u/CCV21

There's a new opening and ending sequence. I liked the style. It had that hand drawn look. The details in the sequence were neat. It was full of Easter eggs for those familiar with the manga. I liked how it shows Yuri's growth in the serie so far. Now onto the episode.

This was a solid episode. The pacing was good and it felt like there was time to let moments breathe.

There is still some awkwardness between Yuri and Kail. Yuri doesn't know how she can keep enough distance to part from Kail next year. Kail think s he could love Yuri and make her happy enough to choose to stay. The scene where Yuri asks to sleep away from Kail and him agreeing only to be shot down by everyone else was funny. Usually when others are playing matchmaker for the main couple, they try to do it subtlely. Them being frank about about their motives and throwing subtlety out the window was refreshing.

Later, Kail was going to make his move on Yuri. Yuri seemed to be considering this too. Then they are interrupted with important news about Egypt and we see Kail's brother Judah. Nakia's son and the reason why Yuri was summoned to the Hittite Empire.

Judah's got a good head on his shoulders. He's aware that his mother isn't on good terms with Kail. He's not naive or complicit. Again, I find this refreshing.

The scene Where Yuri goes along with the plot to drug kail so he would lose the chariot race was an interesting development. Firstly, Yuri is aware that this is a ploy to get rid of Kail.

Secondly, Yuri doesn't want Kail to marry someone else. Up until this point this feeling has been one-sided. Kail has wanted to keep Yuri all to himself. Yuri indulging in these feelings humanizes her. People want to keep things they consider precious to themselves. Sometimes even more so when it's another person you cherish. Like nearly everything in life, moderation is key. A little bit of this feeling is good. Too much is toxic.

Yuri accompanying Zannanza to Egypt doesn't feel like she's running away from Kail. It feels like she wants to get her feelings in order before she is alone with Kail again.

Nakia trying to have Zannanza assassinated while a cliché, is a bold move. In other series this situation doesn't feel as genuine. However, it is credible. People have died because of Nakia's plots before. Kail intercepting the would be assassins was par for the course. The show tipped it's hand with Nakia toasting everything afterwards. It would have been better if that scene and Kail's sense of unease were cut to after the ambush occurred.

The ambush itself was quick, underhanded, and bloody. The anime series has been doing a great job balancing the violence and the story. It never feels gratuitous, at least not to me. The scene where Yuri was shot in the back with an arrow was effective. Most other series would shy away from that especially when it comes to the main character.

Finally, Aslan is proving to be the MVP. He helped Yuri turn the tide of a battle, helped Yuri best a lion, and is now taking an unconscious Yuri somewhere safe.

Another fun episode. The set piece of this episode is some kind of warzone. This episode has the most dark jokes of the series so far. Death is the most common punchline of this episode.

Look, it’s Kyle and Trevor.

The died as they lived. Reading comics they didn’t pay for.

The group gets themselves court marshalled and executed. You do wonder how they are going to get out of it. Especially when it was shown that there is an alternate group. You do wonder a little bit if this is the end for this particular group.

Then in the ending we get a peek of what malevolent force is trying to hinder Stuart, Bert, Kripke, and Denise.

This show has been consistently funny to me!

Quite a bit happened in this episode. Yuri was taken captive by the Mitanni. Then when word got out about her the Prince of Darkness sought her out.

The scene where the Prince executed two women trying to curry favor set the mood well. You could feel the tension when he was searching for Yuri. The way he found Yuri was clever. She smells just like Kail. Keep in mind that frankincense was extremely valuable, so only nobility could afford it.

Then seeing a worn out soldier executed was also something. I will hand it that the studio is trying to keep the death and violence present without being gratuitous.

The Prince gloats about how he'll execute Yuri, but offers a prize if she survives, the freedom to leave. It underscores just how warped he is.

Important to note that Yuri wasn't alone in all of this. Ryui, Shala, and Aslan were by her side. Even in her most perilous moments, Yuri's allies have her back. That is Yuri's t4ue power.

Then Yuri is set to be executed by lion. Call it luck or plot armor, but the lion frees Yuri with thefirst attack. Aslan intervenes, Ryui and Shala are put in danger, and Yuri acts swiftly stopping the lion without harming it. This wins the crowd over to Yuri's side. Who else but Ishtar could stopa lion without killing it.

Rather than fall for an obvious trap Yuri demands that the prisoners of war be treated humanely. This further sways the crowd to her side. Yuri keenly saw through the trap.

Then in private Yuri breaks down revealing just how scared she was. This was the greatest danger she had been in so far, and she only had her newfound skills to rely on. I enjoyed that quite a bit. Yuri used all the skills she has gained so far and managed to overcome an enormous challenge.

Then the Prince of Darkness says that he will use Yuri's position as Ishtar to bolster his prestige and demoralize the Hittites. Yuri is distraught over this, but can't stop it.

The message Kail sends Yuri is a great way to end things. It references the last thing they discussed alone, he listened and understands Yuri, and that he is assuring Yuri he loves her no matter what.

All of the elements I Mentioned are why I love this series so much. There's a great balance of all these elements,

Yes, the anime hasn't been perfect. I am still enjoying it. Episodes like this remind me Why I love this series so much.

This was quite a fun episode. The last two were pretty low key when it came to conflict and comedy. The first two acts followed this trend, and then became much more energetic in the final act.

The mind reading thing was fun. They did some obvious jokes with it. The best was with Barry. He thought “just kill me now” and everyone immediately agreed.

Using an earworm to hide their thoughts was clever. And then the other versions of themselves! Then the go on a multiverse chase! That was hilarious! That twist came out of nowhere! I was thinking that whenever they jumped to another universe they just took the place of their alternate selves. Looks like that’s not the case.

There was a lot going on this episode. Kail staged a performance to infiltrate the city so he could take it with as little bloodshed as possible. The pacing was again a bit quick. Some scenes could have used a moment to breath.

I enjoyed the performance Kail put on. He is flaunting his antics with Yuri as a way to disarm his opponents. It works so well because of the how flustered Yuri is with all of this PDA.

The scene that was the most tender was when Kail and Yuri were alone. Kail teases Yuri a little to break some of the awkward tension that is still lingering between them. Yuri feels uneasy continuing her relationship with Kail. She doesn’t want there to be unresolved feelings when she leaves.

On the other hand Kail wants Yuri to be with him of her own choosing. He asks Yuri what he can do to make her want him, asking how men show affection where she’s from.

Yuri draws the heart symbol. She’s nervous about this thinking that her response is immature. Kail is asking Yuri what romance looks like to her and she responds with a simple symbol. Kail, while caught off guard, acknowledges it and then gives her a passionate kiss.

I enjoyed that scene in particular because this is the first time Kail or anyone has asked Yuri how something is done in her own country to they can make Yuri feel more comfortable. Up until this point Yuri has had to adapt to the customs and reality of the Hittite Empire. Being able to share a little of her own customs goes a long way in making her more comfortable.

Furthermore, >!this scene is even more touching when Kail has a message smuggled to Yuri and it’s the heart symbol. It shows that Kail was genuine in asking how he could court Yuri, listened, and then sent her a message with great difficulty all to reassure her in a trying time.!<

The plan to take the city goes awry. Urhi being Nakia’s lackey and the saboteur is not that surprising of a twist. In order to get Kail a message about the arrival of the Prince of Darkness, Yuri risks her own life in bold move. Seeing her jump into Kail’s arms begging to be with him was a great ploy. Also, it was a little fun to see Yuri be happy even though it’s an act. She sold it very well.

>!This was when Ilbani’s opinion of Yuri began to change. Later when Ilbani tells Kail that Yuri is the very person Kail has been searching for in a wife, I think it’s in part because of this moment!<

As the city beings to fall Yuri sets off to find the Eye of Illuyanka. She’s very anxious about this talisman. Yuri has seen Tito and Zannanza be controlled by Nakia and is very keen on preventing Nakia from being able to do even more with that kind of ability. This leads Yuri into another perilous situation.

One of Yuri’s flaws is that she has tunnel vision. When there is an objective she focuses on that. When she has her allies by her side it's a quality that has served her well. When alone, Yuri is particularly vulnerable.

Yuri has now been taken captive by the Mittani and will face her greatest challenge yet without Kail to save her.

This episode primarily dealt with the fallout of episode 7. Yuri and Kail are still at an impasse.

The Hittite Empire and Mitanni Kingdom are now engaged in war that will decide their fates. Kail expects this to last years. This leads Kail to believe that the best course of action is to keep Yuri away from this war and from himself.

Kail is clearly a passionate man. He recognizes his feelings for Yuri are becoming more prominent, but wants to honor Yuri’s desire to return home. Kail first thought that he could protect Yuri from every danger, but that didn’t happen. First was the poisoning and then Zannanza’s abduction. This has lead Kail to decide the best course of action is to keep Yuri away from the battlefield and from himself. Kail wants to keep Yuri safe, and is afraid that he won’t be able to let Yuri go if he gets any closer to her.

Yuri sees Kail’s rejection as coming from her own inadequacies. This episode established that Yuri has been there for two months. A lot has happened in this time. While Yuri’s skills have grown, she suffers from a lack of self-confidence.

Firstly, she’s in a particularly peculiar situation. Yuri was abducted from her own time and country to the 14th Century BCE.

Secondly, Yuri has experienced and witnessed violence and death on multiple occasions. Such exposure to violence and death is extremely uncommon from the era and culture she hails from.

Thirdly, Yuri is uncertain how she should proceed when it comes to difficult situations pertaining to the Hittite court. How easy is it for you to make a decision that is outside of your regular routine? Take that feeling and multiply by many times since her choices will directly affect her life and those around her in a much more immediate way.

Yuri doesn’t agree with Kail’s actions, but doesn’t know what to do. Given that Yuri sees Nakia and her lackey going someplace secluded and decides to follow them. This is reckless, but Yuri wants to have some purpose and agency. Yuri is able to find a crucial piece of information, is able to avoid death by Kail’s intervention, and then informs him of Nakia’s plot. Kail’s reaction is standoffish and this just reaffirms Yuri’s fears.

When Kail is informed that Zannanza intends to take Yuri as his own by his own choice this time, he flies into action. When Kail arrives it’s revealed that Hadi, Ryui, Shala, Kikkuri, and Zannanza set up the whole thing. This forces Kail to accept that since he feels so strongly about Yuri then he should keep her close.

Kail comes clean to Yuri about why he was pushing her away and they make up. Kail goes even further, declaring that he will finish the war in 10 months so he can send Yuri home. Kail is declaring that he will move heaven and earth so that Yuri will have the opportunity to return home. Kail’s confidence has also taken a hit with everything that’s happened recently. This is a return to form with him making such a bold declaration.

The campaign begins. Yuri is introduced to Kail’s officers: Kash, Mitannamwa, and Rusafa. Kail and Yuri share an intimate moment in their tent with Yuri falling asleep in his arms. Kail is once again perplexed by this. Yuri makes such bold declarations of wanting to be by his side and is defenseless in his arms.

Ever since Kail first encountered Yuri, her actions towards him have always been the exact opposite of his usual encounters with women. Kail has described himself as a playboy and women have clearly fawned over him. Yuri has treated Kail with as much respect as she has received from him.

Altogether, this was a decent episode. Pacing was good, I enjoyed the character development, and the next major arc is beginning.

What did you all think?

This episode was much better than the last one.

I think I figured out why episode 6 felt off to me. There was a lack of background music in scenes that could have used it.

Pacing was decent.

Yuri showed a lot more initiative this episode. Yuri got reinforcements, saved civilians and rallied the people of the city to the Hittites. Her best moment was flipping the script against Nakia. Yuri lied through her teeth, but it worked because of their victory. Oftentimes people will accept after the fact justifications if the results are worth it.

Also to note, if the princes were stripped of their titles, Yuri becomes a lot more vulnerable to Nakia.

Yuri getting ambushed by a soldier only for Kail to save her was contrived. It did give us insight into how Kail is feeling. Kail once again feels inadequate because he failed to protect Yuri. This instance particularly stings because it was his brother, one of the people he trusts most in the world. Kail knows better, but it's not something you can get over immediately.

Kail's immediate reaction is that he wants to lock Yuri away in his palace. Even going so far as to say that he wants no man to see her. Then his reflection at the end of the episode. Yuri is going to leave, so he can't get any closer to her. The way he is treating Yuri is rather cold.

Yuri is at first concern. Yuri doesn't want to be a burden. Yuri's concern turns to frustration as Kail refuses to budge. It's refreshing to see Yuri respond like this. She fee.s like her feelings aren't being taken into consideration, which is true. Yuri thinks it's because Kail doesn't care for her, but it's the opposite. 

What did you all think?

This episode was much better than the last one.

I think I figured out why episode 6 felt off to me. There was a lack of background music in scenes that could have used it.

Pacing was decent.

Yuri showed a lot more initiative this episode. Yuri got reinforcements, saved civilians and rallied the people of the city to the Hittites. Her best moment was flipping the script against Nakia. Yuri lied through her teeth, but it worked because of their victory. Oftentimes people will accept after the fact justifications if the results are worth it.

Also to note, if the princes were stripped of their titles, Yuri becomes a lot more vulnerable to Nakia.

Yuri getting ambushed by a soldier only for Kail to save her was contrived. It did give us insight into how Kail is feeling. Kail once again feels inadequate because he failed to protect Yuri. This instance particularly stings because it was his brother, one of the people he trusts most in the world. Kail knows better, but it's not something you can get over immediately.

Kail's immediate reaction is that he wants to lock Yuri away in his palace. Even going so far as to say that he wants no man to see her. Then his reflection at the end of the episode. Yuri is going to leave, so he can't get any closer to her. The way he is treating Yuri is rather cold.

Yuri is at first concerned. Yuri doesn't want to be a burden. Yuri's concern turns to frustration as Kail refuses to budge. It's refreshing to see Yuri respond like this. She feels like her feelings aren't being taken into consideration, which is true. Yuri thinks it's because Kail doesn't care for her, but it's the opposite. 

I watched the episode. The first half was a little stilted. The banquet just seemed a little muted. The scene where Nakia was mocking Yuri’s outfit seemed plausible to me. Nakia focused on Kail being the one to be made into a fool by how Yuri was dressed rather than Yuri. This made Yuri vulnerable and made her change into a new dress because she didn’t want to harm Kail’s image.

The new dress Yuri wore for the banquet was quite fetching. I think it was a great look. It was elegant and made everyone turn their head. Yuri thought she looked foolish because she still feels like an outsider to almost everyone.

The scene where Zannanza abducted Yuri was a bit clunky though. Yuri had to deal with another ally who turned against her. Rather than trying to kill her Zannanza was obsessed with keeping Yuri to himself and would use violence to do so. This is a harder thing to combat. Yuri tried reasoning but saw it wouldn’t work. Yuri took a gamble with that drop kick and it paid off.

I think the episode picked up more when the city was being attacked. I will say that the anime is not shying away from the bloodier aspects of war. It’s not gratuitous, but it’s enough.

I did enjoy that Yuri is becoming more active. She has trained in how to use a sword and was able to use those skills.

We also have the introduction of another antagonist who has certainly earned a fierce reputation.

Altogether I’d say this was a good episode. It showed how Yuri’s growth and then provided new challenges.

I watched the episode. The first half was a little stilted. The banquet just seemed a little muted. The scene where Nakia was mocking Yuri’s outfit seemed plausible to me. Nakia focused on Kail being the one to be made into a fool by how Yuri was dressed rather than Yuri. This made Yuri vulnerable and made her change into a new dress because she didn’t want to harm Kail’s image.

The new dress Yuri wore for the banquet was quite fetching. I think it was a great look. It was elegant and made everyone turn their head. Yuri thought she looked foolish because she still feels like an outsider to almost everyone.

The scene where Zannanza abducted Yuri was a bit clunky though. Yuri had to deal with another ally who turned against her. Rather than trying to kill her Zannanza was obsessed with keeping Yuri to himself and would use violence to do so. This is a harder thing to combat. Yuri tried reasoning but saw it wouldn’t work. Yuri took a gamble with that drop kick and it paid off.

I think the episode picked up more when the city was being attacked. I will say that the anime is not shying away from the bloodier aspects of war. It’s not gratuitous, but it’s enough.

I did enjoy that Yuri is becoming more active. She has trained in how to use a sword and was able to use those skills.

We also have the introduction of another antagonist who has certainly earned a fierce reputation.

Altogether I’d say this was a good episode. It showed how Yuri’s growth and then provided new challenges.

What did all of you think?

RIP Toughie.

I said Episode 4 was a little underwhelming. This episode was good.

Yuri avenged Tito and gained the loyalty of the only clan that can do ironworking.

I enjoy how the series is revealing bits of the world.

Iron is a rare and valuable resource. It allows for strong weapons.

Case and point. I once saw a bronze/brass hammer in an ironworking shop. The purpose of this hammer was to do gentle work on the iron pieces. I wondered how that could be gentle. The hammer looked like a hammer. That was the new one. An old one was worn down to the hilt after only a few months. The difference in strength and durability between iron and bronze is significant.

Also, the stage is being set with the other warring powers.

Another note is that Yuri is actually getting involved. She picked her weapon and used it to great effect.

Kail feels guilt that he is dragging Yuri into his affairs and that he wasn't able to protect her from every threat. The scene where he is saying that he will separate from her only for Yuri to reject it was touching.

I will say that the scenes do feel a little rushed. The scenes also had more emotional impact in the manga series. I can still enjoy the series though.

What did you think?

I said Episode 4 was a little underwhelming. This episode was good.

Yuri avenged Tito and gained the loyalty of the only clan that can do ironworking.

I enjoy how the series is revealing bits of the world.

Iron is a rare and valuable resource. It allows for strong weapons.

Case and point. I once saw a bronze/brass hammer in an ironworking shop. The purpose of this hammer was to do gentle work on the iron pieces. I wondered how that could be gentle. The hammer looked like a hammer. That was the new one. An old one was worn down to the hilt after only a few months. The difference in strength and durability between iron and bronze is significant.

Also, the stage is being set with the other warring powers.

Another note is that Yuri is actually getting involved. She picked her weapon and used it to great effect.

Kail feels guilt that he is dragging Yuri into his affairs and that he wasn't able to protect her from every threat. The scene where he is saying that he will separate from her only for Yuri to reject it was touching.

I will say that the scenes do feel a little rushed. The scenes also had more emotional impact in the manga series. I can still enjoy the series though.

What did you think?