Episode 12.5

**"Instigation Arc Digest"** (胎動編ダイジェスト, *Taidou-hen Daijesuto*) is episode 12.5 of the *Toji no Miko* anime series, released on March 30, 2018.

After the apparent defeat of Tagitsuhime, we look back at the events that have led to the climactic clash between Yukari Origami and a group of Toji vowed to oppose her, from the failed assassination attempt by Hiyori Juujou, to the contact with Mokusa, the revelation of the events of the Great Disaster of Sagami Bay, and the advance against the Origami Family Elite Guard.

The episode was narrated by Ayako Kawasumi, the voice actress of Akane Origami.

## Synopsis

The Spring Swordsmanship Tournament, held in Kamakura City, allowed representatives from the five Toji institutions, The Five Traditions, to present their skills in combat. After rounds of intense fighting, the decisive match was between Kanami Etou of Minoseki Academy and Hiyori Juujou of Heijou Institute. However, this match was interrupted by Hiyori's attempt to assassinate Yukari Origami, the head of the Origami family. Hiyori ultimately failed, and it required Kanami's help to bring her out of harm's way.

Mai Yanase, also from Minoseki, decided to look for her teammate and close friend in the aftermath of the assassination attempt and, after hearing Kanami's suspicions against Yukari, chose to set her and Hiyori free. The two fugitives later took refuge in the house of Rui Onda, who gave them the opportunity to make contact with a mysterious user named FineMan. This contact was barely interrupted by Sayaka Itomi, a student of Renpu Girls' School with the ability to use a different kind of Jin'i called **Infinite Phase Jin'i** (無限の姿迅移, *Mugen no Sugata Jin'i*). Kanami eventually defeated Sayaka, allowing her and Hiyori to escape to Irozaki, the meeting place designated by FineMan.

At Ebisu, Kanami and Hiyori came face to face with Ellen Kohagura and Kaoru Mashiko, students of Osafune Girls' Academy, but was able to escape after seeing an opening. Then, in a private moment together, Kanami listened to Hiyori's story about the Great Disaster of Sagami Bay and the involvement of her mother, Kagari Juujou, and Yukari Origami in the incident. The two girls continued on their journey, but not until meeting Ellen and Kaoru once more—this time, congratulating them for passing the test set up by Mokusa, a group that opposes Yukari Origami.

Meanwhile, the Origami Family Elite Guard, consisting of Maki Shidou, Suzuka Konohana and Yomi Satsuki, was deployed in Ebisu for an operation that aimed to locate and capture Kanami and Hiyori. Yomi's Aradama swarms split the four girls into three fronts, with Kanami and Hiyori facing Maki and Suzuka, Kaoru dealing with Yomi's swarms, and Ellen taking the chance to investigate further. The three Elite Guards retreated after losing to their opponents, but a second encounter, caused by Ellen's successful infiltration of the Elite Guards' temporary base, put the four girls against Yomi, who used several vials of noro to enter an empowered, albeit unstable, state.

Kanami, Hiyori, Ellen and Kaoru barely managed to escape into a submarine affiliated to Mokusa. Here, they meet FineMan for the first time, revealing his true identity to be that of Richard Friedman, the pioneer in the development of the S-Equipment and Ellen's grandfather. Meanwhile, after rejecting a crucial chance to participate in the experiments of Yukina Takatsu, president of Renpu, Sayaka fled from her campus and received help from Mai. After a re-encounter with Yukina, Sayaka made the decision to leave with Mai. She and Mai were later taken to the custody of Mokusa, and the six girls eventually reunited as they head to the headquarters of the anti-Origami group.

In the headquarters of Mokusa, Richard joined the founder of Mokusa, Akane Origami, and the president of Osafune Girls' Academy, Sana Maniwa, in explaining the "hidden truth" of the Great Disaster of Sagami Bay, citing Hiyori's mother Kagari and Kanami's mother Minato Etou as the "true heroes" of the incident and revealing the true fate of Tagitsuhime, the Great Aradama that ravaged during the Great Disaster. The six girls later trained with senior students of Osafune Girls' Academy to develop their skills, and they also learned about the traditional role of Toji as shrine maidens during a local festival. During this time, Kanami and Hiyori made their resolve to fight alongside Mokusa.

At the climax of the festival, units from the Special Ritual Riot Squad, accompanied by Yume Tsubakuro, the fourth member of the Origami Family Elite Guards, performed a surprise raid on the Mokusa base. Yume defeated most of the resistance, while the six girls, Rui, Akane and Friedman managed to board Mokusa's submarine and escape. Onboard, a mysterious phenomenon is felt by the six girls, Rui and Akane, signifying the manifestation of Tagitsuhime. Mokusa took this opportunity to attack the headquarters of the Special Sword Administration Bureau directly. Using six S-Equipment pods, Kanami and the others advanced towards the Origami estate.

With Kaoru and Ellen stalling Yume and Mai and Sayaka facing Yukina and Yomi, Kanami and Hiyori once more crossed swords with Maki and Suzuka. Kanami and Hiyori ultimately won against the two Elite Guards, allowing them to meet Yukari Origami for the first time after the assassination attempt. As Tagitsuhime, Yukari easily forced the fight into a deadlock, and even Mai and Sayaka, who joined them after defeating Yomi, struggled before Tagitsuhime's six-armed form. Eventually, as the fight moved to the former noro storage facility, Kaoru and Ellen joined the fight against Tagitsuhime.

It took a sudden moment where Minato possessed Kanami's body to noticeably weaken Tagitsuhime. Hiyori then took this chance to use the "secret technique" she learned from her mother to seal the Great Aradama. Although successful in striking her blade into Tagitsuhime, Hiyori was later pulled back away from the netherworld by Kanami.

That night, Tagitsuhime cut away the Aradama part of itself and scattered it outward into the sky.

Four months after the incident, Aradama activity quickly started growing, and a new story awaits for Kanami and the others!