Blood-C 11 ~ your blood is precious

Saya is forced to face some very harsh truths.

Warning: Episode 11 of Blood-C is a payoff episode. This means you should not read this post without first watching earlier episodes as it contains major spoilers for the entire season.

Spoiler #1: the Motoe twins, Nene and Nono.

It is true: Nene and Nono are still alive. They claim to be actors whose job is to play Saya’s school friends. The school has only been in existence since the beginning of Summer, which explains why she didn’t know who any of her friends were from previous years. Actually it turns out the twins are fairly evil, laughing at the deaths of the “extras” who died, while they, being “main cast” members were provided with charms that kept them safe during monster attacks. Their casual acceptance of the falseness of everything that Saya has known was quite creepy; for example, at one point the twins remark that Saya’s childhood friends don’t exist, then one of the twins states that “they might be planning to introduce them later”. We’ll return below to who the “they” are that are in control of this fake town.

Spoiler #2: Shinichirou Tokizane.

Not only is Tokizane still alive, and part of the charade, he also is disgusted by Saya, who he considers a monster. He is only going along with his role to get money. Tsutsutori-sensei has convinced the twins and Tokizane to double-cross those who have set up this “experiment”. The experiment involves whether Saya will revert to being what she truly is, or will remain the Saya Kisaragi that she has been programmed to believe she is. As the operators of the experiment keep drugging and hypnotizing Saya, she is reset, thus prolonging the experiment. This is causing the main cast members some anxiety, as they wish to get their rewards and move on.

Spoiler #3: What Saya eats.

Saya is forced to drink blood taken from the Elder Bairns. This causes her memories to partially return. Even more disturbing is the revelation that she has been drinking their blood all along! There was at least one scene where it looked like she might have been drinking the blood, but it wasn’t clear and I thought I must have been imagining it. Now it is revealed that she has been drinking the blood all along.

Spoiler #4: Saya's blood.

Speaking of blood, last week we saw that Saya was hooked up to a set of tubes in her memory. This time her memory is expanded upon, and we find out that all of those ampules of blood we have been seeing are actually Saya’s blood. Apparently she was drained of her blood to keep her weak and controllable, but there seems to be some other reason as well.

Spoiler #5: Saya's memories.

Drinking the blood helps Saya regain her memories, although it isn’t quick enough to suit Tsutsutori-sensei and her accomplices. This time we see how Saya was captured. It becomes increasingly plausible that Fumito is the one who captured her and controls her. He is seen working with someone who has the ability to change form, as if he is a werewolf. Can this be Tadayoshi, the man she thinks of as her father?

Spoiler #6: everyone else knows.

The other main cast members show up after another Elder Bairn appears. It becomes obvious that Tsutsutori-sensei’s plan to awaken Saya, and terminate the experiment, has been discovered. Further Fumito shows at the very end to the horror of Tsutsutori and her faction. Tsutsutori seems driven by her desire to publish information about Saya, and the Shrovetide (something mentioned long ago, that I had forgotten). Shrovetide is the equivalent of “Fat Tuesday”, or Mardi Gras. It is the feast that precedes the fast. In this case it is permission to feast on humans, presumably part of the Covenant.

Now that the roles are dropped, everyone is very different.

One of the most interesting things about this episode was the abrupt shift in character. The twins really seem evil, having done something (perhaps run a prostitution ring?) that got them in trouble with the law. Tokizane is singularly interested in getting his money. Tsutsutori-sensei is seemingly crazed with desire to expose everything, and prove herself as a researcher. None of them are concerned about the people that died, and they taunt Saya, treating her as far less than a human being.

Another interesting part of this episode is that Tsutsutori says she learned about Saya by reading the “Single Songs of 100 Poets”. This is the Hyakunin Isshuu that I mentioned in my Fall 2011 post, because it is the source of poetry that is used in Karuta, the sport played in Chihayafuru, my most anticipated show of next season!

Finally this episode was structured unlike any other. There was no fight (aside from some minor fighting we saw in a flashback). In fact Saya probably spoke less than 10 words. Instead the side characters moved in and aggressively controlled the story.