Title: Haha wa Ie de suru (Mother Leaves Home)
Broadcast Date: January 25th, 2004
Ratings: 20.3%
 

Synopsis
It is August, 1858. Isami meets again Ryuuma Sakamoto on the street in Edo, who tells Isami that he will be soon going back to his hometown in Tosa. Isami invites Sakamoto and Sakamoto's friend, Sanai Hashimoto, to his home, Shieikan dojo.

Meanwhile, Hijikata is promoting his efficacious medicine, Ishida Sanyaku, in the middle of town, with people surrounding him. "Look! After I drink the medicine.....this sword wont be able to scratch my skin!!". He press the sword to his arm...people are kind of screaming worried.....but his arm is indeed, alright! Everyone remotely persuaded and buy the medicine ^-^

In Shieikan, Isami is going to serve his guests some tea, but he doesn't know where the tea pot is. He is looking for it in a cabinet in the kitchen, when suddenly his foster mother, Fude, comes, "What are you doing there?!?!? You cannot open the cabinet without my permission!". Isami tells her he is looking for the tea pot, for his guests, he will make the tea by himself, he wont trouble her. Then, he look for it in a small cabinet, Fude yells, "Do not open that one!!!". Isami is about to lift a pot, when Fude yells again, "Do not touch!!!". Isami looks like he's losing temper, but then he try to calm down and ask his mother as nice as he can, "Sumimasen...where is the tea pot?". Without answering, Fude just walks off. Then, Isami serve his guests, mineral water, while saying sumimasen ^_^;

Isami looks really fascinated to hear Sakamoto & Hashimoto talking about their future vision on Japan. But suddenly, Okita Souji interrupts, entering the hall, bringing a paint brush, asking, "Do you see Gen-san?!". Isami introduce his guests to Okita, when suddenly Genzaburo Inoue, with full of ink smear on his face, bursts in, yelling to Okita, "Kono yarooo....!!". Okita and Inoue are running around the hall, then Okita pinned Inoue down and starts adding more ink smear on Inoue's face^^; Isami looks very embarrased with their childish acts and scolds them, that they are having such an important conversation, and tell them to leave. When, they're about to continue the conversation...suddenly, Fude is passing by, yelling, looks really angry to his husband, Shusuke....while Shusuke is trailing her, "Fude! Dont be angry!". Isami looks more embarrased and he even pretend that he do not hear his father calling him^^; However, he has to excuse himself and talk to his parents.

Shusuke and Fude are argumenting on a marriage offer for Isami. Looking very upset, Fude leaves home and Isami tries to persuade her to come home. Even not long after her leaving, some men come to Shieikan to move Fude's stuff to another house.
Meanwhile, Shusuke explain to Isami, that he has find Isami's wife-to-be. Isami looks a bit hesitant. Shusuke ask, "Do you have someone you like already?". Awkwardly, Isami answers, "Chigaimasu....(no, its not like that)". "If you have someone you like already, just tell me, I'll cancel the engagement...what's her name?".
"Please stop...there's no one...". Suddenly, Mitsu comes and ask Isami to go with her to the festival, while Shusuke still asking the woman's name. Isami just look down, a bit nervous, then looking Mitsu and his father, his eyes is like telling....she's right there.....(^_^) Isami tells he cannot go to the festival right now, coz there are things he has to do. Mitsu walks off looking upset.
 

Meanwhile, Hijikata, who is offering his Ishida Sanyaku medicine to sword training halls in Edo, got a problem. He feels being underestimated by one of a dojo leader, "So what if I'm a farmer's son? You think I can accept this insult just like that? You think a farmer is always alot weaker than bushi? I will prove, that I am a farmer, who can beat up all of your disciples!". Then, Hijikata challenge kendo duel with the dojo's disciples one by one, and indeed he can beat them all up! However, the dojo's disciples are seeking revenge and attack Hijikata, when he is in a desolate place, they all gang up on him and beat him up.

Isami and his father manages to bring Fude back home. Before, Isami and Fude talk privately. Fude try to explains calmly why she is angry. Fude against the marriage, because if Isami get married then, Isami will automatically be inherited the dojo after that. Fude do not like the idea Isami will be the heir of Shieikan. Because he was actually born as the son of a Tama's farmer, he is not from the samurai class. She really dont like the idea of her husband adopting him as their son, moreover to be the heir of Shieikan.
Coz in actuality, she was also born in farmer class, and she work really hard in decades to get the samurai-class status. She dont like the fact, Isami got the samurai-class status since he was 16 years old, so easily like that. And now, he is also going to marry a young lady from a pure samurai-class, it makes Fude envy him even more.
Lastly, Isami ask her, "Mother, do you hate me?". Fude do not deny that... =(

That night, Hijikata with bruises all over his face come to Shieikan, and tells Isami, "I want to be strong. Let me join Shieikan, your training hall. I want to be a bushi.". So then....Hijikata, at last, join the Shieikan dojo ^-^

Review
Rate: B-

A pretty good episode! I like it!^_^ Makes me laugh over and over at some of the silly scenes!!^^ I come to like Okita Souji very much, as he is such a mischevious boy!!^.^ And I come to admire Hijikata Toshizou even more, since he's able to beat those dojo's disciples...even without learning the right basics of kendo!

Next week's episode looks really goood!!!^^ Cannot wait! Tsune, Isami's wife-to-be is coming to Shieikan. Yamanami Keisuke is also coming to Shieikan, and Hijikata looks really detest him, think that the guy's purpose is to challenge Shieikan. Isami's first meet with Saitou Hajime, and they're having a fight! Also, Serizawa Kamo's first appearance!^-^