10 Second Anime - Blade and Soul - Episode 12

Blade and Soul - Episode 12

In the final confrontation, Aruka convinces Jin Varrel to live. Aruka learns to live too, following her way of the sword.

Heh.

So that's where all the great animation went...

I think I saw that scene with Gargante and Yu Lan way back in 1983, except it was Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine falling to their supposed deaths.

Aruka finally paid that traveling merchant for her shawl. Only took her 10 episodes...

You know, Jin Varrel and Aruka came a long way in their character development. Could you ever imagine them making faces like these when you first saw them?

Look at how soft their eyes are, instead of the dead focus of battle or disinterested stare during regular conversation. Aruka's smile at the end of the episode was particularly captivating.

Yu Lan, what a catch. Throw her off a cliff, and she just needs to stretch her neck a little after rematerializing.

Geh.

Now that was a long battle between all those capable woman, and Dan Loan. I kid, I kid, she's capable enough.

Hazuki lost all her guns from being sliced through, Elle had her fan destroyed, and Dan Loan had her sword knocked away. It all came down to Aruka and Jin Varrel, though.

Hmm.

Now we know that the Palam Empire can create these revived dolls with the Impurity that Yu Lan wields, but the reviving process is not perfect, and sometimes too much of the personality comes back and causes problems with obedience. It's nice that Yu Lan can just kill them and start over...

We also know that the Sword Clan was exterminated because one of their members could be born with the butterfly mark that Aruka had and kill permanently any of the Impurity dolls the Palam Empire produced. This is why Jin Varrel was so fixated on Aruka at the end when she revived with her full personality. She wanted to die for real, and only Aruka could kill her.

I'm not sure what happens with Aruka's power now. The Palam Empire thinks she's no longer a threat because the butterfly mark disappeared. What that disappearance meant is up for interpretation too. Did it disappear because Aruka banished the Impurity in Jin Varrel? With it's disappearance, does that mean Aruka has no more spiritual power, or did she gain more control of it? I guess a sequel to the game will answer those questions.

This was actually the last episode for the story, but next time will be some extra fan service type episode where we'll see our favorite characters do the things they do at some island location. What I would like to see is each of the girls, but especially Aruka, get her own CG fan dance scene. Come on Gonzo, make it happen!