Episode 16

### Animation Director

Shou Meng Long, Saori Hosoda, Yasunori Matsumura, Masahito Wada, Anitus-Kobe, Shinnosuke Oota

## Theme Songs

### Ending

Mirai Epilogue

**"Audience in the Prison"** (牢監の拝謁, *Kouran no Haietsu*) is the sixteenth episode of the *Toji no Miko* anime series, released on April 27, 2018. The episode was written by Masahiro Ookubo, with storyboards by Kazuo Takigawa, direction by Tohru Hamazaki and animation direction by Shou Meng Long, Saori Hosoda, Yasunori Matsumura, Masahito Wada, Anitus-Kobe and Shinnosuke Oota.

Having finished their respective missions, Kanami and the others finally reunite with each other at the headquarters in Kamakura. The six girls organize a surprise birthday party for Sayaka. However, as the presence of the "hooded figures" continue to haunt the duties of Toji across Japan, the girls find themselves wanting to find answers to the questions that are yet to be brought to light.

## Synopsis

Toji across Japan continued toiling after the fall of Tagitsuhime while a hooded assailant was attacking noro retrieval operations across the region. Eventually, one such encounter with the hooded figure exposed its identity as Maki Shidou, the former First Seat of the Origami Family Elite Guard. Director Sana Maniwa eventually confronted former Second Seat Suzuka Konohana about the sightings. Suzuka confirmed Maki's identity, but she was certain that Maki was moving by herself, and would not ally with anyone at the moment. This left the identity of the "second hooded figure" unknown, but Akane Origami, the Deputy Director of the Special Sword Administration Bureau, warned Sana that not everyone who wields an okatana is a Toji.

After an intense sparring session together at the campus of Renpu Girls' School, Kanami and Hiyori returned to the cafeteria and ended up reuniting with Mai, Ellen, Kaoru and Sayaka, their first time together after their missions. But, the star of the night was Sayaka, who was given a surprise birthday party by the girls. After the short party, Kaoru opened the topic about Maki being suspected as the culprit behind the recent attacks against noro retrieval teams in the area. Although Sayaka had confirmed Maki's identity during the operation with Kaoru in Gunma, Ellen and Mai did not believe that it was Maki that attacked the Special Rare Metals Utilization Research Institute earlier as it used a style different from the Shindo Munen-Ryu style used by Maki.

To dispel the confusion about the two "hooded figures", they visited the headquarters of the Special Sword Administration Bureau. There, Deputy Director Akane Origami revealed that aside from Maki Shidou, the other hooded figure was none other than Tagitsuhime, who was currently moving in a humanoid form. The six girls were shocked to discover that the being they defeated five months ago was not sealed in the Netherworld, but Akane immediately moved on from the issue to request Kanami and Hiyori to accompany her to the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense to meet with a "very important person".

At the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Ichigaya, Akane, Hiyori and Kanami proceeded through the compound heavily guarded by both military units and Toji from Osafune Girls' Academy, including Hiyori and Kanami's group combat mentors Takako Yonemura and Satomi Ogawa. Then, deep inside the compound, Akane brought Kanami and Hiyori to the room where a being who identified herself as **Takirihime** was being held. Immediately, Takirihime demanded a certain Ichikishimahime to be brought to her, and she reminded the three humans in her audience of her identity: "The true ruin of humanity is Tagitsuhime. And humans cannot bear the ideals of Ichikishimahime. I am Takirihime. A deity who leads those lost in fog. Humans, I will bring you the best value that you seek."

After the tense meeting with Takirihime, Akane left the Ministry of Defense compound with Hiyori and Kanami, and on their return to the headquarters, Akane decided to explain the current situation to the two. She quickly admitted her grave mistake in misjudging her sister's actions, and with Yukari's defeat, Tagitsuhime was living as three entities, each with its own objectives, and the current situation was considered something that humans alone can't deal with.

At Ayanokouji Martial Arts School, Miya found that her friend Ayumu had been training hard to become like Kanami, and her determination urged Miya to join her in a sparring session. Meanwhile, Yukina entered a heated argument with Ayanokouji's president Yuzuki Souraku regarding the sluggish pace of a "candidate selection process". Yukina eventually stormed off, with her companion Yomi Satsuki following suit.

Kanami and Hiyori returned to the Ministry of Defense for a security mission. Minato's assuring words to Kanami in her dreams changed little about how she felt about the current situation, and Hiyori admitted that she was left unsure after realizing that things would not be over after Yukari's defeat. As they were on watch for Maki's possible infiltration at the compound, something else attacked. This attacker, who laid waste on the security detail, was quickly identified by Kanami and Hiyori as Tagitsuhime based on Onimaru and Oodenta, the swords she was using. A fight broke out between the two girls and Tagitsuhime, but this was interrupted by Maki, who dragged Tagitsuhime into a nearby temple. Kanami managed to injure Tagitsuhime's right shoulder in an ambush attack, and the presence of three attackers forced Tagitsuhime to retreat.

Maki's attempt to tail Tagitsuhime inadvertently exposed the location of Takirihime, and Kanami and Hiyori tried to stop her from trying to confront Takirihime.

At Ayanokouji's campus, Tagitsuhime returned with her right shoulder still unhealed from Kanami's attack. Unfazed, she commanded Yukina to "prepare the pieces" as she thought about Kanami's sword Chidori, the sword that injured her. Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Special Sword Administration Bureau, Akane contacted someone about the how Tagitsuhime had found out the location of Takirihime. That someone was none other than Yukari Origami.

## Characters

* Suzuka Konohana
* Sana Maniwa
* Akane Origami
* Kanami Etou
* Hiyori Juujou
* Ellen Kohagura
* Mai Yanase
* Kaoru Mashiko
* Sayaka Itomi
* Takako Yonemura
* Satomi Ogawa
* Ayumu Uchizato
* Miya Tanabe
* Yukina Takatsu
* Yuzuki Souraku
* Yomi Satsuki
* Maki Shidou
* Minato Etou
* Tagitsuhime - CV: Chiwa Saito
* Yukari Origami

## Trivia

* Several characters that debuted in the mobile game *Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi* appeared in this episode.
	+ Ayanokouji: Kinuka Mizushina, Mayumi Hasui, Jun Nakano, Hana Suzumoto, Kihiro Morishita
	+ Renpu: Sakura Hamazuka, Kazumi Watanuki, Sumi Nagasaki, Minaki Fujimaki, Hina Aoto, Tsugumi Ban
	+ Osafune: Akane Maruyama, Mimi Kagami
	+ Heijou: Erina Matsunaga, Shiho Himeno

* Mirja Kitora's papers join Ayumu's in Yuzuki's "candidates" for Yukina's candidate selection process.

## Trailers

未放送予告動画とじよこ！第16話「牢監の拝謁」（おもてVer.）"Omote" version