Episode 61

**The Thousand-Year Curse of Sadness** (*一千年の悲しき呪縛*
, Issennen no Kanashiki Jubaku*) is the 61st episode of the Konjiki no Gash Bell!! Anime. This episode first aired in Japan on June 13, 2004.*

## Overview

The Gash and Canchome’s respective group battles against the ancient demons continues on. While fighting, Gash aims to end the battle against Alm and Gelios in his own way without harming them or their partners.

## Plot

As the battle against Alm and Gelios continues, Tio and Megumi question Gash’s battle strategy in which he had been avoiding all opportunities to attack the ancient demons. Kiyomaro simply explains to them that this was due to Gash beginning to feel sorry for them after considering that the ancient demon’s anger comes from having been trapped in stone for the past thousand years. He also adds Gash’s method may be ideal for them as taking the spell books away from the bookkeepers would be the most effective way of ending the battle. When Alm and Gelios charge at them, Kiyomaro casts *Rauzaruku*.Tio also prepares herself to use *Seushiru* to help Gash, Megumi tells her that they have to wait for the right opportunity to use spells as timing would be everything for them.

At the same time, Canchome’s battle against Ganz also continues with him, Folgore, and Umagon running from the ancient demon. As they turn the corner, Folgore casts *Poruku* and it appears as though Canchome had disappeared while he and Umagon are backed up against a wall. As Ganz uses *Gigano Amuruku*, Umagon jumps onto his head blocking his view which causes him to just barely miss Folgore as he punches through a wall. After transforming himself to disguise himself as the ground, Canchome reappears below Ganz's bookkeeper and grabs his legs causing him to trip. As Ganz’s spell book is thrown across the corridor, Folgore and Umagon try to reach for it but are knocked away from it by Ganz. When Canchome comes over to Folgore’s side, Folgore talks to him about a plan involving using their shrinking spell, *Koporuku*, since Ganz has seen Canchome’s *Poruku* spell enough times already. Just as they finish talking, Ganz appears again and they put their plan into action. Canchome shrinks down with *Koporuku* being cast and he manages to get to Ganz’s spell book and lights it on fire with a match. Meanwhile, Byonko reports to Lord about Bamu having just been defeated by Brago. Lord, while also aware of Gash’s group infiltrating the ruins, remains confident still that his ancient demons will be able to handle everything for him and further his goal of becoming king.

With *Rauzaruku* in effect, Gash effortlessly evades all incoming attacks from both Gelios and Alm with his increased speed. Alm becomes increasingly more frustrated seeing how Gash refuses to fight back no matter how much he attacks him and starts to argue with him about this. Gash in response brings up the fact that their battle had ended already a thousand years ago thus making it pointless for them to fight at all. Still persistent in continuing their fight, Alm uses his largest spell, *Egudorisu Neshiruga*. To counter this, Kiyomaro casts *Baou Zakeruga* and the two spells manage to cancel each other out on impact. While Kiyomaro had used up the last of his energy to cast the spell, Gelios would attack next with his strongest spell, *Gigano Dioderuku* which creates reinforced armor around Gelios’ body. As Gelios comes towards them, Tio uses *Ma Seshirudo* and it successfully defends against his attack. After seeing how strong Tio’s shield was in holding off against Gelios’ spell, Alm turns to see that Megumi had managed to get both his and Gelios’ books while he wasn’t paying attention thus concluding their battle. Simultaneously, Ganz’s spell book begins to burn up and Ganz subsequently begins to fade away along with it. As Ganz disappears, Canchome tells him that he would like to become friends with him if they were to meet again in the Demon World.

As Alm and Gelios’ books burn, Alm expresses his last thoughts about having been beaten by Gash and Tio but warns that Lord is going to be much more difficult to defeat. Just then, sections of the walls of the room they’re in begin to crumble and it would show a tower in the distance where Lord is located. Alm explains to them that there’s no way for them to reach Lord by traversing through the dense Jungle as the only way to that tower is through the underground routes. Alm again tells them that their attempt at beating Lord would be useless if they fight the remaining ancient demons the same way they had been fighting him. He praises Gash for his strength but explains to him that he needs to be able to fight back in order to win as there are many more ancient demons waiting for them who enjoy fighting. Finally, he asks Gash to promise him he would do this and Gash agrees, making Alm feel relieved to hear this. With there still being time to ask him questions, Megumi asks Alm about why he had fought them in the first place considering the fact he’s not being controlled by Lord the same way the bookkeepers are. Kiyomaro however already realizes the answer and explains that without the humans having free will, they can’t cast spells and controlling the humans was by extension controlling the demons as well. Alm adds to this by mentioning that the humans are also conditioned to protect the spell books with everything they have which prevents demons from simply burning each other's books even without the use of spells.

To further ensure the ancient demons won’t destroy each other's books, Lord purportedly has the ability to turn them back into stone again. While Alm wasn’t sure of whether or not they’re really free from the stone curse, he says that he has seen this punishment himself. With Alm’s spell book nearly burnt up, Kiyomaro asks him one final question about the reason why Lord has chosen to make the ruins his base and why they have to return to his tower. Alm however was unable to answer this in detail but suggests that it may have something to do with the fact that they’re not totally free from the stone’s curse. As Alm sits, a strong light shines on his body and he briefly mentions that “moonlight” from that tower is what helps him and the ancient demons recover. Kiyomaro instantly realizes that this connects back to Dr. Riddles’ theory of a device of some sort that exists to restore the power of the ancient demons. As the flame on Alm’s book reaches its end, Alm shares a final goodbye with Gash and as he disappears, he tells him not to lose. After everything was said and done, Tio wonders if Alm may have been a good demon originally. Before long, Canchome’s group find their way to the same room as them and everyone celebrates the fact that they had all won in all their respective battles.

Just then, the former bookkeepers for Alm, Gelios, and Ganz begin to wake up after having passed out after their books were burned. After having some time to recuperate, Megumi provides them with a map of the closet town and explains that their next step would be finding Apollo who would help them return to their respective countries and help treat their injuries. Just before the three bookkeepers leave, Alm's bookkeeper stops to tell Megumi and the others that while she still doesn’t know what had happened up until she was rescued by them, she describes the feeling of having been controlled as being dark and painful but is thankful to everyone that had helped save her from that darkness. The other bookkeepers share the same sentiments and both groups wish each other farewell before they go their separate ways. While happy that they were able to free them from Lord’s control, Gash’s group keep in mind that there’s many others like them that they need to save and until they rescue all of them, their battle continues.

From the tower, Lord already knows that Gash’s group has managed to survive but this victory doesn’t worry him as he knows they’ll be up against even greater threats soon. From another room in the ruins, Victoream gets up and begins to head out. Noticing this, Leila questions him about it since they’re not allowed to act on things on their own. Victoream answers saying he plans on investigating the noise he had heard in the direction of where Gash’s group is and Leila lets him go while she stays behind to play. Unbeknown to her, Victoream plans to use this opportunity to face Gash’s group on his own for his own enjoyment. Back in Japan, Suzume and Naomi sit around at the local park wondering where Kiyomaro and Gash had gone and find themselves bored without them around. The episode then ends with the sun setting on the town and the two of them wishing desperately for them to return soon.

## Features

### Characters by Appearance

* Gash Bell
* Alm
* Gelios
* Kiyomaro Takamine
* Tio
* Megumi Oumi
* Mamiko Takahashi
* John Owen
* Canchome
* Parco Folgore
* Umagon
* Ganz
* Billy Ferris
* Byonko
* Zofis
* Coco
* Leila
* Albert
* Victoream
* Mohican Ace
* Suzume Mizuno
* Naomi

### Locations

* South America
* Devolo Ruins
* Japan
	+ Mochinoki City

## Spells by Appearance

* Rauzaruku
* Gigano Amuruku (Debut)
* Poruku
* Koporuku
* Amuruku
* Neshiruga
* Egudorisu Neshiruga (Debut)
* Baou Zakeruga
* Gigano Dioderuku
* Ma Seshirudo

## Manga & Anime Differences

* In the anime, chunks of the walls in the ruin crumble revealing the main tower of the ruins where Zofis is located. When Kiyomaro’s group sees this, Alm tells them that it’s not accessible through the jungle and they can only get to it through underground routes. These events were not featured in the manga.
* All appearances Zofis, Coco, Byonko, Suzume and Naomi have in this episode is entirely filler.

## Censorship & Other Localization Differences

* While in the original Japanese episode where Folgore casting *Poruku* the first time was audible, it was not heard in the English dub.
* Details such as blood from injuries are cleaned up from characters in the VIZ localization but other things such as scratches and clothing tears are usually left alone. All bleeding and bruises seen on Folgore would be cleaned up in the VIZ localization.