Mononoke [03] Sea Bishop: Part 1

Lasted for 22 minutes 30 seconds, the episode starts by showing a group of passengers on board of a merchant's ship owned by Mikuniya Tamon.

Ayakashi's attack on the Merchant's Ship

             Since they were all together for the duration of the voyage, the merchant suggested that all of them introduced themselves. On board the ship was the Merchant and his Servant, Kayo the seamstress, a Minstrel, a Monk and his Retainer, a Samurai and the Medicine Seller a.k.a. Kusuriuri.
The minstrel then started to tell tales of ayakashi of the sea and how ships should always carry extra ladle to gift the ayakashi for safe passage.


             When Kayo met Kusuriuri, she immediately vocalized her recognition of him. This made the Minstrel jealous as to him, Kusuriuri was no one special to be treated like a someone important. His mocks however was ignored by everyone. They later proceed to marveling over Merchant's compass.

             When night came, everyone fell asleep, including Servant who was supposed to be looking after the ship's navigation. Just below the compass was shown a long thin rectangular box resting itself, seemingly having an effect on the compass.

             The travelers were supposed to arrive at Edo port by dawn but they wake up to a Sun-less day, and still in the middle of the ocean. Minstrel immediately speculated that they were adrift in the Dragon's Triangle, where ayakashi prey upon travelers and attack them hence why the traveler of the past never return.

             Kusuriuri then pointed out a trick in navigation compass manipulation, using a magnet which was indeed the rectangular box. This would made the needle always pointing towards the magnet instead of north. With this, he hinted a human culprit who lured them away from their intended path.

             Just then, they felt earthquake around them. A ghost ship appeared from the sky and summoned the travelers to join them in their realm. The attacked ship was pulled above by a string of what seemed like fish bones towards the gigantic ghost ship. Kusuriuri then threw a light-drug and managed to temporarily dispel the ayakashi away.

             Kayo then proceeded to accuse the passengers of deliberately taking them to the Dragon's Triangle for their own sake, while saying that Kusuriuri is the only who is most innocent. However, Kusuriuri laugh softly at the assumption, anticipating the next ayakashi attack with a mysterious glee.

Watched 3rd August 2016