Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia Episode 6 Review - Gemstones That Can Brew Storms
In a way, Toregene has a lot of similarities to Sitara. Both were given away but managed to make a found family in their new environment, but it got taken away by the Mongols. Both developed an affection for an older male figure in their lives but the Mongols ruined it all. They’re both slaves of oppression in a way and I can’t wait to see how deadly the storm they’ll bring will be.
I really like the storytelling in Jaadugar in the sense that everything is honestly seen in a gray matter. Slavery is a terrible concept, but it’s treated in a morally gray way in this story where it’s both bad, but also beneficial. It’s bad to sell people, but people like Sitara and Anis managed to make a good life as slaves in their new homes. The Naimans gave Toregene away for marriage to the Merkets as a form of alliance, which is bad for both Toregene and the treatment of women, but she managed to find a good life as wife to Dayir and a member of their tribe. The Mongols, while are bad as conquerors, still provide their captives a good life where they aren’t restricted and can marry other slaves or have new careers.
I also like that Toregene and the tribes she’s a part of allude to Central Asian culture and customs. Given that Sitara is technically West Asian, it showcases that Mongolians conquered Asia in all directions; though, I don’t know if they conquered the South. I just really like seeing the various types of cultures presented in this story; it shows that the author has done intensive research and also seems to take joy and pride in showcasing their knowledge from brain to paper.
I feel bad for Toregene throughout this episode. She didn’t like her circumstances, but adjusted and when she thought her life was going to be at peace, tragedy hits. The episode perfectly paced all the ups and downs of Toregene’s life without cutting away in the middle. Seriously, her life is just as bad as Sitara’s in a way—that’s why they team up. I feel like Toregene has it worse because she got forcibly married to Ogedei who killed Dayir, who she loved but realized it too late, and even bore his children. Marrying your enemy and bearing his children is certainly a cruel fate for a woman.
The major characters introduced in this episode are all interesting. Dayir is the older man Toregene got married to, but he never once laid his hands on her after marriage but always shows her kindness and is considerate of her feelings; I can see why she’d develop affections for him. I really liked the scene of him dancing and showcasing the phoenix shape of his soul. The concept of kam feels so supernatural. I wonder if Mergens are spiritual people. Khulan and Kultukan are adorable. It sucks that the latter died and the former was married off to Genghis Khan as a sign of truce in a way. The way Khulan said all that after her father’s death makes me wonder if she only said that to not be killed by her enemies. I wonder if she is still alive; if she is, will she also be a part of the revenge?
The casting for this anime continues to be stellar. Dayir is voiced by the one and only Akira Ishida who is known for voicing characters like Akaza in Demon Slayer, Gaara in Naruto and Break in Pandora Hearts. I read somewhere that Japanese commenters understand why Toregene gained affection for him due to his voice being Akira Ishida’s; I find that funny. Khulan is voiced by Inori Minase who voiced Akane Kinoshita in My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv. 999, Jeanne in The Case Study of Vanitas and Rem in Re:Zero. Kultukan is voiced by Shoya Chiba who voiced Taiki Inomata in Blue Box, Nirei in Wind Breaker and Ouri in Tamon’s B-side. Kultukan’s older brother is voiced by Junichi Yanagida who is going to voice Lysander in the upcoming Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave and voiced Mandrin in Unicorn Overlord and Milo in Metaphor: Refantazio.
This episode is really urging me to read books about Mongolian history as well as the history and cultures of the Asian continent. Does anyone have any book recommendations about these topics? I really want to read about them! Let me know your thoughts on the episode as well!
