The start of season 2 picks up where season 1 left off, with Tsurumi following Edogai. Edogai is a taxidermist who can bring animals to life. Which the episode does well when it focuses on the cat who is alive. Still, the room we see Edogai is binding to what seems like his dead family that he brought to life. It seems he holds some trauma toward them, and Tsurumi smartly tells Edogai to kill his family. As that can help him overcome his trauma.
However, Tsurumi seeks help from Edogai, and that is creating fake skins. The skins that they have, as we know, should lead to the Ainu gold. Of course we assume each skin is real. Though the presence of fakes that only Tsurumi can detect can give so much advantage in his favor. This is a big deal for Tsurumi if he can get the fake skins.
As Tanigaki is still recovering in the Ainu Village, we see that Inkarmat is looking for Asirpa. With the Ainu believing in her fortune-telling, you can tell that she will be a problem when she says Asirpa is in danger. It is what Hijikata suspects of Noppera-bou being from Russia that is concerning because if Kiroanke is right that Noppera-bou is Asirpa’s father and if Kiroanke is faking being Ainu too, then it could be possible for Kiroanke to betray Asirpa. To add even more, it seems Inkarmat is working with Tsurumi in some aspect. Her behavior around him is too on the nose and feels calculated on her part.
This episode adapted chapters 70-74 as well as the last few pages of 76. It was good to adapt Hijikata side at the same time as when Inkarmat is in the Ainu village; it helps draw the potential connection. A bit disappointing that they cut or pushed off Tanigaki’s backstory. While not as big a deal as cutting Sugimoto’s backstory, it is still annoying.