There’s no two ways about it – Hoozuki no Reitetsu is a great anime comedy.  It was away for long enough that I almost forgot how great, but this season – especially the last two episodes – has been a wonderful reminder.  It’s so smart, so literate, so cheeky and genuinely mirthful.  Hoozuki no Reitetsu is the master of contrasts – highbrow and lowbrow, ruthless and sweet, Japanese and universal – and it’s consistently the best-looking anime comedy (contesting only, perhaps, with Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge) of the past several years.

• Ono no Takamura – this is not a historical figure with whom I was previously familiar, but he seems a perfect fit for this cast.  A scholar, a poet, a gifted administrator – and also a smart-aleck of the highest order.
• “Second-most famous behind only Sadako” – that’s priceless and so very clever.
• Poor Shinko – I’m not sure who’s worse off for chief of staff, he or Enma-sama.  One is a relentless trickster, the other is, well- Hoozuki.
• It’s as if Yoneda-sensei head me bemoan the absence of Enma in last week’s post, because the B-part here was the big guy at his loveable best.
• Konjac = “Devil’s tongue” – if you’ve eaten it you know why.  It’s not as disgusting as it looks, but that’s a pretty low bar…
• Hoozuki-sama is the “King of Mild Curry”?  That’s sort of unexpected.
• The tour of Enma’s quarters…  That was just great fun all around.  I loved the way Karauri magically appeared in-frame when Okou showed up, and Nasubi’s antics on the bed.  He just doesn’t give a hoot, but the great thing about Enma is he’s totally fine with it.
• Enma-ou is an interesting figure.  He is a manifestation of the Buddha after all, and being such a softie makes him a good choice for his job (if counter-intuitively).  He passes the crucial test of being kind to beasts and children, as this chapter displays.
• Jizou makes an appearance!  This is my favorite of all the Buddhist deities – how can you not love someone who’s the protector of travelers and children?
• If you’re not familiar, Jizou statues are omnipresent all over Japan, especially in the countryside along paths and trails.  And it’s common to drape a hat or scarf around him to protect him from the elements.  It looks as if we’ll be seeing more of him next week, too – perhaps a speaking role?
• They can’t give me too many Enma-Totoro gags.  Keep ’em coming.