Today I rewatched the sixth movie in the Kara no Kyoukai series (I’m planning to go through all of them again over time). This one focuses on Azaka Kokutou and her adventure with Shiki Ryougi at Reien Academy, Azaka’s school, where they investigate a string of mysterious incidents involving “fairies” stealing students’ memories.

During the investigation, they become entangled with another powerful magician, known as God’s Word, who appears to be using the academy as his base of operations and manipulating events from the shadows under the guise of a teacher, for reasons that remain unclear.

It’s one of the shorter films in the series, running only about 60 minutes including credits, but it still fits neatly into the overarching narrative surrounding Souren Araya, the true mastermind behind the supernatural disturbances targeting Shiki, all part of his pursuit of the Root.

As you might have guessed from the focus on her in the images, I really, really like Azaka as a character. She’s beautiful, energetic, intelligent, and, despite her confident exterior, deeply caring toward those around her. And, of course, she adores her brother.

She reminds me a lot of Rin Tohsaka from the Fate series in both design and personality, though Azaka is definitely less “tsun” and a bit more straightforward with her emotions. Her interactions with Shiki are always entertaining; Shiki’s stoic, deadpan attitude constantly throws Azaka off balance and makes their chemistry delightful to watch.

The fight scene where Azaka faces off against the fairy “queen” (you can see a small segment below) remains one of the most memorable moments in the entire Kara no Kyoukai series for me. The dynamic animation, striking special effects, and intense atmosphere really left a lasting impression, and remarkably, it still holds up perfectly well even 17 years after its release.

Next up on my rewatch list for this series is Satsujin Kōsatsu (Kō), but that’s a journey for another day.