For forty years, Fushi has stranded himself on an island where his isolation is interrupted only by the occasional appearance of the Beholder, who warns him of coming attacks by the Nokkers. But this is the way of life that the now-middle-aged Fushi prefers, a solitary existence in which he can battle the Nokkers in a place far from civilization, protecting humans from the danger that inevitably comes when Fushi and his enemies interact with them, and sparing himself the pain of forming bonds with people whom he will outlive. Unfortunately for Fushi though, it seems that forty years is the extent of this confinement. The Nokkers attack a settlement, perhaps to draw Fushi into a trap, and as he decides to go help the villagers under assault, he’s also visited by an old enemy in the guise of a nine-year-old girl.
When you watch To Your Eternity, you learn to expect the unexpected. Even so, and especially after season one ended with a middling arc, I didn’t expect this: Episode one of season two has me excited for this franchise all over again. It starts Fushi himself, who isn’t quite as despondent as he seemed at the end of season one. There’s still some vitality to him, and although he has a bit of old-man grumpiness to his character now, he retains his heart for people, sustained by his memories of all those that loved and protected him throughout his life so far. His meeting with Hisame adds an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings, too—is she evil? Kind? We’re led to believe (at least at first) that she isn’t a horrible, cursed woman like her grandmother Hayase, whose spirit now inhabits her, but instead will likely suffer because of her association with her ancestor. Hisame’s appearance and apparent veneration of both Fushi and Hayase lead to a conversation with another guest that shows how history and mythology can be twisted and turned even just a generation down the line.
Oh, and speaking of that other guest, her reveal is actually the most exciting aspect of this episode. What a fulfilling final couple of minutes to episode one—I won’t spoil it, but I have to say, I was on my feet as the episode concluded, practically pumping my fists and already chomping at the bit for episode two. Time for another season of humanity, sin, growth, and pain, pain, pain.
To Your Eternity S2 can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
