Blood+ / First Impressions

Summary:
In the distant past, Saya and Hagi were sitting on a train when she asked him if he still remembered the incident that happened at the zoo, and whether all these things were caused by her blood. She had thought that Chiropteran like her and Diva weren’t supposed to exist at the first place. Saya had also asked Hagi to promise her something after everything ended between her and Diva. In the present, Solomon is in the state of depression, wondering how he’s supposed to live without Saya. Nathan appears and asks him if he was dumped by Saya, and also if he wanted to see Diva’s kids. Nearby Saya’s apartment, the neighborhood children are playing soccer. While watching them, Saya apologizes to Hagi for all the wounds and painful memories that he had to endure for her. Hagi responds by holding her hand and telling her that he exists for her, and so she should just do what she wants to. Saya reassures him that she only wants to defeat Diva and to fulfill the promise that they had made back then. Regardless of whether she or Diva falls first, it is going to happen soon. Saya apologizes to Hagi again and holds his hand tight, only to be seen by Mao from the balcony upstairs as she waters the flowers. Kai enters the apartment during this, and Mao comments to him that his rival is too strong. Kai doesn’t know what she means, so she brushes off the topic by asking him if he had confessed his love to Saya yet. Stunned by the sudden question, Kai asks her why she’s talking about this since this is not the time to be thinking of such things. Sighing at helpless Kai, Mao asks him to help her go outside to buy some stuff.
Upon leaving the apartment, Kai sees Saya and Hagi holding hands at the doorstep. After letting go, Saya greets Kai and Kai quickly says that he is on an errand for Mao. As Kai leaves, Hagi and Saya prepare to enter the apartment. Mao bursts open the door and asks where Kai is. She requests that Saya catch up to him and run the errand with him, giving her a list of feminine stuff that Kai can’t help her buy and also asking Saya to get the money from her purse, which is held by Kai. As for Hagi, Mao wants him to do her a favor, effectively stopping him from following Saya. Hagi is hesitant, but Saya says that it’s alright because Kai is there with her. She catches up with him in the subway and tells him that Mao asked her to accompany him to go shopping. After looking at the list of things that Saya has to buy for Mao, Kai has no choice but to take her along after all. During their conversation, Saya suddenly feels dizzy and starts to fall towards the tracks right as a train is incoming. Fortunately, Kai catches her hand. Meanwhile, at the apartment, Hagi is replacing light bulbs while Mao directs him and Lulu cheers him on. In the other room, Julia and David are holding hands, with Julia telling David that he should have rest quietly for another week. David says that he’s already alright, causing Lewis to joke that David is the David who can’t die and that compared to a hospital’s bed, a military camp’s sleeping bag suits him more. Joel, who is also present, is still concerned of David’s health, but David says that he feels more tired lying in a hospital’s bed. Hearing that, Julia feels somewhat relieved, after all she can’t do anything about it.
The conversation is interrupted when Okamura finds something shocking being reported live on the TV. Apparently there was a Chiropteran attack at Brooklyn the night before, which is regarded by the media as people infected by SZN (Sudden Zoanthropy Necrobacillosis?). They had been dealt with by the dispatch of Corpse Corps from the New York Police to restore order at the area. The media reports that the government is currently researching into causes of SZN and announces that SZN is not a contagious disease. It had also been decided that the Corpse Corps would be responsible for dealing with patients of SZN in the future. Upon hearing this, David stands up and says that this could have been Diva’s side’s motive from the beginning. At the White House, the officials are having a discussion with Van Argeno about how this country needs a good enemy, since with enemies the citizens would unite, and thus America would remain as an ideal country. Van Argeno asks if it means that fear and illusion is what America is made of, and the officials respond by telling him that he wouldn’t understand since he is from France. To them, the Chiropterans are their ideal enemies – something that only they can produce and a threat to all mankind that only they can defeat. Van adds that the Chiropterans are products of Cinq Flèches. The officials also mention that across the world, especially in poor areas, the supply coverage of Cinq Fleches food aid has been increasing tremendously; the people who have been consuming such food aid would have the possibility of turning into Chiropteran. Van says that with the need of the Corpse Corps, which are only available in America, not only does America get to gain control within its own country, but also all across the globe. This would mean that the whole world would have to bow down to America for the help of the Corpse Corps, making America the most powerful country in the world. This is a perfect plan accomplished with devilish wisdom.
Back at the apartment, David is convinced that this is a well thought plan, with Lewis calling it a great plan of starting the fire oneself and extinguishing it oneself as well. Joel then asks Julia for the chance of people getting infected from the latest data, only to find that 3% of the globe’s population is taking the food aid, out of which 1/10,000 would naturally contract SZN. In short, out of the world’s population of 6.03 billion people, there would be roughly 20,000 people with the potential of turning into Chiropterans, according to Okamura. Lewis thinks that all these might not happen all at the same time, but Julia tells him that they shouldn’t be too optimistic. The key problem could be Diva’s singing. At that time, Diva is out singing in the woods to her twin, cocoon-wrapped babies. Solomon appears with Nathan to see Diva and the next generation of queens. Diva tells him that Amschel helped her give birth to her babies by surgery. Since the next generation has already been born, Nathan tells Solomon that there shouldn’t be any reason for him to fight anymore. However, Solomon claims to have already given his heart to Saya. Nathan thinks Solomon should be more matured in dealing this, but Solomon apologizes and rushes towards Diva, putting his blade at Diva’s neck and telling her to die. During all this, Mao, Lulu and Hagi have been working on the chores around the apartment. After Mao has Hagi and Lulu clean the bathroom, she wonders how things went for Kai and Saya.
Those two are actually at a basketball court watching two kids play catch. That scene actually reminds Kai of himself and Riku. He then asks Saya if she wants to rest for a while, and so they headed to the park. There, Kai apologizes to Saya for the harsh things that he said to her when Riku was attacked by Diva at the zoo. He claims that on that day his head was filled with thoughts about Riku, and so he said all sorts of harsh things even when Saya was in just as much despair as he was. Saya thinks that Riku is still in Kai’s memories, though Kai says that it’s not only Riku, but also their father, Irene, Moses, Karman, and all of their comrades – people whom he’ll never forget. Saya vows also never to forget them, but above all that there’s something else that she must never forget: the promise that she made a long time ago. This gets Kai wondering what she is talking about, and he tells her that they should live on up until the end. Saya then holds his hand and tells him that she would never let him die – she would definitely protect him. She feels that Kai is too caring for her and that he should have taken more care for himself since he wounds can’t heal like hers can. She cheers Kai up by saying ‘nankurunaisa’, and then drags him to continue shopping for Mao. The two spend the rest of the day together shopping for dress, eating hot dogs on the bridge, and watching a juggling clown. At a locksmith, Kai finds out that Saya likes pink, so he orders a pink key duplicate. Meanwhile, at Nathan’s place, Nathan sighs at the mess that both Diva and Solomon caused from the fight. Diva goes back inside the house after asking Nathan to clean up before Amschel comes back, leaving Solomon lying motionless on the grass in a pool of his own blood.
At Red Shield’s apartment, Mao walks by the living room where Julia is asking everyone if they know what Synchronicity means. David then asks if it’s meant by the theory that Carl Gustav Jung pointed out. After Lewis jokes about ordering a grape pudding to slowly absorb this theory, they resume talking about the details of how such theory would be applied on the cases of SZN. From Julia’s research, no one turned into Chiropteran when Diva’s song was broadcasted. It was only during her concert, singing in front of everyone, that people who took the candy at the scene turned into Chiropterans. In short, the trigger for people who consumed the candy bar and having D-base inside their body could have been a synchronicity of having heard of both Diva’s singing voice as well as having looked at her. From Julia’s calculations, the chances of these people turning into Chiropterans would be nearing 100% – in short, one of every 30 people. This alarms everyone as Diva’s side is scheduling a satellite video broadcast of her singing all across the globe. Upon hearing this, Mao exclaims that this is a serious matter. Okamura agrees by saying that at this rate, within 4 or 5 minutes 200 million people would become Chiropterans. Mao thinks that Saya can’t just take them all on alone, and asks if there’s any way they can help stopping this from happening.
By this time, Kai and Saya are riding on a sky lift enjoying New York bathed under sunset. Saya wishes that this beautiful scenery would remain like this forever. Kai reminds her about his wish to return to Okinawa to continue their father’s business, and then gives her the pink key – a duplicate of the Omoro’s (the name of the place) key. He wants to create a new Omoro together with her. Upon hearing this, Saya turns around as her eyes start watering up. At the apartment, Mao asks everyone if they have already had a plan in mind. David says that the best way to stop Chiropterans from increasing is for Saya to defeat Diva. Mao thinks that Saya is not a machine and that she can get tired and fall. If Saya finds out that the situation became this serious, then things would be unbearable. Hagi then appears and reassures that Saya would fight. Even if she’s the only one left, she will not give up on defeating Diva. He also says that Saya wants to end everything this time. It seems that way back then on the train, Hagi was shocked when Saya asked him to promise to kill her with his own hands after everything ended. He had hugged her and swore to it. Until the end of time, he would protect her. And then, if she wished for death, he would use his very own hands to deprive her of tomorrow. After hearing that, Saya broke into tears. Back in the present, tears are again flowing down Saya’s face, causing Kai to ask if he troubled her. Saya is actually very happy, and wonders if tomorrow would be a clear day. Kai thinks it will be.

Preview:

This is quite an emotional episode, showing part of Saya’s past as well as her oath with Hagi to end her own life after Diva is defeated. The whole episode has a plentiful amount of Hagi x Saya and Kai x Saya, but somehow it seems that the story is heading to a direction with either one not getting what they promised and hoped for.

Diva’s delivery of her babies seems to be earlier than I thought, and it was delivered through surgery by Amschel. Chances are that the babies might not make it to be old enough to pose a threat to Saya, from the number of episodes left and also Saya nearing her hibernation. Nevertheless, we’ll never know.

More to fasten your seatbelt on the next episode, Solomon survives!

Note from Omni: This entry was actually written as a sample write-up by Kenn1911. I cleaned it up a bit, but most of what’s written is his work. I will personally still be doing future episodes write-ups for Blood+ – it’s just that on this occasion I didn’t have the time to do it. Kenn1911 is actually signing onto the team to write up Inukami!, but I really appreciate him doing this entry.
As for how I personally felt about this episode, I’m also a bit surprised that Diva’s babies have arrived (in cocoon form) already. I still think that this episode and the series in general is still way too KaiXSaya. But at least now we know that the promise between Hagi and Saya was indeed for him to kill her, which many people had suspected it would be (other people had thought it was marriage). I also do have to say that the eye-catch this week was really cool, so I included a screencap of it.

51 Comments

  3. LOL… looks like saya will end up being with kai .. and haji from reading previous comments will die in one of the coming episodes.. well if this happens, i reckon this anime sucks..

    angel
    Reply

  10. You know……considering all the shit that Saya has had to endure over the years…….she deserves some kind of happiness at the end.

    And thanks for the summary Kenn19111!!!!! and Welcome back Omni!!

    Katya
    Reply

  16. Thanks so much!
    Blood+ is hte summary I wait for the most.
    Must be tough for Mao to encourage the guy she loves to confess to another girl!
    Diva and her babies scare me though! Saya being near hibernation and all, how will she be able to fight and win over her? Would that launch us a Blood+ 2 or do you think all will be solved by the last 56th episode?
    My absolute favourite is HagixSaya but I guess it will never happen! What happens to a Chevalier whose queen died? Does he also die or he just leaves on forever?
    Poor Solomon. What’s going to happen to him?

    Abby
    Reply

  17. I have a very strange feeling that Diva and Saya might be able to reconcile and live together in the end from the ending song where they’re both shown together, and because it seems more and more that Amshel will be the final boss of the story. His primary interest still seems to be satisfying his own thirst for research and discovery, while hiding behind a facade of loyalty for Diva.

    Is it me or is that hand extending out to Saya in the opening Kai’s? It seems to show Kai’s blue shirt sleeve under his white coat in that shot. It could be my imagination.

    The proposed ending right now of Saya killing Diva and suiciding, while nobody gets what they want is too bleak and depressing.

    Carl
    Reply

  22. ya carl, I’m starting to think that too, I dunno maybe because they havent really fought each other in like 6 episodes or something lol. But Divia is crazy so Amshel may kill her anytime since Divia no longer has any use to him. How will he do that mind u? Simple really when Divia and Saya fight somehow to a standstill Amshel gets saya’s sword in the middle of the fight with Hagi and Stabs Divia with it. Then runs off, leaving Saya at Divia’s side and her being pissed off because she didnt kill Divia.. So Divia tells Saya shes sorry for everything shes done and she did it because she was jealous of her and Hagi. She then asks Saya to take care of her babys and to kill Amshel. Oh btw all of Divia’s Chelvders are dead at this point but Amshel. Anyway like I said no matter what I dont think Saya will end up killing Divia. Saya says shes going to kill Divia in basicly every episode. She says Divia touse=kill so many damn times it has lost meaning lol. I should download all the blood+ episodes once its done and clip together everytime Saya said. Diva touse… lol

    chaosdemon06
    Reply

  23. Carl: You’re not alone. Yup, I think that’s Kai’s hand right there with his blue shirt and white coat! Noooo! I’ve been thinking it was Hagi’s hand for SUCH A LONG TIME! And I’m a HagiXSaya fan so right there the possibility of KaiXSaya got stronger like 120%! Hagi and Saya have been together for so long that just can’t be right! Oh my god now I’m praying they won’t kill Hagi… they probably will or else Saya would probably die, but still… I mean, he most likely would die in the very very end since all of the chiropterans won’t be dead unless they wipe out all the chevaliers and queens, but really… It would be TOO DEPRESSING if the last fight went like this… Diva is about to kill Saya and is about to stab Saya with her sword that has her blood but then Hagi is stabbed instead trying to defend Saya and then Saya stabs Diva and kills her… So Saya only survives. NOOOOOOOOOO!!

    yuker
    Reply

  27. I for one am loving kaixsaya, I’ve really taken a liking to his character over the course of the series (I started out hating him I think) and I find all their little moments relly sweet and heartwarming, like that scene by the lake when he carried her back.

    Mike
    Reply

  28. it’s not like i hate kai… i think he’s a great character, except that, you know, I see him as saya’s family, you know… but i bet SAYA sees HAGI more like a family since they’ve been together for a long time… BUT I STILL AM FOR SAYA X HAGI!! so episodes 29, 43, etc. are some of my favorite episodes! i thought this episode was good, too… it was so sad… i cried so much… since the anime series seems to be going with kaixsaya, i might as well go with the manga by asuka katsura… now THAT has a lot of sayaxhagi (=w=)

    yuker
    Reply

  29. This series has become way too anti-American and pro KaiXSaya.
    Does anyone actually like this pairing?
    The whole thing is rushed and underdeveloped. Didn’t he say she would always be his beloved little sister not too long ago?
    If she doesn’t live on with Hagi then Solomon is the next best option. And Kai is human so I don’t see how they make sense together.
    I resent the fact that they are dealing with the issue in a very ambivalent underhanded way.
    It very “yes, we’re going there but not really going there.”
    I’m happy that through Kai, perhaps Saya is finding a reason to say yes to life, a happy life, surrounded by friends and family that love her.

    Christy
    Reply

  31. If anyone remembers in the original movie “Blood the Last Vampire” the David character repeately says that Saya is the “last remaining original” Also the manga “Blood 2002” shows the exact same picture of Saya’s mother like in the series and repeats the theme of her being the last remaining pure original. I know the movie and the series are 2 different universes but its quite possible that when everything has been completed, Hagi, Solomon and all the chevaliers will end up dead with just Saya left alive to kill off any remaining Chiropterans just like in the movie. By the way I love this story and have been following it for the last 6 years.

    josantia
    Reply

  32. where the hell is there a tram like that in Manhattan? Oh yeah, there isn’t one!

    other than that …. good, shocking episode. And this makes me sure that Kai will be the lone survivor of the three kids to make it back to Okinawa alive …he has too many memories to keep alive …

    and the babies are born! Bets on when they will hatch, anyone?

    Lexiefaye
    Reply

  35. sorry for double posting but that guy that all the the reporters were trying to talk to on the live brodcast looks a lot like amschel and remember he can change forms or whatever. just a thought

    hillary
    Reply

  36. in the movie david says *as far as we know* she’s the last remaining original. also, the movie takes place in the 1960s – 1970s, around the time of the vietnam war. the series takes place in present day and at least some time after the gulf war.

    n00b
    Reply

  37. it also occurred to me that if solomon can act against diva’s interests, then probably so can any of the chevaliers. one thing that keeps bothering me is why saya is so damn slow and weak. why can’t she do the teleportation movement like the schiff / sif, the chevaliers, or diva? if she needs an army to take down a chevalier, how does she expect to kill diva? and diva could probably take down hagi pretty easily with her blood, so he couldn’t do the hold-down-the-enemy-and-wait-10-minutes-for-saya-to-get-there strategy. instead of going shopping with kai, she needs to do some serious training and strategizing or something. by standards of fighting ability, solomon had at least a 50-fold better chance of killing diva than saya does. at this point saya’s best chance of killing diva is to get close to diva and use an antipersonnel mine to carry her blood on shrapnel which would pierce into diva’s skin.

    n00b
    Reply

  41. I know im way late, but Ive just finished watching the sub version of Blood+ online. Maybe I’m alone on this, but I definitely felt that Kai was a better match for Saya. Haji reminded me too much of the other Chavaliers, only protecting their “mother” because of the blood within them. Kai wanted to protect Saya because of real feelings. I’m tiered of the quiet, stoic, male leads. Kai was a lot more three dimensional and actually showed character growth and development. This episode really made me think that they would end up together. =*(

    …stupid Haji, I liked him better when he was a kid. at least he had a personality then.

    krystle
    Reply

  46. Kai isn’t a sibling to Saya. Think about it, she’s (spoilers, I guess) Show Spoiler ▼

    So, long and short, no, Saya isn’t related to Kai.

    Susan
    Reply

  48. Late, yosh. But I felt the need to say this, and call me weird if you want, but I actually like Kai and Saya as a pairing. xD Saya and Hagi doesn’t really interest me, but I like them too, I just like Saya and Kai better, I’m always one to like what people may call “strange” pairings. xD But I love Kai.

    Hinny
    Reply

  50. well, I just ruined the ending of one of my favorite t.v series.
    brillient, curse my impateints.then again who can auctually watch
    the series with out getting impateint.I mean honestly with the way
    they broke up the episodes ,absolutly irritating.curse those producers
    them and there horrid producing.yet the series still being so brillient
    you keeps watching.

    viola
    Reply

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