Summary:

Though Stein is having more flashes of madness, he tells Shinigami-sama not to worry about his health. Shinigami-sama has summoned him today to talk about how Arachnophobia has discovered the location of one of Eibon’s tools called BREW. Shinigami-sama foresees a big battle and urges Stein to get the students trained up to handle it. Stein thus takes the class out to practice, but before the lesson begins, Black*Star does some private training where he attempts to understand the other existence inside of Tsubaki. This leads him to an encounter with a giant beast who asks him about seeking power, and Black*Star answers that it’s so that he can surpass God. The beast, however, sees Black*Star more as an ogre. After waking back up from this vision, Black*Star joins Maka and Kid to practice their team soul resonance. Explaining the situation to them, a very serious Stein warns them that if they don’t pass, then they’ll be removed from his class. Maka feels the need to tell Black*Star in particular to do this properly, but he insists that he always does. Despite this, the trio fails multiple times, and Maka gets frustrated because it’s Black*Star each time that she and Kid can’t seem to link up with. She starts arguing with him, but Kid steps in between them, and Stein decides to give them a break to cool down.

Stein himself is going through another episode of madness when Maka comes to talk with him and brings him out of it. Maka wants him to remove Black*Star from the team, but Stein points out that she’s the one who’s quitting the team. When she tries to make the case against Black*Star, Stein questions if she wants to limit Black*Star’s power and makes the point that Black*Star is their team’s best attacker. He thinks that she has misunderstood the soul resonance link and urges her to feel the essence of it more. However, when Maka returns to the others, Black*Star accuses her of tattling to Stein and being selfish. This infuriates Maka, and she tries to punch him, but he just flips her on her back. She gets back up and tries to punch him again, and this time, he lets her hit him and questions afterward if she’s satisfied. He warns her that any further and it’d be a duel, and he’s ready to crush her. Unable to face him, Maka curses at the top of her lungs and runs off in tears. Tsubaki goes after her and finds her staring into the distance at the edge of the forest. Since Maka is still pissed off at Black*Star, Tsubaki relates how Black*Star studies before tests, yet still gets zeros. Opening up a bit, Maka feels that she can never match her soul wavelength to Black*Star’s, but Tsubaki points out that Maka and Black*Star have always gotten along and that friends can have times where they don’t understand each other.

Remembering what Stein told her, Maka realizes what she had been missing and returns to the team. Along the way, she admits to Tsubaki that she had sometimes been jealous of Black*Star and has wanted to become strong like he is. She apologizes to him when she gets back, and he appears not to hold a grudge as the group resumes their training. The next time they try the team soul resonance, they succeed. Maka now knows that there’s no need to forcibly understand each other – they just need to recognize each other’s senses and believe in each other. Observing from nearby, Stein gives the group a passing grade and notes that their leader is Maka. Later that night as they’re heading home, Maka lets Black*Star hit her to make up for how she hit him earlier. He ends up smacking her hard, and though bruised, Maka laughs afterward. Meanwhile, over at Arachnophobia’s base, Mosquito and Giriko tell an army of men that BREW is Arachne’s, and they rallies everyone for war against Shibusen.

Preview

Well I enjoyed the Stein madness stuff – this scene was very cool in a creepy way – but the conflict between Maka and Black*Star felt rather petty (Maka’s attitude in particular and how easily she came around). You’d think that this far into the story, we’d be past the friendship/camaraderie building phase between the three main characters and would instead focus on more interesting things like their relationship with Crona or the development of new characters or what Medusa’s up to. On the plus side, it looks like Shibusen is now going to all-out war with Arachnophobia, and maybe this exercise has taught Maka, Kid, and Black*Star some double or triple techs. Next week fortunately looks a lot more exciting with what appears to be a large-scale battle.

59 Comments

  1. wow looks like soul eater is moving along really fast. Next week Maka and co. vs vampire dude.

    I wonder if Maka will be able to control the black blood, and have crazy fighting abilities

    GStrike-
  2. If you read the Manga, then Soul will help the shibusen using his black blood with a piano concert. In the Manga, Soul is the only weapon that does not get naked like other weapons. The same goes with Justin Law.

    shook ones
  3. @ brooklyn character development 🙂 she’s already shown that she can get stronger and move against adversities. just wait for the story to progress.

    yay for more awesome fight scenes. anime does an awesome job of making them epic

    wallyrus
  4. Shook ones: You are so disrespectful don´t spoil!!! I and so many people that is watching the series don´t read the manga so shut up! and don´t say spoilers!!!! I hate people who don´t keep quiet and tells you the final of the movie or the plot twists!
    by the way great blog! and I love the series!!! 😀

    James
  5. Maka is pathetic… sure, she’ll get stronger…just like how I’ll get older with each passing day. But I certainly don’t expect my life and myself to be turned into a protoganist in a fast-paced, action-laden series.

    Currently, she’s got nothing against Black Star and Death The Kid. Black Star’s got the stamina, skills, and expertise; whereas Kid has the experience. What does Maka have? Her fight with Chrona was the least impressive, she got frozen by pesky spider webs, and now she’s bad-mouthing her team mates when she can’t even win a fist fight? And this is *THE* Maka who’s got the black-blooded Soul.

    Maka and Soul may end up stronger later in the series… sure… and how much of it will actually be *her* contribution? So she’s got the brains, you say? I can see her being replaced by Kid any day. Perhaps the only thing that she’s got (that the others dont) is composure, which is as interesting as watching grass grow. Actually, that’s an unfair statement. Watching grass grow is definitely much better (action: battling insects, weeds, horror: with the lawn mower, with the occasional fanservice when a hot chick in a miniskirt walks by) than watching Maka develop her composure… if that really is the direction of this series for her chara-levelup.

    Phew, that’s a lot of venting and ranting. In case you haven’t noticed, that’s my opinion. You’re definitely welcome to have your own…well… you might, if you try really really hard.

    Sshole
  6. “Maka is pathetic… sure, she’ll get stronger…just like how I’ll get older with each passing day. But I certainly don’t expect my life and myself to be turned into a protoganist in a fast-paced, action-laden series.”

    Got no idea what your talking about here.

    “Currently, she’s got nothing against Black Star and Death The Kid. Black Star’s got the stamina, skills, and expertise;”

    Not really especially when he’s failed every mission, but one.

    “whereas Kid has the experience.”

    She got 99 soul before he did, so huh?

    “What does Maka have? Her fight with Chrona was the least impressive, she got frozen by pesky spider webs, and now she’s bad-mouthing her team mates when she can’t even win a fist fight?”

    LOL! and B*S got himself knockout at Free fight and had crap beaten out by Stein. Maka couldn’t beat Chrona, due black blood, and those Spider Webs came from 800 year old poweful Witch, how the hell would B*S had done better? Also she was completely right about B*S, what does her having to win a fight with him got anything to do with that?

    “And this is *THE* Maka who’s got the black-blooded Soul.”

    Maka doesn’t have “Black Blood” that’s Soul.

    “Maka and Soul may end up stronger later in the series… sure… and how much of it will actually be *her* contribution?”

    Every bit?

    “So she’s got the brains, you say? I can see her being replaced by Kid any day.”

    No you can’t and if want do things that way Kid could easily replace B*S, so what’s your point?

    “Perhaps the only thing that she’s got (that the others dont) is composure, which is as interesting as watching grass grow.”

    It better than acting like raging idiot and charging at an enemy even through you will get you asskicked.

    “Actually, that’s an unfair statement. Watching grass grow is definitely much better (action: battling insects, weeds, horror: with the lawn mower, with the occasional fanservice when a hot chick in a miniskirt walks by) than watching Maka develop her composure…”

    No idea what you talking about here anyway. How does one develop your compsure? Why would Maka do that?

    “if that really is the direction of this series for her chara-levelup.”

    This a Shounen, she gets powerups like everyone else.

    “Phew, that’s a lot of venting and ranting. In case you haven’t noticed, that’s my opinion. You’re definitely welcome to have your own…well… you might, if you try really really hard.”

    Just because it’s an “opinion” doesn’t it isn’t crap.

    Iron Maw
  7. I think the point Sshole was trying to make is that Maka isn’t all that exciting of a character to watch (which is kind of true) compared to Black*Star or Kid (who’s already a shinigami by the sole fact that he’s the son of Death). But, i think it’s more important to look at Maka’s character-plot and Soul’s character-plot (which IS interesting) as one. Plus, there are a lot of characters, i didn’t think much of the Egg-head guy when he was first introduced, but he has a pretty good story contribution too.

    Pikow
  8. Maka and Soul ARE the main pairing of the show, you can’t really change that so stop whining. As for those mad against Maka, Let me tell you about how She is the only one who can see souls in the main trio, and how she defeated insanity itself, how shes the only one in the team who has this “anti demon/insanity soul wavelength” and how she was the first in her team to power up on her own. Blackstar has the true masamune which is technically tsubaki’s on most part. Kid has brew which he needed to power up. Maka unlocked demon hunter on her own part with a little encouragement from soul.

    On the side note, OLI SHEET did divine just post up there?

    Crazyguy
  9. omg…. what do u mean petty??… do u kno what that meant???… it means that black star is being affected by the insanity… because of his clan, and his father and what not… a main character being affected by the spreading contagious madness is AWESOME!

    tykillase
  10. I believe Maka will get stronger with time, just like everyone. You’re a fool if you think she’s weak just because she couldn’t efficiently punch Black Star, who has the upperhand there. That doesn’t mean she can’t wield a weapon as well or better than he can.

    I do agree that Maka is kinda boring to watch. I really like her character though; I can’t bring myself to hate her or put her down when there’s nothing to put down really.

    KCdusky
  11. @ Kdcusb: I disagree with your second statement. Maka more interesting IMO because there she isn’t like Shounen leads unlike B*S. While he does have his moments I dislike stand his self-absorded personality in where everything is all about him and no else. Tsubaki can do much better than him and she deserves a medal putting up with him.

    @Excalibur: there’s nothing mature about B*S, he’s character is suppose to be complete opposite of that.

    Dragoon
  12. HahahahahahahaaHAHAHA!!! to those who thought I was a Maka hater… LOL! It’s called trolling. 😛 Was wondering how easy it is to bait people in, even though people have always been saying “leave the trolls alone”. Thought someone would’ve noticed when they tried to reply to @Sshole (… which I kinda am, for posting :D:D).

    In any case, I do stand by my words that Maka has the best composure compared to the rest. Kid goes into his obsessive compulsive disorder very easily, while Black*Star goes rushing into a battle without ever thinking. Maka’s probably the only one who never go into such frenzy and is always in control.

    As for Maka being the least interesting character… perhaps for some people, but I actually enjoyed her fight with Chrona more than the whole Kishin thing. Plus, there’s something about her voice that makes her my favourite, compared to Kid (can’t stop thinking of Tamaki) and B*S .

    Well, that was fun. Glad to see so many Maka supporters! Look forward to my next bait.

    Sshole
  13. wow Maka isn,t strong that is just an understatement, Maka got pissed at Black star because from the moment he got in touch with them at the training yes he is strong but come on don,t look down on others look at his fight with mifune he was so weak but at school he thinks he is something. he said he wants to surpass God what a stupid reason to want to become stronger.

    Riise Rickett
  14. Izaak – So I guess not many people know about Demon Hunter?

    Well,
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Serpit
  15. @KonaKona4: Death the Kid can also sense souls.. (to whoever said only Maka could>,<)

    Kid may be able to but I’m sure he’s not good as Maka. If you remember in EP12 when 2 witches (who tried to fight with Medusa) released their soul protected. At that time Maka and her group have a party in her place, included Kid, However, only Maka be able to sense the witch soul that was in the other side of town. In the end, only Stein and Maka reached that place. So, my opinion, Maka sense of soul is kind of special in range and detail.

    KanikawaO

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *