[DreamSword]

Episode 12: Fruit

This is an episode that deals in some rather tricky subject matter.

As such, were anyone to say that it rubbed them the wrong way, I wouldn't argue. Child abuse, and more specifically a child's' reaction to said abuse, isn't exactly a very comfortable nor easy thing to talk about.

While it could be very easy for anyone to think that Misao should hate her mother and want nothing to do with her, and, sure, many an abuse victim does go down that road; Other children, however, end up broken or reliant. Especially if there's no other clear road that's been made available to them.

Rei knows that the situation is going to hurt regardless, and that Misao's' life will be changed forever going forward. While he has faith that things will one day get better for Misao, it still comes at the cost of Misao's' family, as well as Rei not being allowed to be a part of her life anymore. Both due to Misao's' despair as well as his knighthood.

The world is a place full of opportunity, but it's also a place of great anxiety as a result. Especially for those thrust into it without much preparation.

Overall, I wouldn't say the episode is perfect, but I feel as though they handled the subject matter as tastefully as they could, and I also very much appreciated the expanded backstory that the episode gave to Rei. If there's one call that Makai Senki has made that I greatly appreciate, it's been making Rei a secondary protagonist with his own stories; Something he was sorely lacking in(and understandably so) in the first season.

I enjoyed my time with it, but I wouldn't blame anyone who felt the polar opposite.