「待ち望んだ最悪」 (Machinozonda Saiaku)
“High Hopes for the Worst Case”

If there’s one thing to say about Engage Kiss right now as it enters its climax is that it’s certainly committed to proving predictions right. While this was invariably a given considering the show’s setup and how these stories usually go, the lack of major surprises right now (yes, even this isn’t all too surprising) is both a tad disappointing and suspenseful. Could some serious twist happen within the next three weeks which breaks from convention? Probably not – but what if it does?

Right out the gate this week the grand reveal is that Shuu’s sister is – lo and behold – confirmed alive and setting up to be, possibly, the penultimate boss fight. Asmodeus is still waiting in the wings as some ethereal being awaiting a return to physical form, but the only question here is exactly what form she/he/it takes during the upcoming showdown. Will little sister simply be the conduit for Asmodeus to reappear and achieve the goal of harmonious peace and prosperity for humanity and demonkind (read: forced assimilation), or will Asmodeus come back into being by using the sister as a vessel for acting on the mortal plane? The answer to this will determine how Engage Kiss intends on ending, because while the former guarantees some sort of happy ending, the latter most certainly does not. After all, far easier to extract and destroy an unwanted presence external to the body compared to one making it its home.

The other key piece of the puzzle relates to Shuu and – also anticipated – his determination to go all-in for saving a sister he’s this close to actually forgetting. Although I’m still inclined to treat Shuu as a victim given his circumstances, the rate at which he’s sacrificing everyone around him for a past he’ll never reclaim is increasingly grating. Kisara is one thing, but what about Ayano? Hell what about even Sharon? The kid has entered the positive feedback route our little totally still a nun warned about last week where the more memories are sacrificed the more he starts losing seemingly unrelated (yet still connected) parts of himself. It’s enough to even raise the prospect that Shuu’s actions right now are a consequence of this, because without any understanding of just what he’s lost the ease of sacrificing what’s left becomes a stronger and more tantalizing prospect since it has no bearing on his current state of mind. It makes the upcoming decision for Kisara all the more important (and agonizing), because without Shuu’s memories she may not get the powerup needed to survive the fight – but winning the battle may entail leaving the kid without any reason to keep on living.

We’ll just have to see which decision all parties involved finally settle on.

 

Preview

3 Comments

  1. notes to myself:

    Asmodeus thru the ages collage:
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2007.jpg

    She really has been around…
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2015.jpg

    government was not in league with Asmodeus, but tried to cover things up so ruthlessly that turning Military contractors on Ayano (and own sister!) was not beyond Mikhail’s modus operandi
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2023.jpg

    Speaking of Linfa, shes best friend Ayano didnt deserve:
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2025.jpg

    If you are going for the Ripley doctrine, go for real nukes not kill-sats
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2034.jpg

    preferrably high megaton yield – thats the only way to be sure

    now the million dollars question is:
    does Shu even remember his own sister now? the very person whose saving led him on his quest?
    https://randomc.net/image/Engage%20Kiss/Engage%20Kiss%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2042.jpg

    ewok40k
  2. Still have doubts that Shuu’s sister is still alive. The body is still intact, but those pleas for help in the previous episodes gives room for doubt. Shuu himself is practically dying. He’s having voluntary dementia in pursuit of something. That something may end up as just something. It’s really sad seeing Ayano realise that Shuu is practically disappearing, being replaced with nothing more but an obsession with Kisara. Something the Shuu she fell in love with never had.

    On a lighter note, is that censorship at the start? What was Sharon (not) wearing? So cruel and possibly more effective in getting BD sales than strange light beams and mystical mist. XD

    theirs
  3. > Will little sister simply be the conduit for
    > Asmodeus to reappear and achieve the goal of
    > harmonious peace and prosperity for humanity
    > and demonkind (read: forced assimilation)

    Maybe I am mistaken but I took harmonious peace and prosperity for both sides as Shuu #2 would lead the Demons. I mean what’s the point to Asmodeus’s effort if that thing has to be behind the wheel and drive Shuu’s sister like a car.

    > Shuu and – also anticipated – his determination
    > to go all-in for saving a sister he’s this close to
    > actually forgetting.

    Maybe forgetting is best, Shuu is so hell bent on saving his sister that he is pushing everyone else aside. Hell, Miles is gone and was in service to Asmodeus while raising Shuu.

    Renasayers

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