"Heroes of the Next Era" (次代の英雄 Jidai no Eiyuu) is the thirteenth episode of the Toji no Miko anime series, released on April 6, 2018. The episode was written by Tatsuya Takahashi, with storyboards and direction by Yuu Shigeta and animation direction by Takahiro Mizuno, Megumi Nagayama, Kazuya Kuroda, Takahiro Sakai, Hiroshi Kosuga and Level Zero.
Four months have passed since Tagitsuhime has scattered itself across the Kanto region in an incident called the "Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue". Aradama-related incidents occur more frequently in the region, and in order to resolve the situation, Kanami and the others step into the frontlines and wield their okatana once more in Kamakura.
Synopsis[]
In the aftermath of Tagitsuhime's "defeat", the Great Aradama split itself and spread across the Kanto region. The phenomena, called the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue, caused a dramatic rise in Aradama activity. During this time, in the absence of Yukari Origami, Osafune's Sana Maniwa became the director of the Special Sword Administration Bureau, while Kanami Etou and her friends acted as reinforcements in various encounters within the region.
The next day, live coverage of Akane Origami standing as witness in the investigation in the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue aired on television. Meanwhile, Kanami and Sayaka shared a meal within the campus of Renpu Girls' School, and Mai was assisting President Ema Hashima in sorting out the temporary transfer procedures of some of her students into Kamakura. Ema was worried about the current situation where the Special Sword Administration Bureau is under harsh criticism due to the noro leak incident. However, as their topic shifted towards Mai and Kanami seeing each other again, President Hashima felt nostalgic in seeing Mai and Kanami's closeness, as it reminded her of Kanami's mother Minato.
Hiyori Juujou returned to her family home in Nara and was living a quiet life there when she received a visit from Iroha Gojou, the president of Heijou Institute. Iroha revealed that Akane had considered the maintenance of the Juujou Residence in the absence of its owners, and that her teammate Sanae Iwakura had been worried about her. Then, she asked about Hiyori having second thoughts in returning as a Toji. Hiyori recalled her mother's burden of dealing with the problems caused by Yukari Origami and her vow to destroy the head of the Origami family, and she thanked President Gojou in making it possible. However, with the threat of Tagitsuhime still looming, Hiyori was hesitant to make a decision about leaving her career as a Toji behind.
As Kaoru Mashiko and Nene returned from an exhausting expedition, Ellen Kohagura reunited with her grandfather Richard Friedman. Meanwhile, Kanami and Sayaka share a moment together and met Ayumu Uchizato, a student of Ayanokouji Martial Arts School who Kanami met at an earlier Aradama operation. Elsewhere, Kaoru was briefed in private by Director Maniwa about a series of attacks on noro recovery vehicles by a hooded Toji. With the identity of the Toji attacker, its okatana and swordsmanship style unknown, Sana decided to inform several people about the case, and both Hiyori and Kanami were part of that plan.
After a sparring session, Kanami and Sayaka joined Ayumu and her companion in the hot spring bath to recuperate. Although Kanami was still excited about having fought two Kurama-ryu practitioners, Sayaka was downcast, seeing a large gap in skill between her and Kanami. Sayaka's words affected Kanami, and she eventually talked to her mother about it in her dreams. Minato, however, did not deny Sayaka's words, and was even confident that Kanami has the capabilities to defeat even Yukari herself. Kanami disagreed, and was convinced that Minato possessed her while she was in a half-conscious state, but Minato responded that she did not "switch with" her, and speculated that their extended period of training had allowed Kanami to adapt her mother's movements in combat. Minato considered it as Kanami's "true power".
Inside Ayanokouji Martial Arts School, Yukina Takatsu set up a small laboratory where she, with help from the school's president Yuzuki Souraku, continued working a "secret medicine" with Yomi Satsuki as her primary test subject.
Elsewhere, former Elite Guard Suzuka Konohana was undergoing a slow procedure that slowly extracts the noro in her body. Sana and Kaoru visited her mainly to ask about the identity of the culprit behind the attacks in noro retrieval operations, with Kaoru insisting that it might be Suzuka's colleague Maki Shidou.
The next day, Ayumu and her companion packed their bags and said their goodbyes to Kanami as they prepared to return to Ayanokouji with their experience with "the one who defeated the Great Aradama". Kanami is then joined by none other than Hiyori Juujou, who was temporarily transferred to Kamakura.
Episode Gallery[]
Characters[]
- Sana Maniwa
- Kanami Etou
- Sayaka Itomi
- Akane Origami
- Mai Yanase
- Ema Hashima
- Hiyori Juujou
- Iroha Gojou
- Sanae Iwakura
- Kaoru Mashiko
- Nene
- Ellen Kohagura
- Richard Friedman
- Minato Etou
- Yukina Takatsu
- Yuzuki Souraku
- Suzuka Konohana
New Characters[]
- Ayumu Uchizato (内里 歩) - CV: Hitomi Oowada
- Miya Tanabe (田辺 美弥) - CV: Rika Nagae
Trivia[]
- The names of Sawano Fukuda and Futaba Nagae are included in the list of Toji to be temporarily transfered to Kamakura.
- This episode recognizes the in-universe existence of Toji expeditions, which were first introduced in the Toji no Miko game Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi.
Quotes[]
Trailers[]
