The Japanese occult and battle fantasy series Mononokegari is fast approaching, with its anime adaptation scheduled to begin airing in January 2023 and its second chapter (season 2) scheduled to begin airing in July of the same year! Season 1 began with the meeting of protagonist Ki Hyoma and heroine Botan, and depicted the pair's circumstances and new daily lives. In this article, we'll be looking back at season 1! We've compiled a summary of episodes 7 through 12.
Episode 7 #07 Stirrings Contact with the Mononomori Group
Ogi, the special Tsukumogami who contacted and attacked Heima, has visited the Nagatsuki household. His purpose is to find out how Ogi will react when he reports to his client. Ogi eventually reported to his clients that the Ki family had not broken any unwritten rules. However, among his clients, the "Monono Guardians" faction, representing the Kyoto Guardians of the Saigan, the Tsukumogami group "Musaharabi" that previously attacked Nagatsuki, and one of the three major Tsukumogami, "Honjo Gagaku Ryo," were not inclined to ignore the situation. The Monono Guardians called out Hyoma by name.
Episode 7②
Hyoma responded to the Monono Guardians' call, and the representative, Monono Guardian Taiki, proposed a deal to Hyoma. The proposal was to dispose of the Nagatsuki Botan and the Tsukumogami, which were like bombs that could explode at any moment. Hyoma rejected the proposal, but the Monono faction tried to force him into submission. However, Hyoma's response remained unchanged.
Episode 7 Part 3
With Hyoma completely unyielding and refusing to back down, the Monono faction decided to use force. As the Kadomori faction's favorite, Kadomori Tsubaki, looks on, the Kadomori faction's militant faction and the Tsukumogami they control attack Hyoma, but Hyoma dodges the attacks and, with his boundless strength, defeats the Kadomori faction's militant faction one after the other.
Episode 8 #08: The State of Life: The Strength of Ki Hyoma
Hyoma first entered combat at the age of 12, and since then has been fighting life-threatening battles with tsukumogami. At 18, he defeated the "Oshu Onigawara," a creature said to rival the three greatest tsukumogami. Having survived desperate battles, Hyoma is strong, sealing the tsukumogami of the Kadomori faction one after another. However, the tsukumogami "Yagen," who had been selected as an exception, appeared before Hyoma.
Episode 8②
Yagen, who had been entrusted to Monono's care, attacks Hyoma with his ego sealed away. Monono's Daiki believes that Hyoma's interactions with Nagatsuki have given him compassion for the Tsukumogami, and he uses Yaagen, a familiar face, to put pressure on Hyoma. The effect is immediate, and Daiki takes advantage of the opportunity to mercilessly fire a Puppet Charm. However, Hyoma overcomes even this trick head-on, successfully rescuing Yaagen and seizing control of the situation.
Episode 8, Part 3
The battle ends with the complete subjugation of Monono's faction. Daiki Monono casually explains that it was a test to see his strength, and releases Yagen. While unable to fathom Daiki Monono's true intentions, Hyoma, who has earned a liking from Tsubaki Monono, returns to Nagatsuki.
Episode 9 #09: The Battle with Muragaharabi - Mysterious Fire
Hyoma has finally been recognized by the gatekeeper, Taiki. Behind the scenes, however, Ki's contact with Nagatsuki has sparked a conflict with the surviving Tsukumogami group, Muragaharabi. Nagatsuki is then asked by the gatekeeper to defeat them. Muragaharabi are all Tsukumogami that are torture devices, and their nature has shocked the entire capital. Though they were once defeated by the gatekeeper, their remnants have begun their reign once again.
Episode 9②
Hyoma, Yui, and Kadomori Tsubaki join the fight against Murohara Hi, and informants Ogi and Uchika lead them to a suspected hideout. Their job should have ended there, but Murohara Hi's Tsukumogami attacks without question. The five of them, including the two, intercept Murohara Hi's Tsukumogami.
Episode 9③
Of the three Tsukumogami that appeared, "Tsu" was defeated by informant Ogi and Uchi with teamwork, while "Tsu" was instantly defeated by Kadomori Tsubaki. Despite their incompatibility, Hyoma and Yui teamed up to defeat the remaining leader of the Tsukumogami, "Hikiri," with a brute force technique. While unable to completely seal "Hikiri," the team still emerged victorious.
Episode 10 #10: Brilliant Recruitment by Monono Tsubaki
Having escaped death, Hibikiri confronts Monono Taiki and argues that they, who live according to their role as vessels, must be hunted. However, he dismisses them, saying that those who cling to their role as vessels and make no effort to live in this world are unsuitable, and he is disposed of. Meanwhile, Hyoma learns that Monono Tsubaki is pursuing the Karakasa Tsukumogami, his archenemy who murdered Hyoma's brother and sister.
Episode 10②
The reason Tsubaki Kadomori is pursuing Karakasa, the Tsukumogami that killed Hyoma's brother and sister, is because Karakasa has taken away the only thing that made Tsubaki, a child of the Kirin, excited. So Tsubaki invites Hyoma to leave the Nagatsuki household and come to work for Kadomori. While this is a good deal for Hyoma, it is also a dangerous proposition for Tsubaki, as it combines her desire to satisfy herself with the Kadomori faction's way of exploiting anything they can.
Episode 10③
Hyoma flatly declines the proposal, citing circumstances. Back at the Nagatsuki home, Haori takes over hosting the Nagatsuki family's annual "Sukiyaki" event. Excited, the Nagatsuki family's wedding furnishings begin preparing for the sukiyaki, sharing the work. Meanwhile, Nagatsuki Botan wonders whether Hyoma, her potential matchmaker and future husband, is even interested in romance.
Episode 11 #11 Dark Arrow: New Equipment!?
After defeating the Murohara Fire, Hyoma receives a catalog. It says that Kyoto Saigan has equipment for fighting Tsukumogami. Botan guides Hyoma to take the aptitude test. Gatekeeper Tsubaki is also there to pick up the equipment. This is where Botan and Tsubaki meet.
Episode 11②
The equipment used against Tsukumogami is special clothing, woven with thread spun by the Tsukumogami and possessing semi-living properties. However, to wear these garments effectively, it is necessary to build a "relationship" with them. While Hyoma generally has a strong aversion to Tsukumogami, he considers the aptitude test a form of training to avoid causing Botan worry after his injury. Simply put, the test requires the master to acknowledge him, but Hyoma speaks with his fists without further ado, succeeding in getting the master to acknowledge him, much to the surprise of those around him.
Episode 11③
Hyoma is called in to help out with Botan's university Hyakunin Isshu club, and Botan shows him around the campus. However, with Botan kidnapped by his friend, Hyoma is left with nothing to do when he comes into contact with the large armor "Kaku," one of Kyoto's three great Tsukumogami, and is overwhelmed by its power.
Episode 12 #12 Hanaaki: Large Armor "Kaku"
Kaku overpowers Hyoma and pretends to know the Karakasa that Hyoma is pursuing. The situation is resolved with the arrival of Nagi and Suzuri, but Kaku tells Hyoma that Hyoma is less experienced than his brother and sister, who were killed by the Karakasa, that Hyoma did not use his own weapon, and that Nagatsuki Botan was the one who caused his brother and sister's deaths. Nagi and Suzuri become enraged by Kaku's words, and the situation becomes tense, but they are stopped by Sai, the sealer.
Episode 12②
After that, Hyoma disappears from the Nagatsuki household for a while. Botan, who had secretly overheard Kaku's conversation, is troubled, and visits the gatekeeper's group to find out what this means. Gatekeeper Taiki says that it has something to do with Botan's kidnapping. He says that when she was kidnapped and rescued, she became a living god, and he speculates that the influence of that experience may have motivated Karakasa.
Episode 12③
Hyoma, who had been missing, was actually training under the Monmori faction. However, after completing the final exam, the kumite, he was sent home with Botan. In the end, Hyoma didn't care about what Kyou had said, and was only concerned about his own immaturity. On the way home, Hyoma asks Botan why she has become unable to trust anyone.
[Mononokegari Act 2] Season 1 Review, Part 2 Summary
Here's a look back at the first season of Mononokegari! This is the second part, summarizing episodes 7 through 12! The first part, which summarises episodes 1 through 6, is also available in a separate article! In season 2, the Tsukumogami that killed Hyoma's brother and sister, as revealed at the end of season 1, begins to move! The story in the original also gets a lot more interesting from this point on, so I'm looking forward to season 2! If you haven't seen season 1 yet, be sure to check it out!
