Although she’s had plenty of scenes to shine in Ave Mujica – The Die is Cast –, Sakiko Togawa’s crowning moments as one of the series’ best characters come in episode 12. This episode develops Sakiko and Uika Misumi so well, and they are amplified by the brilliantly animated scenes. Episode 12 of Ave Mujica may be one of the most finely executed episodes of the season, thanks to the incredible animation and balanced pacing.
Ave Mujica episode 11 revealed so much about Uika, including the circumstances surrounding her birth and her true identity as Hatsune Misumi. By the end, it seemed like the future of the Ave Mujica band was bleak, with the truth of Hatsune being the nail in the coffin for the reunited band’s prospects. If there was a glimmer of hope, it would need to be in Sakiko, and fortunately, she proved to be much more than just that glimmer.
Spoiler warning: there will be story spoilers ahead for Ave Mujica – The Die is Cast – episode 12, including plot points, reveals, and major character choices.
Ave Mujica – The Die is Cast – Episode 12 is Sakiko’s Defining Episode
From the very start of Ave Mujica episode 12, it was clear that Sakiko was going to be determined to get answers from the source, Hatsune. Although it was only for brief moments, Sakiko deeply reflected on her actions and the band, and her decisiveness made her act in the most drastic way yet. Instead of boarding the flight to Switzerland as instructed by her grandfather, Sakiko decides to run away and return to where it all started: Uika’s home island. On foot with painful blisters on her soles, and with the help of a cab, Sakiko managed to reach Uika at the caretaker’s home to break the one rule that the Togawa Group set in place for her.
I’ll admit, I was impressed that Sakiko was driven enough to go to such lengths and pain in order to see Uika. For many episodes, Sakiko was full of reluctance, but this episode showed that’s capable of great things just on her sheer determination. Hatsune certainly took notice of this trait when she revealed the truth of her “Uika” persona to Sakiko directly. Sakiko was shocked to an extent by Hatsune’s words, especially those involving her connection to the Togawa family and Sakiko’s father. Despite her childhood memories with the real Uika, Sakiko deeply cares about Hatsune and the girl she’s become for Ave Mujica. Sakiko moves past that to accept Hatsune, and in turn, fully blossom into the character that the series was building for quite some time. The buildup and subsequent payoff makes all those episodes even more worth the time investment.
Shared Destinies
By the midway point of episode 12, I was already blown away by how beautiful and vibrant this episode was. I certainly noticed how great the animation was when Sakiko and Hatsune began to talk outside the family house, with the sunset’s rays beaming down on the two characters. There, Sakiko and Hatsune recounted their childhood together, or to be more specific, the lack of memories shared together since Hatsune was only in disguise as her sister for one encounter.
Surprisingly, Sakiko was able to point out this exact memory quickly, showing that she really does care about Hatsune, no matter her alias. For once, Hatsune is now the reluctant one, while Sakiko is determined and eager to have her beloved friend back in Ave Mujica. I thought this reversal of roles was poetic and interesting, especially when Sakiko brings up that the two girls have “shared destinies” with one another on the boat ride back to Tokyo. Sakiko’s defiance of her grandfather shows that she has the well-placed conviction to hold her own future and Hatsune’s in her hands as well.
Sakiko Ensured Ave Mujica’s Best Possible Future
The final minutes of Ave Mujica episode 12 were especially vibrant and colorful, as Sakiko and Hatsune, back under the alias of Uika, enjoy a renewed life and friendship together. sumimi is on hiatus with Uika focusing on Ave Mujica, and Sakiko is now operating without the backing of the Togawa Group. After 11 episodes, Sakiko is standing on business as herself, completing the character arc that took so many twists and turns. If this episode was simply titled “Sakiko Togawa,” I’d believe the title was well deserved.
Sakiko also finally addressed Tomori with a letter that was a long time coming. In the letter, Sakiko expressed her gratitude to Tomori and essentially let her heart do all of the writing. This letter was essentially closure for all of the angst and turmoil from their past together, and the scenes accompanying Sakiko’s reading of the letter helped wrap up some of the last remaining plot threads. A lot was covered in this episode, and the pacing ensured it didn’t feel rushed either.
Since Sakiko is on her own, she can now help lead Ave Mujica to greatness, and she’s definitely determined to as shown in the scene back at the talent agency. In all, Ave Mujica episode 12 was really great and brought some wholesomeness and hope between Sakiko and Uika. Now that the band is back together in its best state yet, the future is looking bright for what could be Ave Mujica’s greatest performance yet in episode 13.
Ave Mujica – The Die is Cast – is streaming right now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes premiering on Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. PT.
