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Ushio & Tora
Episode 11

by Lauren Orsini,

How would you rate episode 11 of
Ushio & Tora ?
Community score: 4.1

The problem with anime about a long journey is that they usually deliver on only a fraction of their potential. As Ushio and Tora make their way up north, they're making new friends, but also leaving beloved allies behind. At long last, this episode of Ushio & Tora revisits some of the show's most likable characters, giving us a long awaited reunion.

Ushio's been away from home for four episodes now, and his friends are starting to worry. Back at home, MAYUKO and Asako (who Ushio calls Nakamura) are upset that he left without saying goodbye. Asako, who's a little bit tomboy and a lot bit tsundere, is especially charming to watch as she sidesteps around how much she misses Ushio. In a scene at the Ushio-less school, we even get a cameo of episode three's Masaki and Reiko. I hope we can take this to mean we'll be seeing more of characters from the past in future weeks. Worrying about Ushio turns out the be the least of MAYUKO and Asako's problems, however, when an antique mirror MAYUKO's dad brought home comes to life and attacks her.

Meanwhile, Ushio is up north, still staying with the Kamaitachi he saved in episode nine. He's ready to move on, when a chance vision in the reflecting pool shows his friends in danger. Interestingly, the yokai that Ushio needs to kill to save his friends and the yokai who helps Ushio save them are the same type—mirror yokai. The mirror spirit who assists Ushio is terrified of him, and for good reason! This indicates the complex morality that a Beast Spear wielder like Ushio must develop in order to fight for what's right. This episode contains perhaps the shortest battle yet, because this story isn't really about the yokai itself. (It also doesn't help that the good mirror yokai's power only lasts "as long as it takes water to boil." Talk about arbitrary!)

The evil mirror yokai is little more than a plot device—it's a demon whose physiognomy makes it uniquely vulnerable even when Ushio is thousands of miles away. This episode is really about Ushio and Asako's deepening relationship. A sizable portion of the episode takes place in the past, in muted colors against a starry sky, depicting one dangerous night in the third grade when Ushio came to Asako's rescue. Asako isn't one to admit her feelings and neither is Ushio, but in this case, absence makes the heart grow fonder. When Ushio utilizes the friendly mirror spirit, he is able to see his friends' heartfelt discussion about him before the trouble begins. Seeing him witness this is probably more important than the specifics of the attack on his friends. If there's anything that can relegate Tora to side character status, it's the middle school feelings going down in this episode.

Ushio can be reckless and impulsive and stubborn, but because we're constantly seeing him through the eyes of his friends, Asako and MAYUKO, he remains adorable. This episode's focus on the past shows Ushio's loyalty even as a kid—and revisiting Ushio's school friends shows the series' loyalty to its characters. I can forgive the use of yokai as plot device (and Tora being pushed to the side) because this episode is a reminder of why this show is worth watching: Ushio & Tora is a shounen battle anime, but it also has a lot of heart. In this latest episode, the latter comes out in spades.

Rating: A-

Ushio & Tora is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about anime and journalism at Otaku Journalist.


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