For the benefit of viewers with short memories and animation studios with low budgets, the episode begins with over three minutes of flashback.
Finally, the episode proper begins, and we see Akram’s three subordinates arranging some monsters of the week.
At the castle, Princess Fuji is giving her latest lecture.
Fuji: Yes, it’s exposition time again! This time, I will explain all about the destined Hachiyou bishounen. There are eight of them, and so far you have located three- Tenma, Yorihisa, and Shimon.
Akane: I wonder who the other five could be.
Tomomasa: Don’t look at me. I may be one of only eight named hero bishounen to appear in the OP and series, but that doesn’t mean I am a Hachiyou.
Fuji: Your next quest will be to find the others.
Tenma: I don’t think so- I’m not hanging around here long enough for Akane to meet other men.
Fuji: Akane, you must stay- the series can’t end after only three episodes!
Akane: I’m sorry, but I’m not the Ryuujin no Miko.
Fuji: You’re in the OP- who else could it be? I’ll even indulge in a flashback to support my case.
A brief flashback is seen, but Akane still refuses to accept her role.
Tenma: That’s settled then- Akane, Whipping Boy, let’s go.
Before they can leave, Akane collapses. Shimon checks her.
Shimon: She was fine a moment ago, but now she suddenly has a fever. It’s almost as if the plot doesn’t want us to leave.
Tenma: I can’t have a weak woman- get her to a hospital immediately!
Tomomasa picks up Akane and starts carrying her to her room.
(Tenma: How dare he touch my Akane?)
Whilst Akram checks the projected monsters-of-the-week schedule, the bishie onmyouji Abe no Yasuaki uses some stock animation to seal monsters.
Back at the castle, Shimon and Tenma watch over Akane.
Tenma: Shimon, you stay here and keep out of the way. I’m going to go off and do MANLY things.
Akane’s consciousness floats over some still screens before materialising in front of a darkened house. She uses a flashback to help identify it as the place she met with Akram in the last episode.
Yasuaki arrives, and sees Akane.
Yasuaki: You must be the main character.
A minor demoness emerges from the house.
Yasuaki: Since I am much stronger and more accomplished than you, just stand behind me and let me defeat the enemy.
Yasuaki easily overpowers the demoness, who reverts to a snake form, before entering the house to confront her mistress.
Mistress: I’m going to try to seduce you and then eat you, okay?
Yasuaki: As a lead bishounen, I am immune to your charms.
Mistress: Don’t tell me you’re…HARD GAY?
The demon mistress rips down a screen to reveal Akram.
Mistress: You think I’m beautiful, don’t you?
Akram: Actual, my dear, you’re just a skeleton. I could have easily defeated the heroes if I fought them directly, but in order to make things more protracted I’ve booked a selection of monsters-of-the-week, starting with this one.
Akram stands back and lets the demon mistress ineffectually attack Yasuaki. Yasuaki easily seals her away.
Akram: You may have won here, but it isn’t over yet- there are twenty-three episodes left! Now I will just teleport away for today and confirm the reservation for next week’s monster.
(Akram: Losing every week is a veritable art form.)
Akram vanishes. Akane cries over the skeleton that once housed the demon spirit.
Akane: Poor thing. She sucked out the lives of many men, and tried to kill us, but I’m sure she was just misunderstood.
Yasuaki casts a spell to help Akane get back to her body. She awakens in bed, with Yorihisa, Fuji, Shimon and Tomomasa around her. Tenma runs back into the room.
Tenma: Nobody touch Akane!
Tomomasa: Tenma, have you just been pointlessly running around offscreen all this time?
Tenma: …You’ll see, something will come of my running around!
Meanwhile, Yasuaki stands outside. A gem appears and embeds itself in his cheek.
Yasuaki: I guess I am a main character after all.
After some budget-saving stills, we see a red cherry blossom tree of evil, awaiting the attention of our heroes in the next episode.
To be continued…
