In the semi-finals, the fight begins with the appearance of the Uruha Maa. Their fighters (there are only four) are all freakish looking: Tsukishiro appears complettely wrapped in bandages (as Kondo comments, the Shishi-o ripoff), Kashamaru is a sneaky looking ninja, the co-captain Gashakura is enormous and masked, and his brother, Magensha, is...well...weird. He is also masked. Recca claps sarcastically.
Recca: Brassiere...
Domon: I think you mean "bravo?" ^_^
The first time Tsukishiro comes out of his bandages, everyone is surprised...he's bishonen! They were expecting someone hideous. ^.^
The first match is Koganei vs. Tsukishiro. Tsukishiro uses Kaigetsu, a large curved sword from the Middle East. He sighs and says his first battle is against a monkey. Koganei's furious, and tells Tsukishiro not to underestimate him, because he's a member of the Hokage. Tsukishiro smiles and Magensha says, "But you were Uruha, traitor." Koganei is surprised, because he doesn't know any of the Uruha Maa members. Magensha says that the Uruha Maa walks in the shadows and deals with anyone who betrays Kurei - like Genjuro, Koganei, and Ganko. When Tsukishiro attacks, Koganei manages to block the bishonen's attacks a couple times, but Tsukishiro throws Kaigetsu, and Koganei realizes that it's like Mikazuki, and sure enough, it comes at him from behind. He manages to block again, but is pinned to the pillar at the corner of the ring. Tsukishiro begins to beat the snot out of Koganei, telling him why he'll win without Koganei ever touching him: it would be a shame to damage his beautiful face.
He walks away from Koganei, over-confident as most villains are. Koganei wasn't hurt at all, and instead kicks Tsukishiro in the back of the head, sending the older man tumbling.
Domon: I've been beating on him all week! Girly punches like that aren't going to hurt him!
Tsukishiro rises to the sound of blood hitting the floor. Koganei has hurt his beautiful face. Oh boy, now Koganei's going to pay...Tsukishiro unties the cloth from around his waist, which is the madougu Oboro. Oboro hides its user by deflecting the light around, creating a sort of invisibility (hoky science, pardon me!). With Oboro, Tsukishiro can use his Kaigetsu to attack Koganei from anywhere. Indeed, Koganei's hit in the back with Kaigetsu, pretty badly. Tsukishiro begins to seriously beat Koganei, and the boy is bleeding everywhere. Yanagi is crying and wants to rescue Koganei, but Recca restrains her. Oh god, the shot of Yanagi reaching out (lousy heroines) with Recca's arm around her... He tells her to endure. Koganei's not through yet.
As Mikagami says, Koganei has a chance, the next time Tsukishiro disappears. Why? Because while beating Koganei, Tsukishiro got blood all over his Oboro, so the cloth was ineffective. Thus, Koganei spotted the bishonen and cut apart his Oboro, causing Tsukishiro to fall. Tsukishiro begged to be left alone, he gave in, but Koganei grinned with those little fangs and proceeded to beat Tsukishiro senseless, bruising his pretty little face. Unfortunately, before the ref could declare Koganei the winner, he collapsed from his own wounds: a draw. But, as she says, everyone knows who the real winner was. Yanagi takes Koganei to the infirmary to heal him as Recca heads into the ring for the next battle against the Uruha Maa's ninja, Kashamaru.
Tatsuko, the announcer, runs to Recca and kisses him. I love when she says "Recca-san! Ai shiteruuuuu!" Inuko, the referee, ushers her out of the arena. Then Yanagi comes up to him, which surprises him, since he thought she went with Koganei. She says if the referee can kiss him, then can't he touch her chest? She holds it towards her breasts, and Recca freaks out. Then Yanagi grins and says, "Baka." There's an explosion and the ring is filled with smoke, which clears to reveal a ninja, who laughs and introduces himself as Kashamaru, and calls Recca stupid for falling for the ninpo temptation.
Recca: Who fell for it? (Holding Inuko) Ninpo Utsusemi (substitution - Kashamaru blew up Tsukishiro instead). My Hime never says my name without the -kun. And that wasn't a good copy! For one, her breasts ain't that big!
He tosses the referee to Domon, who gets a little happy because his face is planted in her cleavage. The fight between the two ninjas begins. Strangely it appears that Kashamaru also calls the hachiryu. However, this is because he has the madougu Nisebi, or "false flame." So he can not only copy all of the Flame dragons, he can call them all at once. So Recca finally achieves his sixth dragon, Katanashi no Rui, when he correctly answeres her puzzle: two authors both claimed a novel as their own work, how does one tell who the true author was? Recca's answer is for them both to continue the story, as only the real writer would be able to. Rui creates illusions and defeats Kashamaru, who was actually using normal implements of the ninja attire to mimic the specific dragon flames. With Kashamaru defeated, now Recca faces the first of Uruha Maa's co-captains, Gashakura. However, Gashakura informs them that Kashamaru always coats his sword with a sleeping potion, so Recca's going to die.
As Gashakura smashes his morning star into the ring to moosh Recca's head, Fuuko steps in and uses her gimlets to deflect the weapon before it can kill Recca. With Recca out for the count, Fuuko steps into the ring. She's glad to be fighting someone with true strength, since her only opponent so far has been Hentai-san, Fujimaru. The current ref, the goat-woman (all of them are Zodiacs, I think) taps out to the bunny-referee, who's name is Umi. It's really funny to see Umi cry two separate waterfalls, going, "Umiumiumiumiumiumiumi!" Meanwhile, Fuuko shears all the thorns off of Gashakura's morning star with Kaze no Tsume, and then breaks the ball. Gashakura is impressed, and pleased to be fighting someone with such skill. He uses his own madougu, Magagumo (which means something like "foul spider"). Magagumo has the advantage of being able to attack as well as defend by sending out its "legs." Fuuk is forced outside of the ring, but the whole while she is smiling about the match.
Things are going swimmingly util Mori Kouran makes one of his underlings turn on the power for the four pillars in the corners, turning the smei-finals into a laser-net deathmatch. Fuuko, in midair when the lasers are activated, is fried like a fly on one of those bug-zapper lamps. She falls to the ground in a little smoking pile, but gets up again and continues to fight Gashakura. She's slammed into the net once more, and the referee begins to call the match as Gashakura's, but Fuuko refuses to stop. Gashakura looks at her (hard to tell what his expression is, since he's wearing a mask, but I think it's probably with respect), and sets out the legs of Magagumo again...right into the pillars of the laser net, destroying the power source and damaging Magagumo, but taking out the laser net. Why? Because he wants a real fight, which is why he's there. Not to win, not like his brother, but for the fight itself. Even though he'd evened the odds slightly, Fuuko is badly burned and no match for him.
When Fuuko collapses, she begs for the Fuujin's help, and one of the beads on the bracelet glows. She takes it out of the bracelet although Kage Houshi tells her not to (because if Fuuko removes the beads, which are the only thing calling the wind since the Kaze gem is missing, Fuujin might lose its power). The bead repels an attack from Gashakura, destroying Magagumo. When the spirit of the kazedama appears, it's a totally kawaii little fuzzy thing! Omg, I love the Fuujin-chan. Anyway, it tells Fuuko to throw it at Gashakura, who's charging. Fuuko does so, and the little furry ball hits Gashakura in the stomach, then explodes out and knocks him against the wall, taking him out. Yay! Fuuko won!
But her next opponent is Magensha, who's much more evil than Gashakura. Gashakura's a nice guy. Magensha ain't. Although Domon and Recca beg her to leave the ring, she says, "Ya da." She wants to fight, because if she can weaken Magensha, Domon's chances of winning will be much higher. That's so sweet it makes me want to barf. And yet she refuses to go out with him...she's lying to herself about how much she cares for Domon, if you're asking me. ANYWAY, before I get further distracted, Fuuko tries to hit Magensha, but he evades her Kaze no Tsume and sucks her into the evil dimension, where he earlier sent Tsukishiro and Kashamaru for losing against the Hokage.
Now Domon must fight Magensha, which is hard, cause Magensha has no body to speak of. However, Mori Kouran appears and tells Magensha (although no one else can hear him) to catch Yanagi, who is currently in the infirmary with Saicho and Koganei. Magensha puts a body double in the ring and goes to kidnap the unprotected Yanagi, taking out Saicho with his Houmashin, which killed Jisho. Luckily, Saicho uses Nuno Zurashin to protect him, and is not killed, but is punched through a few walls. He tells Yanagi to run, and she tries to escape, but Magensha doesn't let her. Meanwhile, Recca goes out of he building in search of Fuuko (who the hell knows why he thought he could actually find her, since she was sucked into a swirling vortex of evil, but Recca's not always all that bright).
Outside, Recca hears Yanagi scream, and goes to save her. Although he tries a dragon combo attack of Homura and Saiha, they refuse to cooperate, and he's badly hurt. However, when Magensha threatens to take Yanagi, Recca calls them again and forces them to cooperate, forming a flame chain sickle that breaks off one of Magensha's horns. Recca, Saicho, and Koganei attack Magensha, cracking his Jigen Kaigyoku. At this, Magensha freaks out that he's been hurt by their attack, and goes back to the ring without Yanagi. Mori Kouran is furious, and Magensha decides he'll defeat the Hokage and win Yanagi that way. However, inside the evil dimension, Fuuko has teamed up with Tsukishiro and Kashamaru to find where Magensha's hiding. While Domon is stubbornly trying to fight the Magensha who returned to the ring--including blocking an attack from Houmashin--the three prisoners are closer to escaping. Because of the crack in his Jigen mask, they see a light shining from his control room and go to fight him. Fuuko uses the kazedama again and breaks the madougu that's holding them there.
Back in the ring, everyone hears a familiar voice. It's Fuuko! A hole opens in the air and she falls out, to be caught by Domon. Tsukishiro and Kashamaru also fall, but nobody bothers to catch them. Then Magensha appears, replacing the bodiless puppet that had been fighting for him. He's a little scrawny guy compared to Domon, it's hilarious to see him. He points Houmashin at Domon (Fuuko freaks out) but Domon punches Houmashin away and it burns Magensha instead. Domon wins! Yay! Yay!
Mikagami (with a smile): They didn't even let me fight this time...
Something has to interrupt the celebration, of course...Kurei appears, walking towards the arena. Kurei says that Magensha has disgraced the Uruha, and promptly burns Magensha to ashes, although Magensha tries to plead for his life by saying Mori Kouran made him do it. Recca's furious, that Kurei would so callously burn someone who was his underling.
Out of thin air appears Raiha, the only member of the Uruha Ikazuchi. (I don't think he even used Raijin during the Ura Buto Satsujin--he didn't need to. He just used his ninpo and his katana. Dang) Anyway, Raiha says that Recca is wrong: Kurei's actions may seem cruel, but Kurei created the Uruha and must live by the Uruha's rules. Kurei's expression here while Raiha's talking about him is hilarious. He's got those tiny little pupils and he looks horribly surprised. I love Okiayu Ryoutaro, I really do. And seriously, when Neon is telling his story and he's shouting, "KURENAI!" it's very sad. Anyway, Kurei tells Raiha that he talks too much ^.^ and Raiha responds by withdrawing from the Ura Buto Satsujin, because he would never fight Kurei. So now it's just Uruha Kurenai and Team Hokage. Kurei goes to Mori Kouran and tells him not to interfere again, or he won't live. Mori-san is blaming Kurei for the advancement of the Hokage, and repeats his obsessive desire to have Yanagi. Kurei leaves and Mori looks at the screen, where there's a woman's body in a cloning tube....
The next day, the Hokage are pestered by a little old man. First, Domon is sitting in a restaurant boasting about his victory over Magensha, which is mostly hot air, because it was really Fuuko and Kashamaru and Tsukishiro who defeated him, besides the fact that if Koganei, Recca, and Fuuko hadn't fought before him, it wouldn't have mattered. But then, that's Domon - this is his first win that lasted, right?
Mikagami: I shouldn't have praised him.
The rest of Team Hokage gets up and leaves Domon alone with the food. He's promptly prodded by a little old man with one eye, who says he can see that Domon is very strong. Domon's ego is flattered, and he offers the old man all the food he can eat. But, jiji-san says, he'll lose tomorrow. Domon agrees without thinking, then gets pissed. The old man tosses him a small ball, which is a madougu. Koganei is taking a break from practicing when the old man begins to play with Kougan Anki - and he knows how to use it, too. He says Koganei may need the "unbelievably cool, legendary sixth form" of Kougan Anki to win tomorrow (which he doesn't get in the anime, but he does use in his fight with Joker in the manga). Then the old man intrudes on Kage Houshi, Fuuko, and Yanagi in the bathroom while they're all in their underwear, taking a grope at Fuuko. He tells her to be careful with the Kazedama and not to use them unnecessarily. Then he runs off. Mikagami is sitting in his room all alone with the window open, and he comments that his guest (or intruder) didn't bother to knock. The old man asks him if he's still frustrated at his aneki is unavenged. He tells Mikagami that answers will be found tomorrow.
Poor Recca encounters the old man in the bathroom on the pot. He yells at the old guy to shut the door while he's doing his business. The old man stands up (disgnity preserved somewhat by his shirt) and tells Recca he needs to go train. Recca slaps the old man's hand away, and says that the fight is less than 24 hours away - there's no time for training. He walks away, but is prey to a feeling that he knows the old man...
The finals of the Ura Buto Satsujin!! Te arena is dark, lit up only in the center to show the referee. When the arena is finally shown, it's a mushroom of land on a pillar: in the finals, an out-of-the-ring is the same as death. The first battle is Domon vs. Noroi. The meanings of "noroi" I've found are "a curse, a charm" (kind of fitting - this might be Noroi, but I don't know the kanji so I can't say) and "dull." He's a bit of both, to be honest. Anyway, he's a big, gray-skinned guy in a mask. Domon begins to pulverize him, but, as the old guy (who pops up under Kage Houshi's skirt) points out, Uruha Kurenai is not at all fazed at the apparent beating of their teammate. When Noroi begins to attack back, he knocks Domon over the edge - but saves him from falling to his death. Why? Noroi is a corpse inhabited by the spirit of the master of the madougu Bakuju. Bakuju is a weapon which animates the dead. Its user was badly wounded, and begged Bakuju for help, possessing the madougu. So he goes constantly in search of the perfect body. That's what he wants - Domon's body. Domon is taken down, and the old man yells at him to use the madougu he was given yesterday. Domon takes it out of his pocket, but he has no idea how to use it. Accidentally...he swallows it. Then Noroi punches him to decapitate him (well, he has the mask, he doesn't really need the head, right?)
Of course, Domon's not dead. The madougu he swallowed (which was what he was supposed to do - ingest it) is called Tetsu Gan. Tetsu means iron (think Jisho's Uruha Tetsu), and gan'yaku is pill (like Gedokugan...I'll get to that in a sec). Tetsu Gan turns its user's body as hard as steel. So Noroi's cybernetic arm broke off on Domon's head. Domon beats Noroi down again, but then the dust clears and Bakuju is gone. It's floating in the air behind Domon, and swoops down, covering Domon's head. If Bakuju can destroy Domon's mind, it can occupy his body, even if he's not dead. Slowly, it begins to erase Domon's memories, until he can't even remember who he is. Luckily, he still remembers Recca - and how much fighting Recca gave him a purpose. Purpose? Oh yeah! They're fighting to protect Sakoshita-san! Na, Mikagami? And....HUGE memory bubble of Fuuko. It's so cute. ^_^ Domon punches Bakuju and breaks the mask, dispelling the spirit that inhabited it and winning the match.
Kurei then appears, in a brand new mask which has a chain and lock on the side, for no apparent reason. He praises Domon for winning. Recca promises he'll beat Kurei, whereupon he is whacked upside the head by the old man, who tells him he's not ready. Then the old man takes Recca's hachiryu, and says that if he wants them back, he'd better prepare to train. Everyone's freaked out that this old man could take away the Karyu (kind of like Genjuro, only...not). So The old man drags Recca away, and everyone promises to hold the fort till he gets back. Recca falls into a mirror which burns up and vanishes once he's through.
The second match is Kai vs. Fuuko. Fuuko's streching in preparation when Mikagami, looking down into the ring, sees the weapon of his opponent, and, remembering the old man's words, brushes past her and jumps into the ring. He says he wants to fight - which is fine with the Uruha Kurenai, because that's why Kai is there. I LOVE this fight. This and the double bout are my two favorite fights in the whole series, followed closely by Koganei vs. Tsukishiro. ^_^ Anyway, Recca in the desert has begun to fight the human forms of his ryu to get them back (Rui makes his nose bleed...sheesh, boys), while Mikagami fights in the ring.
Kai says he will give Mikagami no answers, which is apparently fine. Mikagami has no problems with beating answers out of his opponent. Neither Ganko nor Koganei knows who Kai is - Koganei surmises he joined the Uruha after they left. Kai and Mikagami are equal in skill. Then Mikagami slices Kai's cloak off (the first time his face has been seen in the tournament) and Mikagami sees the piercings in Kai's ear. Kai laughs and says that all his victims seem to remember those earrings, and claim he killed someone near and dear to them...like Mikagami and Mifuyu-aneki. Mikagami stabs Ensui into the ring and prepares for Tsurara Mai. However, Kai also stabs his weapon into the ground, and stops the onslaught of the ice. His sword, Hyomaen, is the ice sword, but that is not the only reason he can counter Mikagami. Kai is also trained in the Hyomon Ken, which shouldn't happen, as there is only one student and one master (like Hiten Mitsuruugi Ryuu), and that should be Meguri Kyoza and Mikagami Tokiya. However, Kai's abilities are certainly Hyomon Ken...
Mikagami's starting to lose his cool, which is bad. Kai tells him that Mikagami was a back up in case anything happened to Kai - in a way, like Kai's otooto. Mikagami uses Tsurara Mai again, and Kai attacks, noting that the weakness of that technique is that Ensui has to be in the ground. He stabs Mikagami but the body falls into water - Mikagami's Mizu Kugutsu. Mikagami attacks with a combination of Tsurara Mai and Mizu Hebi - the Ice Snake. However, Kai erects an ice barrier to protect himself, and manages to defend against the attack. Things look bleak for Mikagami, because he just spent all of the Ensui's water on that attack and is now essentially unarmed. Kai attacks and stabs Mikagami...only to see Mikagami's body dissolve into pink liquid.
This is the part of the fight that I get all girly-melty-sick-twist-oh-my-god-I-love-Mikagami over. Kai looks shocked, and turns to see Mikagami in mid-air with a sword made of his own blood. Ensui has no water, so Mikagami used the blood from his wounds to create the liquid for the hilt. That akai Ensui is a sight to see. Mikagami yells that he will avenge Mifuyu-neesan, looking at Kai's earring. Then he slashes Kai across the chest. Kai is hurt, but not fatally, so he returns the favor by stabbing Mikagami in the stomach. Oh. Ouch. Oh my god. I am so in love with Mikagami every time I watch this episode. He's so hard core - I mean, he runs out of water, and uses his own blood (when he's already weak and wounded) to make a blade to avenge his sister. I only wish I had someone that devoted to me (well...and that if there is someone like that, that I don't have to die for his devotion... ^.^)
Anyway, so Kai gets up first and is declared the winner. He looks at Mikagami, wondering to himself why he is alive. Fuuko and Domon go to help Mikagami, and he tells them to look after Kai's wound.
Fuuko: Why? Isn't he your sister's killer?
Mikagami: No, he didn't do it.
Kai (with a bitter smile): You figured it out, eh?
Mikagami: Right at the end.
Kai: Playing the tough guy till the end? You're truly amazing.
Mikagami asks how much of Kai's story is true. Kai replies that it is treu he was trained for the Hyomon Ken - but that when Meguri Kyoza saw Tokiya-kun's potential, Kai was put aside. And it was like a slap in the face for Kai, to have to be second to a boy ten years his junior. Kai holds a hand to his chest. Mikagami tries to tell him that he won, but Kai says, "Don't patronize me. Your akai Ensui should have killed me. These wounds will claim me anyway." As a parting gift, he tells Mikagami that his sister's killer is none other than Meguri Kyoza himself. Seeing Mikagami's potential, Meguri killed Mifuyu-aneki to give him purpose. With revenge on his mind, Tokiya-kun became a master of Hyomon Ken very quickly.
Kai then gracefully falls over the edge, with Mikagami shouting his name as he goes.
I have read that in the manga, Mikagami is slightly more shrewd about using Ensui. He actually knows about Kai not Mifuyu-aneki's killer, but he spends all of Ensui's water and creates the blood sword to draw Kai into giving him the information he wants - giving up enough of his blood that this is why he collapses at the same time as Kai (so much blood that even Kage Houshi was disturbed...). His only reason for living now is to find Meguri Kyoza. Also, Mikagami was the first inheritor of Hyomon Ken, and Kai was considered his superior by Meguri Kyoza. But Meguri constantly compared Kai to Tokiya-kun while training: that Kai was merely stone, while Tokiya-kun was gold. No wonder Kai has a complex about killing Mikagami.
*I wish I could find a really good screen cap of that akai Ensui....sigh*
