Diabolik Lovers Episode 12: “Our Little Bitch is different, I’ll give her that.”

AT LAST, THE AWAKENING IS AT HAND.

CUE BLOOD MOON.

ALL CAPS ENGAGED.

IT BEGINS AGAIN.

QUICK RECAP

CORDELIA TAKES OVER YUI’S BODY AND PREPARES TO BEGIN HER NEW RULE OVER THE SAKAMAKI HOUSEHOLD. HOWEVER, IT TURNS OUT SHE WAS BEING USED BY RICHTER ALL ALONG! ALTHOUGH THE REST OF THE BROTHERS CAN ONLY WATCH AS RICHTER TAUNTS THEM, AYATO BARGES IN TO FIGHT HIM. RICHTER, WITH CORDELIA/YUI IN HAND, THEN ENGAGES AYATO IN A SWORDFIGHT. AYATO PUTS UP A FIGHT, BUT RICHTER OVERPOWERS HIM, STABBING HIM THROUGH THE SHOULDER. AFTER SEEING HER BELOVED WOUNDED, YUI COMES TO HER SENSES AND BREAKS FREE FROM RICHTER. IN ORDER TO SAVE THE SAKAMAKI BROTHERS AND THWART RICHTER’S PLANS, SHE STABS HERSELF WITH SUBARU’S KNIFE. RICHTER, IN SHOCK OVER WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED, TRIES TO RECOVER THE BODY BUT INSTEAD GETS STABBED BY AYATO. BLEEDING PROFUSELY, HE FLEES THE SCENE WHILE AYATO AND THE REST OF THE BROTHERS TRY TO TAKE IN YUI’S SUICIDE.

FINALE

THE FINALE OPENS WITH AN OVERHEAD SHOT OF THE BROTHERS MOURNING YUI’S UNTIMELY DEMISE.

LAITO IS THE FIRST TO SPEAK.

I JUST KNOW HE’S CRYING ON THE INSIDE T_T

EVERYONE ELSE’S GRIEF MUST ALSO BE SHOWCASED, BECAUSE YUI MEANT SO MUCH TO ALL OF THEM.

YUI I’M SO JEALOUS OF YOU!!!!!! >.<

BUT IT’S TOO EARLY TO RELAX JUST YET, BECAUSE RICHTER IS STILL ALIVE.

THE BROTHERS QUICKLY TRANSFER YUI’S BODY OVER TO THE LIVING ROOM AND REST HER ON THE COUCH. THE AWAKENING HAS STARTED!

AYATO IS WORRIED IF YUI WILL BE ALRIGHT.

WAIT, ISN’T  YUI SUPPOSED TO BE THE “BITCH”? I’M GETTING CONFUSED GUYS YOU CAN’T REFER TO BOTH YUI AND CORDELIA AS BITCHES BECAUSE THEY INHABIT THE SAME BODY: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL THEIR IDENTITIES APART?

WHILE THOSE AROUND HER AGONIZE OVER HER FATE, REIJI GETS TO WORK ON SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER.

AT THE SAME TIME, SUBARU PARTICIPATES IN A METAPHORICAL DEFLOWERING USING A KNIFE COVERED I BLOOD (MAN THAT’S SOME GOOD IMAGERY THERE). YUI’S INNOCENCE AND YOUTH IS NOW GONE, BUT WHAT IS TO COME?!?!

BEFORE WE CAN FIND OUT, WE CUT BACK TO RICHTER, WHO’S MANAGED TO MAKE HIS WAY UP TO THE HIDDEN SANCTUARY WHERE HE’S HIDDEN CORDELIA’S BLOODSTAINED DRESS. (THIS IS WHERE HE BROUGHT YUI THE FIRST TIME TO AWAKEN CORDELIA A FEW EPISODES AGO.)

HOWEVER, HE’S NOT ALONE — LAITO HAS FOLLOWED HIM!!!

BUT ENOUGH OF THAT — WE NEED MORE ANXIETY ABOUT YUI! SHOW ME MORE OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL CONCERNED FACES.

OK WAIT — THERE’S BEEN MULTIPLE AWAKENINGS? I GUESS THIS PROCESS OF DYING AND BECOMING A…BRIDE CANDIDATE?…HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT’S HAPPENED TO SOMEONE POSSESSING CORDELIA’S HEART! I DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS CHRONOLOGY ANYMORE, BUT WHO CARES BECAUSE AYATO HAS THAT LOOK OF CONCERN AND GYAHHHHHHHHHHH HE’S SO ADORABLE AND CUTE AND PLEASE CARE ABOUT ME TOO.

BUT WE CAN’T GET TOO MUCH CARING — BACK TO SERIOUS BUSINESS BECAUSE RICHTER IS STILL AT LARGE.

ALL RIGHT — GOTTA RESTATE THE OBVIOUS WITH MORE SHOTS OF THE RUINED DRESS. AGAIN, SEE ALL THE FLOWERS AND BLOOD AND THE STATE OF THE DRESS. SO MUCH SEXUALLY CHARGED SYMBOLISM YO.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL. BECAUSE WE NEED MORE OBVIOUS RESTATEMENTS FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT.

(BECAUSE IT’S NOT LIKE RICHTER SAID THESE THINGS IN THE LAST EPISODE OR ANYTHING). AND JUST TO ENSURE WE UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION, HERE’S A DRAMATIC CLOSEUP.

LAITO, IF YOU COULD JUST LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT I THINK I COULD DIE HAPPY. BUT WAIT — AREN’T I THE CAMERA? SO IN A WAY HE IS LOOKING AT ME AND OMG I CAN PAUSE THIS SCENE AND REWATCH IT AS MANY TIMES AS I WANT HOW WONDERFUL ANIME AND FILM IS SO DEEP YAY VOYEURISTIC CAMERA.

OR I COULD JUST PLAY THE MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH GAME. THAT TOO I GUESS.

BUT WE CAN’T GET TOO EXCITED — LET’S JUMP BACK TO YUI BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE PLOTS MUST BE RESOLVED AT THE SAME TIME FOR BETTER TIMING AND THEMATIC COHERENCE. SO BACK TO WORRYING.

LUCKILY, THAT EARLIER SCENE WITH REIJI WAS IMPORTANT AND HE’S COOKED UP SOMETHING THAT MIGHT SAVE OUR YOUNG HEROINE.

BUT HOW CAN WE MAKE IT COMPLETE REIJI?! HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW OSHIETE. KUDASAI.

AND THE BIG REVEAL…

O. M. G. THAT THEMATIC RELEVANCE. BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET ANYTHING, REIJI? LAITO HAS ACCESS TO THE DRESS, BUT IS UPSTAIRS DEALING WITH RICHTER. AND CORDELIA’S BEEN DEAD FOR SO LONG. WHAT CAN WE DO?!?!?! IS YUI DOOMED?!?!

WELL THAT WAS EASY. AND A NICE WAY TO MAKE THAT TEDDY BEAR RELEVANT (AND ADDS A NEW DIMENSION TO KANATO’S CHARACTER).

BUT WE CAN’T GET THE RESOLUTION FOR YUI’S AWAKENING YET, BECAUSE RICHTER! SO LET’S CUT BACK TO THAT.

AFTER THIS DECLARATION, LAITO THROWS A LANTERN INTO THE ROOM AND TORCHES THE PLACE.

NO ONE LOOKS BACK AS THEY BURN THEIR FOES ALIVE. LAITO YOU’RE SO KAKKOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII MARRY ME NAO.

THIS WAS A STRANGE TIMING BIT ON THE SHOW’S PART THOUGH. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT JUST HAPPENED, TO ME IT WOULD’VE MADE MORE SENSE TO HAVE THIS TORCHING THE ROOM SCENE FIRST BEFORE THE RESOLUTION OF THE VIAL, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD’VE ALL GONE “BUT WAIT LAITO JUST BURNED THAT SHIT!!!!” AND BEEN ALL SAD. INSTEAD, THEY OPTED TO HAVE THE SCENE AFTER SO THAT BOTH SUBPLOTS WERE THEMATICALLY RESOLVED AT AROUND THE SAME TIME. IT WORKS, BUT I THINK LEECHES A BIT OF DRAMATIC CONFLICT FROM BOTH SCENES.

NOW THAT RICHTER’S DEATH IS ENSURED, WE QUICKLY JUMP BACK TO YUI. AFTER YUI IS GIVEN THE POTION, AYATO KISSES HER ON THE LIPS. NICE CALLBACK TO SLEEPING BEAUTY/SNOW WHITE — WHILE PRETTY STANDARD, IT NONETHELESS HELPS TO SITUATE THE SHOWS ROOTS AND SHOWS GOOD CONTRAST/IRONY (CONSIDERING THE PRINCE IS A VAMPIRE AND YUI’S “AWAKENING” TO HER NEW LIFE).

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. EVERYONE ELSE IS PRETTY HAPPY TOO!

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW LAITO GOT THERE.

THE EPISODE “ENDS” WITH THIS LINE.

NOW, THE FORESHADOWING AND SYMBOLISM AND IMAGERY ALL MAKE SENSE. ALL HAIL THE NEW VAMPIRE MISTRESS, LORD OF HER REVERSE HAREM AND QUEEN OF SM OTOME GAMES!

ROLL OPENING SEQUENCE, BECAUSE THINGS ARE ALWAYS REVERSED IN THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE ANIME.

POST-RESOLUTION, WE CUT BACK TO THE SAME OPENING SCENE, EXCEPT THE MOON’S NOT ALL BLOOD-RED AND SHIT BECAUSE THE DANGER HAS PASSED. WOOHOO!

YUI IS STANDING ON THE BALCONY HOLDING A ROSE. AYATO SOON JOINS HER.

IN A WONDERFULLY IRONIC TURN OF EVENTS, HE GIVES HER THE CHRISTIAN NECKLACE SHE USED TO WEAR.

TO HOLD THE NECKLACE, YUI DROPS THE ROSE, LEADING TO MORE INTENSE IMAGERY TO DRIVE HOME THAT THE DEED HAS BEEN DONE.

AND OF COURSE WE CUT TO THE SANCTUARY, NOW OMINOUSLY LOCKED OFF.

SECOND SEASON NAO PLEASE.

POST-FINALE SCENES

IT OF COURSE IS NOT ENOUGH TO END THE EPISODE ON THAT NOTE. INSTEAD, WE ALSO GET A BUNCH OF ISOLATED SHOTS OF EACH OF THE CHARACTERS DELIVERING THEIR “CLASSIC” LINES SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND JUST HOW UNBELIEVABLY SEXY THEY ARE.

KANATO

I LOVE IT WHEN YOU MAKE THAT FACE TOO KANATO. PLEASE TERRORIZE ME MORE.

LAITO

LAITO, PLEASE SAY MORE ROMANTIC THINGS TO ME WHILE YOU CALL ME A BITCH. I LOVE YOUR SM TSUNDERE CHARACTER.

SHUU

SHUU, PLEASE TELL ME HOW TRAGIC OUR RELATIONSHIP IS AGAIN. PLEASE EMPHASIZE MY IMPULSIVE NATURE MORE AND DOMINATE MY BODY.

REIJI

REIJI, DISCIPLINE ME MORE. BREAK DOWN THOSE WALLS YOU ERECT AROUND YOURSELF AND SHOW ME THE TRUE YOU.

SUBARU

SUBARU, PLEASE TALK ABOUT YOUR TWISTED, DARK NATURE MORE SO I CAN APPRECIATE THE DARK AFFAIR THAT I’VE GOTTEN MYSELF INTO. I WANT TO SHARE IN THIS DARK, FORBIDDEN, EXOTIC REALM WITH YOU.

AYATO

I LOVE HOW POSSESSIVE YOU ARE AYATO. MAKE ME YOURS!

FINAL THOUGHTS

THESE’LL BE BRIEF, SINCE I WANT TO DO THIS SERIES PROPER JUSTICE WITH AN ACTUAL REVIEW ELSEWHERE (HOPEFULLY):

DIABOLIK LOVERS IS ACTUALLY JUST NOT THAT GOOD. IT’S NOT PRODUCED THAT WELL, THE DIALOGUE FREQUENTLY SOUNDS MORE LIKE ONE-LINERS DELIVERED OUT OF CONTEXT. THE CHARACTERS GET ALMOST NO CHARACTERIZATION (MINUS SOME CHILDHOOD FLASHBACK THAT IS MEANT TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM BUT NOT REALLY), AND THE PLOT IS DISJOINTED. ALL THESE THINGS COMBINED SEEM TO INDICATE THIS WAS MEANT REALLY TO BE AN ANIME TARGETED TOWARDS FANS WHO HAD PLAYED THE GAME, WITH ALL THE PERSONALITIES AND SUCH BROUGHT IN FROM OUTSIDE THE SHOW (I DEFINITELY COULDN’T GET EMOTIONALLY INVESTED). BUT THEN, SINCE IT LITERALLY JUST REPEATS ENCOUNTERS AND DELIVERS A BUNCH OF SIMILAR ONE-LINERS, I DON’T SEE WHY THIS WOULD BE AT ALL APPEALING TO THOSE WHO PLAYED THE GAME. THE LAST SCENE THAT SHOWCASES EACH OF THE CHARACTERS SEPARATELY REALLY DRIVES THIS HOME — WHY DO YOU EVEN NEED THIS, WHEN YOU CAN JUST PLAY THE GAME, LOOK AT FANART, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD IN SO MANY OTHER DIFFERENT WAYS? DIABOLIK LOVERS JUST REHASHES THE PLOT WITH MOTION, EXCEPT IT DOES IT IN A WAY THAT I THINK LEAVES FANS UNIMPRESSED AND NEWCOMERS ALSO EMOTIONALLY UNINVESTED.

YEP.

SO THATS THAT. I’M MAKING A LOT OF STATEMENTS HERE WITH NO BACKING (LIKE HOW CAN YOU CLAIM NEEDING TO PLAY THE GAME TO BECOME EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN THE SHOW IS A “DOWNSIDE”? ISN’T THAT JUST EFFECTIVE TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING?), WHICH I’LL TRY TO DEAL WITH AT SOME LATER POINT.

STILL, IT’S BEEN A HELL OF A JOURNEY, AND I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS FOR BEARING WITH ME! ALSO FOR SURVIVING THIS INCREDIBLY EXCITING ALL-CAPS POST.