First and foremost, I acknowledge the fact that Soul Eater has its own pile of flaws. The Sanzu line / Shinigami ambiguity, the Maka outshining Soul thing, Kishin suddenly lost his balls, etc, are defects worth pointing out. But do they really matter that much? Is it so blasphemous and vile to shaft the other characters and have obscurities as to labeling this episode as trash? Obviously not, and most of the people here are right to be not entirely too concerned with those particular aforementioned flaws.
That being said, I would believe the meat of the complains all comes down to the anti-climatic punch that ultimately owned the Kishin. A few forumers here have already presented great arguments that, rather than parroting them, I'm going to assemble here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iloxus
Okay, I didnīt like the last 5-10 episodes, but the very last of them were kinda good. This ending didnīt show us an epic battle, but perfectly shows the insanity and how special this anime is. I mean courage, just like madness, is within everybody. It is the total opposite and the only way to encounter madness. The villian neither killed by some special abilities nor bonds between friends forming an ultra special move, but courage to face fear, which is the source of madness. Kishin irritated by her determination, not understanding, not being able to grasp the meaning and also shattered through his own insanity. And in the end, is is not something special....everyone has it. Courage.
...
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nochgo
Mm though I would've rather have preferred an epic battle, I think this ending was rather ok, since it was more psychological win than a physical battle. I mean, Maka would've had absolutely no chance of winning, and if she had pulled off like a super saiyan mode or something, I would've been very angry. At least this way, her win seemed a little more believable, considering kisshin's nature.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lmd_84
...
Secondly, the whole point of the punch was that it wasn't down to physical force alone. It was Maka's courage that opposed fear/madness that Asura represents.
Having some sort of massive Scythe or soul wavelength attack from Maka do the job would have, I think, defeated the point Bones was trying to make; that courage - in everybody, according to them - not the brute strength that her peers were relying on at that point, was enough to finish the Big Bad.
|
During the episode, Maka was able to use a Kishin Hunter (lol) and gave the Kishin himself a direct hit. Any "typical shounen" could have ended it there, or maybe stretch it out a little more first and have Maka stand up after getting stabbed in the arms, lung, heart, intestines, whatever and
then give Kishin that flashy finishing blow. In my honest, honest opinion however, that's bull. As is any alternatives that requires the barrier, which has established to be
unbreachable, to get breached. FYI: I also veto any proposition to see Soul, Maka, Kid, Black Star, etc and their dog do a fusion and become a Tengen Toppa Kishin Eater. So physically, it's impossible to ever win the Kishin. It's something he even said himself.
So what is the one weakness that the Kishin has that is so awesomely hidden behind his seemingly mental and physical invincibility? It's the very thing he has been relying upon: his fear. His pessimism of the world stems from his belief that insanity, caused by this innate fear, is unstoppable. That everyone will be consumed by fear sooner or later, or die a very tragic death trying not to.
But then he learns what is courage. It is the thing that can resist fear eternally. He learns that perhaps courage is the alternative to giving into fear, and that everyone has it in them (akin to everyone can punch). His entire being, which is fear itself, then collapses at his realization and it ceases to exist inside of him. (Therefore, it can be said that he doesn't have to asplode and die, and he can live just with his fear gone, but err... viewers probably won't be happy with it.)
So to me, BONES may have not taken the perfect route by writing themselves into a corner, but at least their way of getting out of it was certainly already the best to me.
End of rant.
But I felt they burdened her character with too much reflection in the later parts of the anime. We get it. She's not Black*Star. She overanalyzes her potential and her actions and her future and gets doubts because of that. Being told that once or twice is enough to understand.
Author
