Shikabane Hime: Kuro - Episode 4

After Makina's attack on Ouri in the last episode, Shikabane Hime: Kuro the main story arc takes something of a back seat this time around as we delve into the relationship between Takamasa and Itsuki.

In pretty much every sense this is the typical story of the Shikabane Hime - After being teamed up with a Contracted Priest, the pairing fall in love, causing issues which only end up leading to the death of one (or both) of them, or worse in the case of Akasha, who has of course gone on to be "the bad guy" of this series. This tale ties in with the current Corpse threat, which happens to be a former close friend of Takamasa, and someone who he has attempted to deal with since his death before. All of this book-ended by two major points of note with a closer eye on the show's big story, as Makina is taken away to be put back in confinement again, although on the way they unexpectedly meet a familiar face...


It would probably be harsh to call this episode "filler" (as it does fit in to some degree with the main story running through Kuro), but the whole "don't fall in love with your Shikabane Hime" advice has been done to death now so I'm not sure why we needed to be reminded of it yet again here. Yes, we know that Shikabane Hime are cute and human-looking but dead, and equally we know that they still have a full range of human emotions; these are all important aspects of this series that run right through it, I just believe we've reached a point where that aspect of the show can be given a more subtle focus rather than having it ground into our brains like the bullets from a pair of guns all the time.

Having said that, I will concede that this particular story was pretty well told, and at least we got to find out both where Takamasa's scars came from any why he now views the Shikabane Hime in the way he does. This, and even his forthcoming battle with his former best friend turned corpse, were of course completely overshadowed by the huge "Oh my God!" ending to the episode. Things just got interesting....