Wow! Just wow! This episode is lit, and I held my breath throughout most of it. We just got not one, but two epic fight scenes. And I can say that 8bit did a damn good job in animating them.
The two Strategic-class magicians has finally faced off, and Tatsuya showed just how powerful he is when it comes to pure skills and strategy. While Lina is the same age and leads an elite unit, she is almost outmatched by Tatsuya’s tactics, which involves clever use of his equipment and anticipating his opponent’s movements. Once again, Lina shows fear and shock, leading to her defeat. But like all smart commander, she has a few tricks up her own sleeves, and a standoff occurs between Tatsuya and four members of the Stars unit.
Miyuki and Yakumo’s arrival is on time, however, and we have another display of the terrifying power held by the Yotsuba’s successor. Miyuki’s cold fury at seeing her Onii-sama being threatened with death is as chilling as her powers, and the way her eyes glowed with that fury proves why she is the younger sister of the dreaded Mahesvara. Thus, it is only right for her to challenge the one who tried to harm her brother.
Naturally, the battle cannot begin without a boost from Tatsuya. We are treated with another romantic scene between the two siblings similar to when Tatsuya was deployed during the Yokohama Disturbance, and this time, it was him sharing his power with Miyuki.
And what power it is! The duel between Miyuki and Lina was one-sided from the get-go with the Stars commander failing horribly to land a single blow against Miyuki. Of course, that’s not to say Miyuki didn’t struggle, evident when she keeps adjusting the power of her spells.
Nevertheless, the two rivals decided to go all-out, and we finally see just how equal they are in magic prowess. Do note that Lina has already fought the vampire AND Tatsuya while Miyuki’s strength is fresh and at its peak, so we can’t say that one is weaker than the other. The result is a clash of thunder and ice—Lina’s fiery and electric Muspelheim against Miyuki’s specialty, the frigid Niflheim.
The fight is incredible and spectacular, and this is where 8bit obviously poured the budget for this episode. It showcases both of these magician’s skills, though if Lina is not encumbered by her previous battle, there are chances she would prevail. Thus, Tatsuya’s intervention is no surprise since the energy unleashed could kill both of them.
One slightly important thing they have removed in the entire fight is the reason for Yakumo’s presence. In the novel, he is not there just to provide backup. He is also there to warn Lina not to casually reveal about her magic, Parade, which is originally from a Japanese clan, the Kudou.
The scenes after the fight is more or less the same as in the novel. We got a brief scene with Shizuku in a pretty dress, and her discovery of a black hole experiment done by the USNA, which results in the whole vampire mess.
There is also a slight change here. In the novel, Shizuku’s name is related to the word “Tear”, so Ray calls her that. But given how silly it sounds, the anime changed it to “Tia”, which is less silly unless you understand Spanish.
Then we have another Lina fanservice, and it is every bit as funny as it looks. Lina finally complains about her defeat against “mere” high school students in a childish tantrum that is really cute and shows how she is still very much young despite her status.
We also have another meeting with all four clans involved in the vampire hunt, and it has mostly stayed true to the source. However, the final scene is definitely one of my favorites in this episode.
In this episode, Tatsuya finally shows real emotions for others, berating himself for not acting sooner which results in Leo’s injuries. While he remains partially stoic, the fact that he has compassion for people other than Miyuki is a big step in his character development, one that will change his reliance over his sister to rein his emotions. This is vastly different compared to when we first saw him in season 1, where his motivations are purely based around Miyuki’s wellbeing.
Overall, episode 4 is epic and action-filled, and I can’t wait for next week when the identity of one of the vampires will finally be revealed. This episode is a solid 8.5/10.