Just when it seems that Asirpa has given up, Ariko gives her a chance to escape and work with Hijikata. Though given how Ariko says it to Asirpa he hints that you be in control. Though he nearly dies for his actions, which isn’t too much of a surprise. Ariko is someone who never stood behind his Japanese roots, which ended up being pulled between Hijikata & Tsurumi’s scheme. It is rather Asirpa that let him choose a 3rd path. One that would be worth nearly dying for.
The one thing with this manga is that it is difficult to get a nail on Tsurumi. Now that Asirpa told him the key, he tells them it is ok to let Asirpa go. Koito is happy because this is the proof that Tsurumi wouldn’t sacrifice lives if it didn’t help find the gold. Though because of the smell of beer, it is clear that Tsurumi knew that Hajime and Koito were eavesdropping on him. Though what Tsurumi told Asirpa is the actual truth of the matter. With Tsurumi you can’t help but have doubts if he is pulling one on both his allies and enemies.
It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that Asirpa was able to figure out how to detect the fake skins. Given how she grew up in nature and with the rain outside when they met Kadokura before Botaro kidnapped Asirpa. Though you wonder, did she tell Tsurumi the code because that would be the only way they wouldn’t chase her?
On the train ride we knew about the beginning and the end of Sugimoto’s backstory. We knew how he left his home village and how Umeko married his best friend, Toraji. Then the end with the war where Toraji died. What we didn’t know was what came in the middle, and a huge presence in that was Kikuta. So Sugimoto was tied to Ogata’s brother, Yuusaku. Essentially his position as flag bearer required him to be pure and basically a virgin with no doubts. However, his mom wants him to have a family. So Sugimoto would need to impersonate him. As Kikuta guided him through the process, it felt that Kikuta was an older brother in some ways.
The real thorn is Tsurumi and his main lackeys being involved. As they were the plan B if what Sugimoto went through failed. Though it is curious that Central has been aiming for Tsurumi to get the gold, so this might be the first real hint that Tsurumi’s aims for the gold, at least initially, were of good intentions. Though his means became more crafty.
In these events we can see the high character of the man that Sugimoto is. Regarding Kaeko who desperately wanted a good-looking husband to get back at the girls who married early. Though it’s through their interaction and with the guidance of her maid that she finally goes on a more sensible path. We already know Yuusaku’s demise, but it is interesting how his conversation with Yuusaku goes. He simply wants to satisfy his father, much like Ogata. It is funny how that father drove their sons to their demise. Yuusaku was killed by his brother, and Ogata was mentally fucked up because he never received love from his father. The concern is, will Asirpa die pure like Yuusaku? Though I doubt that is a huge concern given that she has the makings of a leader and that growth has been clear throughout their journey.
Though for Kikuta it is interesting the cap Sugimoto wore was his. That cap was originally from Kikuta’s brother. Though it is funny, the advice that Sugimoto gives Kikuta to forgive himself, but you could say that is the issue Sugimoto deals with regarding Umeko. Perhaps Kikuta looked at Sugimoto like his little brother throughout their mission, and him joining the army because of him brought back those bad memories. Though for Sugimoto it was for good he served because that is how he eventually met up with Asirpa.
Though despite Sugimoto being ready to fight Kikuta, unfortunately that wasn’t going to happen. It seemed funny at the time that Usami would retreat to Tsurumi instead of finally killing Ogata. Though that was because he learned of Kikuta being a spy for Central along with Ogata. Though his words that Sugimoto will be the one that kills Tsurumi seem fitting.