Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Ryouko's Case Files 09: The Previews Lied!

So last episode, the previews said that this episode is going to be about Ryouko's family members, but we find out that they TOTALLY LIED! This is the second time they did this. I'm never going to believe the previews anymore.
File 09: The Queen of Shiba

It's the dream sequence from Episode 01: the one where Ryouko puts a gun to her head and shoots. Only this time, there's a little variation because while Ryouko lies on the ground, presumably dead, the white-haired lady appears and makes some expositions about Yakushiji Ryouko's coming downfall.

has ryouko finally met her match?

The real Ryouko is in her penthouse, sorting through her emails, one of which is from Antoine Dubois -- according to her -- the perverted deputy head of the Paris Police Department. We don't know what the email contains but Ryouko comments that "she" is starting to make her move. At the same time, the white-haired lady is in a building adjacent to Ryouko's flat and it looks like she's up to no good.

world's scariest women

Meanwhile, Izumida is dreaming about Ryouko being dead. Her funeral service is held in some English chapel, attended by himself and the people from their department. For some strange reason, Ryouko is wearing a bridal gown, complete with bouquet. As Izumida prepares to put a flower over the coffin, he is suddenly grabbed by someone: Ryouko. Izumida is naturally creeped out, saying that she's already dead. Dream Ryouko agrees quite cheerfully. Everyone, including Yukiko, wishes Izumida and Ryouko luck as the coffin door slowly closes over the two of them.
it's so izumida-kun to dream of his own boss's funeral

Reporting to office that morning, Izumida hears from his colleagues that Ryouko has gone abroad. Satomi assumes that Ryouko must have decided to take a vacation. That said, Izumida's colleagues decide to take advantage of their boss' absence by going out drinking later that evening after work. While they discuss the location, Izumida receives a message from Yukiko asking him to meet her at the JACES Sports Club.
but wot's this? izumida-kun cheating on his boss with his boss' archenemy?

At the club, Yukiko is enjoying a dip in the pool in a one-piece bathing suit. Izumida hands her a towel, bowing deeply like he always does with Ryouko. Yukiko's reaction however is GIGA-SHOCK.

they have a "thing?"

She says that his behavior is unworthy of a public servant. Izumida excuses himself by saying that he has gotten used to Ryouko asking him to do such jobs. But since he has already brought her the towel, she might as well use it.
can't be long now before izumida says the wrong thing

Later, Yukiko asks him if coming one hour earlier than the appointed time is also something that Ryouko insists on. Izumida admits to this but adds, in his mind, that he doesn't mind since he gets the chance to "see a treat." Getting down to business, Yukiko shows him a picture of the white-haired lady, identifying her as the "Queen of Shiba."

Shiba refers to a secretive department with its headquarters in Shiba. It's supposedly quite powerful since not even Ryouko can touch them without fear of repercussions. Yukiko has been going out with a guy who works at Shiba and since then she's been secretly spying on the group.
...and there we go

Izumida can't help Yukiko with her investigation since he doesn't have anything about the group. He also warns her about the danger but does not try to stop her, saying that he is already used to having "stubborn" superiors. Of course, this is the wrong thing to say as Yukiko immediately concludes that this means he is equating her with Ryouko. In the face of her wrath, Izumida has to grovel.

the queen has a plan

That evening, Izumida goes out drinking with his colleagues. Somehow, their conversation turn to Ryouko and the pending bill in the Diet which aims to eliminate "amakudari" (the practice of post-retirement placement of public officers). If passed, the law will greatly affect Ryouko, whose influence is largely due to her being the next-in-line to the chairmanship of JACES, which is considered the main employment destination of retired officials.

Meanwhile, Akira is at some posh party, looking bored. He does not notice the white-haired lady glide through the crowd behind him. Later, the same white-haired lady meets up with strange men, wearing identical masks. These men apparently all have an axe to grind against Ryouko and the white-haired lady is trying to take advantage of this in order to set her plan into motion.

the press are having a field day

Because of the controversy surrounding the bill, the press are all over Ryouko and her supposed acts of caprice. Izumida gets propositioned by a journalist from Nitto Daily, who asks him to divulge information about his boss. However, Izumida being Izumida, he staunchly refuses to betray Ryouko. The journalist leaves him with a warning about not getting buried inside the same coffin as his boss. The comment hits too close to home.
poor izumida-kun is in a tight spot. the press will gobble him up

After the journalist leaves, Yukiko approaches Izumida to give him an update about the Queen of Shiba. It seems that the woman is using the controversy about the bill to put Ryouko in a bad light. Yukiko is not too pleased by Shiba's playing dirty.

At that moment, Akira arrives and then proceeds to drag Izumida outside the building to get him to do an impromptu press conference. As cameras flash and questions are asked, Izumida remains tongue-tied. Fortunately, he is saved when Ryouko arrives and orders them all to make way.
role reversal? even the rabid press part for ryouko

izumida can't hide his relief

Izumida is only too happy to see his boss. Ryouko, however, is not similarly disposed. A journalist has the gumption to start to ask her a question but one look from her silences him. She then gestures for Izumida to come to her just as a black van screeches to a stop in front of the building. Izumida all but runs towards the waiting van and get inside with the press hot on his heels.
something on her mind

ryouko means serious business now

Izumida wonders if something really bad as happened after observing Ryouko's dark mood. It turns out he's on the right track as Lucienne hands him a firearm and Nonagase gives him a card key, which he says contains all information they have about the NPP.

the enemy has eyes
regal prerogative

The six of them barge into a heavily-secured NPP building where inside, they encounter the anti-terrorist robot. The robot however is no match to Lucienne and Marianne. Izumida uses the card key to enter a room through a secured door. Through the security monitors, the Queen of Shiba watches their progress. But Ryouko is not unaware of this and she even knows that the white-haired lady's name is something-Ruriko.
no...

Inside the room, Izumida and Ryouko see a bed with someone lying in it. Before they can see who it is, a sudden explosion forces them to the ground. Ryouko is hurt but not too badly. As Izumida stands up, he finally sees who the person on the bed is: someone who looks identical to Ryouko. Ryouko makes the same discovery but her reaction is slightly different from Izumida's as she wonders why the person is a child.

déjàvu
ryouko is a kid?

the déjàvu just went overboard. izumida's brain can't process

Just then, another anti-terrorist robot arrives, preparing to attack them. Ryouko pulls out her gun, prompting Izumida to do the same. However, at that moment, the person on the bed grabs him. Her mouth moves as if to speak but no words come out.
COMMENTS:

What a strange development. Also, while looking up "amakudari" on Google, I came across this article. Apparently, it's a real issue.

Izumida and Yukiko...LOL Yukiko is scary when she wants to be. But now I'm wondering if Izumida might actually have a thing for Yukiko instead of Ryouko. What? Nooooo!

The white-haired lady finally appears after 4 episodes of nothing. Obviously she has an axe to grind against Ryouko but what's her motive?

I can't make up my mind whether Akira is an idiot or a villain in disguise.

The Ryouko look-a-like...a clone, obviously, but what's the deal?

With this episode ending at a cliff-hanger, I suppose the previews are telling the truth about the next one: a continuation of the events, plus probably some explanation on why Ryouko suddenly went to Paris, the white-haired lady's true motive, and the Child Ryouko's origins.

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