Ep 2. A Tale of Feeding Off Others

Kino's Journey Season 1 Episode 2, titled A Tale of Feeding Off Others, begins with Kino and Hermes riding through a desolate wasteland. They stumble upon a town that was once bustling with life but now looks barren. As they approach the town, they are greeted by a group of soldiers who ask for their passports. After verifying their identities, the soldiers explain that they are experiencing a severe food shortage and Kino is informed that she can only stay for three days. Kino accepts the condition and enters the town.

As Kino makes her way through the empty streets, she encounters a girl named Inertia who is digging through garbage cans looking for food. Kino finds some bread and shares it with Inertia, who reveals that she is an orphan. Inertia takes Kino to the local soup kitchen where they queue up for food. However, the food runs out before they can get their share, and they are told to come back tomorrow.

Kino and Inertia leave the soup kitchen and wander the town, looking for more food. They come across a group of wealthy residents who are eating lavish meals. One of the residents' daughter, Lelia, takes pity on Inertia and invites her to dine with them. Kino tries to turn down the invitation, but Lelia insists that she and Hermes stay for dinner.

At the dinner table, Kino observes the extravagant feast and is disgusted by the disparity in the town. She questions the residents' morality, but they justify their actions by stating that they worked hard for their wealth and should enjoy their meals. Inertia, on the other hand, is grateful for the food and eats with enthusiasm. After dinner, Lelia offers Inertia a job as a maid at her home to help her out of poverty.

The next day, Kino and Inertia part ways as Kino explores the town. She discovers that the wealthy residents have a system set up to feed off the poor by buying food and reselling it at high prices. Kino confronts Lelia about the scheme, but she defends it by stating that it is the only way the rich can survive in the town's current state. Kino does not agree with the notion and tells Lelia that the food belongs to everyone, not just the wealthy.

Kino leaves Lelia's house and continues her exploration of the town. She meets a man named Riku who runs a restaurant that caters to travelers. Riku informs Kino that he had to close his restaurant due to the food shortage. He reveals that he smuggles food from neighboring towns to keep his restaurant running. Kino offers to help Riku by smuggling food for him.

As the day progresses, Kino realizes that the town's people are slowly starving. She decides to take action and sneaks into the wealthy residents' homes to steal food and distribute it among the poor. She also smuggles food for Riku's restaurant, which helps him reopen his business and provide food for travelers.

In the end, Kino prepares to leave the town, knowing that her three days are up. As she rides out of the town, she looks back at the impoverished people who are now full of hope and determination. Kino has left a positive impact on the town and its people, but she knows that they have a long road ahead of them to rebuild what was lost.

Kino's Journey Season 1 Episode 2, A Tale of Feeding Off Others, serves as a commentary on wealth disparity and morality. The town is a microcosm of the larger world and highlights the harsh realities of life. However, Kino shows that individuals can make a difference by taking action and standing up for what is right, even if it seems impossible.