Please note the SPOILER warning, many key elements and developments of the anime, Kannaduki no Miko are revealed in the following paragraphs, do not continue reading if you do not want to know the various plot twists.
Kannaduki no Miko - Episode 6: Avatar of the Sun
Otoha is shocked at the sight of Chikane in the kitchen, preparing lunch with Himeko. Himeko makes an extra portion for Souma, which dims the happiness in Chikane’s eyes. On the way to school, Himeko laments the loss of the rose hair clip Souma gave to her and Chikane denies seeing it.
Himeko waits outside the tennis court to give Souma his lunch but he is surrounding by girls, she is about to give up when Chikane walks up to Souma and calls him away. The three end up on a roof where Himeko gives Souma his lunch and both blush adoringly. Chikane walks away saying that she has to meet a teacher.
We later see Chikane eating lunch alone in the rose garden. She ponders that all her life she does everything with exceptional equanimity and sagacity, her every achievement meets with praise and admiration. The world exalts her and places her above all others where she shines exclusively and she accepts it as her due, never lacking anything and never desiring anything, until she met Himeko.
Flashback to her first meeting with Himeko, Chikane stands alone in the rose garden when a puppy breaks through the hedge, immediately followed by Himeko (her hair tied in two braids, making her look younger). Himeko is surprised to see Chikane but then carries the puppy and laughs.
The puppy has a collar and Chikane offers to help Himeko find the owner. Himeko is grateful and they introduce themselves. Himeko calls her by her first name and even adds the intimate and diminutive –chan behind. Chikane is surprised but pleased, never has everyone called her Chikane nor behaved so naturally with her, she is delighted.
Given Himeko’s personality, it is very surprising that she would address such a recent acquaintance so familiarly, even Souma whom she has known from a young age, she calls by his family name. Makoto is the only person she greets so intimately but they were close friends and roommates for a while. So they must have both felt an instant connection due to their reincarnation, as if they were old friends meeting for the first time.
They engage in conversation as they walk through the town and both comment that they are usually not so talkative (quite true). The puppy gets them muddy and Himeko uses her handkerchief to wipe Chikane’s face and both blush (seems like they have been reacting to each other since their first meeting). The wind blows and Himeko fastens a blue flower hair clip to Chikane’s fringe to prevent it from getting into her eyes (but that ever present lock of hair right down her face is untouched!).
Chikane is bathed in warmth and at peace for the first time in her life and she wants to feel this way forever. They bring the dog to a little hut and the old lady there is apologetic at troubling Chikane for such a trifling matter and profusely thanks the two girls. The old lady’s deeply deferential attitude leads Himeko to stare at Chikane in wonder.
The next day at school, Chikane is pleasantly returning all the reverent greetings directed her way when she spots Himeko walking in front. Chikane lights up and approaches Himeko, calling her name. Himeko turns and is taken aback when she realises who hailed her. Chikane is about to return her handkerchief when Himeko starts bowing and apologising for the forwardness and disrespect she displayed the previous day towards an august individual, such as Chikane.
Himeko stammers out her speech and runs away, leaving Chikane standing in mute surprise. Chikane runs after her and manages to return her handkerchief. For Chikane to lose her composure enough to chase after someone astonishes even herself, but she did not want to let Himeko go and so made every opportunity to spend time with her, the lunches and all their meetings were initiated by Chikane.
Cut back to present day Chikane alone in the rose garden, thinking to herself that since their first meeting, she did everything she could to experience Himeko’s warm smiles and joy. She was happy just to be with Himeko but is now starting to realise that she might want more as she ponders her recent inexplicable action. We see her staring at two hair clips in her hands, one the blue flower clip from Himeko and the other the rose clip Souma had given to Himeko.
Keeping the gift (a token of Souma’s affection for Himeko) is a subtle objection against Himeko’s and Souma’s budding relationship. Obviously despite her encouragement of the date, Chikane has not fully accepted their being a couple as a given. Chikane is also probably grieved and rebellious at the knowledge that Himeko refused to let Chikane touch her hair but she happily wore Souma’s hair clip. Chikane might also have resented Souma giving Himeko a clip with a rose on it because roses have a special significance for Chikane as she first met Himeko in a rose garden.
Miyako spies on an unsuspecting Chikane and starts scheming when she realises that Chikane has feelings for Himeko. We also learn that Tsubasa is still alive.
After school lets out, Chikane listens stoically as Himeko rambles on about Souma and him asking her out on another date. They return to the cave and do the ritual again. They break two swords at once but Himeko barely escapes getting injured, she is faint from exhaustion but wants to carry on. Chikane looks at the three remaining swords and does not object, they start again but Himeko collapses.
Chikane reaches for her but draws back when she recalls Himeko’s violent rejection of her touch when she tried to style Himeko’s hair. Souma’s words the previous night, about not being able to protect Himeko, ring in Chikane’s mind and she urges Himeko to continue. She is determined to revive the Sword God, which will allow her to protect Himeko without anyone else’s aid (namely Souma’s). But Himeko is utterly drained and Kazuki tells them to stop.
Chikane is shocked at her own behaviour, pushing Himeko beyond her limits, and apologises. Kazuki does not understand why the ritual, which was performed perfectly, could not be completed. Back at the mansion, Chikane overhears Himeko cancelling her date with Souma because she does not want to let Chikane down and wants to spend all her time and efforts into completing the ritual, especially since Chikane has taken her in and is currently looking after her (she might have just said it for Souma’s benefit but to Chikane it must sound like Himeko treats Chikane as her benefactor and feels an obligation to not disappoint her and live up to her expectations).
Kazuki and Yukihito is about to leave on a trip in search of more information about the ritual. Souma tells Kazuki that he is fine since he knows that Tsubasa is still alive and he believes that Tsubasa, being the brother he remembers, will understand his actions one day (Souma has thought it through and knows that the brother he loves and who loves him in return, that brother who sacrificed all in order to protect Souma, will understand and approve his decision to protect Himeko, Souma has truly come into his own).
Yukihito notices that Souma is not on his date and awkwardly tries to console him about being dumped (Yukihito is so comical and he seems to take an inordinate interest in Souma’s love life). Souma hurriedly sees them off on their trip just in time to receive a phone call.
Chikane wakes Himeko up for her date with Souma (Chikane called Souma and told him they will not be doing the ritual that day). Chikane stops Himeko’s protests by asking if she knows why Chikane brought her to live in the mansion, why Chikane wants to complete the ritual with Himeko. The blond guesses that Chikane wants to defeat the Orochi (no) and to save everyone (part of it), but Chikane says that the real reason is because she wants Himeko to be happy and healthy, Himeko cries helplessly.
This is as close to a confession as Chikane has ever gotten so far (it seems that Himeko somehow senses that too, because her tears display the emotions she cannot verbalise). Chikane’s words are practically the same words that Souma says to Himeko all the time, the difference is that she did not tell Himeko she is in love with her, unlike Souma who declared it during the fight with Tsubasa.
But the intention behind her words was not to confess her love, but rather to tell Himeko that her foremost concern is not defeating the Orochi or protecting Himeko or spending time together, but that her greatest desire is to see Himeko gain happiness. Obviously Himeko appears happy whenever she spends time with Souma. Contrast that to the torture that Himeko undergoes whenever she does the ritual together with Chikane or the maliciousness that Himeko endures in school due to her association with Chikane. It is a no-brainer whom Chikane thinks Himeko would rather be with.
Chikane helps Himeko apply her makeup and Himeko asks her to do her hair (she has gotten over her fear). Chikane ties it into two braids and Himeko notices that was how she wore her hair when they first met (so their first meeting made a big impact on Himeko too, since she remembers it so well). Then Chikane turns away and pulls out both the blue flower and rose hair clips. She keeps the rose clip and fastens the blue flower clip on Himeko’s hair.
Braiding her hair, choosing the clip Himeko gave her on their first meeting and not returning Souma’s gift, such telling actions. It shows that Chikane encourages her to go on the date because it would make Himeko happy and Chikane would never deny her any happiness. But Chikane is just being noble, her heart aches and rebels by giving Himeko the braids and blue clip as reminders of their first fateful meeting and the connection they felt. Keeping the rose clip shows that despite all her noble intentions, Chikane still cannot bring herself to fully accept that Himeko has chosen Souma.
Himeko gets on Souma’s bike but turns around to look at the bedroom window. As the engine roars, Chikane cannot hold back any longer and runs out to stop Himeko from leaving, but she is too late, the bike has left. Chikane practices her archery as she tells herself that letting Himeko go is a good thing, that she is happy as long as Himeko is happy, her arrow misses the target (obviously her heart is not convinced).
She packs up and walks away but a sinister looking church suddenly appears in her path. The church door bursts open, letting out music and light. She stares at it a moment before calmly accepting the invitation. Cue ending song (with its wildly suited techno beat) as she walks through the open door.
