天下制覇

Despair is the word of the day.

Impressions:

Well, that answers the question of what Kureha was going to do against two dark gods and Hiiragi. You win this round, Hinano. I’m a little disappointed that Kirihito ended up being every single mysterious shadowy figure, but I’ll survive, especially if it means a Hiiragi and Bell teamup next episode to take on him and Shaimaal. Bell is just such a delightful little imp that I’m going to be sad about her not getting more battle time for awhile. I highly doubt that Kureha is dead too. I can’t imagine Hiiragi would be dragging around a corpse for nothing. I’m sure she’ll come back along with Akari and probably every other random person that they’ve come across during the series to snap Elis out of it. Still, the Kirihito gutstabbing was more than I had expected, so kudos for that. I have to wonder why he didn’t just use it before in any of his other encounters. Apparently there’s no middle ground between "leave a sucking stomach wound" and "obliterate everything in a 20 foot cone in front of you."

Not too much else to say. The final key to unlock Shaimaal was appropriately cheesy for this series, so I’m not really overly surprised there either. The scene at the very start between Yuuichi and Nayuki Hiiragi and Kureha also reminded me of something, but I can’t quite place what. Anzelot lost a few points for being a clueless dunce, but I think she peaked at her amusement value close to the first episode. Once she stopped kidnapping people with crane-mounted limousines, there’s nowhere to go but down. They really did make her seem more inisidious with that early Gazer stuff, but she was just a pawn after all.

Next week it airs on Christmas, so… don’t be surprised at all if I’m also a day late… though knowing my family and their usual afternoon nap-fest, who knows.

It’s Christmas. Young Kureha and Hiiragi talk about Santa Claus. She looks down sadly. Hiiragi tells her to wait and runs off. Much later, he comes running back. She hasn’t moved at all and the snow has piled up on her. He wipes it off and hands her a present, Christmas cake. She’s ecstatic and digs in.

In the present, Kureha levels her crossbow impassively at Elis.

Anzelot and Bell enjoy their tea. Bell makes a snide remark about Anzelot’s hospitality… with the ring of guards surrounding them with their weapons pointed at her. The conversation turns to the great demon lord, Shaimaal. Bell wants the world saved too, there’s no use in destroying it. Lion reads from her book on Shaimaal, saying that the final key to unlocking Shaimaal’s powers is absolute despair.

Kureha tells Hiiragi that as a wizard, he needs to protect the world, isn’t that something he promised. Even so, Hiiragi refuses to believe that Elis’ heart is Shaimaal’s. He believes in her. Kureha thinks that’s not good enough. Elis tries to tell her that she understands how scary she is, but she loves this world and everything in it. Kureha tells him that she’s serious and to draw his weapon.

Kirihito steps in and tells Hiiragi it’s useless to argue with her. Hiiragi finally summons his weapon. Elis starts freaking out that they’re going to fight because of her.

Bell and Anzelot continue talking about Shaimaal. Anzelot angrily tells Bell that things are well in hand, but suddenly thinks about Gazer and realizes something in surprise. Bell wonders how stupid Anzelot could have been. She didn’t know anything and was just being manipulated by someone or something all along.

Kureha and Hiiragi continue staring eachother down. Kirihito eggs Hiiragi on. Hiiragi tells her that she promised to protect Elis too, and then plants his sword in the ground. His weapon wasn’t meant to be turned on companions. Kureha can do as she wants to him.

Kureha looks stunned, and calls him a real idiot, then dispels her weapon too. So much for being serious, she thinks aloud.

She brings up Hiiragi’s secret again, but then tells him not to give him. She walks up to Elis and apologizes to her. She believes in Elis too and wants to find an answer too. Kirihito glares at them.

Anzelot refuses to believe that her attempts to kill Elis would end up triggering Elis to become Shaimaal. Lion thinks that Hiiragi would be the trigger, especially if someone were to… interfere.

Kureha calls somewhere to get some food for them.

Kirihito steps in, saying that won’t do. He walks close to Kureha and stabs her in the stomach. Kureha collapses. Kirihito turns to the others.

Bell continues, telling Anzelot that the one interfering is the boy following Elis… Gazer. Anzelot can’t believe it.

Kirihito wishes Elis a happy birthday, her last. He reveals that he’s the one that would come to see her and have fun with her on it. He wishes her a happy birthday again and summons a white rose.

Long long ago, Kirihito watched over the world. After awhile, he realized its true nature. The world was wasting away, becoming polluted, crowded, tainted. Elis’ reward for her birthday is going to be to cleanse it.

Kirihito confirms again that he’s her benefactor and tosses the rose on Kureha, thinking aloud how much of a waste she was. Hiiragi angrily attacks Kirihito.

Anzelot dismisses her guards. She doesn’t believe Bell. This kind of blasphemy is unbelievable. Bell reminds her of all the times that Kirihito showed up and how he groomed and protected Elis.

Hiiragi’s sword was stopped just inches from Kirihito. Kirihito says that it’s useless to go against a god and blasts Hiiragi away.

Hiiragi gets up, but Kirihito blasts him repeatedly and knocks his sword away. Hiiragi collapses. Kirihito tells Elis that it’s all her fault that Hiiragi and Kureha are like this. Hiiragi tries to get up, but can’t move.

Kirihito keeps egging on Elis, telling her that all of this is her fault. She falls to her knees, remembering everything that she and Kureha were through. Her eyes glow blue and red. Hiiragi calls out to her, but her bracelet snaps off and she ascends, surrounded by Shaimaal’s wings.

Kirihito wishes Shaimaal a happy birthday and orders it to destroy the earth. It begins indiscriminantly attacking all over the place. Hiiragi manages to get up and grab Kureha before they’re both thrown away in one of the attacks.

A guard reports to Anzelot that Shaimaal has come to life and is attacking the planet. The tea party watches the destruction on a monitor. Anzelot still won’t believe that Gazer had anything to do with it. He vowed to protect the world. She storms off. Bell remarks that the final key must have been in place.

Anzelot angrily yells at her stained glass Gazer. She demands an answer. Gazer laughs as the voice changes to Kirihito. He tells her that Kureha and Hiiragi were the final sacrifices to bring Shaimaal into this dirty world. Everything was helped along by Anzelot.

He thanks her for saving the world from itself and now she can rest safely that things are well in hand. The stained glass window fades to blackness as Anzelot calls out to Gazer.

The city is ruined and falling apart. Hiiragi struggles to get up, still carrying Kureha. Shaimaal hovers over his head. He yells up at Elis to stop.

Deep inside Shaimaal, Elis keeps repeating how everything was her fault, suspended by thorned ivy.