The Don-Nō Conference
Summary
Well, this is awkward.
Sonoi: Taro Momoi was able to subdue the Juto with his Don Clan powers.
And we Nōto had begun to wish that we could join forces with the Donbrothers.
And we Nōto had begun to wish that we could join forces with the Donbrothers.
As Jiro struggles with the truth of his hometown, the Nōto Trio calls for a meeting with the Donbrothers to discuss their potential alliance. Given their different viewpoints, however, they're in for the long haul. Will these two groups join together against their now common enemy?
Tropes
- Actually Pretty Funny: Tsuyoshi's reaction to finally learning about Miho's true nature elicits laughs from Haruka and Sonoza. Even Sononi can't help but grin.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Sonoroku cracking a joke is followed up by him looking into the camera accompanied by a Laugh Track.
- Breather Episode: Despite the episode's indulgence in Internal Reveals, it's mostly a light-hearted affair consisting of both factions taking sitcom-level jabs at each other.
- Brick Joke: Jin Momoi, making his first public appearance ever, immediately recognizes Kaito as the "True Hero", which is what Kaito called himself in those two biographies he published in previous episodes.
- Call-Back:
- Everyone makes the same order as the last time the Donbrothers and Nōto had a meeting in the cafe. The exception is Sonoi, who no longer being affected by Taro's essence orders Lemon Tea instead of Kibi Dango and Taro and Tsubasa who weren't there last time ordering Kibi Dango and a Cappuccino respectively.
- Speaking of that last meeting, Saruhara's condition for accepting the Noto into their ranks is to deem them "reserves" the same way Sonoi attempted with the Donbrothers.
- The side-effects of Kibi-Point usage come up again, Kaito concerned for Tsubasa's well-being given how he used them to save Sononi.
- Sonoshi engages in the exact same hostilities they did in their debut episode: Finding a group of humans sitting at public tables and "sterilizing" them with a fire extinguisher and Anoni thugs.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Tsuyoshi and Taro both captured by the two Hitotsu-Ki.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Jin references the Momotaro myth and mentions that the Oni is its primary antagonist, Haruka takes this to mean that she'll end up the Final Boss.
- Delayed Reaction: Jin doesn't realize Kaito was serving them until he serves his tea, which he unexpectedly behaves like a fanboy.
- Dual Boss: Tamaki and Shinnosuke both turn into Hitotsu-Ki giving the Donbrothers two enemies to fight. This ends up being a serious problem because while Taro can easily handle one like he's always done so far he ends up getting sucked in by the other when his back is turned.
- Heroic BSoD: Since last episode, Jiro has been stuck at his hometown depressed at the truth. Tsuyoshi also has one after learning Miho was a Jūto and is left moping the entire conference.
- Hypocritical Humor: Sonogo is exasperated with Sonoshi's theatrics during the latter's attacking humans to draw out the heroes, claiming she wouldn't even associate with them if she didn't have to. Not only does she engage in the exact same theatrics when she goes after humans shortly after, Sonoshi has the same reaction to her distraction; right down to vocal sentiment. Sonoroku meanwhile states that he wouldn't go that far, though doesn't call the other two out.
- Ignored Enemy: The evil Noto trio interrupt the conference, livid that the heroes didn't rush over to stop them from attacking people like they planned. The heroes had no idea they were even around.
- Ignored Epiphany: In an attempt to defuse tensions between the Donbrothers and the Nōto trio, Jin points out that the former group includes an Oni, who was certainly not an ally of the original Momotaro, implying that it's a symbol of former enemies possibly becoming allies. An unimpressed Shinichi tells him to quit spouting cryptic lines, which leads to Jin simply leaving instead.
- Imagine Spot: With everyone claiming Miho is a Jūto, Tsuyoshi promptly has a daydream of him actually about to kiss her in her Jūto form at his wedding, prompting him to pass out.
- Internal Reveal:
- After violently dismissing his teammates' warnings about Miho as lies, Tsuyoshi is forced to accept the facts when Shinichi reminds him about Taro's inability to lie.
- Downplayed with Kaito. While the Nōto suspect he is "no ordinary person" for being aware of them and the Donbrothers, his reply to their query for his identity... was that he is "no ordinary person".
- Kaito reveals to the group how Tsubasa used his Kibi Points to revive Sononi.
- Irony:
- #33 saw the Noto attempt to recruit the Donbrothers into their fold believing they'd finally defeated Taro. This episode sees them trying to join the Donbrothers after being deemed enemies of the very home they fought for.
- The primary Noto trio is emotionally-stunted, yet ultimately bound by their shared honor code and mutual respect for each other. This episode shows that the members of the evil trio have middling opinions of each other despite their more defined personalities.
- Medium Awareness:
- Tsuyoshi states to everyone attending the conference that he will not hesitate to transform into as many Hitotsu-Ki as it takes for him to see Miho again. Taro responds by calling the salaryman's frequent Face–Monster Turns an overused joke.
- Near the end of the episode, the team fights two Hitotsu-Ki at once. Taro sees this as a fun mix-up of the norm.
- Morton's Fork: Sonogo approaching random couples on the street and asking who's the most beautiful woman in the world. Fail to answer immediately? She yells at you for "taking too long" and blows you away to the Phantom Zone. Reply that she is the most beautiful? She mocks you for "stating the obvious" while blowing you away to the Phantom Zone.
- Not So Above It All: While the evil Noto trio arrive at the conference and mock it, they're more-than-happy to cast their own votes and play along with it.
- Only Sane Man: Shinichi and Sonoi play these roles for each side of the conference, the former doing most of the talking for the Donbrothers' side (when he isn't interrupted by Taro) while the latter tries to reign in Sononi and Sonoza's moments of emotional awkwardness.
- Play-Along Prisoner: Apparently Jin could have left his cell at any point he wished to, and only stayed because of his role in being the seal of the forest. Now that Taro ordered the Jūto to remain Jin decided he could risk leaving. For a little while anyway.
- Rule of Three: Discussed. The Donbrothers takes note that Tsuyoshi has transformed into Hitotsu-Ki almost three times now. Taro calls it an overused joke.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- Between the Nōto trio's previous habit of fighting the Donbrothers at the slightest excuse as well as the Donbrothers' own personal issues, it's no wonder that the conference between the two ends up being deadlocked.
- Tsubasa still hasn't forgiven Sononi for her manipulations, leading him to vote no to the trio joining the Donbrothers even as his use of his points to revive her was revealed to the others.
- Sweet Tooth: Taro puts in a lot of sugar cubes in Jin's tea, which the latter responding that it's just the right amount after tasting it. Naturally, the rest of the Donbrothers (minus the still passed out Tsuyoshi) are disgusted over it.
(It's Chinese tea, which is normally taken with no sugar at all.) - Take a Third Option: The Noto and Donbrothers' peace-talks reach a deadlock due to the factions bickering. The evil trio crash the conference and decide to cast their own votes to break the stalemate, swinging it in favor of a defection so they could fight all of their enemies at once.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Sonogo and Sonoshi don't really like each other that much; each stating in secret that they wouldn't associate with one another if they didn't have to. Sonoroku displays apathy towards their methods, but refrains from commenting on the duo themselves.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight:
- Kijino has various mental breakdowns throughout the episode but the rest of the cast has no sympathy whatsoever. The Donbrothers treat the man's lethargy as a minor inconvenience while the Noto trio outright laugh at his ignorance. Even him processing the fact that he married a Juto (something the show has gone to great lengths to establish as damaging his mental health) is treated as a funny Imagine Spot.
- Almost everyone treats Jin's arrival as a big deal. Except Taro, who doesn't even bat an eye.
