First to comment..! ^^
Anyways, thanks for the fast analysis of this episode. I agree that Ryuuki had shown a tremendous effort not to jump out of his throne and hug her as much as he wanted to. I think this is the first episode that has Shuurei and Ryuuki interact respectively as a Governer and Emperor, not as on “friendly terms” like in the past episodes. (Sorry if it’s hard to understand ^^;) It was pretty interesting to watch them and this episode made me realize why I love Saiunkoku in the first place, it was because of the characters that were “left behind in the capital” due to the plot. Hopefully the last episode of this season wold have Ryuuki x Shuurei. (Starts praying…)

By the way, “Shouka was managing the library when Ryuuki came, asking if Shuurei would be back.”
It should be “Shouka was managing the library when Ryuuki came, Ryuuki said that Shuurei would be back.”

Go Ryuuki and Shuurei!

Thank god April isn’t that far off! I think I’ll be able to make it.

Its nice to go back to the capital and really get to see that not only has Shuurei come a long way from when we first met her, but so has Ryuuki.

Thanks na2niet ^-^

I too don’t expect them to end up together by the end of this season. With as much progess as Shuurei has made due to Sakujun I still don’t think she’s quite up to an actual relationship yet. But its nice to dream ^-^

And I know I’ll make it, I’ll just be really whiny til it arrives. But then again I do have Ghost Hunt to keep myself entertained!

Ryuuki looks so dignified and good looking on that throne. It’s definitely a contrast to his “boyishness” that Shuurei is always talking about. (I meant the dignified part, because after all, Ryuuki is *always* good looking ) It’s not just Shuurei who has grown and become more than she was; Ryuuki does it as well, in as much an extent as Shuurei, even.

I think Ryuuren’s headdress is amazing. Seriously! It’s a wonder his head doesn’t snap from all that weight.

Having watched until here, though, I did wonder at Ryuuki appearing in Sa Province a couple of episodes earlier. It just doesn’t make sense, at least not in the context of the story itself. How can an emperor go hiking in the outer provinces when he should be taking care of the country? Not to mention his usual proxy-who-take-care-of-things-when-he’s-being-lazy (Kouyuu?) is with him as well. Not that I didn’t like seeing him appear after so long (being a rabid Ryuuki fan), but it doesn’t make sense in the story per se. Or it shows some quality of an emperor that he shouldn’t have.

I too don’t think Shuurei will end up together with Ryuuki in the next episode. Like others have said, she’s not ready. But I do look forward to seeing them meet without the constraints of emperor-official. I second the hope for a kiss!

@DJ: In terms of Shuurei and Ryuuki getting together, it will be extremely liberal to think that anything will turn out, even though I can be sure that Ryuuki will be attempting to advance on the relationship somehow. I do want to figure out how they will end on the first season, and perhaps we have a confession of love by Ryuuki that will be rejected half-heartedly? Hmm, curious.

@Na2viet: Highly doubt so but I think I do need to find something to fill up the space for Saimono. A good ending, arrr, don’t we all?

@Parivale: Wah, I did not even think about the master that much. I will have to go back to reviewing it when I have time in order to put a comment onto your view.

@Briar: I guess it does make sense when the emperor is torn on two points. One is definitely personal, in the fact of Shuurei. Second is the state of the Sa province and it does allow him to see whether his decision is correct. The decision is of course the part about sending two novices to be the governor of a turbulent state.

I am sure that he has already delegated duties and emperors often travel distances away to observe. I mean, once he sets a decree, he cannot really do too much other than sit there. These trips are perhaps common and the fact that he used a dangerous side road meant that he has considered the reasoning about leaving his throne.

I think it’s a desirable trait, one of love and compassion, and less stated of his love to the lands that he reigned.

Yeah….ryuuki is back! I miss the whole entourage of the palace…really good to be back in the big family cast again. Cant wait and see what other surprises the writers have….april for 2nd season…seems rather long.

Impz when saimono is finish!can I have a date with you?hek hek hek!

For all that I’m a Ryuuki x Shuurei love-love pairing supporter; I didn’t even make a tiny squeal when they finally saw each other. (Sighs) I actually grabbed a whole box of Kleenex tissues and cried my heart and eyes out. I’ve always thought that Ryuuki holds an unconditional love for Shuurei, but I guess this episode completely erased my doubts about that. Ryuuki ABSOLUTELY holds an unconditional love for Shuurei.

However, his unconditional love may also be an unrequited one. This may just be me, but I thought I saw a subtle foreshadowing for the whole series of this anime. When everyone was applauding Shuurei in the ceremony, Ryuuki was smiling tenderly at her and Shuurei was smiling too, only, she wasn’t looking at Ryuuki and she wasn’t really smiling at him.

And it seems Ryuuki is just so happy that he is able to give the person he loves something that makes her happy too even though it is something that will only keep him apart from her. Let us also not forget the unmistakable pains and steely restraint he puts up from holding back his feelings. But to him, the pleasure of being near Shuurei and see her smile is worth the agonies he is going through.

The path of an emperor really is a lonely one.

I just feel so sad for Ryuuki. After all, he is only just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him. (Weeps) Would it be so bad and so difficult to love such a guy? I mean, here is this drop-dead gorgeous man, who is sweet, powerful, loving, smart and almost flawless, willing to lay down the whole of heaven flat before this particular girl’s feet but all she really wants is the thing that will always keep him away from her (Sniffles). Heck, if only such a guy exists in my reality, I will gladly break my vow of never falling in love.

Anyway, this is why I think nothing can compare to Ryuuki’s love for Shuurei. That unrequited unconditional love he holds for her with an eternal undying hope that she will reciprocate his feelings is very heartrending. That sort of love is just too beautiful and too noble in my eyes. I can’t help but cry over such a couple.

I do pray that my theory will be proven wrong in the second season. If not, then I guess I would have to buy more Kleenex tissues.

Yuushun and Sai Rin as man and wife really is a big surprise. I do wonder whom and when will Kijin finally get shackled then ^^.

The reason I think Reishin didn’t step forward as well is because he will be supporting Shuurei from the shadows. More like an “I got your back

@ Rumi: yeah, that was my feeling as well. I thought that he was thinking about the implications of agreeing on this Research Centre… The whole fact that he stopped to think about it, and in the end nonetheless agreed to it, just made the entire scene more touching than ever. Which is why I have to say “Bravo” to ThirteenSugars for saying out so eloquently what I was thinking of, regarding Ryuuki’s love for Shuurei.

I still think that they will end up together, though. I think the reason Shuurei wasn’t looking at Ryuuki is, a) because, yes, she’s more involved with her career than love; and b) she is still haunted by Sakujun’s ghost, and is just not ready to face Ryuuki yet. I actually don’t have a doubt that she has feelings for Ryuuki; it’s just that the feeling isn’t as deep or abiding as Ryuuki’s feelings for her. But it’s a feeling that can grow, as soon as she acknowledges it.

I wasn’t surprised that Sai Rin and Yuushun got married. In fact, in episode 37, there was a scene which showed them together, and it flashed into my mind that they looked such a lovely couple together and I had thought they were already married then. SO I was a bit surprised that they weren’t (in epi 37) and not at all surprised that they were married (in epi 38). Heh.

Ryuuki no hope already. Go Ryuuren! I am all for Ryuuren and Shuurei!!!

@jetanime: You tell me. April is perhaps like 4 weeks long, though with my exams coming then (last exam), I do wonder if I have that much time to blog. It will be late then but still, it’s a distance away, ahaha~

@Sakura: no problem. Actually, is there a change in his face or something. I think it’s perhaps the hat that he often wears (the turban-like thingy) that makes him so much different. He looks much better this way in my opinion. I am also amazed that he bothers to even come, since he is so eccentric. I guess it’s all for Kokujun (to calm his nerves) and to see Shuurei and Eigetsu. Honestly, this man is not Ryuuren for nothing.

@na2viet: O_O. No comments. :P. I am taken by a thing called money. Rofl!

@13sugars: Hmm, you guys can recommend me series to review for the spring season and I don’t mind reviewing since I trust the tastes of my commentors. To add, I will also come out with an entry of series that has caught my eyes.

I do realize one thing about Ryuuki. He is exceptionally strong mentally and emotionally, even though you often see him lamenting like a kid. The truth is that he is really a very capable emperor that can differentiate between matters of the state and matters of the heart.

That is perhaps why it hurts so much for him to do something that will hurt himself (shoving Shuurei to Sa province) yet go on for it in order to fulfill the promise of his love as well as for the good of his country. That, to me, is really an indication of love that cannot be paralleled by any of the other characters, as much as I want to argue otherwise. (Seiran supporter here)

To end off, Kijin is way too beautiful. No girls will ever love him. Maybe Reishin can go ….Ermm, never mind, my mind disturbs me.

I also feel that Shuurei X ryuuki will not end up together in season 1. It’s too rushed, even acctually I really want them to. But with recent progress in Shuurei…it doesn’t seem she already for it.

I hope a happy ending in season 1, even shuurei x ryuuki haven’t end up together yet. But I realy would like to see that in the end of this season, shuurei will open an opportunity for ryuuki and let him to love her. Shuurei will not reject ryuuki but will consider his feeling as she will start to open her heart to love him. A kiss would be great too to end the first season … It’s like a slight of hope in the ryuuki X shuurei’s relationship…Then it will be developed in the next season till finally they end up together !!

And for ryuuki..the more I watch this series, the more I see that Ryuuki is so adorable, great and awesome in the way he think, act and behave, as an emperor and as a man !

Go..go..go..ryuuki!!!

Impz,the Saiunkoku 39 is already out right?I watch it already!but I still don’t understand a lot!so please!were waiting on the next one!oh Jesus,the commentors of the GH,holy ghost I can’t hardly read them all!