This should have been predictable already. After all, Tougen Anki is just a new-gen Shonen. But honestly, I couldn’t quite expect Shiki’s comeback in Episode 10, which is a sign of good storytelling. Plus, a lot else got revealed.
We’re slowly starting to understand the power system in the series. The actual secrets of Shiki’s bloodline and how he’s connected to the legendary oni Kishin came to light. But at the same time, it felt like all this info was shoved in our faces just to give Shiki a chance to stand out.
The episode wasn’t half bad, but it also leaned heavily on cliché Shonen tropes. Still, if you drop the critic’s lens and watch it either as someone’s first anime or just as a modern Shonen fan, it was a pretty hype episode. Though the other incidents, like what happened with Kougasaki, Kuina, and others, weren’t shown for even a single second.
Now I Understand What Makes Shiki So Special
In the previous Tougen Anki episode, it was already revealed that Shiki is the child of Kishin, the great Oni general. However, what they did not tell us is that Shiki isn’t Kishin’s only child. Being the influential general that he was, he slept with multiple women, and so many in the Oni race now carry Kishin’s blood.
But the twist was that not all of Kishin’s children have his powers imbued in them. Only eight in each generation can wield his power, which is further divided into eight elemental attributes: Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, Wind, Ice, Darkness, and Light.
Apparently, Shiki received the Fire element, which he can control through his blood. This makes him even more powerful, since fire is generally seen as a symbol of raw destructive force. With this newly awakened power, Shiki turned the fight’s tide in his favor, though Tsubakiri was still giving him enough of a challenge.
But then, something even more Shonen-esque happened!
Who Could’ve Guessed Tsubakiri Would Be Defeated Already?
Episode 10 started with a quick glance at the Momotaro Agency, where Samidare, the first Momotaro who attempted to kill Shiki, made his reappearance. There was also another gorgeous girl and a punk Momotaro, making it clear that the Momotaros are a strong force to reckon with.
Most of them really act like villains, which they are in the series, but in this episode, their corrupted ideologies stood out even more. That gave us all the reason to support the Onis, as we stood by Shiki along with Mei.
Just when it seemed certain that Shiki was either going to die or be taken hostage, Mei’s desperate, screaming prayer gave him the power boost he so needed. You could call it the stereotypical “power of friendship” moment, but why not embrace that once in a while?
Even though Tsubakiri was attempting his ultimate attack, he had to meet his end against Shiki’s awakened Kishin powers. However, as the story moves forward, doesn’t it feel like the Onis are becoming a little too overpowered? Especially now that the elemental abilities have been revealed, just how strong will the Momotaros have to be to keep up?
Tougen Anki is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
