As far as I’m concerned we’re still in complete wild card territory with Hotaru no Yomieri. It’s interesting for sure, and undeniably not a mass-produced model. Those are good things. But I haven’t yet figured out if it’s good weird or bad weird, exactly how it’s messed up (which it definitely is). I haven’t even totally dismissed the possibility that it could be something of a satirical spin on shoujo dramatic tropes, though that seems like a long-shot possibility at this point.
For starters, there’s Shinpei. He’s a sociopath, that much is obvious. But again the question is not the weirdness, but exactly how it manifests. Like, just what exactly is he intending towards Satoko and what is he capable of? His argument for why she can’t go home isn’t implausible, but it’s entirely self-serving. His suggestion is that they elope, which she certainly can’t accept at face value. But even if she isn’t helpless by nature she is by circumstance, pretty much. Without him, she’s toast.
This is a dangerous game Satoko is playing, but it’s not like she has a lot of choice. She’s trying to use this man towards her own ends, but he’s a ruthless killer and she’s a 16 year-old girl. As it happens the island the pair of them are on is called Tennyo, and it’t some sort of high-class (and secret) pleasure district for the rich and powerful. Shinpei seems a very popular figure around town, apparently because he grew up there. In fact he’s ready to accept the invitation of some courtesans and more or less leave Satoko behind.
Her idea to seek help using the “any port in a storm” approach doesn’t add up to much except Satoko being humiliated. She winds up doing a fan dance for one of the male patrons, in a very strange but somewhat compelling scene. This shows a certain resolve on her part and certainly brings her a lot of attention, which Shinpei is none too pleased about. He whisks Satoko away to show her a panorama of fireflies on a pond, and shares the details of their situation with her. The island they’re on is a closely-guarded secret, and the only way off it for a woman is to becomes a courtesan and convince a wealthy patron to buy her out.
Again, I feel no confidence in predicting where this story is going or indeed, what the narrative perspective on this situation is. Is this going to be one of those stories that revels in humiliating the heroine for effect? I think that’s possible, just as it’s possible it’s going to be a chronicle of how tough and resourceful Satoko is. Will there be any mutual attraction between Satoko and this assassin who kills without a seeming whit of remorse – and if there was, what would that say about Satoko? These are kind of interesting questions, which is why I’m hanging around at least one more week.
