This episode opens with a surrealist skit showing Hayashida reacting to the news that Hina is being bullied. While amusing, this scene is designed to assure the viewer that the Hina subplot will soon be resolved, while lulling them into a sense of false security.
In episode eight, Sangatsu no Lion weaponizes its branching narratives in a way that delivers a solid gut punch to the audience. Rei (and by association, the viewer) has been preoccupied with other matters for several episodes now and it’s easy to forget that one character, Nikaido, suffers from a chronic illness.
Episode eight sees Nikaido’s health decline more sharply than usual due to the stress of the tournament. This poses a difficult problem for Rei;
Nikaido doesn’t want to be seen as weak, so visiting him is out of the question.
In previous episodes, we’ve seen that Rei is quick to anger and often aimless, but this illness provides him an outlet for his rage. In his mind, winning the tournament is about more than the prize money – it’s an affirmation of Nikaido’s belief that rivals are connected by a powerful personal bond.
Throughout the series, Nikaido has been portrayed as somewhat naïve, believing his career will fit the narrative tropes and clichés often found in books or shōnen anime. However, among the books Shimada is seen giving him is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island – a classic tale of adventure, rivalry, and brave (if foolish) men seeking their fortunes. Since books and shogi were Nikaido’s only forms of escapism as a perpetually ill child, it’s easy to see how the two become irrevocably intertwined in his eyes.
This series has had a strong relationship with water since it began.
Most of the heartfelt conversations, conflicts, and major decisions are made in front of the river near Rei’s apartment. What’s particularly interesting here is that Sangatsu no Lion uses water in a different way from other anime. For example, in Your Lie in April, water is used to illustrate the feeling of being trapped, whereas, in this show, it’s simply a bystander. The river silently watches Rei argue with Kyouko. It offers nothing but peaceful ambiance during Hina’s emotional outbursts. When the shogi board is covered in water during this episode, it shows that Rei has managed to detach himself from his troubles and focus entirely on shogi board. He’s cool, calm, collected, and ultimately, this wins him the game.
Hopefully, Nikaido will recover in the episodes to come. He’s been the real driving force behind Rei’s social developments and although at first he was somewhat annoying, he’s begun to endear himself to the audience with his unrelenting spirit and passionate beliefs. Rei is determined to win the tournament on his behalf, so there’s no reason Nikaido should give up either.
