Drama CD 1:
I like how Takumi narrates Corrin's return to Hoshido. He gives us some pretty good insight of what he thought at the time. He mentions that he had a hard time remembering Corrin, and the reason is understandable. Considering Corrin was kidnapped at a young age, Takumi was probably very young at the time, so he would only know about Corrin well if Ryoma or Hinoka told him about it. We also see that Takumi acknowledges the truth about Corrin's relationship with Mikoto, a nice touch if you ask me.
And it's nice to see have more Takumi, Oboro, and Hinata interactions. Man I love them as a trio!
It turns out Takumi was initially going to be warm to Corrin; Oboro and Hinata helped him warm up to the idea at first, but the second drama CD talks about the change.
Drama CD 2:
Mikoto and Takumi's conversation was great. Takumi reiterates a very good point as to why he is not super-elated to see his brother compared to the other siblings: "We didn't grow up together." He also has a very human reaction upon learning that Ryoma and Corrin went to exterminate the Faceless without him.
And that conversation between Saizo and Takumi was really good. We learn the reason only Ryoma and Corrin went to kill the Faceless was because Ryoma decided a small elite group would suffice, hence why Takumi, Saizo, and Kagero were left behind. Saizo suggests the reason why Ryoma left Takumi behind was because Ryoma didn't want to expose Takumi to unnecessary danger. Takumi bitterly laughs, knowing that it's a pretty silly reason.
The uploader noted that Yuki Kaji, Takumi's Japanese VA, nailed it with the bitter laugh, and Takumi's bitterness in general. Not surprised. Yuki Kaji is a damn good voice actor, and I remember how well he voiced Eren in Attack on Titan, another character who displayed bitterness pretty often.
Getting back to the subject, Takumi knows Saizo is saying that just to comfort him. He also knows Saizo was listening on his conversation with Mikoto, so he asks him why. Saizo explains that he is suspicious to Corrin, and he listened in on the conversation because he wanted to hear everyone's disposition on the matter.
Saizo then expands on why he thinks Corrin is suspicious once the two are in a private location. This is worth copy and pasting the conversation word from word, because it was the biggest highlight of the two CDs.
Saizo: I recently came across Corrin at the Bottomless Canyon. He was with a man named Hans, and attacked us. When I moved in with my soldiers, the Nohrian royalty appeared. He addressed them as his siblings. Thinking he was one of them, I attacked, and the Nohrian royalty protected him.
Takumi: Is that true?
Saizo: Yes. I don't think it was an act, nor that it was an illusion. He aided the Nohrian royalty, killed Hoshidan soldiers... If he was truly Nohr's prisoner, why was he so close with their royalty?
Takumi: Indeed.
Saizo: I decided that there is no way I can trust that guy.
Takumi: No, it's not just you. After hearing your story, I think so as well.
^Ladies and gentleman, this conversation right here is why Takumi acted the way he did in Birthright Chapter 5, and it was all thanks to Saizo.
But this conversation made me like Saizo even more than I previously did. It perfectly links back to his C-support with Corrin. Saizo is one of the few characters in Fates that doesn't kiss Corrin's feet from the get go, and when Corrin asks Saizo if the reason he's spying on him was because Ryoma told him to, Saizo responds, "This has nothing to do with Lord Ryoma. I'm doing it on my own initiative."
Indeed, Ryoma was happy and trusted Corrin the moment he came back to Hoshido, but Saizo wasn't. He noticed how Corrin was part of the small Nohrian force that attacked the fort at the Bottomless Canyon, and he noticed how close Corrin was to his Nohrian siblings. He even states this bold point: "If he was truly Nohr's prisoner, why was he so close with their royalty?"
These are perfectly legit reasons to distrust Corrin from the get-go; after hearing it, Takumi's actions toward Corrin in Chapter 5 are perfectly justified.
Ryoma didn't seem to be aware about what happened at the Bottomless Canyon then, so that's why he was happy about Corrin's return rather than be suspicious. Saizo didn't want to tell him the news right away because he didn't "want to disturb Lord Ryoma and Queen Mikoto's happiness." Obviously, it's clear that Saizo cares about Ryoma so much that he doesn't want to hurt his feelings, yet it also makes you wonder what would've happened if Saizo told many people about that right away. Still, Saizo's actions and suspicions are some of the main reasons why he's my favorite of the three ninjas character-wise. The two CDs also made me appreciate Takumi even more than I previously did.
