Strike the Blood - 18

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The Fiesta for the Observers story arc continues in the latest episode of Strike the Blood.

The beginning of this episode of Strike the Blood is full of ecchi and fanservice, along with more awkward moments between clueless Kojou and tsundere Asagi.  Honestly, the harem of tsundere girls surrounding Kojou is the least important and most annoying aspect of this series.  However, Vatler’s harem of hostages trying to seduce Kojou is a very close second.  I really hope none of them show up again.

Aside from the pointless harem stuff going on, Strike the Blood continues with the introductions of new concepts and new characters without very much explanation.  For example, when Natsuki falls asleep, she jumps back up as a “backup avatar” that begins attempting to restore her memory.  Even if she gets her memory back, though, she won’t get her magic back until the grimoire that caused this curse is destroyed.

The inmate Broodt Dumblegraff shows up on Vatler’s boat to try to kill Natsuki and faces off against Vatler.  Dumblegraff is a descendant of a clan of dragon slayers (yes, apparently dragons exist in this world, nice to know) and a former mercenary hired by the West Eurpoean Church.  Vatler sees him as a good challenge and the kind of opponent you don’t see often, as he’s able to cut through Vatler’s Familiars fairly easily.

Meanwhile, Sayaka faces off against another one of the inmates, this one the same one who attacked Yukina just after the prison barrier was opened.  He’s a deva, apparently, although again this is something we get no real explanation of.  All that is explicitly said about his status as a deva is that it makes him very powerful.

While Kojou, Asagi, Natsuki, and Yukina head out of and away from Vatler’s boat, they run into Lydianne Didier, or Tank that Asagi has worked with in the past.  Again, this is a character who gets introduced with literally no background information, no explanation whatsoever as to why a little girl is working to help the island’s security, or anything like that.

After both escaped prisoners are sent back to the prison, the Witch of Notaria shows up again.  Her Dark Oath Grimoire is helping her take over Itogami Island and make all superhuman powers besides her own vanish (which is ridiculously convenient for her, to be honest).  So Sayaka’s weapon doesn’t work anymore, nor do Kojou’s Familiars.  The witch’s guardian, Le Ombre, runs Kojou through, but then Yukina, whose spear is still usable for some reason, fights the guardian back.  Apparently, the Witch of Notaria expected this, and kidnaps Yukina (and possibly Natsuki, although the latter isn’t really clear).  What exactly does she want with Yukina?  Why does Yukina’s spear still work, even though all magic power other than the witch’s is supposed to be suppressed?

Honestly, Strike the Blood would be a lot better if the ecchi and harem business was replaced with actual explanations of characters and events.

Strike the Blood Episode 19

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