Random Curiosity

Summary:
Through a thick fog, the Tousukuru army forms up, ready to face the Shikeripechimu forces. As the fog clears, they see the enemy lined up across the river; Oboro estimates they’re up against 50,000. Benaui smiles because they’ve accomplished their goal of attracting the main enemy force. The enemy cavalry charge starts things off and is met by Tousukuru arrows and spears. Everyone fights in this battle, even Aruru and Mukkuru. For Hakuoro’s sake, Benaui knows that they have to buy time with this battle. During this, Hakuoro and his small band of fighters have reached Niwe’s castle. After Touka handles the guards, Karura busts through the front gate. They are met by more troops led by the same three generals from before. The regular soldiers are no match for Hakuoro’s group, and Karura urges everyone else ahead while she handles the three generals. Karura dodges all of their attacks, though she ends up taking two hits to her arms so that she can smash the third general in half.
Inside the castle, Touka, Hakuoro, Eruru, and a few loyal men come to a circular room with some stairs up ahead. The door behind them closes and all the other doors around them open. Out come hordes of red-eyed zombie men, and they quickly surround Hakuoro’s group. Niwe appears to taunt Hakuoro and laugh some more before he sics his zombies on them. Hakuoro and Touka’s attacks have little effect on the zombies who keep getting back up. Fortunately, the door behind them comes crashing down because Karura has arrived after finishing off the earlier three. She’s able to smash through the zombies, leaving nothing to get back up. Touka asks Hakuoro to go after Niwe while the rest of them handle the zombies. Hakuoro wants Eruru to stay here but she insists on going with him. The two follow Niwe into his throne room where Niwe tries to build up Hakuoro’s hatred even more by setting his own city on fire. Hearing the cries of everyone outside, Eruru covers her ears with a painful look on her face.
Hakuoro and Niwe start fighting even as Niwe continues to try to piss Hakuoro off. It is only after Niwe knocks away Hakuoro’s tessen and then charges at Hakuoro’s face with his sword does Hakuoro start to react. Seeing the beast vision again, Hakuoro’s right hand becomes covered with darkness and he throws Niwe back. Niwe is happy because this is what he’s been waiting for. As Touka and the others enter the throne room, Hakuoro tells them not to get closer. Niwe decides to go further into the castle away from everyone else, and Hakuoro follows him alone after Touka throws him her sword. Unable to control her tears anymore, Eruru falls down crying. At the very top of the castle, Niwe and Hakuoro continue their fight and Hakuoro begins to feel his body ache. When the two stab each other in the shoulder at the same time, Hakuoro finally awakens with his anger over how Niwe trifled with so many tens of thousands of lives. Even after Hakuoro’s beast form rips out Niwe’s eye, Niwe is still laughing with glee. Hakuoro returns to his human form soon after Niwe has been completely decapitated and disemboweled. Rain starts falling on the castle and also on the battlefield where Benaui and company have held their ground. Holding the tessen, Eruru waits for Hakuoro to come out and hugs him when he does.

Preview:

Well I guess Hakuoro can easily handle Niwe when he goes into his beast form. He delivered a rather gruesome death (entrails everywhere) to Niwe, though Niwe had it coming. And the best thing is, we don’t have to hear any more of that stupid laugh.
So…assuming that Niwe’s plan for awakening Hakuoro through anger and hatred worked, doesn’t it kind of make Hakuoro like the Incredible Hulk? It’s the whole anger-brings-out-the-inner monster-with-huge-power thing.
Animation style is back to normal (compared to last week), and VERY high quality this episode. And that’s good because this was pretty much entirely a fighting episode so we get to see some cool stuff. Karura has some really awesome moves, like vaulting herself up into the air and away from her enemy, then retrieving her sword via wire. Plus she just smashed things into bloody messes, including those three generals. Though come to think about it, those three’s attacks reminded me a little of Jet Stream Attack of the Black Tri-Stars.
Next week, the introduction of some new characters.