Brave 10 - Episode 02

Episode – 02 characters

Isanami – She is the sole survivor of the Izumo shrine, also it appears that she has some strange power that she doesn't even know that she has. Another thing to point out is that her name is vary similar to the goddess in the Japanese creation myth. It wouldn't surprise me if they have her end of being the reincarnation of Izanami.

Kirigakure Saizou – He is the other real major character in this story. Also from the way he act, it like he has a great many secrets to hide. Like how he says that he is a samurai while in fact he is an Iga ninja. It also appears that he has some sort of connection with Isanami by how he is able to calm her down. There is also his unexplained hatred for feudal lords.

Sarutobi Sasuke – He is a Koga Ninja, and this is what leads to the conflict between him and Saizou because in Japanese his the Koga and Iga ninja's have a long standing rivalery. It also seems that for some reason the koga ninja's under his command are surving Sanada Yukimura.

Sanada Yukimura – His is Lord of Ueda Castle, it also appears that he is renown for his intelligence and integrity. Also it seem that he is seeking to draw ten great warrior to his side to equal his equal great fingers, before he can go to war.

Rokurou – He is a mysterious figure that is helping Yukimura in his ambition. Although it appears that it will be awhile before we learn more about him.

Ana – She is a childhood friend of Saizou, although he dislikes how clingy she is. Further more Isanami doesn't much care for her because she feels that she is going to take Saizou away from her. Also she is now working for Yukimura after trying to kill him and failing.

Hattori Hanzou – Is the one that burned down the Izumo shrine, and is working for Tokogawa Ieyasu. Although we don't know at this point what part he will play, even though he is a renown historical figure. However the one thing we do know is that he will be back for Isanami.

Episode – 02 summary

In the begin Isanami is having Saizou pick-out which of the kimono's she should wear for her festival dance. Although he is not particularly interested in deciding since he was force into it so after he make a quick pick. He use the time when she has her back turned to him to escape, although once Isanami realizes that Saizou she isn't particularly pleased. In his escape, he runs into an old childhood friend Ana. However once Isanami catches up with Saizou she isn't happy with the fact that a women she doesn't know is clinging to Saizou. Then Yukimura appears, and then with his arrival he breaks up the confrontation between Ana and Isanami.

This leads us to the festival taking place, then while Isanami is dancing. Saizou and Ana have conversation about Saizou unwillingness to serve anyone, which is in a way a contradiction to the existence of both ninja and samurai. The important of the samurai is different than the English mentality of one where we see them as knights, but the word samurai come from the kanji (haberu) which means to serve. Which for some reason is an uncomfortable subject for Saizou, this cause him to leave the festival early. Although Saizou leaves to search for the Boa constrictor that Yukimura told them about early since it might cause a bit of a problem with the festival.

In Saizou escape attempt from the festival, it cause Isanami to follow after him because he was seen leaving with Ana. Then shortly after Ana leaves Saizou alone with Isanami, she points to the forest and explains that something scary is over there. Which cause Saizou to indulge her, and they go to check out the forest. Although this cause Saizou to mention that there is nothing wrong but Isanami response that there is something wrong because nothing is wrong. This cause Saizou to agree because in this dense forest there is no life at all. However after this is mention the Boa comes out of hiding, and attacks them both. While Saizou is trying to get Isanami out of harms way he gets trapped under the Snake and has to free himself by using some explosives but injures himself in the blast. Then once he is free he quickly finishes the snake but upon it's death it traps Isanami and Saizou in an underground cave.

While trapped in this cave we get an explanation on why Isanami is so focused on Saizou because she believes that he is her light. Which is a bit ironic considering he is a ninja and a dealer of death. Her reason for believing this is that in her darkest moment he is the only one that helped her after Izumo temple was burned to the ground, and that is why Saizou is her light. This give Saizou the conviction to break out of the cave because she believes in him. It turns out that Isanami was right to believe in him because when created an exit everything didn't cave-in on them.

After they are free, they look out into the distance and see the castle burning. They rush back to see what is happening, and help anyone they can. It is more like Isanami rushes back to help and Saizou only follows to make sure that she remains safe. While the castle is burning Hattori Hanzou is going around killing the guards in his search for Isanami. Then when hattori finds Izanami is horrified that she is face to face with the man that destroyed her temple. Although before Hattori can take her away Saizou strikes at Hattori, which force him to defend himself. During most of the fight it looks like Saizou is out matched by Hattori partial because of how injured he was from his fight with the snake when he almost blew himself up. In the end he was able to force Hattori back, even though it was just barely.

Notes

Samurai – Saizou issue with not wanting to serve a lord is kind of an old samurai joke which goes like this. A samurai's existence is given mean by serving some one, by you don't want to be tied down by anything so you don't serve anyone, but the path of a samurai is the path of freedom. That by not serving anyone, it is not that you are free but that you are afraid of being free.

Yin-yang – Is the theme of this episode. The Yin in the yin-yang is represent by the dark area, while the yang is representative of the white area. The yin is a symbol of both darkness and woman, while Yang represents man and light. The key principle is that one can not exist with out the other. This symbolism is increased by giving Isanami a light personality while she represent darkness, at the same time giving Saizou a dark personality while he represent the light. Although this also goes back to Taoism where the contradiction that exists, only exists because we believe that it must.