Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
Shuffle! Episode 24 – Quick Summary
In Shuffle! Episode 24, “And… What Is Important,” Asa left the hospital, and Rin couldn’t find her anywhere. He thought an incoming ambulance might have found her, but it was someone’s grandfather. So he continued to search. Even Ama didn’t know where to look. Meanwhile, Asa staggered through the streets, determined to get… somewhere. But her failing body didn’t seem long for this world. Can Rin find her before it’s too late? Even if he does, what can he do to make her change her mind and use her magic?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Shuffle! Episode 24
Primula wasn’t about to let Kaede get away with that. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
After Rin and Asa’s “incident,” life started to get back to normal. The story took Primula’s perspective as she walked to school with everyone – Rin, Asa, Sia, Nerine, and Kaede. It seems Primula is now a first year student!
As they walked, Rin took some ribbing for being so tired. Then, seeming to brighten, he thanked Kaede for her help that morning. That got Asa’s attention. Actually, it got everyone’s attention. Turns out that Kaede had given Rin coffee while he was on his coffee route.
Sia and Nerine knew that Kaede had just scored major points. Even Asa said that she was impressed. Kaede tried to wave it off by saying she had just happened to get up early.
I like how Primula’s getting more and more assertive. She wasn’t about to let Kaede get away with that.
“Liar,” Primula said in a deadpan voice (14:10). “You set your alarm.”
Nice to see Primula taking part!
Favorite Moment from Shuffle! Episode 24
Asa made her choice. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Assorted Wrap-Ups
There was a quick scene that almost rose to the level of my favorite. Do you remember, towards the end of the episode, when Ama happened to walk past Eustoma and Forbesii. Both paused, and she hurried by as if she didn’t want them to recognize her.
She heard them saying she reminded them of someone who had passed away. Eustoma even said that he would have loved to have apologized to her, because he felt she had gotten a raw deal. After she was well past them, she paused and turned. She’d heard them. Quietly, she took off her head wrap to expose her devil ears. She bowed deeply to them, though they did not see her.
I thought that was a beautiful moment of dramatic closure. She deserved it, too. She did the best she could with Asa, after having such a dreadful beginning to her life.
It was also nice seeing that Sia and Nerine weren’t about to give up. Kaede, either! And Asa seemed to give them subtle approval to continue. Rin’s going to have to exercise and take his vitamins if he wants to keep up with all of them!
Seriously, what hope would Rin have of keeping up with all of them? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Now, on to my favorite moment.
I remember the first time watching this series. The “incident” between Rin and Asa hit me hard! Now, having lived a few decades and having spent more time thinking about the various narrative elements, I still think it was emotionally powerful. As Primula said later (12:42), “Kaede and the others scolded Rin for his recklessness in the incident, but in the end, I think that was so like him to do that.”
I still have reservations about Asa’s reluctance to use magic, even though that decision would kill her. But if I put that aside, I’m left with a powerful moment.
Asa tried to wax poetic about what she could see from this position. Rin saw exactly what she was trying to do. He begged her to use her magic and live. She refused.
So Rin pulled out the box cutter a nurse had given him and slit his wrist.
Delivery: Asa’s Choice
That action and Asa’s reaction were so raw that it yanked me into the moment. It’s wasn’t quite to the level of Regu’s blind panic. But it was close. Rin could think of only one thing that might compel Asa to use magic and save herself. And that was to save him.
She resisted. She tried elevating his wrists to slow the bleeding. But he cut deep. I could really relate to him when he said (08:58), “Asa-senpai, I am stupid, so this was all I could think of.” He didn’t dilute the moment with false bravado. He just laid out what he was trying to do.
As he lost consciousness, he played his last card. He asked if Ama had wanted her to be human, or happy – with his vote going for happy. And alive.
He did the one thing that would force her to make the right choice. Did that make it okay? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
His consciousness began to fade.
Asa had to decide, and she had very little time left. Rin was bleeding out. She begged him to hang in there even as the blood began to slow because most of it was already on the ground.
Now Rin became unresponsive. She panicked. “You can’t die,” she said (10:19). “You can’t!”
Flinging her arms around him, her magic power billowing around them, she screamed (10:22), “You can’t die!”
It was a nice touch that the luminescent green column of her magical power could be seen all across town.
I like seeing how a character reacts when pushed into a corner. Rin killing himself right in front of her certainly pushed Asa hard! I was glad to see her choose life. Even not fully understanding her motivation didn’t detract from the moment for me. I thought it wrapped up the series in a way that stayed true to the characters.What did you think of Sia reminding Itsuki that the world of gods was polygamous – so he still had no chance? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to share in the comments!
Shuffle! Episode 24: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- My Anime List (must be logged in to read): Shuffle! Episode 24 Discussion
- Random Curiosity: SHUFFLE! – 24 (END)
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Shuffle! Episode 01: The Man Who Could Become a God or a Demon!
- Shuffle! Episode 02: I Wanted to See You!
- Shuffle! Episode 03: Do You Remember?
- Shuffle! Episode 04: Egg Omelet of Happiness
- Shuffle! Episode 05: Where I Belong
- Shuffle! Episode 06: Smile!
- Shuffle! Episode 07: Romantic Scramble
- Shuffle! Episode 08: Panty Date
- Shuffle! Episode 09: Survival Swimming at the Beach
- Shuffle! Episode 10: Moonlit Confession
- Shuffle! Episode 11: Girls of Summer
- Shuffle! Episode 12: Frozen Summer
- Shuffle! Episode 13: House of Twilight
- Shuffle! Episode 14: Lycoris
- Shuffle! Episode 15: What Was Regained
- Shuffle! Episode 16: Kikyou
- Shuffle! Episode 17: Honest Feelings
- Shuffle! Episode 18: The One Rin Loves
- Shuffle! Episode 19: Unforgettable Sentiments
- Shuffle! Episode 20: Indelible Sin
- Shuffle! Episode 21: Where Feelings Go
- Shuffle! Episode 22: Towards a New Tomorrow
- Shuffle! Episode 23: The True Revealed
- Shuffle! Episode 24: And… What Is Important
