Episode 6 of "Oooku" delves deeper into the concept of gender roles in a world where an epidemic has drastically reduced the male population, pushing women into positions traditionally held by men.

In this episode, the narrative perspective shifts from Chie to Shizuku. While Shizuku appears to outwardly adapt to her newly defined social role, she secretly grapples with the complexities brought on by the circumstances forced upon her.

The narrative consistently expands its scope to include the lives of ordinary people. It shows that the struggle with identity and societal norms is not just a burden for the elite. The introduction of the new character Sutezo emphasizes this perspective.

The episode also showcases a variety of coping mechanisms employed by the different characters in response to societal pressure. Chie cleverly carves out spaces where she can maintain her self-identity amidst societal constraints. In contrast, Shizuku seems to relinquish her identity to some extent but retains fragments of her true self. Kasuga, on the other hand, directly challenges societal norms and rewrites the rules to suit her goals.

In a compelling twist, women are expected to conform to established male norms despite their rise into traditionally male roles. This hints at the lingering influence of the patriarchy and underscores how deeply societal norms can remain entrenched even in times of dramatic demographic change.