Overview: Shu (Howard Wang) and Kisara (Kayli Mills) hunt down a demon bug that is holding vast reserves of energy and threatens the safety of the Bayron City. However, it soon comes to light the harsh cost Shu must pay in order for them to vanquish the demonic threat.
Our Take: There is a critter infestation within Bayron city and quite a nasty one at that with it storing enough energy to power the city for a week. A funny aside is how the mayor, Masataka, is an airhead and oblivious to a lot of that occurs within the city from a business perspective, like not understanding how a extraordinary mineral, native to the city, is so critical, allowing for smart individuals like his daughters to make the important decisions. It further builds upon the concept that not everything is as it seems in floating paradise.
The same thought process applies to Shu because the real bug is the one eating away at him emotionally. Shu is a likable lead but is in need of some more depth to truly connect with. Thankfully, we get some of that here in his painful memories of his parents and sister being murdered by demons being a torturing scar. A wound that reopens and painfully shows itself in glimpses like when Shu is disturbed when not being able to take a job killing the caterpillar demon.
Beforehand though, Shu solidifies why he really is perfect for the job in how smart and deductive of a detective he is. His memory loss also resurfaces in him not remembering the significance of the outfit Ayano wears to their meetup. Miles and his boss discuss just how pivotal Shu and Kisara are to the safety of the city and yet the government has made so many attempts to kill them or kick them to the curb. It fleshes out the darker corners of the city, but also lore in how the restrictions of gun control do not apply to them.
It also develops the tragic nature of who Shu is in always doing the right thing yet always struggling and suffering misfortune in the process. Of course, as they discussed, when shit hits the fan, AAA needs him once again to clean up the mess they can not handle.
Because of much of a nasty bugger, we learn Shu must give up his past memories in order to give Kisara her true power to combat it. His shaky memory has been a present element in conversations with friends, with Kisara pointing out that he did not remember Ayano’s specific outfit was the one she wore on their first date. Even with what he is giving up, his valiant motivation is undeniable and a compelling one in not only avenging his family’s death but wanting to save Ayano by continuing to kiss Kisara, even though he does not love her, and gives a piece of himself. Even when he does not fully remember why he is fighting, the innate drive and feeling to get vengeance and protect Ayano is a deeply passionate and heartfelt motivation. It allows Kisara to stun in a beautifully animated and mesmerizing fight, more amazing than the last, with blazing colors and lightspeed movement making for an incredible finish. Kisara having Shu’s memories is a bittersweet finish for Ayano in even feeling bad for her and wanting to apologize. If this is not a sign that things are going to get worse before they get better for Shu, then I do not know what is.