Overview (Spoilers Below): Soujirou and Yuno are tasked by Hidow the Clamp with a consequential mission.
Our Take: After a few episodes of exploring different Shuras, Ishura finally puts its focus back on Soujirou and Yuno, who were first introduced in the series premiere. Man, it felt like ages since we last met these two. While it’s not without its merits of world-building and character introductions, the direction given for the previous episodes felt like it’s more of an anthology series rather than a narrative-driven series. For some reason, it constantly left me asking myself who the actual protagonist is, with Soujirou and Yuno being the possible candidates after watching the first episode. At first glance, the sixth episode may have answered that pondering question, as it centers on Soujirou and Yuno embarking on a dangerous quest by Hidow the Clamp himself. Their task to kill Taren the Guarded is said to be a test by Hidow to see if Soujirou is worthy enough to compete to be the world’s hero. Afterward, the episode switches back to the other characters introduced in previous episodes, much to my disbelief. However, their continued progressions are where the series gets a little interesting, which should help improve its second half. The meeting between Dakai and Regnejee indicates that Curte may have been a mole in Lithia, as she writes her transcriptions in code due to her disability. We also learn more about Taren through her raising Curte as her adoptive daughter. Finally, we switch back to Kia and Elea for the remaining episode, where Elea meets with Lana the Moon Tempest about Taren’s incoming assassination, only for the latter to be captured by Dakai. “Gathering of Factions” signifies that the characters’ separate journeys may have been coming close to merging. The reunion with Soujirou and Yuno was disappointingly brief. However, the remaining episode involving Curte’s true intention is enough to reinvigorate my interest in its world-building.