Episode 18: Teacher, Esal
Summary:
Erin and the others arrive at Kazalm and are greeted by Esal. She gives them a tour of the area while Nukku and Mokku are directed to another area since they’re on the wagon. As they walk around, Erin notices a class full of pink-clothed students and bows towards them. They return with the same gesture and were apparently aware of her arrival. She notices some beast-lords resting in the fields as well.
As they enter the Reverend of Teacher’s office, Jone wonders who holds the position, and Esal tells him he’ll find out shortly. When they walk in he notices no one there, which implies Esal is the reverend, which causes Jone to clamor with surprise and fart. Esal reveals she’s held the title for two years, and this surprises Jone since he didn’t think she was into these types of things. She tells him Kazalm isn’t like Tamuyuan, and that she has this position for life.
As she walks over to prepare them tea, Jone is surprised that she doesn’t have a maid. Esal tells him they only have ten teachers and one dorm parent; even if they did have the money to hire more people, it would instead be spent towards students. Regardless of whether Erin passes the test, Esal offers her to stay the night; she assumes she must be tired from the travel, and also gives her the option to take the exam tomorrow. However, after a quick glance at Jone, Erin expresses interest in taking it now. Esal agrees, telling her to drink her tea first, since it’ll relax her.
Erin then takes the exam, and has one “tou” to complete it. Jone watches her progress, and he talks with Esal for a short period before they realize Erin has finished. Esal says it’s only been half a tou, and Erin is genuinely surprised at her own speed. Esal looks over her test and Erin watches patiently. The remaining part of the time is used up as she finishes reading her answers.
Esal remarks that it’s no surprise Erin is Jone’s favorite, and rings a bell, summoning a woman. Her name is Karisa, and she is the dorm parent of sixty students. Esal asks her to escort Erin into the dorms, as they will admit her into the 2nd year of Junior High. Karisa remarks how she must be smart to be able to skip two years. Esal explains how she’ll enter that group as they are the same age as her. However, she’ll be with the twelve-year-olds during practical classes, who pick up dung from the beast-lords’ dens. Erin is surprised at the results and thanks her. Karisa wonders what they will do with their “two companions,” Nukku and Mokku, and Jone says they’ll probably go back with him. This makes Erin sad. Karisa tells her to come along and Erin proceeds to leave, but not before asking whether Jone will still visit occasionally. He reassures her and this gives her a peace of mind. Jone sadly sighs after she leaves.
As Erin walks through the halls with Karisa, Nukku and Mokku appear from a window and ask how things went. She tells them she passed thanks to all of them. Two students from earlier overhear and one concludes she must be smart to have been admitted. Back in Esal’s room, Jone and her talk about Erin. First, Esal shows him her exam and tells him that she’s been a teacher for 30 years and has seen many bright students; thus, seeing a near-perfect test comes as no surprise. However, the essay response Erin wrote is a different story. On a question asking why she wanted to become a beastinarian, Erin responded by saying how she wanted to know why living things in the world are the way they are and details her time with Jone’s bees. She wants to know why they [humans] and beast-lords exist, and she believes through that pursuit it will lead her to what she wants to know. Esal compliments Jone for being able to raise such an outstanding student, and Jone clarifies Erin’s situation: her mother, the Touda trial, and how he met her. Esal tells him not to worry about her background, for she has already informed everyone at the academy to ignore the fact that her mother was of the Mist People.
At the dorm, Erin is brought to her room, which she is apparently sharing with another girl, Yuuyan. All the other students are boys. Karisa tells her it’ll be supper time soon and to head to the cafeteria when she’s ready. As she’s looking around, a pink-haired girl enters and Erin assumes her to be Yuuyan. She compliments Erin on her beautiful eyes and gives her a welcome gift: some cookies. Yuuyan goes on about how Erin’s name means “wild apple” and how she likes cooking them with honey. Yuuyan worries that Erin thinks she’s a weirdo; however, Erin says she isn’t bothered. Yuuyan then officially introduces herself and shortly thereafter the bell rings, indicating suppertime. The two then head to the cafeteria.
There, Erin wonders if everyone is looking at her because she is of the Mist People, and Yuuyan says it’s because she’s cute; although, she thinks all those simply looking are potato heads, pointing to one on her plate. This causes Erin to laugh. Jone and Esal look on and he is happy that she is fitting in. Esal is sure she and Yuuyan will get along, and Jone is relieved.
Early the next morning, as Erin is resting, she looks out the window and notices Jone and the others loading the wagon. It seems they are leaving.
Esal wonders if things will be okay with Jone, since Erin is leaving him. He says he is used to being alone and will be fine. Erin then arrives and bows in respect, thanking him for watching over her. Jone says that’s his line, and pats her head. He blesses them all with one last fart. Erin chuckles a bit, and Jone tells her to take care of Nukku and Mokku; they are apparently staying behind to help Karisa and watch over her. Jone tells her to stay well, and that if there is any trouble, she should look to Esal as her parent figure from now on. He bids her farewell, and as he boards the wagon, Erin tells him to take care, tears on her face. As he rides off, Jone thinks back on the past and says how she is his proud daughter, though Erin is too far away now to hear it. Tears run down his cheeks. Erin watches the wagon disappear under the horizon, ready to begin her new life here at Kazalm.
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My Thoughts:
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: watching the earlier Jone episodes, I was never a big fan of his, but I’ve grown to like his character. It was touching and sad to see him bid farewell to Erin. True, he’s still alive, but farewells are always bittersweet. The producers did a good job of flashing back to the earlier days with him and Erin; it made me more sensitive to the scene. My hats off to Jone, who helped Erin through those difficult times after losing her mother and helping her get to where she is. It looks like Nukku and Mokku are sticking around. Though I’m not a big fan of theirs, it is nice to have characters that have seen Erin’s life unfold and stick with her.
Esal at least knows as much as Jone in terms of Erin’s past, so she’s not completely in the dark. I see her helping Erin through things and being an important person in her growth. It’s also cool how she told everyone not to discriminate against her because of her past. The students already seem to be accepting her, though there are awkward moments. Then again, it’s just the usual situation when you see any person for the first time. Erin is going to have to get an ice breaker soon, and Yuuyan will probably help in that department. Will we see Jone again? Perhaps. Time will tell.
Oh yeah! One more thing: I thought Yuuyan was Saju (the pink-haired girl from Ake) at first. I was excited in watching this episode because of that reason and then realized she was a new character. I really do hope Erin gets to return to Ake someday. I don’t care if she sees Wadan, but reuniting with her childhood friends and telling them she’s still alive and kicking would be a nice sight.
Looks like we get officially introduced to a slew of characters next episode, as Erin adjusts to her new life. Things may be rough at first, though. Check it out next time on Kemono no Souja Erin: “Friends at Kazalm!”
Tags: anime, fantasy, heart-warming, Kemono no Souja Erin
