Episode 1: Flower-Budding Teito

plot


Taishou 14 (1925)
Mikasa Park

A masked man stands on the grounds of the Island park where the crashed remains of the airship Mikasa lie. From the waters outside the park, something rises from the sea.

He issues forth a simple command--"arise"-- and lightning strikes a sword embedded in the Earth. A naked man arises from the earth to grasp the sword... while another watches coldly, furling his cape around him and vanishing into the night.

The next day, at Commander Yoneda's office, the commander greets Ichiro Oogami.

It has been a year after the battle with Aoi Satan. Oogami has just returned from a year of sailing around the coast of South America. He remarks that the capitol is overflowing with liveliness and that it looks peaceful.

Yoneda remarks that the peace is like an easily crushed candy. He wants Oogami to come back to the Teikoku Kagekidan. (Henceforth abbreviated TKD)

Oogami protests, saying he's currently stationed in the Imperial Navy, but Yoneda presents him with a notice of personnel change signed by the Navy Cabinet Minster and General Staff HQ.

Oogami expresses his resolve to do his best in the position and wonders if this means he'll also be back clipping tickets as before, which Yoneda confirms.

Oogami resigns himself to his fate as Yoneda asks him if there's anyone in the TKD he is thinking of.

Oogami replies there is, and Yoneda tells him that's fine, he can be as friendly with them as he was before, but he needs to apply discretion in his actions.

Yoneda lets him talk to the girl he chose, and then has them escort Oogami to the Grand Imperial Theatre.

Only Iris and Sakura are there. Sumire had to rush home due to word that her Grandfather had collapsed, Maria was on a business trip with Count Hanakoji to New York, and Kanna was training in Okinawa to improve her Karate skills. Kohran had gone to the Hana-Yashiki division in Asakusa on business as well, to assist with the TKD Weapons workshop in the absence of the branch head.

Touring the Theatre, Oogami finds out from Tsubaki that Hanagumi performances have moved up to once every three months-- one for every season.

At 12:00 hours Yoneda officially reinstates Oogami as the head of the TKD and hands Oogami back his old ticket-taker's uniform, saying that Oogami's naval uniform is too conspicuous.

In the dressing room, a small welcome back party is held for Oogami. In the middle of the party. Yoneda announces that another new member of the TKD will be joining them.

The door to the dressing room opens and Soletta Orihime makes her dramatic entrance.

Speaking with a strong Italian accent, she explains that her family in Italy is referred to as the Red Nobles. She bluntly tells Oogami that she doesn't care for Japanese men. She expresses her belief that the theatre is run-down, and finds the tatami flooring uncomfortable, remarking that Japanese people sit on grass. She declares that she's appeared in the most famous theatres in Rome.

Sakura offers to explain anything about Japan that might confuse Orihime, and in irritation, Orihime leaves the party.

Oogami goes after her, telling her that she is going to be a part of the Hanagumi and everyone is worried about her. Orihime declares with irritation that she never had any intention of joining the Hanagumi and doubts any of them could support her. She also says that having a Japanese man like Oogami around her would give her goosebumps.

Later that evening, Oogami goes back to his room and receives a message on the Kinematron device that she invented.

As she teaches him to use the device, he makes contact with the other distant squad members. Sumire informs him that there is nothing wrong with her grandfather, that the message was just a pretext from her family trying to make her come home.

Sakura and Oogami convince Orihime to go with them on the night-time patrol of the Theatre and Orihime asks to see the music room.

Orihime plays a beautiful Turkish March on the Piano.

After the patrol. Oogami busies himself with Theatre paperwork, sorting vouchers. He then gets asked to break up an argument between Sakura and Orihime at the play rehearsal.

Orihime says that the others at the theatre are nowhere near her level and she can't "play friends" with them any longer. She says that "Cherry-san" (Sakura) has no sense at all.

Orihime tries to leave and Oogami bars her way, and before the confrontation can get out of hand the alarm sounds. An attack is in progress. Oogami asks Orihime to join them in battle and she consents, stating that she'd like "to try just once to cause an uproar in Japan."

In the Briefing room, Oogami asks what kind of enemy has appeared, but Yoneda reveals he doesn't know. Some kind of strong mystical energy has appeared and is homing in on the Theatre.

Oogami remarks on Orihime's different battle uniform, and Orihime explains it was hers from the elite European Star Division.

Yoneda explains the Hoshigumi was an elite organization made up of people from many different countries of the world with high spiritual power.

Yoneda explains that they will be sortieing with the new improved Koubu Kai units, but Orihime has already gone on ahead in her Eisenkleid ("Iron Dress") unit.

Orihime remarks that the enemy units will be easy pickings, but they increase in number. The theatre employs a defensive wall to protect itself.

After the numerous Wakiji enemy units are defeated, a new player appears on the battlefield... Aoi Satan, who was supposed to have been defeated a year ago.

He declares that he was revived by use of the Hangon no Jutsu ("Anti-soul") technique.

Attacking Orihime in his mecha, he is blocked by Oogami. Shocked that Oogami would cover her, Orihime demands to know why. Oogami explains that it's because they are comrades.

Orihime warms to her companions and jokingly remarks that they love to interfere where they're not wanted, but if she doesn't beat this Satan she'll feel ill.

As the battle wears on they demand to know why Aoi Satan is fighting. He replies that Tokyo is cursed and operating under a make-believe peace.

After he is defeated, Oogami begs Orihime to join them once more, and she relents.

They then do the customary victory pose, which annoys her to no end.

Before they can leave for the Theatre, Aoi Satan stops them, declaring that he can no longer live as a person any more, and that death will not come for him. He reveals that when he had fought them as Aoi Satan his body was lost. He warns them that to hate that which is evil, the greater the evil that they hate is, the more the evil in their own hearts will grow.

Yoneda, in shock, recognizes Aoi Satan as his old friend and comrade, Yamazaki, and calls out to him.

Yamazaki laments that he didn't want to meet Yoneda in his current form. Yoneda cries out that he had warned Yamazaki not to trust in strength alone.

Yamazaki counters that without absolute power, how can Yoneda ever hope to protect justice? He declares that people are not worthy of protection, that Teito is under a curse from the accumulated malice of centuries, and that the curse will continue.

Crying out that Teito is cursed, Yamazaki laughs, but is stabbed in the back by a strange man who rises from the ground, declaring that he should be cursed.

Oogami demands to know who this man is, and he replies "Oni-ou" (Demon King) before vanishing.

Orihime notes that the "carnival-masked man" had an incredible killing spirit. Sakura notes he smelled of death and destruction. Oogami wonders what Aoi Satan meant about "the malice of Teito" but Orihime counsels him not to worry about things he can't know.

And so, the group head back to the Theatre, and the next day enjoy sake in the park.

Yoneda jokingly asks Orihime what she was doing there since she said she was going to leave the Hanagumi, and she replies that she intended to, but without her strength, everyone else would be in trouble.

Sakura laughs and replies that now the welcoming party will have to be redone.

Orihime agrees but notes that the fact she hates Japanese men has not changed.

NEXT TIME:

To be Continued





Secret File

Yuri reports that the amount of steam taxis has gone up in Tokyo

The Hana-Yashiki branch's kinematron number is 13700. In the past year Iris has grown nine centimeters.





Observations
This is now the second time Yamazaki has died, the third if you count him becoming Aoi Satan as dying.




Acknowledgements
These episode guides are based on the Translation FAQs by Kayama. All images and FMV copyright SEGA, Overworks and RED company.