The Tiger Hasn’t Eaten the Dragon Yet Episode 2 goes deeper into the legend
Tiger has not eaten dragon yet is an interesting manga, as it is filled with humans who can transform into their respective animals and a legend regarding the benefits of eating dragons. Much of the first volume focuses on develop relationships between the dragon Hekidou and the white tiger Hakurei. With the second part, we will learn more about these legends and how true they are, especially when Hachi Inaba introduces a second dragon named Shinsui and his bird companions Kokuran and Misumi. It will be interesting to compare the two dragons, as well as learn more about how true the legends are.
Editor’s Note: There are some mild spoilers for the first half of episode 2. Tiger has not eaten dragon yet manga below.
Right away, Tiger has not eaten dragon yet Episode 2 begins with the other dragon that Hekidou is running away from and doesn’t want to meet, with the introduction revealing that she’s accompanied by sibling birds named Kokuran and Misumi. We get a better impression of how temperamental Shinsui is from the start, based on her interactions with the snake that Hekidou and Hakurei dealt with at the end of the previous episode. In a flashback, we see how the two dragons’ temperaments compare. Then, Misumi and Kokuran appear. While this interlude is brief, it immediately sets the tone for the relationship.
While Hakurei and Hekidou get along, are comfortable with each other, and have clear affection for each other, there is a clear separation between Shinsui and the two birds. Kokuran and Misumi show her respect, calling her by the honorific “lady”. There is a hesitation in Misumi’s response, perhaps out of fear. It is clear that this is a relationship where the dragon is the “superior” and the siblings are under her in some kind of forced commitment, rather than a natural, affectionate, and mutually beneficial partnership between the pair.
From there, we get a deeper understanding of both the lore associated with dragons and their interactions with other species. Hakurei and Hekidou decide to set out to find a way to extend her lifespan. Since he is a long-lived species, he is older than he appears and will outlive her. This leads them to a group of monkeys.
This leads to the first hint that something is amiss, and to the myth surrounding the dragon. According to the leader monkey they spoke to, eating a dragon’s heart does not make the person who eats it immortal. There are many examples of doing so seemingly killing whoever eats it, with the victims seemingly being poisoned. Of course, there is no concrete evidence yet. The monkey is relying on hearsay. However, this is the first account that seems to be linked to actual examples, rather than rumor or urban legend.
To avoid plot spoilers, I won’t go into any more detail about the revelations found in episode 2, but this latest entry in Tiger has not eaten dragon yet provides a lot of insight into the nature of dragons in the manga. The segments involving Hekidou and Shinsui give us a chance to see how dragons’ personalities can vary between individuals, as well as how they can treat those around them. We also start to really see what happens to those who dare eat dragons, and the contradictions between myth and reality. It’s fascinating, and makes me wonder if there’s some way to grant Hakurei a longer life after all.
Episodes 1 and 2 of Tiger has not eaten dragon yet manga available through Yen Pressand there is no release date for the third volume yet. The series is still being released in Japan.
