Hatenkou Yugi is definitely going the episodic route, as our heroes find themselves drenched in heavy rain. After Rahzel separated from Heat and Alzeid due to rather bizarre situations, she has to fend for herself. Today’s event will be a heartwarming adventure to understand about self-worth, and how a loved elder will do anything at all to give his “treasure” to his grandchildren. Even after death.

This episode will bring you the story of Maria, a woman who lives with her only sister in a huge mansion.

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Episode summary

A woman, Maria, thinks about the treasure that her grandfather left for her and her younger sister before she died. However, time has past without retrieving her “treasure”. Rahzel was caught in the rain after separating from Heat (captured by an insane witch) and Alzeid (fell down a cliff) as she spotted a mansion. She tried to get some help from Maria, who is in the mansion. Maria rejected Rahzel’s plea to stay, only for her younger sister to allow entry. Maria’s sister apologized for Maria’s character, and Rahzel realized that Alzeid and Heat are already in the house relaxing over wine.

Heat says that he sent her a telepathic message, but Rahzel says sarcastically that she rejects the message. Heat tries to flirt with Maria’s sister but Rahzel batted him away. Heat also tells Maria’s sister they will take care of it, with Rahzel confused. Rahzel took a bath, only for Maria to step in with a proposal for hire. She told Rahzel that she wants to study in an university, but her parents refused. She wants to leave the house but has no money. Hence, she remembers the treasure kept in the cave, and asks Rahzel for help as she reminds Rahzel that they are indebted to her. Rahzel eventually accepts the offer, even though she reminds Maria that it is her sister who took good care of them, not her. Heat also entered, and suffers the anger of Rahzel.

Rahzel enters Maria’s room and tells her for treasure hunting. Rahzel taunts Maria for her mean attitude earlier, and reaches the cave which is below a sloping cliff. Rahzel shoves Maria down, and Alzeid and Heat follows unexpectedly. As they enter the cave, there is a door with a skull sign. Rahzel sarcastically says she’s scared and says that it’s like an amusement. She then presses a button on the wall to open it. Along the way, she finds another button, and presses it only to release deadly spears that almost hit the slightly ahead Maria. Maria tells Rahzel to be careful, only for Rahzel to make a rebuttal that Maria should have the mental preparation to take the treasure away from her grandfather since the trap is made by him.

As they reach a bridge with fast flowing water, Maria suddenly stops. She recalls an event where she nearly drowns when she is young as her parents try to save Maria’s sister instead of her. Rahzel says it’s common logic to save someone who is weaker, but Maria attributes it to her sister’s better personality and her parent’s choice on who is more important to them. Rahzel asks how she is going to cross over if she has fear of water, but Maria asks who Rahzel will save if Alzeid and Heat are drowning. Rahzel cannot give an answer but Maria crossed over the bridge.

As they crossed over, the floor gave way as Maria seems to have a bright image in her mind. Maria wakes up along with Rahzel, with Alzeid and Heat looking for a way out. Maria says Rahzel is too calm considering they have no means of escape, and Rahzel says that she can escape alone with magic as she will not risk her life for someone she does not even know. Maria starts on a rant that she is hated anyway, and deserves to die. Rahzel slaps her with a slipper and says that she is just so negative. Maria asks if the slipper is from her house, and Rahzel says that the slipper is tired of her negativity. Alzeid jokes to Heat that he can keep it silent quietly as he points his gun.

Rahzel says that Maria is annoying and asks if she has any merit. Maria says she does not, but adds that she is good at studying. Maria says there is no use in her talent, but she notices a leaf floating out. Maria says she finds a way, and Heat says that the plan is to make a boat out of the leaf. Rahzel hits him for the stupid comment and Maria says that the appearance of the leaf must mean that the leaft must have traveled from another tunnel and it is connected through the water. However, Maria warns about the size of the hole, and whether there is enough oxygen. Rahzel creates a membrane of oxygen for everyone to survive in the water.

Heat says he will hold Maria’s hand, and Maria responds that it might be the most scary thing. Rahzel seems to be struggling in the water, and wonders about the question by Maria about drowning. The rest reached the other end, and Rahzel is nowhere in sight. Maria reveals that Rahzel tells her earlier that she cannot swim. Maria screams at Rahzel that she should stop trying to act strong, but Rahzel says she cannot lose to Maria’s determination. Rahzel says she has the answer now, and she will let the two die since whoever is kept alive will grumble. Alzeid tells her to die instead as she is kicked into the water. Eventually, her answer is that she will jump in to save them, and somehow things will be solved.

Maria suddenly says she can see the light, as it is a fossil of a prehistoric bird. While Maria admires the fossil, the three are discussing about the value of the fossil. Rahzel wonders why they also came, but they are actually asked by Maria’s sister to help Maria. When they escaped the cave, Maria says that she is determined to study in an university and leave the house. She will somehow convince her parents to do so, and she does not want to lose to Rahzel’s coolness. Maria also promises to help them when they ever meet again and needs her help. Rahzel says that she expects her to say that, and calls Maria a baka as they waved goodbye.

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Thoughts

Wow, talk about fanservice. I am surprised how they actually made some fanservice regarding Rahzel. I really like that scene when they coupled it with the lusty and flirtatious Heat inside the bath room, as though it is normal for him to be talking to a stark naked Rahzel in the bathtub. I think that Rahzel is just so cute at times though, as she faithfully delivers the smackdown onto the silly Heat twice in this episode. On more subtle fanservice, Rahzel’s costume this episode is a tad boring for me, and there seems to be little charm. Moreover, her forehead looks queer.

More on the humor side of Hatenkou Yuugi, I really feel that the three of them are definite food connoisseurs. They are always talking about food and what they are going to eat when they are fighting and it is a definite running gag there. The sarcastic remarks of Rahzel are always a marvel to watch, particularly when she goes out to bitching at Maria. You must really see the whole conversation to understand how cool Rahzel is!

In any case, the current episode brings up a very interesting theme about the classical issue. Who would you save if you are drowning. It seems to be popping up quite a bit in the series, with an earlier episode exploring a slightly different variation of the question. The thing is that Maria really suffers from a huge sense of negativity that seems to plague the common person on the street. She knows probably that her parents save her sister first since she is older and hence probably has the ability to survive more than her sister. Hence, it makes sense to rescue the weaker side.

However, I cannot help but think about the argument that it’s the preference of being less desirable, and that people save the thing that is most important to them. To be honest, I do not know whether a positive or negative spin will be accurate in this aspect since I do not know how the relationship of Maria, her sister and her parents are at the moment. In fact, with the rather negative character of Maria, it might be possible that her parents might have favored her sister more than her. This is merely speculation, and the important thing is that she finally got rid of the need to find out by spreading her wings. She has finally escaped the fate that she imposed on herself.

In real life, many of us are sadly binded by history, pain, suffering and mistakes that we think has changed us negatively. This episode clearly shows that it is useless to qualm on it too much because negativity will never bring you anywhere close to happiness. It is only by releasing the chains of suffering that we finally understand the importance of freedom. Freedom will never be given to you on a platter, but only through an adventure not unlike Maria’s experience can we understand what we have lost. In this notion, let us keep striving and toil on until we get a beckon of light just like Rahzel and her group.

For those who are feeling horrible right now, pick yourself up, watch this episode and work for your future.

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