Episode 9

## Gleaming

**Gleaming** (煌めく, *Kirameku*) is the ninth episode of the Golden Kamuy anime series.

## Synopsis

The friendly fisherman Sugimoto saved from drowning turns out to be a tattooed prisoner Kazuo Henmi — a strange, perverted serial killer who wishes to be killed by Sugimoto. The 7th Division has come to the coast as well, looking for the tattooed skin. Genjirou Tanigaki gets two unexpected visitors in the Ainu *kotan*.

## Plot

Asirpa sees a severed head in the bathroom, realizing that Henmi should be nearby. She rushes to warn Sugimoto, but he has already left with Henmi. Henmi is showing Sugimoto fisherman tools, but Sugimoto says they're leaving. Sugimoto then notices 7th Division soldiers and quickly covers his face, afraid of the soldiers seeing him. Henmi realizes the 7th Division also took his bait and are here for the tattooed prisoners. Henmi takes Sugimoto's hand and leads him to the mansion of the herring magnate as there are plenty of places to hide.

At the mansion, Tokushirou Tsurumi is playing the piano and is discussing future investments with the magnate. Tsurumi asks the magnate to donate to the construction of a weapon factory. The herring magnate says he likes weapons and shows Tsurumi a Maxim gun he bought illegally from someone in the military. Meanwhile, Henmi and Sugimoto enter the mansion, but two soldiers are already upstairs and recognize Sugimoto. Henmi tries to distract the men, but when it fails he slashes the throat of one soldier with his fisherman knife and stabs the other in the eye. The soldier shoots Henmi, and the gunshot alerts Tsurumi. As Sugimoto tries to leave with Henmi, he is stopped by Tsurumi. They're interrupted by the herring boss who starts firing the Maxim gun, and Sugimoto manages to escape while carrying Henmi on his back.

The two head to the coast where they see Shiraishi and the others who have managed to kill the whale and drag him to the beach. Sugimoto tells Shiraishi that the 7th Division is here, but Shiraishi sees Henmi behind Sugimoto and warns him about the killer. Henmi is stopped by Asirpa's arrow, but still attempts to fight Sugimoto, who easily blocks his attack and stabs Henmi multiple times. Henmi asks Sugimoto to let him gleam, and Sugimoto agrees, saying they'll gleam together. Sugimoto quickly takes Henmi down and stabs him with a bayonet. As Henmi is struggling for his life, he asks Sugimoto to promise he won't forget him. Sugimoto confirms he will remember him every time he looks at the tattooed skin he is going to rip off of his body. Henmi is pleased, saying he is happy that he was born.

Suddenly an orca comes out from the sea and drags Henmi away. Sugimoto, Asirpa and Shiraishi get on a boat and chase the animal. The orca starts throwing Henmi, trying to kill him. Henmi realizes he is going to die a violent death just like his brother and is super overjoyed to die like this. Sugimoto undresses and jumps in the water to get Henmi. The orca then charges at the boat to get its prey, but Asirpa pierces it with a harpoon. The orca pulls the boat away, helping the group escape from Tsurumi.

Tsurumi talks about orcas, saying that in order to be on top of the food chain one must either be an orca themselves, or become a disgusting creature that feasts on the bodies of fallen orcas. Toshizou Hijikata observes the events from the distance, commenting that Shiraishi has fascinating friends. On the coast Tsurumi gets informed that Ogata has disappeared from the hospital and Nikaidou has been missing for days. Sugimoto prepares to skin Henmi's body, saying he won't forget the way he gleamed.

Back at the Ainu's village, Tanigaki returns to Huci's *kotan*. To his surprise, he finds Ogata and Nikaidou inside waiting for him. Tanigaki explains that he got hit by a poison arrow and spent all this time recovering from the injury. Ogata questions why Tanigaki didn't go back to Lt. Tsurumi now when he can walk, to which Tanigaki replies that today is the first day he is able to walk with a staff. Osoma is irritated with so many *sinna kisar* in her *kotan* and Tanigaki asks the girl to take Huci away to her *cise*. Ogata mentions that Tamai, Noma and Okada didn't return either, and suggests that Tanigaki killed them. Tanigaki denies it and asks Ogata and Nakaidou to not hurt Huci and Osoma. Ogata then says he was joking and will pretend he didn't see Tanigaki, so he is allowed to stay as much as he wants to repay the Ainu. Before leaving, Ogata asks Tanigaki if he has seen Sugimoto the Immortal and an Ainu child, but Tanigaki says no.

Tanigaki explains to Huci that he will be leaving, but Osoma gets upset and starts pulling Tanigaki on his ears, not wanting to let him go. As he is pulled by Osoma, Tanigaki gets grazed by a shot in the forehead. Nikaidou tells Ogata that he missed and that they should have killed Tanigaki down there. Ogata states that would mean killing the witnesses too, and he doesn't want to kill the grandma as he is fond of his own grandmother. Ogata believes that Tanigaki is a honest man and wouldn't betray Tsurumi. He guesses Tamai and others may have failed to persuade Tanigaki and tried to shut him up, but were killed in return. Tanigaki recalls a talk with Tamai, who implied there are people who plan on betraying Tsurumi, and Tanigaki now believes Ogata is one of them.

At the coast, Sugimoto and Shiraishi are drinking and enjoying a meal, while Asirpa is falling asleep after a tiring day. The three are approached by an old man, who asks if they're on a trip. The old man picks up Asirpa and says she has pretty-colored eyes, commenting she might have some Russian blood in her. Shiraishi then realizes that the old man is actually Hijikata Toshizou. Hijikata asks Sugimoto about the girl's name, specifying that it's the Japanese name he is curious about. Sugimoto replies that he never asked and he doesn't know. Before leaving, Hijikata secretly tells Shiraishi to make copies of the tattooed skins.

Tanigaki tries to escape the kotan and uses a smokescreen. Huci asks the gods to protect Tanigaki and Osoma brings Nihei's rifle, that was hidden by Asirpa. Ogata observes the kotan from the distance and gleefully comments that it's time to go Tanigaki hunting. Tanigaki has run off to the forest and is armed with Nihei's rifle and one round, fully determined to make Ogata regret missing him with his first shot.

## Adapted Chapters

* Chapter 40
* Chapter 41
* Chapter 43
* Chapter 44

## Character Appearances

* Asirpa
* Saichi Sugimoto
* Kazuo Henmi
* Tokushirou Tsurumi
* Herring Magnate
* Yoshitake Shiraishi
* Makanakkuru
* Toshizou Hijikata
* Hyakunosuke Ogata
* Kouhei Nikaidou
* Genjirou Tanigaki
* Osoma
* Huci
* Tamai *(Flashback)*
* Okada *(Flashback)*
* Noma *(Flashback)*
* Tetsuzou Nihei *(Flashback)*