November 1868, the Shinsengumi arrive at Sendai. Sannan and the Rasetsu should already be there, but they’ve heard nothing. Vice Admiral of the Bakufu navy, Enomoto Takeaki visits Hijikata. The situation at Sendai is unknown as the head of the clan has ignored requests for an audience with Enomoto, but he does know of a strange people that murders people outside of the castle and enter and exit as they wish. Hijikata says he’ll deal with the murders and asks Enomoto to continue requesting an audience with the head of the Sendai clan.
Hijikata later states that if it is Sannan who’s committing the murders then he’ll kill him.
As Chizuru hangs up some sheets, Heisuke comes by. It seems that Sannan might’ve joined the new government army as he’s constantly having meetings with Koudou inside the castle. Koudou casually walks by with his Rasetsu and greets them. He wants Chizuru back to restore the Yukimura clan’s glory. But when Chizuru refuses he blames the Shinsengumi for poisoning her mind and orders his Rasetsu to attack.
The sun weakens Heisuke and Koudou sneaks behind Chizuru to drug her and carry her away.
Chizuru wakes up in a room in Sendai castle alone with Koudou. He tells her that he wants her to lead the clan as the last member of the family. But she wants him to give it up so as to not hurt more people. She tells him she was proud when she knew he was saving lives as a doctor. But Sannan then makes his appearance who admits that in order to continue his research he allied with Koudou. When Chizuru asks if he’s betrayed the Shinsengumi, he doesn’t answer. At this point Heisuku and Hijikata appear.
Sannan then explains everything. It seems the Sendai clan and other northern clans want to avoid war. Koudou wasn’t happy with the New Government Army so Sannan joined him in his goal to build an Oni kingdom where the Rasetsu could live in. Sannan then infiltrated the castle and took control.
Rasetsu then rush into the room and Koudou asks Chizuru again to lead the Yukimura family and Sannan asks Hijikata if he would lead the Rasetsu against the New Government Army. Both refuse. Sannan draws his sword. But attacks the Rasetsu! It seems he was an ally after all. ‘To deceive the enemy you must first deceive your allies’.
Sannan declares that even after improving the medicine he still can’t stop the vampiric impulses or the life consumption, so he must put an end to this.
Three Rasetsu appear from behind Koudou, Chizuru stands in front to protect him, but he gets stabbed as he protects Chizuru when they attacked. He tells Chizuru to live how she believes she should and then passes away.
Heisuke, Sannan and Hijikata finish off the Rasetsu and as they’re about to leave Sannan and Heisuke collapse having reached their limit. The bid their farewells and turn to dust.
The Rasetsu oppression in the castle is lifted, however the Sendai clan still doesn’t wish to fight. Only their artillery unit join the Shinsengumi’s cause. The Bakufu army catches up, and they prepare to leave for Ezo to make a new country there.
Hijikata tells Chizuru to stay put and live on to find her own future. And with that, everyone else leaves leaving Chizuru behind.
Wait what?! They actually left Chizuru behind? I can’t believe this is happening. Why didn’t she put up a fight about this? I can’t believe how harsh that Hijikata is, I mean sure he means well, but doesn’t he realise by now that Chizuru’s spent so long with the Shinsengumi she wants to follow them to the end. And another thing, Chizuru has no one left now apart from the Shinsengumi, her dad just died for flip sake, what does she do when Kazama comes back? Hijikata just left her to die, not live, this is the stupidest thing he’s ever done. That said, I think Chizuru will find her way there somehow and meet up. I don’t know how, maybe by another boat, but I trust Chizuru won’t stay quiet for long.
Anyone can tell this series is ending soon. Two more main characters die, Sannan and Heisuke. I thought Heisuke looked healthy enough to survive, maybe the fight to get to Chizuru took a lot out of him, and I guess Sannan’s death was sooner rather than later. Only Hijikata remains. Very depressing, though for some reason Heisuke and Sannan’s death didn’t seem as sad as the others. Probably because they didn’t make that much of a deal. They fought, collapsed and died on the battlefield. It’s the way they would’ve wanted to go, so I can safely say they’ll rest in peace.
No one likes a gloater, but I was right! Koudou isn’t dead, well he is now, but he didn’t die in the river. Although I have to say, that was the most anti-climactical reunion I’ve ever seen. Out of the ones which I expected to be dramatic anyway. I mean, Koudou just casually strolled by and said hi, what annoys me about it is that they made him seem dead so where was the drama of him actually being alive, albeit most of us could probably guess that he was still alive but still. Very disappointed, and the way he died was too predictable, I saw that coming a mile away. If he was going to have a ‘good’ death, it would be protecting Chizuru, so yeah, Koudou didn’t meet my expectations in the end. It was as though he didn’t even matter and he was the main focus of the story at one point.
I still don’t believe Shiranui and Harada are dead. Harada maybe as he was bleeding badly, but why’d Shiranui disappear? Makes no sense, he’ll easily live, did he go off on his own or something? I don’t get it, he can’t just disappear. I want a proper explanation, this feels like the producers are being lazy.
Speaking of people who’ve disappeared, I’m still wondering what’s happened to Osen and Kimigiku. Maybe they’ll make their appearance again and help Chizuru out? I hope so, the series should start tying up loose ends, and soon!
Quite the turn of events, I’m not sure what to expect next. Maybe old characters will return and offer Chizuru a way to get to Ezo. I’d like that. The Rasetsu are all gone now, and here I was thinking they were supposed to have fast regeneration and can only be killed by silver, there’s another thing that doesn’t make sense. I want all, if not, most of my queries answered as I’ve noticed so many things that doesn’t seem right. So, let’s see where the story takes us next, will it stay with Chizuru or follow Hijikata to Ezo, or both?
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December 12, 2010 at 6:28 pm
angela
I honestly don’t think Saito died however, I mean you can assume, I did at a point, but than I also read about his history, and he actually survives longer than the entire group.
I think if they made the series longer/spread it out more, they could do a lot more with it…but since there’s just so much to do in so little time, they had to cut stuff out to keep the focus on the final battle, and killing off characters to make that focus better (even though they die anyway).
I’m kind of glad heisuke is gone, in a way….I dunno, he just seemed to get in the way XD. Sannan I like better now than I have during the whole show–and now he’s dead? LOL, don’t you hate when that happens, I kind of wanted him to die off before.
Anyway….my prediction is since the Oni exist (and Kazama for that), Hijikata won’t die the way he does in his records, because there is too much fictional intervention here, and we can easily stop his death…Kazama won’t let Hijikata die unless it’s by his hands…..well, at least that’s a bit relieving! …you know..for now.
Hope it’s a happy ending, even after all the tragedy. I love how Hijikata breaks down, he’s so emotional deep down inside, and he’s not afraid to share it with Chizuru-in the end, she’s the only one he can turn to, and that whole blood thing kind of gives them this mutual connection where he needs her around him as his shield against himself-they protect one another in their own ways :)–
December 12, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Lucretia
Yeah, I looked into the history a little too, which was why I was surprised that Saitou charged making it seem like he died when history dictates he survived, then again, I’m treating the anime as a stand alone atm.
I agree, a longer series would be good, but I remember back in season one nothing happened in quite a few episodes, using the episodes effectively would be something they could’ve done instead of everyone suddenly dying off like this.
I liked Heisuke, I like energetic people, to contrast with my laziness ^^. And yeah I know what you mean, when you start to like someone then they suddenly die off, happened with Gin in bleach.
I like the Hijikata and Chizuru relationship too, which is exactly why I still don’t understand that he’d let her go, oh well, we’ll see soon enough what happens.