The Best Episodes Written By Aki Itami

Nishikata realizes that if he doesn’t do something soon, he will have lost to Takagi for an entire year. However, in matters of the heart, perhaps he’s already won.

Director: Hiroki Imamura

Writer: Aki Itami

An injured Takako travels to Tokyo with her teacher Shiba, who first noticed her at the competition five years before. There, she meets Kai again.

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

Nishikata and Takagi are mistaken for a couple on their way to the summer festival. Nishikata can't deny it fast enough, but then they get separated.

Director: Shinya Une

Writer: Aki Itami

Seijirou is fascinated by the stars and enjoys stargazing. One day he was by the riverbed with the village nanny Fuki when she notices a string coming down the sky and as she tries to pull all of a sudden she disappears, right before Seijirou's eye. Ginko is travelling through the mountains and is being followed by a peculiar girl. It turns out that it's Fuki, who has been exposed to a strong Mushi presence and can't be seen by anyone.

Director: Shintaro Inokawa

Writer: Aki Itami

On a rainy day Ginko takes a rest from his travels and comes across a man named Kourou who seems to be obsessed with a rainbow. To pass the time Kourou reminisces in his past, with the events which led to him pursuing rainbows whenever they appear. Ginko explains to him that the rainbow which he is searching for is actually a Mushi known as "Koda" but there seems to be more to it.

Director: Kouichirou Sohtome

Writer: Aki Itami

At school, Tohru walks in on Kyo and Yuki fighting. When she tries to stop them she runs into Kyo and he transforms. Kyo gets angry and calls her a stupid girl which makes Tohru think he hates her. Feeling guilty, he decides to pick Tohru up from her job and apologizes in his own way. The next day, on her way home from work, Tohru meets up with Yuki, and they walk home together. After accidentally transforming, Yuki tells Tohru about how he wants to live a normal life.

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

Tohru is back living with the Sohmas. Tohru's friends just get wind of it and decide to see if the Sohmas are taking good care of Tohru. Will they be able to keep the Sohma family curse under wraps while Uo and Hana stay over?

Director: Yoshinari Suzuki

Writer: Aki Itami

Tohru and the Sohmas are cleaning house with the help with Uo and Hana. Shigure's assistant Mi is pressing Shigure to finish his 500-page novel. Later on, the Sohmas are supposed to visit the Sohma House for their annual celebrations. But that means Tohru will be alone for New Year's?

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

Tohru and Yuki are tending the vegetable garden, when Tohru finds a set of clothes lying on the ground. Could this be a new Sohma? According to the title, it is! Not only is the new Sohma awfully friendly, it has a few surprising secrets to reveal about its relationship to Yuki and the others.

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

Hatsuharu introduces a new Sohma to Tohru. It's a tiger cub named Kisa! But when Tohru reaches out to her, Kisa bites her! Can Tohru befriend this wild yet timid girl?

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

Yuki and Tohru visit Ayame's dress shop. Ayame's assistant Mine Kurame, has grander ideas. Could there be some cosplaying involved? And what is "The Thing"?

Director: Haruo Sotozaki

Writer: Aki Itami

Yuki starts the semester as the Student Council President, and the Prince Yuki Fan Club is right there with him, except that there's this other girl. Could this be competition? What will Yuki's fan club president do?

Director: Keiji Gotoh

Writer: Aki Itami

It's a rainy day. Tohru and Yuki don't mind much, but Kyo is in down spirits. Things just keep getting worse for Kyo. Kagura makes a surprise visit. We learn why Kagura loves Kyo so much. Kyo's teacher, Kazuma Sohma, also makes a visit. Kazuma seems to have a reason for his visit, but could it break the wonderful world that Tohru lives in?

Director: Haruo Sotozaki

Writer: Aki Itami

Sometimes, there isn’t any need for words. Other times, there are. And every so often, a relationship grows closer despite the teasing.

Director: Shinya Une

Writer: Aki Itami

Ginko is on another adventure as he is brought to a very peculiar island, by a young boy Nagi. Ginko is taken to see a girl, who the island inhabitants refer to as "Ikigami" and is said to be able to perform miracles however Ginko discovers that there is more to this.

Director: Akira Mano

Writer: Aki Itami

Legend has it that a boy and a girl will start dating if they visit the local shrine together.

Director: Naoki Murata

Writer: Aki Itami

After Takako's performance, it's time for Kai to take the stage. With his mother, Ajino and Shuhei's father watching, it's time to show his skills.

Director: Masashi Omura

Writer: Aki Itami

The piano in the forest goes up in flames, but Ajino tells Kai that it can live on within him. His mother tells him to concentrate on his music.

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

The first contestants take the stage for the Chopin competition. Kai is shocked that a Chinese pianist's playing sounds just like Ajino's.

Director: N/A

Writer: Aki Itami

It’s finally Kai’s turn to play. His playing transports the audience to the forest as Shuhei, Takako and Ajino reflect on their friend’s journey.

Director: Gaku Nakatani

Writer: Aki Itami

A girl named Sui has an unusual disease that causes pain in her eyes whenever she sees light. She has to be locked in a pitch black shed that has no light in it. A boy named Biki helps Sui by removing bandages, giving her food, and just talking to her. Biki's mother is worried about him getting the illness, so she tells him not to stay as long as he normally would with Sui. One day while Biki is talking to her, she tells him why she has that illness: There are Mushi in her eyes. Biki continues to take care of her until one night when he is reading by a candle, a strange pain comes to his eyes.

Director: Sinpei Miyashita

Writer: Aki Itami

Ginko arrives at a village where the men are in a heated discussion about the mountain. After learning of Ginko's identity they ask for his help to find another Mushi-shi called Mujika, who happens to be the master of the mountain. While on his trek through the mountain Ginko stumbles across a boy who's also looking for Mujika. Later they manage to find Mujika but this isn't the end of it.

Director: Takuya Igarashi

Writer: Aki Itami

It's Nishikata's birthday! While on his way to buy his own cake for some reason, he runs into Takagi.

Director: Shinya Une

Writer: Aki Itami

Just managing to cross the treacherous Kazura Bridge, Ginko meets up with a man on the other side who takes him to meet a lady called Hana, who fell from the same bridge 3 years ago. Even though Hana survived, all she does is sit under the sun and nothing else and nobody seems to know what's wrong with her. Hana is feared to be a "Tanimodori", which are people whose minds and memories are wiped clean and they die on the night that the "One Night Bridge" shows up. From the info gathered Ginko knows that Hana is possessed by a Mushi called a "Nisekazura".

Director: Kouichirou Sohtome

Writer: Aki Itami

This story is about a mysterious genius artist named Kai who left his family to become better known for his talents and as a parting gift his sister made him a Haori (Man's Kimono). One day he got bored and made a Haura (painting inside the jacket) on his Haori. His master saw this and recognized his talents, so he gave Kai jobs with clients and he quickly started to become well known for his work but his fame came at a price.

Director: Osamu Yamasaki

Writer: Aki Itami