Tougen Anki Episode 3 Review: She Seemed Shy, Until She Went Berserk!

The 3rd episode of Tougen Anki is here, and it showcased some interesting characters. Let’s discover how this episode plays out.

Tougen Anki Episode 2 Recap

In this episode, Shiki wakes up in a bizarre and tense situation where he’s bound, unable to speak, and his Oni horns are fully out. Standing before him is the mysterious man we briefly saw at the end of the last episode. He finally introduces himself as Naito, a member of the Oni association, which operates similarly to the Momotaro group. Naito’s job is to scout and recruit new Oni candidates, but he’s unsure about Shiki, particularly because of his dangerous tendency to go berserk. The organisation isn’t too keen on handling someone so unpredictable.

To determine if Shiki is worth the trouble, Naito puts him through a strange and intense ritual. Initially, it seems like Naito has already made up his mind to reject Shiki, even resorting to violence. But just when things seem bleak, Shiki manages to compose himself and prove that he’s not just a threat but someone capable of growth and control. Impressed, Naito decides to give him a shot.

It’s then revealed that Shiki’s next step will be to train at a special academy created for Oni. This marks the beginning of his official training arc. Naito will serve as his mentor, guiding him through this next phase. Before the episode ends, we’re introduced to several other students at the school. Each of them has a distinct personality, and while some appear friendly, others are quick to clash with Shiki, like Jin.

Tougen Anki Episode 3 Review

The initiation battle starts, and things get heated right off the bat because everyone gets divided into three groups. In the first group, Shiki gets paired with Jin and Homura. Now, it must be noted that Shiki had already fought with Jin in the previous episode, which is why he does not like his inclusion at all. But with Homura, Shiki was a lot more accepting and interested because this was the first time a girl was talking to him in a good way.

Homura comes off as a very interesting character because, on the surface, we see her as a meek and timid person afraid of causing any trouble. She constantly asks for forgiveness even when it is not her fault at all. Thus, when Shiki and the Jin fight amongst each other when the exam starts, Homura kind of takes the blame for their altercations. Interestingly enough, their banter made her unleash her own Blood technique, which is definitely one of the strongest I have seen.

She unleashes a huge human figure completely made of blood that is extremely violent and attacks both Shiki and Jin. It seems like this entity has its own will, even though it comes from the blood of Homura, and weirdly, Homura calls it her sister. The battle that took place here was interesting and gave me a lot of hope for the future of the series. The powers of both Homura and Jin are very strong, and they’re definitely going to be important later.

Verdict

This series does not showcase something that is exceptionally new, as it utilises established Shounen plot points to keep things interesting.  However, this doesn’t mean that the story doesn’t have potential, as I believe it can be a decent show that can have a successful run.

All in all, I liked this episode and would also recommend others to give it a try and see for themselves whether they like it or not.

Must Read: Tougen Anki Season 1 Review