Narayama

***Narayama*** is the twenty-first episode of the third season (*The Two Tigers*) and the seventy-third overall episode of the animated series, *Sandokan*.

## Plot

Babar’s hot air balloon drops our heroes in a manner that is harsher than what they expected. So much so that Archibald Lester sprains his ankle. After singling out the itinerary to take in order to reach the entrance to Narayama, it is an easy task for them to find it. In fact, the sacred door is the cobra’s eye that opens up to a bottomless chasm.

When there is an inscription engraved on the sacred door that Lester knows how to decipher skilfully, it’s some warnings for the living who wish to visit the kingdom of the dead. First and foremost, they mustn’t leave the main road since all the other roads conceal dangers and illusions. Staying for longer than 24 hours in the land of the dead is not suggested since it would be impossible to leave thereafter. Moreover, the living must pretend to be dead and hide their emotions and their feelings.

Since everything wastes away in the land of the dead, the only foodstuff available are some special berries. The exit door is different from the entrance door. The last warning suggests bringing along some sweets in order to win the favors of the inhabitants of Narayama. Except for Babar, Randi and Archibald Lester (considering the state of his ankle, he unwillingly has to abstain), the others lower themselves down into the deep well with the help of the rope attached to the hot air balloon. Once they reach the antechamber to Narayama, they realize that they’re standing in a real underground city that was yet a totally uninhabited one.

They keep their course on the principal path until they finally reach a temple that contains a tub full of liquid that is as black as ink. All along its rim stand some bowls full of brown berries, more bowls full of sweets and an hourglass. They take the berries, the sweets and the hourglass, which will come in handy to keep track of time. Then they dive into the tub full of ink-black water. As soon as they touch the liquid, our heroes (in a dreamlike state) return to the moment of their birth, then return to their present state and suddenly find themselves waiting in a queue at the Narayama entrance, along with other people.

Yanez tries to put the warnings engraved on the sacred door into practice by behaving in the opposite way and realizes that they say the truth since no one laughs at his quips. Their journey continues peacefully until everyone begins to act as ghosts, but when Yanez is discovered he has to run away and leave the main road. As announced by the instructions, the secondary roads are dangerous and full of illusions. Therefore our heroes find themselves inside a labyrinth made of plants. The only way out is by crossing the Door of Fear and so each and every one of them has to experience his/her own personal nightmare.

Sandokan once again experiences the attack of the Dayachi mercenaries at Kiltar Palace. He has to save a little girl from the flames, but a beam crumbles down to the ground and keeps him from saving her life. Even Morugan has Sandokan’s same fear of fire. She finds herself in a great hall-room surrounded by flames while she desperately calls out for someone who has an Indian nickname, Sagi. While Marianne dreams that Sandokan is killed by James Brooke. Yanez dreams of winning Morugan over, then realizing that she’s Suyodhana who is trying to possess him. Kammamuri dreams of losing his friends. Luckily, like all nightmares, these come to an end and our heroes find themselves all together once again.

## Characters

### **Main**

* Sandokan
* Yanez
* Marianne
* Paco
* Kammamuri
* Randi
* Morugan

### **Supporting**

* Archibald Lester
* The Forest Girls
* Babar

### **Villains**

* Suyodhana (in Morugan's nightmare who posseses the fake Sandokan)

**Supporting:** Tremal-Naik • Surama • Ada • Sultan • Amina • Morugan • Butho • Kim • Aruna • Amari • Bandar • Randi • Azim • Asura • Prince Zhao • Prince Sung • Prince Lao • Singa • Xi Xi • Naga • The Blue Monks • Archibald Lester • Colonel Stones • Lieutenant Jones • Urlag • Babar
**Villains:** James Brooke • Suyodhana • Nazima • Ushitora • Mati • Kien Koa • Kali • Narkodam • Hazra • Jade Fox • Lobo Hai