THE NIGHT BEYOND THE TRICORNERED WINDOW EPISODE 9 REVIEW — CONFLUENCE

Hello everyone! I’m here yet another week to grace you with my hot takes on Tricornered. Not that I have many, I’m at a point where I’m trying to piece together the details we’re given and some of these why’s seem like won’t be getting an answer, even in the manga. It’s okay. I’m still going to give the manga a shot, probably after we get the 10th volume.

As per usual, here’s what happened in the episode. Erika’s mom had a change of heart and has now decided to help Erika and Sasaki run away from sensei, but sucks to be them because sensei’s onto the Hiura family. If he couldn’t achieve the happy family idea he dreamed for himself, he won’t be letting others attain it either. In the second half, Mikado is forced to have a time out for making Hiyakawa feel things (because how dare he?) and he meets the Ophelia lady from the second episode. After their brief talk on hate and curses, Mikado joins Hiyakawa to get the necklace back from sensei’s house, which was previously the Palm of the Hand RS’ base. Mikado, his dad, and the Hiyakawa triangle is finally complete. Of course, sh*t hits the fan.

When Mikado’s dad said he “won’t let anyone curse him” in the previous episode, I thought he was trying to protect himself from others but this week I understand that he put a curse on himself. I’m still not 100% clear on how cursing or curses work in this series, that’s why my guess was he was directing those negative emotions to all those he cursed/killed. But if that’s not the case and he cursed himself so he’d forget about his family, I don’t know the reason behind the killing anymore. Which is kind of okay, I guess. I decided not to ask too many questions and try to ride whatever comes my way.

It’s also amazing how Hiyakawa’s train of thought obeys the laws of physics, always taking the shortest path between the initial and final points and conserving energy. Someone’s annoying you or making you feel things? Teleport them through a triangular astral window and trap them in a house they can’t leave. Someone’s abusing the power or money they have? Take these away to punish them. Someone making you uncharacteristically angry? Turn it back to them because guilt-tripping works remarkably well. Simple and clean.

He was, indeed, thinking of disturbing things.

Looks like Mikado finally understood that Hiyakawa is not sarcastic. I feel like he isn’t capable of sarcasm in the first place. Mikado did catch onto him, but before he can lend a helping hand he is sent off to “cool his head”. It was also very in character of Hiyakawa to become furious when Mikado even slightly scratches the surface of what his partner has been burying inside. There’s a lot to pour out if that bubble bursts, and surely it’ll be ugly.

The Ophelia lady and Mikado’s talk on hatred, being consumed by the past traumatic events, relying on those negative emotions because you don’t know any other way, and defining yourself through them was my favorite moment from the episode. I don’t have any more remarks to make on this part except that we have one more common ground with her, I’d like to take Mikado as my bride as well.

I didn’t know what “confluence” meant before, now I know it means two jerks who come from similar troubled backgrounds having a cursing showdown. Both are ticked off right from the second they lay their eyes on the other. What I understand from their conversation that happened after the ending credits is that sensei has a hold of Hiyakawa’s hatred (?) in the form of a curse and that connects Mikado and Hiyakawa in some way. This can either mean severed familial bond has a certain shape or form so Hiyakawa is familiar with what he sees from his personal experience, or sensei and his cursed talent of making people forget him is closely tied to Hiyakawa’s mother and Hiyakawa’s words are more literal. Latter seems more plausible, however, how that could be tied to sensei stealing curses I have no idea. Maybe he’s the eater type like Hiyakawa. Is there even something like types to people? We shall tune in for 3 more weeks to find out!

The episode ends with Mikado once again stepping on the mother issue mine in Hiyakawa and causing a stir in his emotional state. I have to say I enjoyed this episode a fair amount, especially starting from the house that Mikado was sent to. That part had some comedic bits that relieved the tension as well, which the series could benefit more from. What did you think of this week’s episode? Do you feel like the series is finally on some kind of track? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Otherwise, I’ll see you later on in the week. Take great care of yourselves!