Golden Kamuy Episode 10 Review: Fellow Traveller

Sugimoto and Asirpa get reunited with her family as well as the matagi, and all together they set off to Abashiri prison to meet Nopperabo, joined by Asirpa’s father’s friend, Kironake.

Japanese Original Episode Title: 道連れ

Plot

Tanigaki is still being hunted down by Ogata and the remaining Nikaidou, and manages to trap them by following the trail of a bear. He sets up a fire in the woods next to the bear’s prey, and as Nikaidou sees this as an opportunity to eat, he gets attacked by the bear and has his ear torn off. Ogata is watching from far away, wondering whether he should save Nikaidou and show his position. He decides to do so, thinking Tanigaki has no gun but gets shots in the chest right after the bear flees because of his bullet. The 7th arrives and arrests Nikaidou, and I’m not entirely sure how Ogata is still alive. Lt Tsurumi spends some time torturing Nikaidou by cutting off his other ear and offers him to leave him alive so he can kill Sugimoto in exchange for the names of the traitors in the 7th division. Noses and ears fly around everywhere, it’s kinda graphic.

In the meantime, the happy family of Sugimoto, Asirpa, etc. goes fishing for some massive fish and, naturally, has lunch. Asirpa meets her father’s friend, a hot-ass dude named Kironake, who tells her that Nopperabo is probably her dad (if you hadn’t gotten the hint already by the previous episode) and mentions an old guy who knows her Japanese name is looking for her. Thinking her father might be alive but a traitor, Asirpa decides to find him and confront him. Sweet.

Episode Highlights

Shoot the head!: You are a Matagi. A good fighter, being hunted down by a crazy sniper killer. You get one chance, and you shoot him on the chest? What is wrong with you? Kill that hot bastard. You make me sick. And please stop getting erections every time you shoot someone, that goes to the lot of you.

Ouch ouch ouch: The blood and violence in this episode were slightly more than usual. Looking at Tsurumi slowly cutting Nikaidou’s ear off was just peachy. I kept screaming the whole time. Pathetic, I know.

Does your dad have any more friends?: That hair, those earrings, the physique, the chest hair, the style. Kironake is easily the hottest character in the show so far. His sexy tete-a-tete with Sugimoto was a real delight. MOAR!

Themes & Trivia

Matagi, more: If you wanna learn more about Tanigaki’s tribe and their exciting relationship with bears and hunting, look up the 1982 movie Matagi, or The Old Bear Hunter, for those who are having a hard time remembering non-English names.

Shizuoka: Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture’s second-largest city in both population and area. It is home to Mt. Fuji, Japan’s infamous highest peak.

Square Enix Style: Don’t you find those well-rounded eyes and thick square jaws look very much like Square Enix productions?

Ningyo: A fish humanoid from Japanese folklore. You can read the tale of Yao Bikuni here. It’s pretty awesome.

Adonis flower: An ornamental plant. It is native to North Africa, Western Asia, the Mediterranean, and Europe. The name Bird’s Eye is also associated with the bird’s-eye primrose. Pheasant’s eye is also an alternative name for narcissus.

Asahikawa: A city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture and the second-largest city in Hokkaido.

I’m excited

I knew Nopperabo was Asirpa’s dad (I mean, that was pretty damn easy to guess). What I also believe is that he can’t be a traitor. Asirpa is just too nice and idolizes him too much for him to be one.

What did you think of this Golden Kamuy episode? Let us know in the comment section! And don’t forget to check the rest of the Spring 2018 anime reviews on MANGA.TOKYO!