Now with Shiraishi rescued, it’s time for the group to get away from the 7th division. Sugimoto now suggests heading to Kushiro as it helps to get away from the 7th Division, but also that is where another tattooed prisoner is located.
Golden Kamuy so far has been a series that has many underlying themes presented in their storyline. One presented in this volume is that one does not easily get to choose the parents they are born from. The first exhibit of that is Ogata. As we know, his father committed suicide, which has put the 7th division in the awkward spot they are in now. Though for Ogata there is more to his past because his father had two wives, or at least two women he was engaged with. So once his main wife gave birth to a boy, Ogata never saw his father again. The most tragic part is that his mother would only serve this dish that Ogata’s father favored, and it drove her mad that he would never come. Ogata poisoning his mom came as a mercy from him, but of course having to kill your own mother put him on the path he is now on.
Then, to add on to that, when Ogata met his younger half-brother. It would make sense that a half-brother would be excited to have a younger sibling. Though from Ogata’s POV, that sibling is the reason his whole life is fucked. It stands to reason Ogata served no doubt in killing that half-brother, considering adding more torment to his father. As he wanted to know if he could have been the loved son, but of course his father only said hurtful stuff as he drew his last breath. If Ogata had received love from his father, he could have been a lot better off. Interestingly enough, Tsurumi is aware that Ogata killed his father, so this is something he engaged with. There are even secrets that he is keeping from the majority of the 7th Division, and that fact makes what he is planning even more terrifying.
As the story shifts to the 7th Division against “The Viper Ogin” and “Kechirio Sakamoto, the Lightning Thief”. As Kechirio was a tattooed prisoner. These lived 100% in their desires, and they fought for them until they drew their last breath. Though as Tsurumi and Koito killed them, he noted they had a child. Talk about the worst combination a baby could have for parents. While Tsurumi is wicked in his schemes for his goals, he isn’t ill of heart. In a matter of fact, if those two raised that child, it would be a killer like them. So in a way, killing their parents was in the best interest of this newborn. Even more so, Tsurumi sends the baby to Asirpa’s grandmother, and he will be raised in a proper environment. The theme is that one does get to choose the guardian who raised them. That baby is lucky, unlike Ogata, who became who he is because of his father.
We eventually see Sugimoto & Tanigaki’s groups reunite, but with Tanigaki missing. Essentially, Tanigaki is being accused of the crime of defiling various wildlife by the Ainu. There have been quite some eccentric characters, but Shiton Anehata takes the cake. The problem isn’t about how much damage Anehata does, as proving Tanigaki’s innocence is straightforward once Anehata gets captured. Rather, the real issue is the tattoo of Anehata getting eaten, which will fuck up the journey to find the gold. Curious how this ends up.