Juni Taisen (Zodiac War): Season 1/ Episode 4 “The Enemy, a Noble Primate” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
The cycle is broken! We get to know a character, to a point, and they don’t die! Previous Recap: Episode 3 “Cutting a Chicken with a Beef Cleaver” Summary This episode focuses on Sharyu. The warrior literally raised by the three wise monkeys (Think: See No Evil, Say No Evil, Hear No Evil). However, despite…
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The cycle is broken! We get to know a character, to a point, and they don’t die!
Previous Recap: Episode 3 “Cutting a Chicken with a Beef Cleaver”
Summary
This episode focuses on Sharyu. The warrior literally raised by the three wise monkeys (Think: See No Evil, Say No Evil, Hear No Evil). However, despite her training being vigorous and giving her the ability to slice a boulder with minimal effort, she decided to take the path of peace. Not because the monkeys pushed her too, they seem to just train people and become indifferent about the paths their pupils take. Nope, Sharyu, for reasons not deep dived into, decided this on her own.
Leading to her ending over 300 international conflicts and over 200 civil wars. However, while talented, she isn’t perfect. In the episode, she ends one war by pushing for a country to reclaim their independence. With that, the two formerly warring sides join to wipe out this new country. Something the boar (Toshiko) took part of.
All of this is told to Nezumi and being that he is a pessimist, he finds Sharyu’s optimism foreign. Sum it up partly due to teen angst and going to high school with people he deems trash. The kind he wonders if they are worth saving and giving peace since they are ungrateful for it. But, ungrateful or not, he remains by Sharyu’s side mostly because he doesn’t feel like dying for others.
Though, considering the Juni Taisen is a mandatory fight, one in which they have been poisoned and already 1/3 of the warriors died, what choices do they have? Sharyu claims to have multiple plans but while her legend has been built up, being told she has failed many a time doesn’t instill confidence. Especially since, in Nezumi’s mind, she is the likely reason Niwatori died.
Something neither have time to dwell on for Usagi has found their hiding spot and drives them out of the sewers. Thus leading to a showdown.
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- We see Ushii and Uuma go at it so, needless to say, Uuma is still alive. However, with seeing them go at it leads to the question of whether Sharyu’s conversation in this episode took place during, a little before, or after Uuma’s assumed death?
- Sharyu, in her everyday life, goes by another name and seemingly has a serious boyfriend.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- How did Sharyu end up with the three wise monkeys?
- Being that the three wise monkeys don’t act as middlemen, how did Sharyu get started in her business?
- What was Sharyu like as a child? She is the only one whose background wasn’t basically from adolescence to adulthood.
- So, are we really not going to get any explanation as to why these people wear outfits like these?
Highlights
Finally, The Trend Is Broken & Usagi Is Back!
After 3 episodes of getting to know a character and then them promptly dying at the end, we finally got a character who got developed and will stick around. Granted, it is Sharyu, who only has an interesting outfit, and not much else, but that is besides the point. What matters here is now we have intrigue and possibilities.
Also, Usagi is back in action! Something I missed if only because his twisted self has been missed. Primarily because, as the weaker warriors have been weeded out, I’ve been looking forward to him taking on some of the better contenders. Plus, with him forcing Sharyu and Nezumi to come out of hiding, it means we get to finally see what those two can do. Which will leave us with only two characters who we haven’t seen in action. Well, two that are still alive.
On The Fence
Sharyu’s Background Was Kind Of Boring, If Not Incomplete
In comparison to Toshiko and Niwatori, maybe even Dotsuku, Sharyu’s introduction was lackluster. Something I don’t know whether to pin on the lack of action, her just seeming like a nun with deadly training, or what. Though, to make matters worse, it seemed like all we got really was her resume and didn’t get to know her at all.
I mean, yeah, we learned she has a boyfriend who knows her as Misaki, but outside of that we get nothing. We don’t see her childhood, we only get the tail end of her training, and while her tactic for peace was interesting, it didn’t seem like enough to not just have her share focus with Nezumi. Someone who, just with being a warrior in high school, peeked my ears far more than anything Sharyu did or said.
