Episode 1

**Confidential File 101, the Blue Flower of Carnage** (機密事項一〇一 アオキシュラノハナ, *Kimitsu Jikō Ichi Maru Ichi: Aoki Shura no Hana*) is the series premiere of *Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood*.

## Characters

* Asahi Nakamura
* Sawa Yukimura
* Makoto Tsukishiro
* Elena Hanakaze
* Jin Kuzuhara
* Janome

## Synopsis

The year is 1931, the 64th year of the Meiji era. The 15th Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, continues to wield absolute power thanks to complete monopolization of a special natural resource known as "Ryumyaku." Supporting the Tokugawa regime from the shadows are the deadly agents of the covert organization known as Nue.

## Summary

The year is 1931, the 64th year of the Meiji era. The 15th Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, continues to wield absolute power, thanks to a monopoly over a special natural resource known as "Ryumyaku". There are people who are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. In front of the wall protecting Ryumyuaku, two men paint "Dawn with Toku-", but end up being arrested.

At Morning Dew Used Bookstore, Asahi pulls out a carrot and daikon and asks Sawa Yukimura, which one she wants. Sawa chooses the carrot, however Asahi decides they will be having the daikon as it looks more ripe. While eating, Asahi talks about Yamazaki who gave them the daikon radish and their neighbor, but Sawa interrupts her stating that no one wants to marry her yet, however, Asahi is fine as she doesn't want to get married yet.

In the morning, a man stays in front of the bookstore, stating he was on his way to a job interview, but stopped to sell her a book featuring photos from Paris. He wonders if Sawa will marry him, but she declines. He asks her about her first name, but Sawa doesn't answer. As a boy comes in to sell a book, and the man decides to leave and tells Sawa to use the money to buy Asahi something.

Later, Sawa visits the red light district, where she is mistaken for a prostitute by a man, but Makoto Tsukishiro chases the man stating she is already taken. Sawa tells Makoto that she could have dealt it alone, but he reminds her she should not start trouble on that place. He gives her a hairpin, and tells her to give it to her little sister. Sawa denies to have a sister, but Makoto thought she enjoyed the sister act. They visit Elena Hanakaze who was with a client and inform her they need to work. Annoyed as she was also working, Elena kills the client. Sawa and Makoto use a secret door in her room, leading to an elevator and head down. They meet Jin Kuzuhara and Sawa asks whats their mission. Jin informs them they need to prevent assassination and that Yoshinobu Tokugawa will be out tomorrow to celebrate the completion of Tokyo Castle. Janome had started to smuggle a lot of new foreign animals for Changelings and they have no idea what kind of power they have. Elena joins the group and gives Jin a list of clients from underworld deals she took from her last client. Before they leave, Jin reminds Sawa that she must not run amok on her personal feelings. Meanwhile, Asahi had prepared dinner and is waiting for Sawa.

Makoto and Elena go to a party, where a man recognizes Elena as a novelist. Makoto joins the conversation and takes Elena away. She points him to their target and that he will be handling goods to Janome tonight. Following the man to an abandoned area, Elena uses her gun umbrella and shoots one of his men. Makoto pulls out a sword from his cane and they engage and quickly kill everyone. They investigate the place, but don't find anything and realize they have been fed fake intel. While leaving, Makoto explains the town is full of hidden tunnels, but only two points exit near the castle: one by the west gate, which is heavy guarded and one by the east gate that no man can pass as it had collapsed. Elena then realizes that if you are not a "human" you can use it. Sawa waits in front of that tunnel and a tiger-beast man comes out. She wounds him and then combines with a white raven. Looking at the beast face, she realizes its the man from the morning with the Paris book. Caught by surprise, he manages to wound her, but she still manages to kill him. The man turns back to normal and Sawa reveals her name is Sawa Karasumori and she can't die until she fulfills her revenge and then loses consciousness.

Meanwhile, Janome breaks into secret Nue archive and obtains some files.

Sawa dreams about her past and how her brother hid her and told her to not move or make a sound. As he went out, he and the rest of her family was killed by Janome.

## Trivia

* The episode was streamed on Hulu and Crunchyroll one week ahead of other streaming platforms and TV stations.