Joran The Princess Of Snow And Blood “The Land Of Blessed Words” Review
Joran The Princess Of Snow And Blood “The Land Of Blessed Words” is the twelfth and final episode of the Joran anime. Following Jin’s instructions in episode 11 Sawa goes to meet him but the unexpected happens. Whilst Asahi and Elena stay behind to move in with Elena’s boyfriend once everything is over.
Getting Revenge
Sawa leaves, after a brief argument with Elena who says she’ll take Asahi in after Sawa’s death, to go and kill Yoshinobu Tokugawa. She runs into armed military at the gate but before she has a chance to fight them she’s whisked off by the black raven changeling that killed Makoto. Instantly recognising the voice, she identifies it as Kuzuhara. They end up on the beach. Her going out of her way to kill Jin but him not fighting her back at all. She demands he fight back and asks why he won’t. He finally confesses that he loved her mother and on the day of the massacre swore to keep her safe. Everything he’s done up until then has been to protect her.
He attacks Sawa with his crows and flies off towards where the Shogun is. In full knowledge that he’ll die doing so, with the injuries he sustained, but determined to bring a brighter future for Sawa. Finding his way into Tokugawa’s quarters he cuts his way in to reveal a frail old man. Stupidly weak and not some god like creature everyone imagines the Shogun to be. He kills him and allows himself to burn with the rest of the castle.
Looking to the future
Meanwhile, Elena has driven off with her baby and boyfriend. Asahi demanded she stay and is stuck at the bookstore waiting for Sawa. Elena says Sawa’s name absentmindedly and her boyfriend suggest it’s a great name. Sawa makes her way back but is silently ambushed from behind by Rinko. She stumbles back home to the store where her and Asahi have regular alone time and chat away. Whilst she slowly dies in Asahi’s arms, without Asahi’s knowledge of course. She dies and the credits roll.
The after credits scene shows us a grown up Asahi and her diary entries. Her anger at Sawa, her questions to her. We see a 14 year old Asahi give worship at Sawa’s grave. Whilst stopping Elena’s daughter Satsuki from reading it. Nana lands on Asahi’s shoulder and her eyes light up blue.
Review
This was the best episode of the series. It was full of moments where it seemed the director was trying to shock the audience but it didn’t quite work. Other than that it was faultless. Kuzuhara’s sacrifice was pretty obvious but written well so worked well. Sawa’s death was almost a given, but it still had massive emotional impact. Perhaps because she died in a way I never saw coming. She could’ve saved herself but she didn’t. She died happy, knowing Asahi would have a much brighter future now.
The only thing really that surprised me was Asahi having the blue blood power. Or hinted to have it. That raises a whole ton of questions. All in all. This was the perfect episode to end the show. It was sad but hopeful, shocking and beautiful.
Talking of beauty, I’m pretty sure the entire budget for the season went on this one episode. Every single frame was exquisite. The subtle changing of art styles that blended together so well it had to have been meticulously planned. The soundtrack was on point as always and gave me a sense of “yes. This! This is what I signed up for in episode 1.”
