Mizukami Satoshi is pretty reliably unconventional in terms of narrative structure. Even so, I think that’s more true with Sengoku Youko than any of his other series. That becomes more obvious as we approach the end, as all the seeds he’s planted in 96 chapters fully bear fruit. We reach this final confrontation with the two principals – the first (debatably) protagonist and the true protagonist – basically strangers to each other. It casts their meeting in a very odd light, something the narrative very much acknowledges.

The number 1000 is all over this story. A thousand is number that pops up a fair bit in Japanese folklore (like the thousand cranes, because the divine bird was reputed to live for a thousand years). I mean, it’s in the title, it’s in Senya’s name (plus the thousand arms), and it’s inside both he and Jinka. It’s the symbolism and the mechanism that ties them – and their distinct portions of the story – together. The Thousandfold Wonder and the Thousand-tailed Youko. One self-inflicted, the other forced upon the bearer – but now they finally come together.

Much to Banshuou’s dismay, it’s only now when facing his ultimate rival that Senya’s power fully awakens. His third eye opens, and he finally becomes the being he’s been running away from for his entire post-hibernation life. But because in this as in everything Senya acts out of empathy and compassion, it’s not a monster that emerges from the process. He’s simply becoming what he has to be to save Jinka, someone to whom he owes absolutely no debt to at all. He’s doing it because he can and only he can. And for the love of the friends he’s made who do have a connection to Jinka.

Senya doesn’t hear Tsukiko remark on how beautiful this version of himself is, but it would surely reassure him if he had (though she loves him unreservedly anyway). He has to give this everything he has to try and contain Jinka’s wildly erratic power, the idea being that if he can bring order to it, Shinsuke can involve Spirit World Observation and attempt to bring Jinka back to himself. The first sign that this is working is that Jinka uses a talisman attack against Senya – something that would be impossible if he were exhibiting no rational thought.

Seeing this, the others (after bringing Takeru some fresh water) seize the moment and hit Jinka with everything they have (which is still a fraction of what Jinka and Senya have). Shinsuke is able to drawn them into the spirit world, and here again we’re reminded of the strangeness of the story’s structure. In the midst of the final battle, the protagonist is nowhere to be seen – because Senya has no role in this. He can do battle physically with the Thousand-tailed Youko but spiritually he’s a stranger. It falls to Shakugan, Shinsuke, and especially Tama to try and reach him.

To facilitate making a connection, the trio appear as they were when Jinka last saw them eight years earlier. But he’s unreachable behind a clear wall – the one he’s constructed to keep himself safely alone. As ever it’s Shinsuke who sees deeper and cuts to the heart of the moment. He settles down to prepare a meal and arranges the others as they sat when they were traveling together, and Jinka is entranced. As Even Call’s gorgeous soundtrack accompanies the scene (it’s been a good week for anime BGM), Jinka finally emerges from his shell – but he boots the two humans(ish) out, leaving only Tama behind to try and complete the rescue.

And so, really, we come full circle – Jinka and Tama together at last. And while the center of the story has firmly passed to Senya, this does bring us back to the earliest moments of the series. Tama does finally reach Jinka – it’s love, after all – and convince him that she (and life) is worth living for. And that humans are worth loving too – which is essential, as he is one himself in the end. Jinkja emerges bloodied and battered – as much as Senya, who he’s informed is the one who saved him. An awkward “Thanks” and “You’re welcome” is exchanged – these are basically strangers after all.

Unfortunately, this happy ending is not as straightforward as it seems. Kokugetsusai has been observing all this via Hanatora, and announces that they’ve acted too soon – there was too much spirit power latent in Jinka yet, and he’s going to “blow”. Senya does a Senya thing – uses his many arms to get the others to safety and plunges in to try and save Jinka one more time. The two of them wind up in some sort of void – not as in “Tribe of the”, Kokugetsiusai says – that not even Jinka fully understands even if it’s an extension of him. It’s yet one more challenge for Senya to overcome, one more soul to save – and this is the key difference between he and Jinka. He’s found peace with what he is, and what’s inside him – and that shows him the path to possible salvation.