Ep 8. Humans Are Strange

Humans Are Strange is the eighth episode of Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods season 1. This anime is a heart-warming story about a girl named Makoto Saeki who inherited the power to communicate with the gods from her mother. Alongside her guardian fox Gintaro, she takes on the role of a shrine maiden in her family's Shinto shrine.

In this episode, Makoto's friend Satoru asks her to help him with his crush on a girl named Miki. Miki is different from other girls, quiet and reserved, and Satoru is having a hard time figuring out how to approach her. Makoto, being the friendly and helpful person that she is, agrees to help him out.

However, as she spends more time with Miki, Makoto realizes that she has a curious ability to see people's emotions as colors. Makoto is fascinated by this and asks her about it. Miki doesn't fully understand her ability but she tells Makoto that she sees Satoru's emotions as black, which confuses Makoto since Satoru seems happy whenever he's with Miki.

To figure out why Miki sees Satoru's emotions as black, Makoto and Gintaro decide to tail them and observe their interactions. They follow them to an old temple where they see Satoru kneeling and apologizing to an old well. Miki reveals that her father died in a construction accident while working on excavation for the new high school, and the well was the only thing that remained from the original structure.

Satoru's father was the one overseeing the construction, which made Miki resentful towards him. She saw him as a symbol of the destruction of the old school and her father's death. However, when Satoru approached her and showed kindness towards her, she started to see the good in him. But whenever Satoru apologized, she would remember her father's death and the feelings of sadness would resurface.

Makoto realizes that Miki's ability to see emotions as colors is related to the foxes' ability to sense people's spiritual energy. She tells Miki that Satoru is not apologizing for anything he did, but rather he is sorry for her loss and is trying to show his support. Miki starts to see Satoru's emotions as a soft pink color, representing his kindness towards her.

In the end, Makoto gives advice to Satoru to continue being the kind and supportive friend he is to Miki. She also shares her own experience of communicating with the gods and how it has helped her see the world in a different light.

Humans Are Strange is a touching and emotional episode that showcases the power of empathy and kindness. It's filled with heartwarming scenes and lessons about understanding others, making it a must-watch for those who enjoy emotional anime.