The Fable – Season 1 Episode 20 Recap & Review

24 Hours

Episode 20 of The Fable begins with Rei interrogating Kainuma with the latter’s mother at his side. Kainuma tells Rei that he and Misaki are friends. Rei informs Kainuma that he knows about the hidden cameras placed inside Misaki’s home. Also, Rei knows Kainuma tried entering Misaki’s place at one point. 

Rei shares more details with Kainuma and his mother. Isaki enters the room and Rei tells Kainuma and his mother that Kainuma attempted to rape Misaki. Rei shows Kainuma and his mother a clip of Kainuma installing the hidden cameras in Misaki’s home. Rei tells Kainuma they haven’t told Misaki the truth.

Isaki, who is portraying the role of a talent agency president, tells Kainuma he’ll be suing him for 120 million yen. Rei argues that Isaki and Kainuma should come to a settlement. He tells Kainuma to pay Isaki 60 million yen. Then, we return to following Fable and Hinako at the park. Fable offers Hinako advice about her condition. 

Hinako wonders how Fable acquired this intel and what type of life he lived. She overhears Kainuma and his mother arguing from afar. Meanwhile, Rei and Isaki discuss this 60 million yen settlement. Rei thinks Kainuma’s mother will pay them because she’s wealthy. Then, we return to following Kainuma. 

Kainuma’s stabbing a magazine Misaki featured in with a knife. He’s upset that his life went down the deep end. Suzuki eavesdrops on Kainuma’s rant from afar via a listening device. He updates Rei on Kainuma’s situation. Rei tells Suzuki to let Kainuma kill Misaki if he wants. He argues it’ll make Kainuma’s future “missing person’s” case more authentic. 

However, Rei wants Suzuki to kidnap Kainuma before the cops arrest him. Kainuma returns to work annoyed and his mother pays Isaki the 60 million yen. Isaki cheers and Rei tells him to calm down. He doesn’t want Hinako to know about their scandal. Hinako overhears their discussion and starts researching something on her computer. 

Simultaneously, Prez heads to the restroom at his workplace. Misaki receives a phone call from a woman. The woman tells her to leave her workplace because Misaki is in danger. Prez exits the restroom and notices Kainuma is about to murder Misaki. Before Prez calls out to Misaki, Fable knocks Kainuma out. 

Kainuma falls to the ground and Prez can’t believe Fable knocked Kainuma out. Misaki and Prez want to know what happened. Fable tells the two Kainuma wanted to do something to Fable with the knife. He says Kainuma fell after Fable realized what he planned to do to him.

Prez tells Misaki to handle the deliveries for today. He wants to chat with Kainuma and Fable. Misaki tells the two she received a weird phone call from someone. We return to following Hinako and learn she called Misaki on the phone. Rei enters Hinako’s room and wonders who she called. The two discuss Fable (who they know as Sato along with everyone else in the anime). 

Hinako says Fable gives her confidence. Rei tells Hinako not to disappoint him and plans to perform erotic acts on her. Meanwhile, Prez, Fable, and Kainuma chat about what happened. Kainuma refuses to cooperate with Prez. He asks Prez to let him wash his face off with water. Kainuma washes his face and Prez asks Fable if they should report Kainuma to the police. 

Kainuma flees the area. Fable runs after Kainuma. He notices someone, possibly Suzuki, who has Kainuma in his arms. Suzuki places Kainuma in a car and drives off somewhere. Suzuki tells Rei Fable saw him. Suzuki plans to stop Fable and asks Rei to get him in touch with Isaki. Suzuki meets with Isaki. 

Isaki takes the car and heads off to the mountains. Suzuki plans to murder Fable. Suzuki and Fable see each other. Suzuki refuses to kill Fable because an elderly woman and child walk near them. After those two depart, Fable tells Suzuki to return Kainuma to him and Prez. Fable promises he won’t say anything to the authorities.

He tells Suzuki that he’ll give him and his allies 24 hours, otherwise, they’ll be problems. While Hinako calls Prez, Suzuki calls Isaki. He wants Isaki to ask Kainuma for Fable’s address. Isaki tells Suzuki Fable lives in a house owned by the Maguro Group.

Fable returns to his workplace. Prez gets off the phone with Kainuma’s mother. He tells Fable what he learned about Kainuma from her. Prez chats with Fable about Fable’s combat history, making Fable tense. Fortunately, Prez writes it off like a sad martial artist’s tale and Fable admits to that being the truth behind his combative prowess. Prez also tells Fable that Hinako called him and wanted Fable to speak with her. 

Then, we cut away to Suzuki entering Yoko’s home. Yoko spots Suzuki’s handgun and Suzuki asks Yoko to take a seat. Suzuki interrogates Yoko about Fable. Suzuki now realizes Sato is the real Fable. Yoko gives Suzuki some answers. Suzuki can see the layer of untruth behind her responses. 

Yoko confronts Suzuki about his current demeanor. She performs a maneuver to get Suzuki’s handgun. Isaki returns to the vehicle after using the restroom. He notices Kainuma’s no longer in the car. The episode ends with Isaki panicking.

The Episode Review

This episode proved many Yoko naysayers wrong, including ourselves. While previous episodes portrayed Yoko as a useless drunk, this one shows there’s much to Yoko’s character that meets the eye. It’s too bad we didn’t receive this side of Yoko’s character sooner. Seeing Yoko perform similar actions to Kojima, Sunagawa, or their allies would’ve been spectacular.

Nonetheless, this is a great step in the right direction for Yoko’s character. It shows why Fable Two hired her and wanted her to monitor Fable’s activities. Hopefully, Yoko’s duel with Suzuki will lead to more exciting developments in episode 21. Yoko praise aside, Kainuma finally got what he deserved.

One can’t help but blame Kainuma’s parents for being partially responsible for raising him this way. Regardless, some fans will enjoy seeing Kainuma squirm like the vermin he is. The same can be said for Fable’s impressive and swift knockout tactic used to put the pervert in his place.

Lastly, many folks will adore watching Hinako give Fable and others intel about Rei’s and others’ happenings. Her actions and unfortunate upbringing make her a supporting character worth rooting for. But all in all, The Fable continues delivering the goods with this story arc. I’m anticipating matters will get more intense from here.