Ookami Kakushi Episode Four

At least one of us does......

I’m a bit on fence about this series. I see that is has a lot of interesting ideas and concepts going on but nothing seems to flow well. Scenes are jumpy, characters aren’t getting very much screen time, and I have a nagging feeling this show is trying too hard. Most people think it’s trying to be Higurashi no Naku Koro ni but since I have not seen that show I can’t really compare the two or see what fans are talking about with regards to the similarities. I do see that Ookami Kakushi is trying to be an edgy show and sometimes when someone tries to be edgy it comes off as posing. Actually…most of the time, not some of the time.

But I am not ready to give up on this series yet. Even if it is jumpy at parts and some of the characters make me want to pull my hair out. I see potential and that perhaps everything will work out in the end and make sense. I certainly will not watch it to mock it (coughcoughVampireKnightscough).

So if my ramblings have not scared you away yet time to review this episode. I know I haven’t been very optimistic so far but I do think there were some good parts. I just won’t sugar coat the boring/iffy parts. Sugar…me? I laugh!

Windows. They are very interesting.

I think the thing that set me off the most with this episode was how it started off.
Given how serious things were last episode starting off with funny, funny times at school was a bit insulting. Not that I wanted to see the creepy flashbacks but I think given how X_X the situation was Hiroshi should have been a little more shaky and withdrawn. Yes later he does have a bit of a freak out but that is only when he sees Issei. I think Hiroshi should have been upset because of the situation, not because his aggressor walked by.

Oranges symbolize death. Got it.

Putting aside the very weak GLARE scene with Nemuru Hiroshi put feeling scared and confused on the back burners and frolicked off to the library with Isuzu and Kaname. Because they are going to learn about the urban legends of the town. Because Isuzu hasn’t lived in this town forever and Kaname hasn’t had time to look up these things before. No now is the time! Time to read up on things that aren’t really urban legends and are in fact very boring. Except for the seeing the red fireflies=death. That we know what was being referred to. But other than that borrrrrrrrrring.

Restraining order time please?

So after the boring library visit it is time for these high school kids to go home. Of course going home means running into Issei because he lives in the same complex. And yes Hiroshi acts freaked out when he sees Issei. I would have liked him to be freaked out before and not have to actually SEE Issei to invoke such emotions. But he does and that’s that. Issei continues to act like a freak while he plasters himself all over the high school boy. This time Isuzu rescues Hiroshi from her freak of a brother. She seems to make excuses on why he is trying to molest Hiroshi. So is Isuzu in on the town’s craziness or is she another (stupid) victim?

Also kissing is bad mkay?

We then have another person running through the streets and being killed by the parade of flying wolves. Same thing each episode, slightly different person. I guess this confuses me as why so many people are being killed in this town and no one is doing something to stop it. Instead of trying to change their fate they seem content on just covering up the truth and pretending everything is fine. But it’s not.

Hi. My name is Boring? What's yours?

Then it is time for something completely unrelated. Hiroshi is taking Mana somewhere (not sure where since they never make it to that place) when they hear a violin and anytime anyone plays an instrument in anime one must stop and act like it is the most awesome thing ever. The girl playing the violin is named Kaori and as it is custom in anime she invites them for some tea. I’m not quite sure how important Kaori is to the plot line but she seems to exist thus far so Mana can forget her hat there and Hiroshi will be forced to come back. Go interesting girl go.

Must not....experience feelings......

Elsewhere things are not going as well. Isuzu is worried about her brother acting weird but her mother dismisses her feelings. Go mom. Issei seems to want to get medicine to control his…..whatever behavior but the hospital is currently out of medicine that controls the wolves/whatever. Excellent. That sounds like something you should never run out of but GASP the orange season has been so bad lately they can’t make the medicine. So the random girl that was riding around in Issei’s car before picks today to announce her feelings to Issei. Awesome. But Issei starts to lose his cool around her as well which is odd because I thought only Hiroshi made him feel that way. Clearly I have no idea what is going on. But Issei nearly eats her soul and he barely keeps it together long enough to kick her out of the car.

So Mana forgets her hat and Hiroshi has to run back up the hill to get it back from Kaori. Earlier there was some man going up the hill and Kaori has to invite him for tea. He seems to know Kaori but she is blissfully drinking tea. Nothing much happens but Hiroshi returns for the hat and it’s getting dark.

Bring it on!!!!

Last episode there was some drama with a boy drinking beer and being depressed. This episode the same boy (I think) and his girlfriend make out. Apparently it is a big deal and they shouldn’t be doing this. But they do and they kiss with glowing red eyes. He might have been a victim in a previous episode. But this night the wolf crew and their leader are after the girl. However she puts up a fight unlike the others. She tells them that nothing is wrong with how she feels and she shouldn’t be punished for it. She tries to fight the White Wolf but she is squished. The White Wolf states that she was born to enforce the rules.

Okay maybe he wasn't watching all of it....

Which is all fine and dandy…but Hiroshi was watching this time. He saw the wolves and the dead girl and the huge scythe. He runs off scared and tries to find help. Note to self: Do not seek help after dark in this town. The only person he can find is the man that was visiting Kaori earlier. Even though there is no proof of the dead girl and the wolves (Whoosh away the evidence) the man believes Hiroshi. He is actually in town to research the mass disappearance of people in this town. WOOT! Someone is not blinded by the truth.

Thank goodness someone is paying attention!

So it appears (with the limited information I have) that the wolves are not allowed to fall in love? Or feel sexually excited? Issei started to freak out when the girl simply stated she had feelings for him. But my theory works in every other instance. Nemuru doesn’t want Isuzu to fall in love with Hiroshi because she cares for Isuzu. The couple in this episode died because they were in love. So maybe these rules exist because they are trying to limit the wolf population?

Whatever the case maybe I am confused whether or not Isuzu has any idea on what is going on. Me thinks her brother is next on the hit list (or…is next) and her reaction in the next episode looks odd. But I am interested enough to stick around and find out next week. Just no more random scenes changes. Let’s have resemblance of flow okay?