Quick Summary of Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3
In Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3, “Suspicion Will Raise Bogies,” Ryuji Suguro and Rin Okumura try to recover from the “juice” they drank the previous night. The temple’s leaders call a meeting of all the heads of family, but Ryuji’s father Tatsuma Suguro raises suspicions by not attending. Yaozo Shima, the branch’s chief, announces that there’s a traitor within. Tempers boil over as Mamushi Hojo and Juzo Shima accuse each other. Shiemi Moriyama confronts her inner doubts, with Izumo Kamiki’s help. Rin tries to patch things up with Konekomaru Miwa.
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious!
What’s In This Post
Quick Episode Summary
What Happened in this Episode
What I Liked in this Episode
What I Liked Not so Much in this Episode
Thoughts about the Episode
Related Posts
What Happened in Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3
Yaozo Announces a Traitor’s Among Them
Miwa is shocked that Renzo can just sit down and talk to Rin. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
During breakfast, Rin and Ryuji try to shake off the effects of the “juice” that Shura Kirigakure accidentally gave them the night before. Miwa is shocked to see Renzo Shima talking normally to Rin. When Miwa confronts him later, Renzo says that it’s too hard to avoid Rin, and besides, Rin’s “a good guy.” Meanwhile, Rin asks Ryuji’s mother, Torako Suguro, if he can borrow some candles. He doesn’t tell her it’s because he wants to practice controlling his flames.
The branch’s chief Yaozo calls a meeting of all temple family heads. Ryuji’s father, the temple’s master, doesn’t show up for the meeting. It falls to Yaozo, still sick from the attack, to lead the meeting. He wastes no time getting to the point: there’s a traitor in their midst. Juzo tells the story of what happened on the day of the attack: the flame guarding the Right Eye of the Impure King was acting up, so they called the master, Ryuji’s father, to help. The flame goes out of control.
Mamushi and Juzo do not withdraw as ordered; neither do Mamushi’s sisters, Ao and Nishiki. Yaozo throws himself on the relic to prevent its theft. The six Exorcists who were present appear to be the most likely suspects. Mamushi and Juzo immediately accuse each other. However, those assembled seem most suspicious of Tatsuma, especially because he’s not present. As the arguments spread, Yaozo closes the meeting.
Mamushi is shocked — and hurt — that her father would suspect even her. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Moriyama Struggles to Contribute
Moriyama tries to help with the patients, but instead spills hot tea on Izumo Kamiki’s back. One of the Exorcists sends Moriyama to the garden so she can gather herbs. She’s feeling utterly useless. She can’t even call on her familiar Nee anymore since the accident in the forest (just before this season started). She recalls how strong Rin was when he helped her become an ExWire, and how he fought for them in the forest, even when it meant him becoming an outcast.
Kamiki eventually joins her and asks why she’s seemed so hesitant lately. Speaking slowly at first, Moriyama’s emotions come tumbling out as she laments how useless she feels. Kamiki tells her that she’s already strong, impressively resilient, like a weed. Being a herbologist, the comparison comforts Moriyama.
Kirigakure is astonished when Rin successfully uses her “poof” advice. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Rin’s Training Pays Dividends
Rin continues his training. Between setting the roof on fire and completely destroying the candles, he’s not making much progress. Kirigakure suggests that he think more in terms of “poof” and less in terms of “boom.” Tired and exasperated, he says he’s going to take a break Still muttering “poof” in various combinations, he jumps off the roof. Kirigakure is surprised to see that Rin has accidentally lit two candles with his blue flames, leaving the center candle untouched. That’s been his goal all along!
Rin hears Miwa praying to his family and stops to talk. He’s frustrated when Miwa tries to run away and demands to know why. Miwa says that he has nothing; his family was killed on that night years ago by the blue flames, and all he has now is his adopted family in the temple. Rin, ever the optimist, cheerfully pointed out that once he proves they can trust him and that he’s no threat, they can make up. As he walks away to go back to training, Rin says that Miwa can’t say he has nothing: he has a lot he wants to protect. Miwa remembers Renzo saying Rin was a good guy.
What I Liked about Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3
Ryuji is Conflicted
I really like how the show setup the premise of this episode. We’ve seen how the Shima and Hojo families don’t trust each other. We’ve seen how Juzo and Mamushi in particular dislike each other. Not only that, but Tatsuma has acted suspiciously since the decision not to join with the Order of the True Cross. At this point, I think they’re all likely candidates.
Ryuji wrestles with his convictions. He knows his father isn’t the traitor; he knows his father isn’t acting in a way to help his case. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Ryuji’s honest enough that he understands why everyone suspects his father. I’m not sure that he’s convinced of his father’s innocence, though I think that he intuits that his father’s doing something necessary despite how it looks to everyone else. I wonder if Ryuji is most upset that his father didn’t trust him enough to confide in him?
Moriyama Struggles
Poor Moriyama! She was trying to be helpful, but she ended up spilling hot herbal tea on Kamiki. She’s really been struggling with her confidence and emotions this season, and the inner conflict’s starting to take its toll.
When Moriyama spilled tea on her back, did Kamiki scream or lose her composure? Nope! She just asked the patient if any of the tea had splashed on him. She’s in Honey Badger mode again! What really struck me about the scene, though, was how tender she was to the patient. It’s such a departure from how she treats her friends!
Kamiki had changed her clothes by the time she joined Moriyama in the garden. Continuity’s cool! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Did you notice that Kamiki had changed her clothes by the time she joined Moriyama in the garden? Details like that make or break a show’s believability.
What’s the heartbreaking scene of the season (so far)? Moriyama breaking down sobbing as she tells Kamiki how useless she feels and how she’s hurt that Rin and Yukio Okumura didn’t open up to her about their parentage. She’s crying so loudly that she doesn’t hear Rin set the roof behind her on fire. She doesn’t even hear him use the fire extinguisher! It’s hard seeing characters I like in such distress.
I have to admire Rin’s resolve. Miwa basically comes out and says that he can’t be sure Rin won’t run amuck and hurt his adopted family. Instead of feeling insulted, Rin admits he has little control over his flames, so it’s no wonder he makes everyone nervous. He even said he’s looking forward to proving himself to everyone. I’m pretty sure I would not have reacted so well!
What I Liked Less about Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3
There is no way that Kirigakure maintains that physique given how much she loves her beer. That’s just not realistic!
Thoughts about Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3
Caring about what happens to characters — isn’t that a sign of a powerful anime? Or any other work of art? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
I often gauge the quality of a show by how much I care about the characters. But when I realize I’m no longer thinking of the them as fictional characters and start responding to them as people? That’s when I know I’m watching something special.
That happened to me twice in this episode. The first was Moriyama’s break down. The show did a great job building up her doubts to the breaking point, and Kamiki’s forthright question triggered her melt down. It was nice seeing Kamiki there to help Moriyama get back on her feet, though I have to express mild shock that Kamiki was nice twice in one episode!
The second time was more subtle, but in some ways, more affecting. Miwa doesn’t like how he feels about Rin. He doesn’t want to betray the memory of his family’s death by blue flames by accepting the Son of Satan as his friend, and he’s terribly worried about Ryuji. When Rin confronts him, Miwa doesn’t know how to react, so he implodes. His saying that he has nothing really resonated with me. He couldn’t see beyond his own pain. It took Rin pointing out that of course he doesn’t have nothing: he has a lot of people he wants to protect! That was a great moment.
Did you experience similar moments in this episode? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 3 Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: [Spoilers] Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen – Episode 3 Discussion
- Random Curiosity: Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-Hen – 03
- RABUJOI: Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen – 03
Reviews of Other Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episodes
- The 2016 Holidays Are Gone – Must Be the Winter 2017 Anime Season! Preview Part I
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 1: Small Beginnings
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 2: Strange Bedfellows
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 4: Act of Treachery
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 5: Mysterious Connections
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 6: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 7: Like a Fire Burning Bright
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 8: From Father to Son
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 9: Through Thick and Thin
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 10: Unbowed and Unbroken
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 11: Shine Bright as the Sun
- Blue Exorcist Kyoto Saga Episode 12: Candid and Open
