"First Impressions" 「懐抱淡画 Kaihō tanga」 is the sixteenth episode of Basilisk.
Summary[]
In a flashback, the Kōga Manjidani clan and the Iga Tsubagakure clan are shown pursuing their lives in the days of peace.
Okoi and Gyōbu Kasumi are trying to hunt a boar, but just when Gyōbu is about to hold it with and Okoi about to strike it, Jōsuke Udono appears and touches Okoi from behind, which creeps her out and she scares the boar, angering both Okoi and Gyōbu.
Shōgen Kazamachi fishes with Saemon Kisaragi resting next to him. Shōgen tells Saemon to be quiet or he will scare the fish and then recalls Jūbei Jimushi telling him that he foresee incident involving water and warns him to not go fishing today. Just as he believes Jūbei was wrong, Jōsuke comes down rolling and splashes water all over Shōgen. As Okoi and Gyōbu also come, Jōsuke apologizes and tries to explain that Okoi's butt invited him to touch it. Gyōbu suggest they eat Jōsuke instead of the boar, but Okoi thinks there is too much fat there. Jōsuke tells Okoi to not do it, otherwise her rump will get even more big, which makes Okoi angry once again and she beats him up for it. While the rest leave, Jōsuke reveals that he planned on asking Saemon to replace him and got with Gennosuke Kōga to meet Oboro, but Shōgen believe that even Saemon can't copy him. Elsewhere, Hotarubi and Yashamaru are spending time together, and Yashamaru tries to kiss Hotarubi, but as he notices that her snake is staring at him, he can't do it.
Oboro visits the grave of her "big sister", Neeya. Years earlier, Tenzen Yakushiji speaks with Ogen and reveals that he doesn't mind showing the young Oboro to the Hattori family, but not when the Kōga would be there too. Ogen assures him its fine, given the anti-war pact. Tenzen wonders why Ogen chose Oboro to be her successor and not one of her own children.
At Hattori compound, Masanari II looks at young Gennosuke and Oboro and comments that both Ogen and Danjō Kōga chose successor from relatives and that both of the successor have eye powers. Seeing the Iga and Kōga men having hostility towards each other, Masanari tells Kyōhachirō Hattori to take the kids out, so they can play outside. Gennosuke tells Oboro that he heard Iga was a bad place, but Oboro assures him it was nice place and talks about it. Gennosuke then tells her she made him want to visit Iga. Masanari II asks Neeya if Oboro is her daughter, but Neeya no longer has the memories and is unsure.
After returning from Neeya's grave, Akeginu sees Oboro's face power is falling of as she was sweating, and they go to reapply it. Hyōma Muroga visits Jūbei and sees Kagerō leaving disappointed. Jubei explains that she wanted he to foresee how Gennosuke and Oboro's marriage will unfold, but he refuses. Hyōma himself wants to learn that, but Jūbei tells him that Gennosuke's fortune is of no importance to him and Kagerō, and no answer will change his concern about Gennosuke, which makes Hyōma to agree. Heading for Tsubagakure, Danjō tells Gennosuke that it won't be easy to break the hatred, but Gennosuke is determined to try and do it and unite the clans.
After reapplying her face power, Oboro starts to hiccup, Nenki Mino and Rōsai Azuki team up and jump in to surprise Oboro in attempt to stop her hiccups, but it has no effect. Akeginu gives Oboro a drink and tells her to drink it in one breath and that seemingly stops the hiccups. They receive news that Danjō's group had arrived and Oboro nervously take the tea and heads to serve them. Jingorō Amayo reveals himself to Akeginu, stating that since Oboro no longer has hiccups, he don't have to do anything now and leaves. Oboro enters the room with the tea, but as she is nervous, she trips and causes the cups to fly in the air. Danjō jumps in the air while Gennosuke catches two of the cups, but the third cup spills on his face. Their eyes meet and they feel something, but then Oboro apologizes and runs away. A bit later, Ogen visits Oboro and tells her that Gennosuke is fond of her and wants to meet her again.
On their way back, Danjō explains Oboro's eye technique, but as she is still not able to control it, she could ruin her allies techniques too. Jōsuke wonders what will happen if Gennosuke uses his dojutsu on her, but Gennosuke says that even if they fought, there was no bloodlust in her eyes.