The costumes and sets were also grounded in Wanjin reality; even the whole theme of the story had changed. It was no longer centered on religious mythology or tales of ghosts and monsters, but now took inspiration from folk life and was adapted accordingly, just like Harano said: "down to earth."
Princess Dog, Ah Hu, and the others felt a much stronger sense of immersion watching this. They watched the protagonist, Matsunomaru, unable to pay the exorbitant annual tribute, stand up bravely, use his wits to outsmart the noble Samurai, and help the entire village escape danger. Then he pretended to be a fool and bet with the monks at the temple, successfully helping the village avoid paying interest on loans and grain taxes.
