Okay, first off: here’s my current plan for Catch-Up Month. I’m going to catch up on Ushio & Tora as quickly as possible so I can do regular Ushio & Tora posts on Fridays, because it’s effing awesome. I’ll try to get caught up by next Friday. After that, I think I’ll do sporadic double-episode posts on GATE, My Little Pony, and Overlord, in that order. Hell, I might just do all the Overlord episodes in one go so I don’t drag it out. Finally, I will be picking up One-Punch Man and Young Black Jack, so it’s in my best interest to get the previous season stuff off my plate ASAP.
Anyway! On to Ushio & Tora.
We begin episode 10 with second-best girl Saya being introduced in a classic onsen misunderstanding.
Saya’s family has kept a Zashikiwarashi trapped there for centuries so they would be blessed with fortune; however, if the Zashikiwarashi were to leave, the family would be ruined. Saya is part of a clan of white-haired women who act as mediators between humans and youkai, and it is her duty to appease the Zashiki while she’s trapped. She does this despite her father and grandmother being complete asshats.
Ushio meets up with Saya in the city and saves her from getting run over when she randomly faints in the street.
Naturally, it’s up to Ushio and the Beast Spear to free the Zashiki from the mansion because it’s the right thing to do, but breaking the seal that keeps her trapped could end up killing the Zashiki. Saya doesn’t want her to die, but the Zashiki would rather die than stay trapped. However, Tora protects the Zashiki, and Saya finally determines that her family’s time is up.
Given the go-ahead, Ushio cuts down the seal, there’s a huge explosion, and the Zashiki survives. Oh, and Saya’s family is likely going to end up in ruins, but Saya showed a lot of courage in standing up for what she believes in.
Next episode!
I acknowledge that the chapter this episode was based on was important because it introduced the mirror youkai, but I’m still shocked that we spent a whole episode slot on a single chapter. Not that I’m complaining; if this increases the chance of the Kagari shopping chapter being adapted, I’m all for it.
We begin with Asako dreaming about the past and being in complete denial about the fact that she’s sooooo in love with Ushio.
Meanwhile, Mayuko’s parents are leaving for a trip, so it’s SLEEPOVER TIIIIIIIME! However, they also left an ancient chinese mirror at the house as a souvenir. Naturally, it’s evil.
Elsewhere, Ushio is taking a break with the Kamaitachi siblings and, for no reason other than to drive this episode forward, sees a vision of Ayako screaming “Mayuko!” at the old mirror (Ushio is apparently a lip reader now) in a pond. The Kamaitachi siblings lead Ushio and Tora to an old mirror youkai who can tell him anything about all sorts of mirrors.
He shows Ushio a vision of the events that led up to what he saw, revealing that Mayuko was swallowed up by the haunted mirror. He allows Ushio to travel through his mirror so he can go back and save her, but this technique will only last “as long as it takes for water to boil,” which is basically bullshit speak for “get shit down fast.”
Ushio goes in, sees Asako, pretends he’s someone else (Asako apparently doesn’t recognize Ushio in Beast Spear Mode), and goes into the haunted mirror with Asako to save Mayuko.
Ushio and Tora tear through the youkai’s weak attacks and cut him down in one strike, saving Mayuko. Ushio carries Asako back, and both Asako and Mayuko wake up some time later thinking the whole thing was a dream.
Yeah, it’s a pretty lame ending. Especially considering there’s no freaking way Mayuko should think it wasn’t real.
I honestly didn’t really want this chapter adapted, but it ended up pretty good. The pacing was great since it was only one chapter, and Asako had some really cute expressions at times. Unfortunately, I think this episode was probably the worst animation-wise. Like Sailor Moon Crystal level bad at times if you really looked. But hey, better this episode than one that mattered.