Hyakka Ryouran’s penultimate episode should have been exciting, but there were some issues that held it back. First of all, am I really supposed to forgive a guy for kidnapping his French sweetheart, stripping her down and genetically altering her because it’s “tough at the top?” Nia’s affection for him is admirable, but considering the amount of physical and mental trauma she’s endured by Yoshihiko’s hands, it’s also baffling. Battered Samurai Syndrome, as it were. A brief detour into his past couldn’t make up for the fact that Yoshihiko is just a dull villain.
As for the events of the episode itself; Gisen is wreaking havoc, starting the Amakusa resurrection ritual. Rather than do anything to stop her, everyone at Yoshihiko’s lab just talks for a long time, then fight each other instead of the threat to the country. We’ll have to keep an eye on Jubei too, as the next time Muneakira kisses her, her innocent non-master-samural mode self will vanish and the pact will be complete. The art is still pretty, but this series’s weaknesses are starting to overshadow its strengths at a crucial time. Rating: 2.5