Anime Hajime Impressions: Shadowverse – Episodes 25 to 32

Episode 25 – Seven Hopes

Summary

Vestiges of Hiro Ryugasaki’s parents, Eiji and Asagi, send the forces of the Tree of Woe out to devour the world.

Elsewhere, Ryugasaki and the other six champions see, to their horror, their home in ruins. The Tree of Woe has taken over, and many have been possessed by beings known as Empty Shadows. It is the champions’ job to hunt down the seven legendary Shadowverse cards within seven ancient ruins around the city.

The team begins their mission, and Ryugasaki immediately runs into an Empty-Shadow-possessed Takuma Kibakura.

The only way to free Kibakura, and the other Empty Shadow puppets, is to defeat them in a Shadowverse battle. However, unlike the VR experiences they have always know, these fights are far more dangerous.

Should the champions lose, they too will become possessed by the Empty Shadows.

Kibakura nearly brings Ryugasaki to the brink. But in his usual fashion, Ryugasaki turns things around and manages to break Kibakura’s possession.

Quick Thoughts

So, this series has taken a turn. I will happily admit, I did not expect Shadowverse to become a let’s-save-the-world type of anime. Or, at least, I had assumed the champions would be fighting to prevent the Tree of Woe from enacting its plan.

Nope, this show went whole-hog.

Will this mean Shadowverse will make up for what has happened so far? That isn’t easy to guess at this point. Unfortunately, the actual Shadowverse battles, especially with Ryugasaki, have yet to turn more exciting. Although the cost of losing is much greater, I don’t see Ryugasaki going down.

However, I will make one prediction. If one of the champions were to succumb to the Empty Shadows, it is going to be Lucia Yonazuki. After all, we need to have our big rematch between the two rivals.

Episode 26 – Grab the Legend

Summary

As the champions continue to struggle, Hiro Ryugasaki frees hoard after hoard of Empty Shadow possessed people. Eventually, he comes across one of the ancient ruins. There he runs into a possessed Shiro Kiriyama and one of the seven legendary cards.

Unluck the other possessed people, Kiriyama claims he welcomed this new power and vows to defeat Ryugasaki.

Meanwhile, Kai Ijuin and Alice Kurobane cross paths and find their way to the now ruined Shadowverse Stadium. There they come across another group of Empty Shadows.

Back at the Ryugasaki/Kiriyama match, Kiriyama has Ryugasaki on the ropes. Our hero is having trouble deciding what his next move should be. Then, from the legendary card, Ryugasaki hears a voice call out to him. It asks if Ryugasaki desires power to win.

Ryugasaki steels himself and proclaims his victory over Kiriyama.

Episode 27 – The Ultimate Dragon

Summary

Shiro Kiriyama is on the verge of bringing Hiro Ryugasaki to his knees. If he takes one more hit, Ryugasaki will lose. However, to his nature, Ryugasaki refuses to give up. This determination unlocks a tremendous new power.

The legendary card deems Ryugasaki worthy of claiming ownership over it. So, with an overwhelming attack, Ryugasaki defeats Kiriyama with the great Infiniflame Dragon card.

Elsewhere, Kai Ijuin and Alice Kurobane finish up their ordeal at the Shadowverse Stadium. Then, without warning, a swarm of Kurobane’s possessed fans carries to idol off. Knowing what his mission is, Ijuin continues to one of the ancient ruins.

Likewise, the fans bring Kurobane to her own ruin. Upon entering, she finds the next legendary card and a new opponent, Vivienne Joubert, one of Kurobane’s rivals from the Shadow Grand Prix.

Across the city, Ijuin faces his own challenge. He, too, has eyes on a legendary card, but standing in his way is the other Joubert sister, Vanessa.

Episode 28 – Overlapping Answers!

Summary

Kai Ijuin and Alice Kurobane continue their battles against the Joubert sisters, but things are not going well. The Jouberts appear to be insurmountable, and both effectively challenge Ijuin and Kurobane’s outlook on the world.

Fortunately, while working together in the Shadowverse Stadium, Ijuin and Kurobane left an impression on the other. Their words gave one another to face what they are lacking. This resolve allowed the two champions to obtain and activate their two legendary cards.

Despite the Jouberts’ advantages, the legendary cards successfully put Ijuin and Kurobane on top. They manage to win their battles and meet up. The two acknowledge the help the other gave them, and an Ijuin/Kurobane friendship forms.

Meanwhile, Lucia Yonazuki finds his way to his sister, Shiori’s, hospital. She is not there, so Yonazuki can only hope she had been evacuated. However, he hears a voice calling to him that sounds an awful lot like Shiori.

Quick Thoughts

Here is a quick rundown of where everything stands at this point.

Of the seven champions, five have successfully obtained a legendary card:

• Hiro Ryugasaki
• Lucia Yonazuki
• Kai Ijuin
• Alice Kurobane
• Mauro Abelard (he’s been around but has done nothing of note to be worth a mention)

Now, of the five that have obtained cards, only three have successfully activated them:

• Hiro Ryugasaki
• Kai Ijuin
• Alice Kurobane

Lucia Yonazuki and Mauro Abelard’s cards have not yet deemed them worthy. I have no idea what the other two champions, Mimori Amamiya and Kazuki Shindo, have been doing.

Episode 29 – Proof That I Am Me

Summary

Lucia Yonazuki is at his sister, Shiori’s, hospital. Shiori’s bed is empty, but Yonazuki hears a voice that leads him to the roof. There he finds his sister possessed by an Empty Shadow.

The ensuing Shadowverse match proves to be extremely difficult for Yonazuki. Finally, he must confront all that he and his sister have been through. Likewise, Shiori confesses the frustration she has felt towards her brother and how the power of the Tree of Woe has finally given her a chance to feel alive.

As the battle continues, Yonazuki realizes that what his rival, Hiro Ryugasaki, has been trying to tell him is true. Shiori has only ever wanted her brother to be happy, and him forcing himself to not be has been torture to watch.

At long last, Yonazuki openly admits that he has always loved Shadowverse. This admission allows him to obtain the power of his legendary card, Doomlord of the Abyss.

Yonazuki defeats Shiori, freeing her from the Empty Shadow’s hold. The two siblings swear to grow from this experience.

Across town, Mimori Amamiya has found her ancient temple. Waiting within the legendary card room is a possessed Seiya Kibakura.

Episode 30 – Resolve and Courage

Summary

While racing to help Kazuki Shindo and Mimori Amamiya, Hiro Ryugasaki runs into a freed Takuma Kibakura. Knowing he can’t assist his two friends at once, Ryugasaki asks Takuma if he can go to Amamiya’s aid.

Elsewhere, Shindo finally arrives at his temple. Standing in his way are Zou and Kou, his previous opponents from the Shadow Grand Prix. They challenge Shindo to a 2v1 battle.

At Amamiya’s match, she is having trouble against a memory-less Seiya Kibakura, who gleefully points out how the legendary card has not reacted to Amamiya’s presence.

With Amamiya on the verge of defeat, Takuma arrives, determined to surpass his older brother finally. However, the possessed Seiya doesn’t recognize Takuma and mercilessly continues his assault. Fortunately, Takuma draws a long-forgotten card from his deck, a card his brother had given him.

Realizing they will need to work together, Amamiya and Takuma, once former enemies, join forces to take down and free Seiya.

Episode 31 – Hero’s Blade

Summary

Mimori Amamiya contemplates the possessed Seiya Kibakura’s words, about how saving the world would also mean saving all the bad people. Amamiya concedes that there are many things wrong with human nature. Still, she will protect them as well and trust in humanity. Her resolve resonates with the legendary card and deems her worthy.

With this new power on their side, Amamiya and Takuma Kibakura finally defeat Seiya.

Meanwhile, Kazuki Shindo is having a difficult time against the combined onslaught of Zou and Kou. Fortunately, Hiro Ryugaskai shows up and turns the fight into a tag battle.

However, Zou and Kou appear unstoppable and look down on those who they consider weak. This does not sit well with Shindo, and he counters by reaffirming his love for Shadowverse, no matter if he wins or loses. This declaration triggers his own legendary card, and he and Ryugasaki turn the fight around.

Now that all seven legendary cards are in the champions’ hands, they must use their power to seal away the Tree of Woe. Except, they can only do that if all the legendaries have been ACTIVATED.

Episode 32 – Footsteps of Hope

Summary

The champions have collected all the legendary cards, and now they must seal away the Tree of Woe. However, Mauro Abelard finds Lucia Yonazuki and challenges him to a battle.

For some reason, Abelard is against pursuing the mission. Using the words Hiro Ryugasaki used on him, Yonazuki tries to understand Abelard is coming from, but to no avail.

Ryugasaki arrives on the scene and is shocked to see Abelard fighting Yonazuki.

The match appears to be going in Yonazuki’s favor when Abelard draws his legendary card. Unfortunately, the card has yet to accepts its new owner. Finally, Abelard reveals the crucial key to the mission the other champions had not been told. To seal the Tree of Woe, they will need a sacrifice, and Abelard is to be that sacrifice.

At first, Abelard assumed that was his role in life. Except, as the end has come close, Abelard realized another part of himself. He wants to live.

With little he can do, Yonazuki delivers what should be a finishing blow. But at that exact time, Abelard’s legendary card finally accepts him. Although Yonazuki’s attack brings Abelard’s hit points to zero, the match does not. Instead, Abelard’s legendary activates and revives him.

Now, the battle is firmly in Abelard’s favor, and he unleashes a death blow upon Yonazuki. Then, right before the attack can hit, the Tree of Woe activates. Dozens of Empty Shadows appear and surround Abelard. One by one, Abelard is overcome by Empty Shadows, and the Tree of Woe has put the champions on the defensive.