Overview: Kurima (Aaron Campbell) and the Revengers finish their mission against Shishido (Stephen Fu) and his opium empire.
Our Take: The Revengers simultaneous attacks to take out the opium and Shishido are enjoyable showdowns to end the series on. The only downside is they go by in a flash and are not treated with the grandeur, a Revenger-on-Revenger battle, in theory, incites. Kurima’s bout with Sada is an exception, however. It’s an excellent, well animated sword clash that relies on Raizo’s grit and surprise maneuvers, even when outmatched.
With the mission complete, the Revengers all return to their status quo with them faking Kurima’s death. Also, the Chapel nun targeting Isarazawa spells a bittersweet note to end on for him, especially in light of helping Yuen. The conflict with the Church is swept under the rug, feeling so inconsequential as to make one wonder why it was even a focus.
What further hurts the ending is the mixed bag that is left. Kurima’s evolution is cut short within a span of an episode, not delving enough into his lack of spiritual progression. His assassination also undercuts his growth from the love and prosperity he found with art. However, there’s a harsh irony in his revenge crusade acting as his downfall. With that said, there’s equal parts grace in his peaceful acceptance of that fact. While there’s enough salvaged for some impact, eight to twelve additional episodes could’ve developed the deeper aspects of his actions. Not to mention, the pacing wouldn’t be moving as fast as Raizo.