughts

Honestly, I am very lost at the last part with the interaction of Chuushou with Shuurei as well as Shou-taishi. Even with me trying to listen to it a few times did not help at all, since I cannot catch the conversation in a proper fashion. There seems to be more than what is implied.

When Chuushou said that he is simply repeating what Enjun did, I presumed it is killing. However, how in the world is he going to do it when he is all dead? Did he plan something already and that, I have to say, is something lost in translation for me. I will thank the person who is reading this entry who can help me on this because I cannot understand this part at all.

Second question, why did Chuushou appear all injured? Since he just came out of the shrine, I presumed he is actually stabbed by Kokujun but it makes no sense too. Kokujun is locked right inside the cell, with no way to escape. Kokujun does not have the ability to really attack someone in my opinion, even though he is turning into some sort of a psychopath that wants to kill everyone in his clan to restart the clan. That begs the question. Who the hell stabbed Chuushou?

To add on what I said earlier, I totally adore Shunki. She is very pretty and her voice after not talking for so long remains very sweet and cuddly. She is also a very kind person and has that totally awesome power to make people fall using merely her voice. She is perhaps the most mysterious among all and she just proves to be a really interesting, strong and likable character. Please let her appear more!

Back to her powers, I cannot get when her voice waves become bewitching powers. When she interacts and talks to Shuurei and Sai Shun, nothing happens. I wonder what is the actual trigger that causes her powers to manifest since it seems possible that there is a trigger to do what she does. I think it’s one of the phrases she used that caused it, and it seems to be a common phrase too. I am not too sure about that since I am not a Japanese watcher.

I am also very confused about Sakujun. Is he really starting to fall in love with Shuurei, rather than thinking of Shuurei as a play thing? The fact that he doubted himself when he said the word romantic is a very interesting thought. The word romantic generally comes from something that has love connotations and I do wonder if Sakujun somehow has found that moral part in his heart to have the capacity to leave.

No way.

This episode is perhaps one of the most exciting for Saiunkoku Monogatari in the recent weeks, with excellent build up for Kokujun’s rescue next week as well as what Sakujun will actually do. What is Seiran’s poison and I still wonder what the poison is for during one of the previous episodes. I can’t wait!

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