Funnily enough, this is Gegege no Kitarou 2018’s second Halloween episode, and both of them have been comedy-driven with just a bit of canon Backbeard plot advancement.  That’s right, Backbeard is back(beard) – or that’s the plan at least, it seems.  For now it’s just his advance troops and the lowest of the low at that (and acting on his own, too) but as Jerry said to Babu, wheels are in motion.

Said lowly foot soldier is Komori-neko, who finds Kusao Takeshi returning to the GGGnK cast for the second time this incarnation and fourth time overall.  He’s apparently some sort of vampiric cat youkai, and he’s come to Japan to try and earn some respect from Backbeard’s elite – who view him as a lowly worm – by procuring human blood for Backbeard’s recuperation.  Just why a western youkai is named “Komori” – or -neko for that matter – I’m not sure. but Komori-neko clearly isn’t much of a threat, really (and he’s apparently an “M”).  He’s amusing enough though, and it seems only natural that he’d get paired off with Nezumi-otoko, who finally finds his way back to the screen (Mana is still AWOL after a month, though that will change next week).

Komori-neko’s initial attempts to scam Ratman are rather feeble, and he proves himself quite the easy mark when the real scammer turns the tables.  For a youkai whose previous highlight in life was being told he had a really big mouth, a little love from drunken Halloween revellers is predictably intoxicating.  One of the things this episode slips in is a bit of irritation that Halloween has basically become a drinking party in Japan (not that it doesn’t happen in America too, but there’s much more to the holiday there).  It also manages to get in a couple of really funny in-jokes – Kusai-san having a conversation with himself when Komori-neko crosses paths with Wolfgang, and Tanaka Mayumi (Luffy) shouting out “Whose line is that?” when Komori-neko declares “I’m gonna be king of the youkai!”.

As for Backbeard, while Komori’s tomato juice isn’t going to do him any good it does appear that he intends to come back, and more accomplished underlings are out and about procuring necessities for his restoration.  Apparently we’re going to see the streams crossed with Backbeard and Nurarihyon, though I know who my money would be on if that ever boils down to a straight-up fight…