Episode 56

EPISODE 56

決死の蔵馬！最後の手段 (Kesshi no Kurama! Saigo no Shudan)

The Desperate Kurama! A Final Measure

First Broadcast: November 13, 1993

Equivalent Manga Chapter(s): second half of chapter 96 (WSJ #49, 1992, November 23), chapter 97 (WSJ #50, 1992, November 30)

Summary: Kurama’s demon plant swallows Karasu, but he escapes by transforming into a stronger, blond form. Meanwhile, Kurama unexpectedly reverts to his weaker human form. With his last strength, Kurama summons a blood-sucking plant, killing Karasu. Kurama only survives because his human form has gained some of his Yoko power.

Anime/manga differences after the jump.

Differences from the Manga

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• The episode starts with a re-do of Kurama summoning his big demon plant, which attacks Karasu.

• Once it looks like Kurama has defeated Kurama, there’s some peanut gallery filler as Koenma marvels at the strength of Kurama’s Yoko form.  For some reason his face suddenly reverts to his baby form.  Jorge points this out, and Kurama returns his face to that of an adult (which for some reason involves twisting his hat around his head).  Shizuru et al are happy for Kurama too.  There’s lots more peanut gallery filler throughout the episode, but nothing really worth detailing.

• In the anime Karasu’s hair turns bright blond when he reaches his powered up form.  In the manga it’s lighter than his regular, jet black hair, but it’s still filled in with screen tone, so it doesn’t seem as lightly colored as the anime version.

• In the manga Karasu’s “Muddy Bomb” creature has, as a sort of head, an eyeball that opens up into a mouth.  In the anime this becomes simply a small knobby head with one big eye and a totally separate mouth.  Both versions have a lit fuse on top of the head.

• Karasu says he wants to keep Kurama by his side forever.  In the manga he says he’ll leave just his head as-is (and, presumably, keep it as a souvenir).  Apparently this was a little too concrete, so in the anime he says he’ll leave Kurama’s face as-is.

• Kurama gets left a lot more bloody in the anime.  His clothes are practically drenched in blood.