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 7: Rainfall of infernal love

Miyako welcomes Chikane and invites her to confess everything before God. She surrounds Chikane with mirrors showing images of Himeko and accuses her of wanting Himeko. Chikane denies it and says that she is the Lunar Priestess who will protect and work with the Solar Priestess to defeat the Orochi.

Miyako challenges her statement and points Chikane towards a mirror showing Himeko and Souma on their date, saying that Souma is the one doing the protecting and the one Himeko is with. Even if the Orochi is defeated, Chikane will never find peace. She will no longer have a special reason to be with Himeko once the priestesses complete their ritual. Chikane shoots an arrow that smashes the mirror showing Souma and Himeko together into pieces (wow, violently breaking them up, is it due to Chikane’s own seething emotions or Miyako’s manipulation or both? Nevertheless the shot was unexpected).

Meanwhile, Souma and Himeko were caught in the rain and have taken refuge in a rundown house. Souma asks her to get out of her wet clothes before she gets ill and promises to commit a painful ritual suicide by disembowelment if he sees her changing. Souma inadvertently catches a glimpse of Himeko through the reflection on the window and he vacillates between killing himself and apologising (very cute).

Switching to the church, Miyako continues taunting Chikane about her unholy passion for Himeko, about her naughty thoughts, her forbidden desire, about a love that will never be returned because they are both girls. Chikane desperately denies wishing to possess Himeko as she frantically shoots mirror after mirror. Chikane says she only wants to see Himeko smile, to protect her happiness but Miyako shows the stolen kiss. Miyako mocks her denial, telling a stunned Chikane that what she really wants is happiness between herself and Himeko but that it is impossible since Chikane is a girl.

Back at the rundown house, Souma is so frustrated by his inability to prevent how badly the date has turned out that he smashes a table. He is immediately worried that Himeko is frightened but she insteads holds his injured hand gently and tells him not to hurt the hand that valiantly fights for her, that tenderly gives her the hair clip, that always supports her when she trembles (very nice speech). They blush and stare deeply into each other eyes, they look about to kiss when Girochi intrudes.

The guys fight and Souma is losing when Himeko’s solar mark starts to shine and Souma turns the tables on Girochi. However, Reiko, Nekoko and Corona appear with their mechs and join forces to attack Souma.

At the church, Miyako is slowly stripping a stricken Chikane of her clothes as she takes on the appearance of Himeko and tells Chikane that they cannot have a life together but they can fight and die together, which is what she truly wants anyway. Miyako, disguised as Himeko, starts seducing Chikane and urges her not to succumb to this world that dismisses her deep love. Miyako tells her that God will forgive her if she confesses.

For Miyako to think that Chikane will be tempted by absolution means that either theirs is an intolerant society or that Miyako is insightful enough to understand the turmoil raging within Chikane because she thinks of her love as unnatural. Either way, this shows that Chikane truly thinks she would be condemned for her feelings.

Chikane’s face shows an expression caught between desire and agony but her hand moves stealthily to abruptly smash Miyako’s illusion, injuring her in the process. Chikane scornfully states that the chimera is not her Himeko (presumably because Himeko would never say those words or behave in that manner) and that she does not expect anything from Himeko.

Meanwhile, Souma has taken Himeko into his mech and proceeds to royally trash all the other mechs. Souma is amazed at his strength, greater than ever and untainted by the darkness and agony that usually accompanies his use of the Orochi power. We see that that his Orochi mark glows white instead of its usual purple and behind him, white light pours from Himeko’s symbol. Souma unleashes an attack that looks set to destroy all three mechs.

Cutting back to Chikane, the church turns out to be an illusion created by Miyako’s mech and Chikane is back on the road she was on earlier. Her horse finds her standing dejectedly on the road. She decides to find Himeko because she wants to talk to her, talk about her birthday, the hair clip or any topic at all.

It seems that Chikane has come to terms with her emotions and desires, and is willing to admit to herself that she feels more than friendship for Himeko. She finally realises that all this time she has been deceiving herself by thinking that all she wants is to see Himeko happy, to see her smile. When actually what Miyako said to her was true, Chikane wants more than just for Himeko to be happy, what she wants is for Himeko to find happiness when she is together with her, she wants Himeko to return her love.

In an act of true courage, we see Chikane ride off because she finally wants to talk truthfully to Himeko. Talking about her birthday can only mean she wants to confess to Himeko about kissing her when Himeko was helpless to stop her. Talking about the hair clip must mean that she will finally admit to Himeko that she stole Souma’s rose clip. She wants to confess her despicable actions, to come clean.

Looks like Chikane is willing to talk about anything. She is willing to open up to Himeko. She is ready to tell Himeko her true feelings. She has decided to brave Himeko’s reaction and rejection in order to no longer deceive an unsuspecting Himeko that she does not want anything more than friendship when she in fact wants more, much more. This is the moment we see Chikane regain her equilibrium and her belief that life should be lived to the fullest and that she has to fight for what she wants (recall her much earlier speech to Himeko in the station).

Chikane sees and rides towards the beam of light that appears after Souma destroys the other mechs. Meanwhile, we see Souma’s mech standing in the ocean, a short distance away from the rocky cliffs. Souma and Himeko stand on the open palm of the mech’s outstretched arm and they gaze in delight at the stars in the sky.

Souma appreciatively says that there is much pain and sorrow, but if one endures, there will also be nights as beautiful as this. Himeko says that she did not endure anything in order to deserve it, but instead she is able to enjoy the beauty because Souma is sharing his reward with her and that she will always remember this wondrous sight with gratitude (so sweet).

Souma blushes (of course) and calls her by her first name (he always calls her Kurusugawa-san), Himeko is elated at his lack of formality, he denies his slip of tongue, she insists she heard him correctly (very cute). She trips, he catches her, they gaze at each other, they kiss. Chikane sits motionless on her horse as it stops atop the rocky cliff that affords her a clear view of them kissing.

The shock triggers a series of scenes in Chikane’s mind: Himeko and Chikane, dressed in their priestess robes, locked in a violent embrace; an unfamiliar mech; a blood splattered purple robed figure holding a sword; Chikane holding a wounded Himeko and kissing her as she cries. Chikane reels from the flood of images and bows her head as she perceives the meaning of the images, and immediately, the lunar symbol on her back shines. The revelation caused the mark of her power to glow for the very first time.

The couple slowly draws apart and Souma calls Himeko by her first name but quickly switches back to her family name when he sees tears flowing down Himeko’s cheeks unchecked. Souma is appalled and apologies because he thinks she hated the kiss so much she started to cry (poor guy). Himeko says that she does not hate it nor was she unwilling and apologises for crying but cannot stop the tears (almost identical to the reaction she had when she returned from the first date and cried in Chikane’s arms).

Himeko returns to the mansion and Chikane greets her in her usual gentle manner but the blond ignores everyone as she silently walks to her room. Chikane looks at her retreating figure in despair. Chikane enters Himeko’s room and gently comforts a cheerless Himeko, who tells Chikane everything. Himeko wonders why even though she did not dislike the kiss, her heart felt such pain that the tears started and flowed so copiously. Himeko adds that it was her first kiss and blushes.

Chikane is devastated (might be because she regrets taking Himeko’s first kiss without her knowledge, but it might also be due to Himeko regarding the kiss with Souma as her first, which is a rejection of all Chikane’s stolen kiss signifies, a rejection of any hope of them being together). Himeko continues to say that she thinks she and Souma are two sides of the double-sided seashell Chikane talked about on the beach. She thinks that the special person waiting for her, and only her, is Souma (it cannot have escaped Chikane’s notice that this is the first time Himeko calls Souma by his first name).

Himeko says that her heart beats rapidly when she is with Souma and Chikane listens, as she remembers Miyako’s words that her wish to be with Himeko will never be fulfilled. Chikane suddenly pulls Himeko into her arms and says that it is a good thing, Himeko’s happiness with Souma. Himeko agrees and melts into the embrace as Chikane looks up at the ceiling with a tender look on her face, her eyes brimming with tears.

Chikane bids goodnight and leaves to answer a phone call. Otoha, who overheard everything, grieves for her employer’s pain (she is well aware that Chikane loves Himeko). We then see Chikane standing next to a lake, looking up at the sky and reaching a decision as her lunar mark flares.

Witnessing Souma’s and Himeko’s first kiss appears to have given Chikane an epiphany. She deciphered the meaning behind all those scenes that appear whenever they use their power, especially during the rituals. This turn of events is too cruel, right after Chikane has painfully made up her mind to tell Himeko her feelings, she gets hit with first the kiss, then the revelation and finally Himeko’s disclosure that she thinks Souma is her perfect match, the other half of a pair made up of Himeko and her one true love.