![[Mazui]_Katanagatari_-_09_[A2A1E109].mkv_snapshot_00.43_[2010.09.13_13.36.50]](https://ghostlightning.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mazui_katanagatari__09_a2a1e109-mkv_snapshot_00-43_2010-09-13_13-36-50.jpg "[Mazui]_Katanagatari_-_09_[A2A1E109].mkv_snapshot_00.43_[2010.09.13_13.36.50]")
I will most likely do this episode a terrible disservice. There are a lot of interesting things that happened, and the plot inches closer to its conclusion. However, I will ignore all of that here in this post because what I truly, truly enjoyed are the romantic hijinks of Togame and Shichika.
Jealous Togame is awesome, and this episode is filled with Kyaa~ goodness.
![[Mazui]_Katanagatari_-_09_[A2A1E109].mkv_snapshot_02.58_[2010.09.13_13.32.28]](https://ghostlightning.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mazui_katanagatari__09_a2a1e109-mkv_snapshot_02-58_2010-09-13_13-32-28.jpg "[Mazui]_Katanagatari_-_09_[A2A1E109].mkv_snapshot_02.58_[2010.09.13_13.32.28]")
Shichika had to fight Zanki Kiguchi using a practice sword, which resulted in a terrible loss. Kiguchi thought this victory unfair, so she volunteered to teach Shichika the Issho school of swordsmanship. Both are recently named heads of forgotten schools and got along very well, much to the consternation of our dear Togame. [You won’t be able to view the slideshow from a feed reader, visit the post for the Togame goodness]
No, things didn’t really happen like that. Much in that slideshow are distortions of my imagination. But it is exactly what this episode was able to do that it hasn’t done for me in the previous eight: to get completely taken by the Togame x Shichika romance.
In the end, Shichika beat Kiguchi, as expected. The Maniwani are also less one more member, killed by Emonzaemon who has a vendetta against Houou and the rest. Maybe I’ll care more later on, but right now this ep has been all about Togame jealousy moé service.
You know, jealousy is pretty ugly, seriously. How can it be so cute in this case?
We Remember Love 
Togame’s jealous shoujo filter made this episode, but then again I’ve always found myself more interested in Shichika and Togame’s relationship than the sword hunt itself!
I’m more with you than you think! Most of the time I want to do the show and it’s readers a service by doing what WRL posts usually do for the shows it takes on. For this episode though, I’m more than content to kyaa~
The show had been teasing the kind of episode for awhile now and I’m grateful that there was finally an episode devoted to this kind of thing.
We can’t always be thinking about swords and “what it means to be a warrior” (although they squeezed that in as well).
They did, and I kinda feel bad that I didn’t care too much for it… but whatever. This kind of ep was overdue. Togame sold this one. But also, Zanki forehead is just so… ❤
I really enjoy how Togame & Shichika’s relationship is being developed and exploited (for moe fanservice as you stated). In the beginning, it felt terribly strange and I didn’t believe it at all. But those early scenes make much more sense now that I have a better grasp of their characters. And honestly, their relationship is extremely pure and very naive and childlike. Shichika being so naive and ignorant towards human interaction that he can’t even recognize jealousy when it’s upon him, or directed at him. And Togame with her cutesy, schoolgirl-ish behavior and ferocious jealousy. I really hope that at the end, the big pay off will be their having a believable, extremely loving relationship (I WANTZ THE BABIES).
You wants the babies? You’re creeping me out dude… :p
“Do you want me to make you forget again?”
I melted.
That is a good reaction I think.
This episode was, I think, probably the worst Katanagatari episode except perhaps the pirate one.
> Jealous Togame is awesome, and this episode is filled with Kyaa~ goodness.
This was pure pandering. It was the sort of humor that makes you laugh once and then you feel bad for laughing at the same stock jokes you despised in more obvious harem or highschool rom-coms. You thought the dead little sister was drawing on the otaku database…?
Having just finished the series, I understand why they wasted an episode on this plot-line – they were building up Togame for her death.
Pandering? Sure, but pure? Nah, especially after you yourself mentioned its purpose.
It’s certainly an episode I never forgot as details about this show fade from memory. The otaku database isn’t bad in itself, as if items in it have a default negative value. It is the purposeful non-valuing of the other items and focus on the items alone that is more problematic. As for myself, I obviously value other things about this show, nor do I value this episode the most. But to dismiss it as you do? No.
> Nah, especially after you yourself mentioned its purpose.
A purpose it failed at, leaving only the moe pandering and service.
As one of the ANN reviewers said, Togame’s subsequent death should have eviscerated the viewer. I see people were traumatized by Penguin’s death, but that should’ve been nothing compared to Togame! That it wasn’t highlights the failure of either Nisioisin or White Fox to turn Katanagatari into high romance/drama. Which leaves it as John described it (http://www.animenation.net/blog/2010/06/09/ask-john-what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-katanagari/), a beautiful and excellent dialogue-driven action/parody series.
But Togame’s death was pretty cool, and Penguin’s death was funny as hell because Penguin was such a ridiculous character.
High romance and drama? I wouldn’t accuse Katanagatari of that at all. It’s a fun anime that pushes trope inversion and cleverness.