Season 1
Episode 1: Witch of the Resplendent Flames
The Asterisk War Episode 1: And So It Begins!
The Fall 2015 season’s underway, and on Crunchyroll, one of the shows I’m watching is The Asterisk War. Episode 1, “Witch of the Resplendent Flames,” starts with a bespectacled beauty fighting a huge masked man in an arena. Maybe an underground fight? We later find out she’s Amagiri Haruka, the main character’s sister, and she initially holds her own (I swear their swords sound just like light sabres from a famous movie franchise!). Up until the end, anyway. The last we see of them, the man’s encased in some kind of chained cone of light, and Haruka is lying in a growing pool of her own blood. Her last words were, “I’m sorry… Ayato…”
That’s her brother’s name. He’s the main character.
Episode 2: Ser Versta
The Asterisk War Episode 2: A Most Impressive Sword
The show starts out with a flashback, where Amagiri Haruka has to console her little brother, Ayato, because he got in trouble for fighting to defend her. She tells him his power is too great, and he’ll need to find his purpose in life before he can responsibly use it. Based on his talk with Claudia Enfield last week, Ayato still hasn’t found his purpose. After helping Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld get rid of Lester (remember last week’s final scene?), Ayato learns that the princess is competing solely for money — and that she has no friends!
While in class, Ayato discovers that an old friend of his, Sasamiya Saya, is a classmate, and she’s attending school to help promote her father’s weapons business. Julis agrees to show Ayato around the campus and town to pay her debt to him. Before they can leave, Claudia stops by and lets Ayato know that he can check out his sister’s (supposed) sword tomorrow. Claudia’s feminine wiles — and the danger those wiles will affect Ayato — encourages Julis and Saya to join forces to give Ayato the grand tour.
Episode 3: A Holiday for Two
The Asterisk War Episode 3: So That’s Why Julis Fights
At the end of the last episode, Claudia Enfield invited Amagiri Ayato to discuss a request in her room. Ayato visits and learns that top students have been dropping out of the Phoenix Festa, a major ranking competition, because they’ve been attacked and severely injured. Claudia wants him to stay by Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld’s side to protect her from the same fate. The timing’s fortuitous: Julis had planned to show Ayato around the city the next day. While eating lunch, the two of them run into Lester and his friends, who are prime suspects in the attacks. Lester, of course, wants to fight Julis right then and there. Ayato convinces Lester that the timing’s not right.
Episode 4: Unshackled
The Asterisk War Episode 4: So That’s Who Was Behind The Attacks!
Episode 5: Lightning Blade Speed
The Asterisk War Episode 5: A Victorious Loss
The episode starts with Claudia Enfield representing Seidoukan at a meeting with the other schools. Those academies include Le Wolfe, Allekant, Jie Long, and Garrardworth. At that meeting, we find out a little bit about what Claudia was hoping to achieve in the last episode: cooperation on a new weapon between Seidoukan and Allekant. We also see how polished she is compared to some of the other school representatives, particularly Dirk Eberweine of Le Wolfe.
Episode 6: The True Face of the Girl
The Asterisk War Episode 6: A Morning Jog Interrupted — By Dragons!
Toudou Kouichiro, Toudou Kirin’s evil uncle, starts episode 6 by brow-beating Kirin into thinking she is too stupid to succeed without following his plan.
Next we see Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld fling a washcloth onto Amagiri Ayato’s head. It seems that she is, in fact, mad at him for fighting Kirin in the previous episode. Then she tells him that she would have done the same if she had seen the evil uncle slap Kirin. She goes one to say she would have been disappointed in him if he had acted differently. Both of them realize that since he’s now fought in public, they have to change their plans for the Festa.
Since his loss to Kirin destroyed his student badge, Ayato needs to meet with Claudia Enfield to get a replacement. She tells him that the evil uncle is a big shot recruiter for their Seidoukan Academy. He’s not an executive yet, but he’s using Kirin to propel himself onto the board. Julis then reveals something that I found interesting: having a highly energetic sense of self-interest is self defeating at Integrated Enterprise Foundation. Their executives have been through numerous psychological adjustments to ensure they are selfless, good leaders. She knows so much about it because her mom was one of the executives.
Episode 7: Decisions and Duels
The Asterisk War Episode 7: Kirin Unshackled
Amagiri Ayato and Toudou Kirin, having fallen into the storm sewer after the pavement collapsed at the end of the last episode, surface uninjured — though both are soaked. They have no time to get their bearings before a huge version of the dragons attacks them. Ayato unchains himself to withstand the first attack (therefore starting the clock running — remember that he can only run that way for about 5 minutes). He’s able to slash the monster in half and luckily destroys its core. Unfortunately, he has to pay the price for unchaining his power, and he passes out.
When he comes to, they hang their clothes up to dry and spend some time back to back, bonding. She discloses to him that her father is in jail because he killed a man to protect her from assault when she was 8 years old. Since he was a Genestella, he was imprisoned. Kirin holds herself responsible. She’s also completely bought into the lie “he who must not be named because he doesn’t deserve the publicity” (i.e., her evil uncle) has been telling her — namely, that only he can help her free her dad. Using his own experience, Ayato helps her see that choosing her own way will be better for herself, and her dad. Shortly thereafter, rescuers find them.
Episode 8: A Holiday for Two Part 2
The Asterisk War Episode 8: Socializing As A Weapon
At the end of the last episode, Sasamiya Saya asked Toudou Kirin to partner for the upcoming Festa. Kirin apparently agreed, because they’re practicing at the start of this episode. Individually, they’re great. As a team, though, they literally stumble over each other. At lunch, they discuss their situation with Amagiri Ayato and Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld. With Ayato’s help, Saya and Kirin realize they need to focus on their teamwork, especially since the both of them had been strong solo players for so long. Saya decides she and Kirin will socialize tomorrow.
Unfortunately, when they meet, neither has any idea of how to do that. After trying to come up with ideas, Saya suggests shopping so she can find a present for her dad’s birthday. No matter what they see at the mall, they can’t find anything they think he’ll like.
Episode 9: Phoenix Festa
The Asterisk War Episode 9: The Festa Begins!
Dirk Eberwein and Kashimaru Korona are in the dungeons at Le Wolfe Black Institute. Dirk opens a cell and orders Irene Urzaiz to eliminate of Amagiri Ayato and his sword because either might cause problems for them in the future. Irene doesn’t need to win the Festa, but if she does so much the better. She only agrees after she confirms that her sister is still safe and untouched.
In the main stadium, the Phoenix Festa is about to get under way. Madiath Mesa, head of the Festa’s Steering Committee and a previous Festa winner, announces rule changes: autonomous weapons (like the dolls Allekant’s Ernesta Kuhne designed) and alternates will be allowed. He promises they will all understand why some day.
Episode 10: The Tyrant Vampire Princess
The Asterisk War Episode 10: Claudia Was Right!
Episode 10 picks right up where episode 9 left off. After watching the match, Amagiri Ayato, Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld, Sasamiya Saya, and Toudou Kirin analyze the puppets’ attacks and worry that they don’t yet have an effective defense. Saya receives a call from her dad and takes Kirin to customs to pickup a new weapon. Ayato and Julis decide to practice. Meanwhile, Ernesta Kuhne meets her winning puppets (RM-C, the female, and AR-D, the male). AR-D asks why, if he’s equivalent in strength to RM-C, he’s helpless against her. Ernesta laughingly uses an ancient quote about gender roles, then whispers to herself that she can’t very well tell him RM-C is his limiter.
After practice, Julis and Ayato try to make it to the arena where Saya and Kirin are about to compete. They come on Irene Urzaiz defending herself against some students who had held a grudge against her. Irene was the one that Le Wolfe released in the last episode. Once she wins the fight, she recognizes and approaches our heroes. Julis interposes herself between the two and tricks Irene into revealing she’s actually after Ayato. Irene tries to start a fight, but Priscilla Urzaiz, Irene’s sister, arrives and sternly tells her to stop. Irene complies, whereupon Priscilla apologizes to Julis and Ayato and forces Irene to as well. Afterward, Julis shares that those two are partners, but there’s no information about Priscilla’s capabilities.
Episode 11: Power and Its Price
The Asterisk War Episode 11: A Very, Very High Price
In between matches, Claudia Enfield expresses how happy she is to finally get some private time with Amagiri Ayato. Her happiness is short-lived because Toudou Kirin calls and says she took her eyes off Sasamiya Saya for just a moment, and now the directionally challenged young woman is lost. Ayato’s unsure if Claudia’s really upset or not, so all he can do is apologize and join the search for Saya.
While searching for Saya, Ayato encounters Priscilla Urzaiz, who’s being chased by thugs from a casino where her sister, Irene, had caused some problems. Of course, Ayato, being Ayato, helps her evade them. She feels grateful and Ayato started to relax. Then Priscilla mentions that she had moments ago called her sister Irene for help — the sister who has a terrible temper, is overly protective of her sister, and who jumps to conclusions. Before Ayato can ask Priscilla to call Irene to explain his role, Irene arrives and threatens to destroy Ayato. Priscilla convinces Irene that Ayato really did help her. Further, Saya’s call saying that Kirin found her put Irene’s suspicious about what Ayato to rest. That didn’t solve the issue from Irene’s perspective.
Episode 12: The Gravi Shealth
The Asterisk War Episode 12: Clash Of The (Lux) Ogres
Priscilla and Irene are much younger, and they are trapped in a war zone. Priscilla is utterly crushed by a cave-in. Irene arrives at the hospital just in time to see her stand up without a scratch on her. Men in suits give their parents a suitcase full of cash. Wanting no part of that transaction, Irene escapes with Priscilla, but in a war zone, food and shelter elude them. Dirk Eberwein finds them and confirms Irene can activate the Gravi-Sheath. Then he offers to take them out of there; for a price.
That’s when Irene wakes up on the day of the match against Ayato and Julis. Her dream had been about her first meeting with the student council president of Le Wolfe Black Institute.
Ayato proposes a plan to Julis. She says that as long as she wins and gets closer to her goal, she’s happy to support his plan because she’s his partner. They both take Irene and her Gravi-Sheath very, very seriously.
Season 2
Episode 13 and 14: Divine Revelations, Corrupt Ruler
The Asterisk War Episodes 13 And 14: Back In The Saddle, Plus A Maid!
The 13th and 14th episodes of The Asterisk War, called respectively “Divine Revelations” and “Corrupt Ruler,” pick right up where the last season left off. Amagiri Ayato is still recovering from his last match, and we get to meet a maid from Julis Riessfeld’s household!
At the end of last season, everyone watching the match saw that Amagiri Ayato’s power was time-limited. Now, the schools and their competitors have analyzed the match and have a good idea of what that time limit is. Julis Riessfeld, who is partners with Ayato, pragmatically devises a strategy for the next match with Song and Luo. They are disciples of Fan Xinglou, who is the student council president of the Jie Long Seventh Institute, and they are both highly ranked. As both teams take the stage to begin their fight, Song and Luo say that the would have preferred to right Ayato and Julis when Ayato was at 100%. They also said not to take what was about to happen personally.
Episode 15: Breaking the Memory Barrier
The Asterisk War Episode 15: Mini Saya! The Li Twins Attack!
In The AsteriskWar Episode 15, “Breaking the Memory Barrier,” we see what happened when Sasamiya Saya and Amagiri Ayato tried to tag team Amagiri Haruka when they were younger. Plus, Li Shenhua and Li Shenyun begin their match against Ayato and Julis Riessfeld. Turns out the twin’s reputation was well-deserved!
Ayato remembers when his sister Haruka taught him how to wield a sword. Saya would watch the two of the them from a tree. She and Ayato would have little contests to win “favor cards.” Ayato had lost one to Saya, who demanded that he shout out the sword technique that he was about to use on his sister. When he yelled “Amagiri Shinmei Style First Sword… Twin Dragons,” Haruka just sidestepped his attack and disarmed him. But Saya loved it. Saya owed him one favor, too, and he asked her to help him defeat his sister in a practice match. Their teamwork was excellent, and they actually made Haruka use a move she hadn’t intended on using. In the end, though, she defeated both of them.
Episode 16: Never Back Down
The Asterisk War Episode 16: The Li Twins Kill Many Trees
In The Asterisk War episode 16, Never Back Down, Li Shenyun and his sister Li Shenhua hurl an almost inexhaustible number of talismans at Julis Riessfeld and Amagiri Ayato, thus spelling doom for countless trees. Ayato takes a trip within himself. Sasamiya Saya and Toudou Kirin surprise their opponents!
Ayato tells Julis that he’s awakened. He needs her to keep the Li twins off of him until he can finish powering up. So, while she tries to hold off the arrogant twins who are nonetheless skilled in deception and deceit, he takes a journey within to figure out the lesson his sister Amagiri Haruka taught him and Saya in the last episode. Julis comes out swinging with a flame attack that disrupts the twin’s stealth and destroys the hidden talismans. The twins alternated attacks so that as she focused on one, the other would strike. They forced Julis to reveal one of her strategic secrets, that she can easily withstand her own flames, when she brought down an inferno on herself and Shenhua. In fact, the attack nearly worked, and had Shenyun not protected his sister, she might have been eliminated. He admonished her.
Note: There are likely spoilers ahead. If you haven’t watched the episode, best stop reading now!
Episode 17: The Tyrant’s Puppet Strings
The Asterisk War Episode 17: Saya And Kirin Fight The Good Fight; Where’s Flora?
In The Asterisk War episode 17, The Tyrant’s Puppet Strings, Sasamiya Saya and Toudou Kirin go flat out against the two artificial life forms RM-C and AR-D. Also, we see Flora Klemm converted from a maid in waiting to bait!
Saya and Kirin continue their battle against RMC-C and AR-D from the last week. Kirin had gained AR-D’s respect in the last episode and built on that respect this episode. In spite of her strengths, though, AR-D’s able to learn every move she makes, so each subsequent attack becomes more difficult. Saya, too, began to earn RM-C’s (more grudging) respect. As the battle progresses, though, the artificial life forms wear down both Kirin and Saya.
Flora’s kidnappers contact Amagiri Ayato and Julis Riessfeld with demands that Ayato seal his weapon, the Ser-Veresta. Otherwise, Flora might be done for.
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 18: Scrambling
The Asterisk War Episode 18: Slash Slash/Burn Burn And Ayato In The Field
In The Asterisk War episode 18, Scrambling, Amagiri Ayato and Julis Riessfeld compete in the semifinals match. At the same time, Sasamiya Saya and Toudou Kirin continue the search for Flora Klemm. After his match, Ayato joins them in the field and takes a different approach.
Julis and Ayato take on two worthy opponents in their semi-final match. Kirin and Saya continue their search for Flora, though Saya gives into a moment of frustration that in the long run only strengthens her resolve. Ernesta Kühne and Camilla Pareto discuss their goals and the effects that Kirin and Saya’s match had on RM-C and AR-D. Ernesta in particular seems to have second thoughts about her conversation with Dirk Eberwein. Finally, after a brainstorming session with Irene Urzaiz, Ayato searches for Flora in a different area of the city, only to run into armed and sinister men. While trying to avoid them, he runs into a woman he’d never met before who offers to help him.
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 19: Battle Song
The Asterisk War Episode 19: Finding Flora And An Old Foe Repurposed
In The Asterisk War episode 19, Battle Song, Amagiri Ayato finds out the stranger he met was way more helpful than he could have hoped. Also, Yabuki Eishirou calls in help from an old foe. Finally, Ayato and Julis Riessfeld meet AR-D and RM-C in the final match.
Ayato meets a stranger who leads him away from his pursuers. He’s suspicious that she knows his name, but she puts his concerns to rest when she points out that his disguise is terrible, and he’s been on television lately because of the Phoenix Festa. One pursuer does catch up with them and, seeing the young girl, decides to attack her first with lewd intent. At first, Ayato thinks he needs to protect her. She quickly disabuses him of that assumption when she handily kicks the man half way through a concrete wall. While he was still in shock, Ayato agreed to let the woman help him find Flora. He discovers her true identity and is even more shocked.
Sasamiya Saya and Toudou Kirin won’t allow Ayato and Julis to go after Flora. Instead, the two of them head to the location with Eishirou in tow. He demonstrates his worth by inviting Lester MacPhail to provide cover fire while Saya and Kirin descend into the building.
Ayato and Julis face off against AR-D and RM-C. AR-D can barely contain his excitement at facing Ayato. The match begins.
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 20: The Phoenix Showdown
The Asterisk War Episode 20: Flora And The Machine (AR-D!)
In The Asterisk War episode 20, The Phoenix Showdown, Julis Riessfeld and Amagiri Ayato face off against the artificial life forms RM-C and AR-D in the final round of the Phoenix Festa. Sasamiya Saya and Toudou Kirin, despite their injuries, launch an effort to rescue Flora Klemm. Can Ayato and Julis stand against the two rapidly evolving artificial life forms without Ser-Veresta? Will the assassin who doesn’t value his own life kill Flora before Saya and Kirin can extract her?
Ayato and Julis bring another one of their solid, well-thought-out strategies into the match with AR-D and RM-C. They fight hard, but as we all saw coming in the last episode, the two artificial life forms from Arlequint Academy decide to use the move they used against Saya and Kirin: RM-C shed herself of her Luxes and gave them to AR-D. Without Ser-Veresta, how long can Ayato last, even with Julis’ support?
Saya and Kirin enter the abandoned hotel where Flora’s being held. Saya pulls the door open, and Kirin uses her blade as a mirror to examine the room. Seeing Flora seemingly alone, Kirin rushes in, only to be forced to counter a vicious attack from the shadows. Taking advantage of Kirin’s injured leg, the kidnapper knocks her back, puts a blade to Flora’s throat, and demands Kirin drop her sword. Can Saya’s guns turn the tide? Or will the kidnapper’s shadow blades murder Flora?
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 21: Clinching Victory
The Asterisk War Episode 21: The Climatic Phoenix Festa Battle
In The Asterisk War episode 21, Clinching Victory, Amagiri Ayato and Julis Riessfeld complete their match against AR-D. We learn Toudou Kirin’s fate. Dirk Eberwein and Ernesta Kühne discuss opportunities for future collaboration. We learn a little more about the past of Yabuki Eishirou, Ayato’s mysterious friend. Finally, we see a shocking revelation about Ayato’s sister, Amagiri Haruka.
Ayato and Julis continue their slug-fest against AR-D, who grows more powerful by the moment. They’re able to push him so hard he releases release so much power that he injures himself. They use the time to come up with a counter attack. Julis is wounded; Ayato’s at the limits of his endurance. Will they be able to prevail?
After the Festa is over, Eishirou confronts the kidnapper and reveal’s the kidnapper’s name. How did Eishirou know? And why was the kidnapper so afraid of Eishirou?
Flora tries to blame herself for all the trouble, but Julis comforts her — and Flora collapses sobbing in Julis’ arms.
Julis and Ayato meet with Madiath Mesa, chairman of the Festa’s steering committee, who says he’ll try to help find Ayato’s sister. What we learn after Julis and Ayato leave could change the direction of the series.
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 22: Lieseltania
The Asterisk War Episode 22: A Visit To Julis’ Home Town! Trouble At The Ball! Sad Saya!
Episode 23: The Lonely Strega
The Asterisk War Episode 23: Family Matters And A Major Coincidence
In The Asterisk War Episode 23, The Lonely Strega, Jolbert Riessfeld makes a touching, unselfish request and a plaintive, selfish request; Julis Riessfeld runs into an old friend whose personality has taken a turn for the worse; Amagiri Ayato goes up against his most powerful foe to date; and Claudia Enfield gets to go on the attack!
Jolbert tells Ayato, Julis, and friends that Gustave Malraux (Marlow) had attacked them last night at the ball. The police offer to protect them, but they turn down the offer, since they’re more than capable of taking care of themselves and (likely) because they didn’t want the police to be harmed. Jolbert asks that Ayato and Julis stay behind, and what he asks of Ayato shocks him — and outrages Julis. She storms out.
Ayato finds her at the orphanage that she has worked so hard to save. From behind the fence, he watches as she plays in the snow with the children. He gets to meet Sister Theresa, Julis’ Strega mentor, and learns that the girl who had sewn Julis’ precious handkerchief had been gentle and had loved greenhouses. Julis excuses herself, still unable to bear the emotional pain at the memory of the men taking her friend away to turn her into a fighter. As they’re walking through the snow, a limousine drives past with the last person Julis expects to see. They finally chase her down to a burned out homestead, where the Julis tells Ayato to stay out of the fight as she attacks.
The rest of this review may have spoilers, so please be careful!
Episode 24: Reunion
The Asterisk War Episode 24: Hydra Attack! Claudia’s Dad Did What?
In The Asterisk War Episode 24, Reunion, the the last episode of the second season, Julis Riessfeld, Amagiri Ayato, Sasamiya Saya, and Toudou Kirin face off against Gustave Malraux; Claudia Enfield takes care of a pressing family matter affecting them all; Jolbert Riessfeld makes a surprisingly kingly decision.
Ayato wakes up with Saya and Kirin sleeping beside him. Before he can react, Julis walks in to say he was unconscious for three days. He seemed relieved when Julis praised Saya and Kirin for staying with him the whole time. She also thanks her for saving her from Orphelia.
Julis explains that Orphelia had been her best friend before ungainly men took her away as collateral for the orphanage’s debt. They took Orphelia to an Integrated Enterprise Foundation laboratory run by Arlequint Academy’s student nicknamed Magnum Opus. They turned Orphelia into an artificial Genestella with staggering power. Unfortunately, she couldn’t control it, and she destroyed the lab. That’s the burned out building that Julis and Ayato saw at the end of the last episode.
