Season 1, Episode 6: The Spark of Promise
This fight was underwhelming. Compared to the previous episode, I expected this one to surpass the action presented. While I understand that this series is trying to focus on the characters (which I’ll get into later), I think you can do this while having great action. In this episode, Hibana reminds Iris what caused her to lose her faith. When they were children at the orphanage, they witnessed the nun engulfed in flames. While this occurred, Hibana’s third-generation powers manifested. Shinra attacks her but she uses her “heat syncope,” on him again. Heat syncope is a type of “heat illness.” Hibana uses it to overheat her opponents, causing them to become lightheaded.
Despite this, Shinra is able to stand. She then creates a flaming Sakura tree. The pedals from this tree burn with they come in contact with skin. Shinra still manages to stand his ground however. He attacks her, punching her and knocking her out. Hibana recalls her past. Her time at the orphanage and how she manage to become a Captain so she could study fire. When she awakens she’s had a change of heart, no longer willing to be the opposition. This episode is effective in making Hibana a far more sympathetic character than she first appeared. Witnessing the death of her sisters in the orphanage, she suffers from survivors guilt.
This results in her rage, abandoning her faith for science. Her sudden change seems a bit premature to me. While I don’t expect her personality to change, it seems like a over simplistic reason for her to change. The villain becoming an ally or anti-hero happens often in anime, but I feel that Fire Force should be more realistic about it. Hibana seems to have also fallen in love with Shinra, which also seem premature. I know it will be played for laughs and I’m not offend by it, but why does she like him? Finally, it seems like her and Company 5’s behavior will be ignored and they will get away with their bed behavior. Would Obi with his high morals tolerate this? What would it say about him if he did? Questions aside, I’m still interested in the larger conspiracy.
- Review: Fire Force Episode 1: Shinra Kusakabe Enlists
- Review: Fire Force Episode 2: The Heart of a Fire Soldier
- Review: Fire Force Episode 3: The Rookie Fire Soldier Games
- Review: Fire Force Episode 4: The Hero and the Princess
- Review: Fire Force Episode 5: The Battle Begins
- Review: Fire Force Episode 6: The Spark of Promise
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