This episode was the anime equivalent of a continuation bet in poker. We didn’t see much new, just a straight-up continuation of the state of events of #14. Surprisingly it was an anime-original, as it felt perfectly in context with the flow of the story.

In short, the 88 Demons/808 Tanuki (I think, I’ve lost count) are still running around generally being mean for the fun of it. The gate of the main house catches fire, though Kappa – maybe the feature hero of the episode – saves the day. Meanwhile, we get a glimpse of the Supreme Commander at last – he’s still traveling with Natto Kozo – who gets off the best line of the episode with an exhausted “If this goes on any longer I’ll ferment” – only now we find out his destination. He’s off to Shikoku, no doubt to seek out the leader of the 88 Demons – father of the brat Tamazuki leading the attack on the Nura Clan.

The best moments of the episode came as Rikuo decided to bring the Supernatural Squad to the mansion so as to better keep an eye on them. Yura doesn’t join them – injured from her encounter with the Shikoku Gang, she’s investigating a bunch of defiled Shinto shrines – but it all hits the fan when Rikuo asks Yuki-onna to be Kana’s bodyguard. As all this is happening Gyuuki’s henchmen are getting into trouble trying out some vigilante justice on a member of the Shikoku Gang but Kappa bails them out in an all-out water battle at the city treatment plant, which Yura arrives just too late to witness.

I’m a bit worried about where this is all going, with reportedly only 25 eps on the horizon and lots of manga left to cover. Overall the series continues to be solidly enjoyable without ever really blowing me away – except for the scenes involving Yuki-onna, of course.