The Moment His Heart Is Pierced... Episode 23 of "Tougen Anki" Features an Incredibly Intense Plot Twist as the "Oni Protagonist" Awakens

Episode 23 of the anime "Tougen Anki" has been airing sequentially since December 19th. In a desperate pinch where the oni protagonist Shiki Ichinose (CV: Kazuki Ura) is about to be finished off by his enemy, the development where he awakens had viewers glued to their screens, with reactions like "His potential is way too insane" and "That was so cool."

Shiki, an oni, and Mikado Momodera (CV: Shunichi Toki), the vice-captain of the Momotaro Agency's 21st Unit, became friends without knowing each other's true identities, but ended up becoming enemies once their real identities were revealed. In Episode 23, "My Friend," Shiki was being cornered in his battle against Mikado, who freely manipulates six guns. At the moment when Mikado fires bullets at him, memories of people he had made sad and people he couldn't protect flash through Shiki's mind like a revolving lantern.

Then, the instant Shiki thinks "I want to get stronger! Like Mikado," flames rise up within him, and the bullet that was about to reach his heart burns up and crumbles away. As if responding to his swelling emotions of "wanting to become stronger than Mikado," the flames envelop Shiki's entire body. Amidst the raging flames, Shiki manifests two blood guns and declares refreshingly, "I'm really happy I got to meet you, the one who made me think this way (about wanting to become stronger than Mikado)!"

Online reactions to Shiki's awakening from this major crisis were buzzing with comments like "That was so cool," "He's too strong," and "His potential is way too insane."