English Dub Review: Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse “Change the Future on Your Own! Seimei, across a Thousand Years”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Seimei tells Takeru of the events from a thousand years ago that led him to begin the World Whittle.

Our Take:
There’s no telling how dumbfounded I was when this series went another 180 with another shocking reveal, but not for the right reasons.  In case you’ve forgotten, the previous episode revealed that Seimei isn’t the true villain of this story.  Instead, it was Takeru’s dream girl that he spent almost the entire season trying to protect.  Undoubtedly, this surprise continues the show’s bold approach to its formulaic isekai and time loop mechanics, but Tsukimiya’s villainous turn was just one plot twist too many from my perspective, not to mention frustrating.  However, I will give the other viewers my full respect if they don’t mind the season’s final surprise.
This week’s episode would’ve allowed the characters to immediately smack the stuffing out of Tsukimiya for taking advantage of Takeru’s heart.  Instead, it focuses on Seimei’s reasoning behind his creation of the World Whittle.  After Takeru was transported to another universe, Seimei spared no expense in explaining his journey, which ultimately led him to commit this questionable act.  This is due to the burden Seimei has been carrying for a thousand years, which occurred when he and his friend, Konohito, volunteered to provide flood control to prevent the Great Flood.  Unfortunately, despite the efforts made, the Great Flood ultimately destroyed the village and killed Konohito, although it was actually the digital feathers that brought Seimei’s prediction to life.  As a result, Seimei vowed to alter the future on his own through the World Whittle.  However, he does so by violating the taboo, which halted his age, and the rest is history.
With the episode’s flashback-focused plot, the show sheds more light on this complex individual by showcasing the guilt he’s been carrying alone for many years.  But thanks to Takeru, Seimei realizes that he shouldn’t be carrying the burden by himself, which is necessary to stop Tsukimiya’s plan.  While I wasn’t too thrilled with the previous episode regarding its twist, this one managed to immediately retrieve my interest in how it’ll all conclude, particularly due to Seimei’s character arc that humanizes his complex personality.  With only two episodes remaining, the final battle for the entire world, or worlds, is set to begin!