Anime Hajime Impressions: Shadowverse – Episodes 41 to 48

Episode 41 – Kazuki’s Great Escape!

Summary

Kazuki Shindo enjoys himself as he works in his family’s restaurant. He gleefully welcomes an arriving customer, the young girl. She tells Shindo to awaken and transports him to a palace courtyard.

Before Shindo can make sense of where he is, the palace’s guards capture and toss him into the dungeons, where he meets a witch named Isabelle.

For reasons, Isabella has keys to Shindo’s cell but not her own. In return for releasing him, Shindo searches for a way to free Isabelle. After multiple near-death/comedic encounters, he unchains the witch, who then teleports the two of them to the outside.

From there, a swordswoman, Erika, and a group of guards surround the two prisoners. Isabelle teleports Shindo to safety, but almost immediately, he runs into Erika. The two then engage in a Shadowverse battle.

Note: I am sorry I’m about to do this.

The same pattern played out for Hiro Ryugasaki, Mimori Amamiya, and Alice Kurobane, and I have no reason to suspect it will be any different for Kai Ijuin, Lucia Yonazuki, and Mauro Abelard. Therefore, I’m just going to copy and paste the events of the following encounter:

• The champion battles.
• The opponent is strong.
• The champion looks like they will lose.
• The champion turns the match around.
• The champion remembers their mission.
• The opponent turns out to be the champion’s legendary card.

And thus, Shindo becomes the fourth champion to awaken.

Quick Thoughts

I mean, this show is terrible; I realized that a long time ago. Still, seeing this padding BS when we are so close to the end is extremely irritating.

Why must the champions re-prove their worthiness to wield the legendary cards? Haven’t we already done this? Wasn’t that the whole point of getting to the Tree of Woe?

By episode twelve, I could have told you Shadowverse was too damn long. And yet, this show has insisted on beating a dead horse. Let’s end this already.

Unfortunately – for me – we still have seven episodes to go. Thus, I sincerely apologize if my annoyance leaks into the rest of this post.

Episode 42 – Kai and the Forbidden Magic

Summary

Kai Ijuin basks in the light of being a genius among geniuses. After a particularly gratifying day, Ijuin meets the young girl who tells him to awaken. Next, Ijuin wakes up in an unknown lab.

Just then, a squad of palace guards runs up to the building Ijuin is in and sets it on fire. In a panic, Ijuin runs outside, right into the guards, who demand he give up the witch’s location. Having no idea what the guards are talking about, Ijuin is at a loss of what to do.

At that moment, the so-called witch appears and rescues Ijuin. Back at her hideout, the witch reveals herself to be Isabelle, the person Kazuki Shindo freed from the palace dungeon. And it seems her intentions were always devious.

Isabelle attempts to sacrifice Ijuin for a spell. Luckily, Ijuin’s Shadowverse deck reacts and blocks the magic. And sure enough:

• The champion battles.
• The opponent is strong.
• The champion looks like they will lose.
• The champion turns the match around.
• The champion remembers their mission.
• The opponent turns out to be the champion’s legendary card.

And thus, Ijuin becomes the fifth champion to awaken.

Episode 43 – Mauro’s Wish, a Longing that Cannot Be

Summary

Mauro Abelard wakes up in the dream he has always had. For the first time, his benefactor, Leon Aureche, treats him like a true son. However, Abelard already knows none of this is real.

When the young girl comes to awaken him, she sees Abelard is already set to go. Nevertheless, he must defeat the corrupted priestess.

The young girl transports Abelard to an empty chapel. There he meets the priestess Eris Anthule. Since he already has a full grasp of the situation, Abelard and Anthule waste no time beginning their match. As such:

• The opponent is strong.
• The champion looks like they will lose.
• The champion turns the match around.
• The champion remembers their mission.
• The opponent turns out to be the champion’s legendary card.

And thus, Abelard becomes the sixth champion to awaken.

Episode 44 – Lucia and the Undead King

Summary

Standing beside his happy and healthy little sister, Shiori, Lucia Yonazuki finally has the life he has long sought. However, he knows it is only a dream. Therefore, when the young girl comes to bring him to his trial, Yonazuki, with a heavy heart, follows.

Yonazuki arrives at the throne room of the Lord of Bloodcraft, Uria Foremonde. Knowing he must win for Shiori’s sake, Yonazuki prepares himself to fight. And as you already know:

• The champion battles.
• The opponent is strong.
• The champion looks like they will lose.
• The champion turns the match around.
• The champion remembers their mission.
• The opponent turns out to be the champion’s legendary card.

And thus, Yonazuki becomes the seventh and final champion to awaken.

Episode 45 – Castle in the Sky

Summary

With all the champions awakened, they meet at the base of the tower that will lead them to their final challenge – the Castle in the Sky.

Upon stepping inside, the Empty Shadows that guard the tower attack. Hiro Ryugasaki climbs the stairs while the other six champions defend his rear.

Reaching the top, Hiro once again comes face to face with his father, Eiji Ryugasaki. What transpires is a damn near re-creation of the two’s battle from episode 35. However, the despair Eiji brought onto his son then is nothing compared to now.

Sitting at a single hit point, his father with more than max health, and his trusty Ignis Dragon and legendary card defeated, is there anything Hiro can do to turn the fight around?

Well, if this were an actual match, the answer would be, “No way in hell.” But this is the Shadowverse anime, so something stupid will surely come along to give Hiro the edge he needs.

Episode 46 – Ruler of the World

Summary

*What did I tell you?*

With defeat imminent, Hiro Ryugasaki nearly bows down to his father’s overwhelming power. However, right as he is about to give up, Hiro’s legendary card, Rowen Dragespear, gives him the encouragement he needs.

Hiro’s legendary card then unlocks new powers that allow him to completely turn the match around. In a devastating (utterly broken) attack, Hiro defeats his father. Seeing his son’s strength, Eiji Ryugasaki entrusts the fate of the world to him.

With the battle over, Hiro arrives at the door to his final opponent – Nexus. Inside, he runs into the young girl who reveals herself to be (shock) the heart of his mother, Asagi Ryugasaki. But before Hiro can save his mother from her imprisonment, Leon Aureche steps forward.

In triumph, Aureche admits everything that has happened up to this point – literally, absolutely f-ing everything – was in accordance with his plan. He then absorbs Nexus and Asagi into his body, thus becoming a supreme god.

Knowing what he must do, Hiro challenges Aureche to a Shadowverse battle. However, Hiro’s opponent is unlike any he has ever faced, and the odds of him winning are incredibly (hmmm) unlikely.

Episode 47 – Time of Evolution

Summary

At the bottom of the tower, Hiro Ryugasaki’s friends struggle with the neverending hoards of Empty Shadows. To even the odds, the legendary cards grant their champions new powers.

Meanwhile, Leon Aureche continues to taunt Ryugasaki. As the match drags on, our hero’s rage builds and builds, nearly consuming him. Then, when he goes to play his Ignis Dragon card, it doesn’t want to activate. In a moment of clarity, Ryugasaki realizes he has forgotten what is truly important to him – he loves Shadowverse.

With new resolve, Ryugasaki plays his legendary card, and it looks like Aureche is on the ropes. However, not all is what it seems.

Aureche activates his most devastating card  – Calamity Mode. This move transforms his entire deck into the utterly devastating Calamity Deck.

Even though Ryugasaki makes a valiant effort, it is clear that he alone cannot defeat Aureche. But when all seems hopeless, Ryugasaki’s friends arrive at his side.

With the seven champions together, they combine their legendary cards into the world-saving game-changer, the Ultimate Legendary Dragon.

Episode 48 – Battle! Shadowverse!

Summary

The seven champions unleash the full power of the Ultimate Legendary Dragon and defeat Leon Aureche once and for all.

With the battle over, the world resets to what it was before the calamity.

Many months pass, and it is again time for the Shadowverse National Tournament. Having reached the final round, Hiro Ryugasaki and Lucia Yonazuki face each other as friends.

Having gone through so much, the two players look forward to a future where they will grow stronger together.