Toji no Miko Sword Director on Episode 21

https://twitter.com/k_hisane/status/1002575539763200000

Now then, episode 21 will begin on MX shortly. Last episode ended with Hiyori accepting Ichikishima and stopping Tagitsu's sword. Starting from there, there will be many interesting developments. Please stay tuned.

Many things happened in episode 21, but let's go over Hiyori and Kanami's battle. Specifically, how Kanami was able to win against Hiyori, who had fused with the great aradama.

For starters, when it comes to physical ability, Hiyori fused with Ichikishima is superior. And not just that, but with the dragon's eye showing her future possibilities and her body clad in lightning, Hiyori has clearly reached a level beyond human. It had also been referenced that Hiyori came from a lineage passing on a special power.

Even against that, Kanami still managed to win in swordsmanship. Now for the scene where Hiyori had resolved to die. Kanami claiming Hiyori had finally become her equal was just a gamble at provoking her enough to drag her out of it and into a fight with her.

And, with Hiyori turned against her, Hiyori used her dragon's eye on her again. Yukari at this point was able to read Hiyori's innermost thoughts because she had done the same thing back in episode 12 when she was fused with Tagitsu. She knew exactly what had happened.

In episode 12 Yukari provoked Hiyori, allowing herself more flexibility to fight against Hiyori in her distress. This time it was Hiyori who was in a state of disarray. And because Hiyori had lost her composure, Kanami narrowly manages to predict her lightning strikes and move to intercept them before Hiyori even begins her attacks.

Naturally, Hiyori should have an overwhelming advantage in speed. Because of this, Kanami takes defensive stances that would require as little motion as possible to intercept. Kanami is already in position, and that is why she's able to freely respond to Hiyori's attacks the moment they happen.

Finally, Kanami challenges Hiyori by raising her sword in an overhead striking position. Hiyori comes at her head on. Delaying her attack by a split second, Kanami is able to run her sword down the side of Hiyori's and win. This is a technique from Yagyu Shinkage-ryu known as "Gasshi". And so, Kanami is able to cut through lightning like the second name of her sword, Chidori (Raikiri/Lightning cutter).

Kanami winning in this way, that is to say, provoking her opponent into getting carried away, is a gambit known in Shinkage-ryu as Katsu Ninken, "The Life-Saving Sword". She used the same gambit last episode with Ayumu, however she altered it to match her opponent here, in accordance with the philosophy of "Marobashi".

>Bonus from Wikipedia: Marobashi or marubashi is a philosophical concept derived from Japanese martial arts, especially kendo. The term can meaning to be "without form" in some contexts, or to follow "the way of nature, freedom and energy in life", and can denotes a state of Zen enlightenment. In many Japanese arts, to achieve marobashi was to have reached the apex of artistic/martial development.

Kanami's strength is the result of countless hours of experience training, especially in her dreams, that has built up an instinctual and subconscious understanding of swordfighting. Like this time, the act of possession she did back in episode 12 had the same effect of provoking your opponent into getting carried away.

Next is Hiyori vs Tagitsu. The two of them have abilities far surpassing that of regular humans. When Tagitsu first arrived, Hiyori aimed to take her out in a single instantaneous strike. But when she was blocked, Hiyori immediately retreated. This is because her dragon's eye warned her that in her posture, Tagitsu would deflect her sword upward with one sword and instantly strike out with the other. The way one sword fights against two is interesting, and Hiyori had to adjust.

Also, Hiyori's usual stance is a defensive one. However, this time she held her sword out far more aggressively. This is in part because of Yukari's encouragement, telling her to put all her power into her attacks to overcome Tagitsu.

Later, because she was guiding Hiyori, Yukari was able to goad Tagitsu into attacking her. From there she stopped Tagitsu's motions in a way fitting of her Niten Ichi-Ryu. (The founder of the style, Miyamoto Musashi, was known for fighting dirty to break his opponent's composure.) In that regard she's skilled at banter.

Now then, while Hiyori may have seemed to defeat Tagitsu this time, she managed to be reborn and the situation has grown more dire than ever. I wonder what kind of fighting will happen next time? That's all for now.