Ep. 18: Kitaro and Nezumi-Otoko encounter a witch who recruits Naoko during a festival stay.

18

Kitaro and Nezumi-Otoko enjoy a festival and choose to spend the night at a hotel. The innkeeper’s daughter, Naoko, is startled by a strange noise outside. Her mother dismisses the sound as festival drums and encourages her to go play. Naoko investigates the noise alone and travels to an area outside of town. There, she meets a witch who offers to take Naoko in as an apprentice. The witch promises to train her to become a witch herself. This encounter marks the beginning of Naoko’s new path under the guidance of the mysterious sorceress she met during her solitary exploration away from the inn.