Two portraits divided down the center in a line. In the left pane is a woman with light hair and red eyes, a crystal growing out of her right eye. On the right is a red-haired woman.

Herald Anime Club

The Herald Anime Club Meeting 149: Sakura Wars (2019) the Animation, Episode 11


Meeting Date: 6/14/2020

Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows in a generally unmoderated format. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!


Samantha Ferreira: Hi everyone, and welcome to the Herald Anime Club! I’m Samantha, and I’m here with Anthony Simpson

Anthony Simpson: Evening

Samantha Ferreira: Tonight, we’ll be returning to the Taisho era for another dose of steampunk action with Sakura Wars (2019) the Animation, episode 11: “Requiem for a half-demon.”

A woman with light hair and red markings flexes her claws. A crystal is growing out of her eye.

Anthony Simpson: Where to being with episode so much happened.

Samantha Ferreira: Right? I mean, it was just one big reveal after another, after another. Like, we got all of Leyla’s story, finally.

Anthony Simpson: In quick succession might I add

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed… this episode just didn’t let up.

Then there was Hakushu being the mysterious “M” – because Kaminsky is at least 100, apparently. There’s Kaminsky’s SUPER heel turn, Leyla ripping her control crystal out afterwards…

It just kept going

Headshot of a blonde man with a deranged smile.

Anthony Simpson: As much I enjoyed all of these reveals this episode I had to say I think it should have been spread out over two episodes. They got everything in but it almost too fast for its own good

Samantha Ferreira: I’m not sure how they could’ve done that, personally. Like, this the sequence of events was a pretty consistent build throughout the episode

If they had a 13th episode to work with, it would’ve been ideal.

Anthony Simpson: I was about to say if they two more episodes then that could have been done.

Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… as it is, I did really like that they finally gave some sense of closure with Leyla. A shame she was killed off, though – I really liked her.

Anthony Simpson: I felt bad for Leyla dying. Like she wasn’t bad like Kaminsky is.

A woman with light hair and red markings with a crystal growing out of her eye. She's bleeding rom her chest as she holds a blonde girl.

Samantha Ferreira: Yeah… she was just used, in the worst way possible.

And Kaminsky, holy shit – I disliked him before. I genuinely hate him, now.

His unmasking was just amazing in that light

Then there’s Hakushu, who was just great, as always.

Anthony Simpson: Yes she was.

Samantha Ferreira: That gives me a thought, also… I think it’s clear that Klara will be a permanent part of the Imperial Combat Revue going forward. I wonder how they’ll explain that in the next game.

Anthony Simpson: I’m not sure myself. They did kind of give it way right at the end of the episode when it showed six people on stage.

Samantha Ferreira: Indeed. It’s very much fitting, at least – the Imperial Combat Revue needed an equivalent to Iris or Reni in their ranks, and Klara fits that well.

On that note, I did see one shot in the preview that was interesting. Near the end, it showed Klara in the cockpit of a Spiricle fighter

Wondering if she’ll be piloting the Obu

A white-haired woman with a mask holds a sword as she stands in front of a red robot.

Anthony Simpson: I did notice that there was some machine above Klara right at the end of the episode.

Samantha Ferreira: yeah. I’m thinking she’ll be in the Obu going forward, since they were so adamant about its power drain the previous episode

Any final thoughts this week?

Anthony Simpson: I’m curious to see how this show ends

Samantha Ferreira: Same… it’s been a heck of a ride from the beginning to the end. I can’t wait to see how it concludes.

Anyway, we’ll cross that bridge next week! ‘til next time, remember: Never have your evil supervillain heel turn in front of the one person that can single-handedly destroy a small city block.

Have a great night!

Anthony Simpson: Good night

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