Inexperienced Heart, Going Deeper

Synopsis

Whilst out on the herb gardens, Shirayuki sees a young girl with a bird. Her name is Kiharu Toghrul, her bird’s name is Popo and she’s here to see Zen. She lives on an island with the birds and they live in harmony. But a lord that recently inherited the lands has started hunting them for their rare feathers.

At the audience, Zen tells her to sort it out with the island’s lord, Brecker. Meanwhile, Shirayuki who wants to save the birds remembers Kiharu’s ability to control the birds and gives her an idea to pass onto Zen. He then decides to test out if this ability can be used for communication purposes.

He sets out a distance that would take 40 minutes one way by horse and asks that the bird deliver the message and return with a reply in 25 minutes. Shirayuki would attract the bird at the destination with a bell after Kirahu sends it off.

Brecker goes with Shirayuki and offers a deal so that the experiment fails and he would help Shirayuki obtain social status in the palace. Shirayuki refuses and Brecker locks her up, throws away the bell into the nearby lake and silences the guard. Shirayuki jumps out of the back window into the lake, Obi sees and follows. They manage to find the bell in time and get the bird back to destination.

After hearing about the whole incident Zen rushes there himself and seeing Shirayuki’s efforts for him again he lets his affection show and kisses her.

Thoughts

I for one am outraged at this Brecker’s inability to see beauty when it flies above his head. Who in their right minds could hurt such beautiful creatures. I may be slightly biased as I’m a big bird lover, but I think everyone agrees needless hunting is not right. Hunting for food for survival I can accept but killing for fun doesn’t seem like a good habit. Although, it probably was back in those times…

Anyways, onto the episode itself, we have another lord and another issue. And Shirayuki again takes the helm of resolving the issue from the idea to rescue the feathered beauties and a confrontation with the lord that sees him arrested. The setting this time feels very familiar with all the other confrontations and troubles that Shirayuki has been under. But they’ve upped the ante with a lord who seems to even have a disregard for Zen knowing that Zen really has no say in what he wants to do in his own land.

It was an interesting way of getting around a problem and some thoughtfulness from Shirayuki. Of course the boldness to jump out of a tower window and the inspiration she brings to turn others around her helped. I don’t think this episode particularly gave us anything new, however I think it showed us what Shirayuki is capable of when her back’s against the wall, or window.

The introduction of Kiharu is a nicely timed one I feel. Shirayuki has pretty much gotten used to the palace, and thanks to the rumours, which we haven’t seen anything of this episode, she now has Obi following her around. Because of that she hasn’t really been able to make any friends for herself. As much as Zen, Mitsuhide and Kiki are around they’re not with her everyday, and I don’t really see Obi as a ‘friend’. At the very least she needs a female friend. I’m unsure if Kiharu will stay in the castle now thanks to her ‘communication technology’, but if she does, Shirayuki will finally have someone to chat with more earnestly. Especially if there are love troubles up ahead like the end of the episode.

As much as I think a lot of people have been wanting to see the first kiss scene, I’m not sure if this was the best time to do it. Obviously Zen felt it was appropriate seeing her work so hard for him and he couldn’t hold himself back. But I personally don’t think they’re relationship has developed that far yet. I will however say that this anime has fully integrated the romance element into the series in a good way that I like. Some shoujos do it in an annoyingly overwhelming toothachingly sweet way, but I like the subtleties in thid relationship that have built up through their actions.

You can tell me I cheated, but I had a quick look at the preview and saw a very shy and awkward looking Shirayuki. Zen may be ready to move forward with their relationship but, as much as she likes him, I don’t think she is. At least, not quite yet. Still new to the palace, still having troubles with the lords due to her status and obviously the rumours and the unwanted attention hasn’t been quelled, and actually will probably heat up even more so now. Then again, only those two know about what happened in the room, unless Shirayuki’s awkwardness shows so obviously that everyone else around them can guess what happened.

Either way, I don’t think she realises her own feelings or is fully embracing them at the moment. And understandably so as it hasn’t been that long that she had to run away from home and she must still be getting used to everything. Though I don’t know how long it’s been, but she’s at least still getting used to palace life.