Inuyasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask Part #14 - Anime Kururugi Wonders Why Demons Are in the Castle

Part 14: Anime Kururugi Wonders Why Demons Are in the Castle

Back at it again in Tsuzumi Village.

Okay, I agree.

The demon that has ruined most of our lives and holds the secret to my presence here is still at large and we still know exactly where he is, but yeah, let's take another break.

Anime. So, who do you want to travel with today?

Time for Sango to go to another Anime club meeting.

Thank you.

Yeah, it's not like you'd ever know. Also yeah, since we've been spending so much time with Sango, people are gonna keep out of their own fuckin' lane about it.

Huh? Do I have too? [sic]

Good idea, I'll go too.

We can't just sit around here. Let's go.

Yet another time where we explicitly plan to spend the day with Sango and it turns out she's ditched us for a while.

Do you want some dried fish? Here. Is it okay? H-Hey, Kirara. Where are you going?

And Kirara just kinda....glides away.

Oh hey Sango.

Sango!

What?

I thought we were going to spend the day together! >

Oh, thanks for feeding Kirara. You've made Kirara very happy, I can tell.

Oh, it wasn't much. But, Kirara always knows where you are, doesn't she? She went running directly to you.

She....didn't? Sango wasn't here at first. Anime, please.

Kohaku, the one that Naraku...

Yes, he's my only brother.

We're all quite aware. I think Kohaku has like one more appearance in this game before it's over.

...

You don't have to look so sad. One day I will get him back. So don't look like you're gonna cry.

Yes.

I think we will get along fine.

How did she end up comforting me instead? Sango is so kind.

Anime gained a stronger friendship with Sango.

No other scene this time.

Okay.

Damn right, let's go!

The pass goes by without incident. We're finally here!

Yeah, but I'm getting a weird feeling.

Yes. I do sense something strange.

Things aren't always as they seem, otherwise we'd have no need for monks like Miroku.

....WHAT

Yeah, I guess so.

Das what I wanna know.

...

No? It's bright and sunny and we can see a big crowd of people right here.

Maybe so.

Yes. But, I'll be happy as long as I can take a bath!

So this, along with some lines a few hours later, imply that some serious time compression is going on with the roads between towns and they actually take some time to go through, which makes sense for how big the world map looks, but keep it under your hat for a little bit later.

I have words.

A bath? We don't need one of those yet. What do you think, Kagome?

I dunno, dude, she's the one who brought it up.

Also he sniffs her, rude.

You're awful! Sit! Sit! Sit! Stupid Inuyasha!

Times three.

There they go again!

So now let's get into Castle Town proper. The first thing you see is these two stores that'll say they're each cheaper than the other and ask you to get in line. Each of them has slightly different wares and we've got money burning a hole, so I buy a few healing items.

The inn is always a good place to find information, and hey, whaddaya know. Also this is just how it starts, we didn't say anything.

Shino: Everyone! These guys want to go to the castle!

Well, we don't even know yet whether or not we can get there.

Three more women come out and isn't that one from Akebi Village way in the beginning?

Actually, thinking about something that happens later, it might be. Except the names don't match, but this game's not too concerned with consistency.

Naka: Is that true?

What? What's going on in the castle?

PROBABLY NARAKU.

Shino: We're the wives of the Samurai. Our husbands went into the castle, but they haven't returned yet.

Which samurai? Y'know, the Samurai. All four of 'em.

Katsue: We haven't seen our husbands in months.

Matsu: We really miss them.

Poor things.

It's really hard work being a Samurai.

Shino: Yes. We just got together to discuss how we can possibly get some food to our husbands.

It's been months, you said. They are probably dead.

I'm just gonna say here, not a whole lot about the whole castle episode seems really thought out.

So that's why you're all here. Do you want us to take the food for you?

Hey, what are you saying?

It's fine. We can take them.

We're going to the castle anyway.

Katsue: And this rice ball too.

Naka: Thank you.

Two whole rice balls, you must have really shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to make two rice balls for your four husbands who you suspect have been without food for months. Except we only got one?

Man: I got this picture-card story from a traveling salesman who got injured on Asagiri Island. But...they keep repeating this part of the story. And the art work isn't very good either.

Oooh, kamishibai! I hope he has Ougon Bat!

So yeah, let's get educational for a bit. Kamishibai is a form of Japanese storytelling/street theater, where a narrator would tell stories accompanied by a series of picture cards, like a live storybook. During the peak of its popularity in the 1930s to post-WWII, kamishibai storytellers would travel from town to town, setting up shop and telling stories and giving the kids candy, hooray. Ougon Bat is a popular kamishibai character from the early 1930s who was actually the first superhero, predating Superman by 7 years! Wow! A modern, if atypical, example of kamishibai is the kinectic kamishibai performed by the animator duo AC-Bu and most well known for the Hellshake Yano sketch from Pop Team Epic

While kamishibai has its origins in various forms of storytelling dating back to the eighth century, there really was nothing like what's shown here during the Sengoku period, so that's weird.

Man: Anyway, he's really big! In the day time, you can't see the sun. At night, you can't see the stars.

Sounds nice. Too bad we're not planning on going there anytime soon.

Thaaaaat's capitalism.

Alright, let's get to the castle.

God dammit.

What?

Chuzo: This is the road that goes to the castle.

That's where we're trying to go.

Shinbei: You guys are up to something. This is a restricted area.

And this guy just walks past!

But they're going through!

Chuzo: Those people are here to pay their taxes, so they're allowed.

Hey, it's simpler than using TurboTax.

What? Stop stallin' us!

Inuyasha, let's get out of here for now.

It's no good getting into an argument here.

But, how do we get through there?

Well, that was a bust. Let's find more info.

Here's a dude in an alley that you gotta kinda finangle your way into because game design.

And here's a localization decision that I thought was questionable even when I was 14. It's the Sengoku period and the world map is clearly not all of Japan, so we're probably dealin' with a daimyo here. While "king" may not be an entirely inaccurate way to translate it, it brings to mind specifically western concepts of monarchy that have no place here. I would have probably said something more like "Lord," which would have at least fit with the feudalistic nature of Japan during this time.

What happened?

How is he different?

Nizaemon: The look in his eyes, he swears, he's violent, and if he doesn't like you, he kills you on the spot. He's gone as far as kicking me, his chief counselor, out.

Sounds like someone else I know.

What are you looking at me like that for?

Nizaemon: He's acting like he's possessed by a demon.

Who has a hot temper.

I won't forget you said that.

Nizaemon: I don't know about your situation, but rumour has it that the king has been possesed by a demon. If it continues this way, this castle with its long history will be ruined. And our king will be lost!

That's literally what you just said.

We should find out what's going on.

Yes. That's a good idea.

WE'RE HEADING THERE ANYWAY. WE KNOW WHAT'S UP. IT'S NARAKU.

So, uh....I dunno what the fuck this whole conversation is about. Like, I guess it's supposed to be like...Naraku's presence has corrupted the daimyo or he's just been possessed, but...we never actually see the daimyo in the game and it's never really explained how or why Naraku is even in the castle. I'll talk about it closer to the game, but I have my own theory that there was a first draft of this game that was almost a completely different story before being changed to a whistle-stop tour of Inuyasha's greatest hits, and this castle scenario is where it kinda didn't transition well.

Walking around shows us this pretty nice shot. This game can look nice when it wants to.

Anyway, let's talk to this child I missed the first time.

What?

Jiro: Can you take this pinwheel to my sister, who works in the castle? I made it for her.

You miss your sister, don't you?

Don't patronize him.

Jiro: No! My sister's the one that misses me. She cries 'cuz she can't see me. So tell her to hang in there for me.

Jiro: My sister is called Toki. Make sure you give it to her, okay?

This game is unsure of what Toki's actual name is. Anyway, for no real reason, let's head back to the inn.

Oh hey it's the idiot who put me in jail.

Huh?

Hey, you're the headman of Kasasagi Town. What are you doing here?

Well, I have to bring my yearly taxes to the castle. But I've heard there's demons in there.

You'd think one would be more concerned. But this is the Headman, after all.

Demons? What do you mean?

NARAKU.

Wait a minute! What are taxes?

It's money that is given to the King as thanks for his protection.

Are we really doing this?

Why doesn't everyone just protect themselves.

I think it's too difficult for Shippo to understand.

Basically, cowards need to be protected.

We're doing this I guess.

He doesn't understand either.

It has nothing to do with cowardice, it's how the system works.

Man, it's complicated.

I think you're the one that's making it complicated.

RIVETING.

The screen fades to black as if somebody was giving a long explanation of something, but it seems like maybe one line was cut.

Yes. In return, please take us into the castle with you.

"You'll go into the castle with me?"
"Yeah, but take us into the castle in reutrn."

These are the same thing, Anime. But good job taking advantage of a rich idiot.

Of course. Let's go.

I don't think this smug face is used anywhere else.

Shinbei: What? The scoundrels are here! Guards! Huh?

Long time no see. These are my guards.

Shinbei: Oh, it's the headman of Kasasagi Town.

I've come to pay my taxes. Please let us through.

Shinbei: Hmmm...

Are you gonna let us through or not?

I'm sorry. He's just doing his job.

Yes. He is truly devoted to his king.

SO NOW THE HEADMAN IS A KING? NO HE'S A MAYOR. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BODYGUARDS, NOT KNIGHTS

Chuzo: Huh. You can go through.

Why didn't you just say that at the beginning.

I thought we weren't going to get in because of Inuyasha.

Well, we got through, so everything's okay.