I’m not a fan of recaps but as I’ve mentioned before they can work out pretty well without being too distracting by taking up too much runtime.  This is nice because we are finally returning to Ema Guzman and her reasons for searching for Luciano from the very beginning of this series.

Romi Park is incredible–  she’s known for being very versatile ranging between male and female roles that focus on characters putting up a tough act personality.  I must admit this is one my favorite roles she’s ever done:  reminds me a lot of Hamyuts Meseta from Tatakau Shisho.  Stubborn, courageous and strong-willed.

After Lara died I figured especially with an episode focusing on Ema that she would be the main love interest for Leon without any progression towards it.  However this episode manages to dismantle what we’ve previously known about her as a Makai Alchemist in order to discover her convictions with Luciano.  This story dives into her marriage with Luciano and develops her relationship with a matured and newly resolved Leon.  The animation designs on every bit of these characters are extremely detailedin just about every scene!  Absolutely amazing!

This is the first time we’ve had an aerial battle with a modern style!  It was strange at first but came off very smoothly depicting the passion Ema and Luciano share as lovers that end up fighting to the death.  What also helps this come across wonderfully is the Horror’s strong influence changes Luciano from a man yearning to save people from becoming the very thing that he evolves into:  a Horror.  I like how this comes full circle here.  Luicano’s time as a Makai Alchemist he was unable to save people from becoming Horrors.  He turns into one and when he fights Ema she saves him by recollecting his human memories of her which ends up saving her from getting stabbed.

Leon is a great addition here–  if this had been the old Leon I’m certain that Ema would have died at the hands of Luciano.  He would have been a distraction just as he was when they first encountered the priest Horror in the second episode.  Since he chooses what fights he involves himself in he courageously stands back in order for Ema to absolve herself.  Not being able to save the man she loved only to kill him at the end here.  Leon sure has matured after losing Lara and I like how this episode while it focuses on Ema doesn’t forget that here–  they end up sleeping together because they want to ease the pain of everything they’ve lost recently.  Fantastic way to not only channel these two characters into stronger protagonists in coming episodes but also to add in more romance for these two that have faced so many tragedies in the past in an entirely different way.

Garo is shaping up wonderfully in its second half with tons of surprises in between–  the soldiers mentioning if there were a way revert a human turned into a Horror they would have done it a long time ago.  Is this indication that German will turn into one being under the influence of Mendoza?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 10/10

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