天下制覇

Is it Elis? Elis is a cute widdle demon overlord!

Impressions:

I really love the direction they’re going here as we approach the end. The triangle of power splits again with Anzelot’s forces and her still-mysterious god Gazer as well as Kureha, Akari and Nightmare on one side, Bell and her throwaway grunts on the other, and Hiiragi, Elis, and Kirihito making up side number three. Add in Elis’ old man/uncle/whatever who could easily be on any of the three sides, or hell… may just be some random megalomaniac out to eat Shaimaal’s power (or probably just a human form of Shaimaal out to regain his power) and the show’s plot actually got pretty interesting. There are a lot of good directions they can take this, and I hope they don’t blow it.

Elis’ little bitching out of Kirihito was also delightful. It was only one short line, but Ui Miyazaki (Elis’ VA… yes I had to look that up) really did a great job in the delivery there. Maybe it’s just because Elis usually sounds like she’s somewhat high on dopamine, but that little tantrum struck all the right chords for me. Sorry for the lateness. It was something of an adventure tracking this down in a non-Nico Video format. I finally got Sage to hook me up, though it did cost me my power of attorney and seven healthy camels. Not to mention that I am up waaaay past my bedtime. It seems like it was only a month ago that I didn’t have things to do at 7am and could stay up until 2 in the morning. Oooookay. Cutting this off because I’m clearly losing my mind.

By the way… did this remind anybody else of Dio Brando? Or am I just going crazy?

Still in orbit around Saturn, Elis sits in her room alone, trying to make sense of what happens. She silently cries out for her uncle to save her.

The fleet limps away from the battlefield while Anzelot summarizes what happened. She demands a situation report from her underlings. The destruction was extensive, but Nightmare and a fair number of the others are still alive. The Emulators retreated though.

Hiiragi, Kureha and Akari interrupt and storm in. He demands an answer from Anzelot about the power that they unlocked in Elis. Anzelot passively sits. She finally answers that her assumptions about the bracelet and its relation to Bell were wrong. Hiiragi demands to know what it is then. Anzelot says that Elis is the great demon lord, Shaimaal.

Bell and Lion are having their own discussion about Shaimaal, the enemy of the world. Apparently Lion’s book isn’t enough to predict Shaimaal. All she knows is that Shaimaal will throw the world into despair and darkness.

Back to Anzelot, she says more or less the same thing. Shaimaal is the destroyer of worlds, ruiner of things, etc etc. Hiiragi says that Anzelot is wrong, Elis is not Shaimaal. Anzelot cuts him off and basically says that it’s unmistakeable and only a matter of time before Shaimaal’s true power takes over Elis. She says that it needs to be stopped before that can happen.

Hiiragi and Kureha can’t believe what Anzelot is suggesting, though Akari says that the bracelet is the root cause. Spoilsport Anzelot rejects that and says that it’s not where the true power of Shaimaal lies. He demands to discuss this with Elis, but Anzelot won’t allow that either. It’s too big for Elis to be able to handle. She lays down the law for them and walks out.

Bell and Lion discuss what Anzelot will do with Elis. Bell’s confident that whatever happens between Anzelot and Shaimaal will work out to her advantage.

Hiiragi fumes while Kureha patches his wounds. Akari munches on a snack. Kureha heals him with a seal and sadly wonders if Anzelot might be right.

There’s no way Hiiragi is giving up so easily and reminds Kureha that he told Elis that he’d save her after all.

Anzelot’s ship castle submerges. She’s in front of Gazer once again, but he’s not answering her pleas for help. Suddenly, his voice rings out, telling her to act for the sake of the world. She bows and thanks her lord.

Nightmare and a ton of guards arrive at Elis’ room. She gets up happily, but they’re all scowls.

She asks them what the matter is and Nightmare addresses her as the demon lord Shaimaal before putting her to sleep. The guards prepare to execute her.

As they charge their weapons, Elis’ eyes open, colored blood red. She calls out for her light and her bracelet changes to its shields and blasts the guards away. Elis regains herself and surveys the destruction. She recoils in fear and runs out of the room.

Other guards give chase, calling her Shaimaal as well. Anzelot orders the pursuit to continue and to let nothing stop them from executing her.

Hiiragi and the others hear the alarm and the overhear soldiers talking about attacking Shaimaal.

Elis runs through the hallways, still not understanding why people are calling her Shaimaal. Soldiers attack her again and knock her out. This time, Kirihito appears from the wreckage and easily deflects their attacks. Elis wakes up to see him standing over her.

Hiiragi angrily demands to know what the hell Anzelot thinks she’s doing. She curtly responds that it’s for the world’s sake.

Hiiragi won’t accept that, but Anzelot tells him that there’s no other way. Hiiragi tells her that he’ll save Anzelot. Kureha tries to talk him out of it, saying she wants to save Elis too, but Shaimaal may be too dangerous for that. Hiiragi takes her hand and tells her that no matter what, he’s going to Elis before running off.

Anzelot tells Kureha and Akari that she has a request for them and asks them to answer ‘hai’ or ‘yes.’ Kureha realizes what it’ll be with a gasp.

Kirihito and Elis run through the castle together. Elis says "I am…" and Kirihito finishes her sentence by telling her that she’s the demon lord Shaimaal… but that’s not all she is. More guards appear to block their path, but Hiiragi leaps in and punches them all out. He approaches Kirihito and Elis, but Kirihito tells him to stay back. If he tries to save her, Hiiragi will be killed. Hiiragi says that he’s not afraid of Anzelot or anything.

Kirihito starts going on about how terrible of a person Hiiragi is, following Anzelot’s orders like and a dog and betraying everything he believes in, but Elis cuts him off with a hard slap. Kirihito wipes the blood from his lip and says it’s fine as Elis stammers out an apology.

Hiiragi tries to ask who Kirihito really is, but Kirihito says that he’s the same as Hiiragi, someone who used to follow Anzelot, but wants to save the world in his own way. He will protect Elis as well. Kirihito then pissily pushes past Hiiragi and onward.

Elis hesitates, wondering if she really is Shaimaal and thinking perhaps that Hiiragi is doing the wrong thing. He grabs her shoulders and asks her if she wants to destroy the world. She immediately responds negatively, so he tells her that she’s done nothing wrong. She starts crying and the three continue running.

Anzelot’s group tracks them. She gets a view of Kirihito and recognizes him.

The three reach a vehicle bay, but can’t get things going. Kirihito waves Hiiragi over and then has him stop. A trap door beneath him opens up and Hiiragi plummets towards the Earth. Kirihito and Elis follow on one of the rocket brooms.

Back in the city, Hiiragi lies dazed in an alleyway. Kirihito taunts him a bit, so Hiiragi angrily summons his sword and attacks. Kirihito easily catches it between two fingers and then tosses it backwards before telling Hiiragi that they need to get moving or Anzelot will catch them. Elis looks around and they head to her apartment.

Once there, Hiiragi takes off the bandages and Elis sadly looks at her birthday note. She realizes that they can’t stay here, but still cherishes all the memories she had here with the others. She tearfully asks Hiiragi what she’s supposed to do now. He suggests that they ask her uncle. Kirihito agrees that there’s probably something to be found if they try to meet with him.

The three head out into the night, but only get a short distance before looking up at the crescent moon and seeing Anzelot’s forces heading straight for them. Kirihito tells them to leave it to him. Anzelot’s forces open fire on Kirhito as Hiiragi and Elis run off. Akari stands on a building nearby watching the fight.