Scars

Scars (右腕の傷 Migi Ude no Kizu) is the 1st episode of the Kekkaishi anime adapted by Sunrise.

Summary
The episode starts with nine-year-old Yoshimori Sumimura attempting to take down an Ayakashi. The Ayakashi first mocks him, and then proceeds to attack him. He attempts to capture the Ayakashi with his Kekkai technique for another time, but is interrupted by 11-year-old Tokine Yukimura. Her dog, Hakubi, scolds him on his lack of speed and how he "dawdles." He reveals that he's sick of being a Kekkaishi and Tokine gets upset that he's going to ignore his duty to protect the Karasumori, which he is permitted to protect with his life. While they talk, the Ayakashi attempts to stab Yoshimori with his tail, which sprung from the barrier formed by Tokine. In hesitation, Yoshimori traps the creature using Ketsu and uses Metsu to destroy it. After it is destroyed, Tokine opens a hole to another dimension, uses her Shakujo, and proceeds to send the Ayakashi through the hole.

Yoshimori is seen meditating inside his Kekkai barrier. As he is training, his grandfather suddenly surprises him. The main purpose of his training is to maintain his Kekkai and keep focus. His grandfather praises him for his disposal of the Ayakashi, then he tests Yoshimori's skill by making him repeat the techniques used in Hazama-Ryu. As his grandfather begins to leave, he pulls from his jacket a questionnaire that Yoshimori did in school and teases him with it in an attempt to make him lose focus. He then teases Yoshimori about Tokine, which sets him off. Yoshimori loses focus, his Kekkai barrier disappears, and the bucket of water on top of it falls. His grandfather then scolds him, explains why he has to be the heir to the clan, and mocks his relationship with Tokine's family. Yoshimori then walks outside and Tokine comments on his crying, provoking him by suggesting that he quit being a Kekkaishi. Embarrassed, Yoshimori claims that he wasn't crying, but she knew he was. Tokine reveals that she is proud to be a Kekkaishi, saying she doesn't mind training every day. Tokine's grandmother then comes and mocks the Sumimura family. Because Yoshimori was talking to Tokine and her grandmother, his grandfather comes and mocks Tokiko with his Hohin mark on his hand. Tokiko shows her Hohin mark, on her chest, and Shigemori remarks how much of an eyesore it is so see her under her top. They propose a fight to end their rivalry.

During dinner, it is revealed that Shigemori lost the fight. After Shigemori scolds Yoshimori for being weak, they both sense the presence of an Ayakashi. Yoshimori's younger brother, Toshimori, then reveals that he can sense an Ayakashi as well. Outside, Yoshimori meets up with Tokine, Hakubi comments on how slow he is. Tokine walks away as she states that if he can't put his whole heart into his duty, then he shouldn't even follow her. He does not follow and ponders on what happened to make Tokine act that way. He flash backs to his time before his Kekkaishi training, he's younger and Tokine is putting confidence in him to jump into across the water. However, he slips and they both end up in the water. As they walk away, he's sobbing and she tries to make him feel better. The Ayakashi shows up, crashing into the forest. The Ayakashi slips out from under the bridge over the pond and runs off as Yoshimori chases it. Madarao tells Yoshimori where the Ayakashi is hiding, inside a tree, and asks him if he can enclose the entire tree, Yoshimori attempts to enclose it and succeeds. When it is enclosed, the Ayakashi falls to the ground. It takes the appearance of a young, frightened girl to distract Yoshimori as it takes power from Karasumori to get stronger and larger. He wants to destroy the Ayakashi, but her distraction is working and he feels sympathy. In a short period, the Ayakashi took in enough power to transform, surprising Yoshimori. The Ayakashi, Yumigane, then breaks from the Kekkai barrier effortlessly with one cut. As Yumigane brings his claw down to finish him, Tokine shows up and takes the blow, blood spewing from her arm. She uses the Hazama-Ryu technique to dispose of Yumigane. She passes out from the blood loss; Yoshimori takes her back home and gets emergency help from Tokiko.

The next morning, Yoshimori goes to the Yukimura residence to find out if Tokine is all right; Tokiko shows up at the door and tells him to go back home. Yoshimori's father tells the family that he got an update on Tokine, saying that she will live but her fever is very high. Yoshimori breaks down and blames himself for her injuries. The next scene, 14-year-old Yoshimori suits up for his duty. As he runs to meet Tokine, Madarao shows up from resting, claiming that Yoshimori was leaving him behind. As an Ayakashi shows up, Yoshimori quickly traps it. After trapping him, Tokine trips him with a smaller Kekkai barrier. She mocks him, hating the fact that he used his strength to capture a small Ayakashi with a big Kekkai barrier. As Tokine leaves, he makes a promise to himself to get stronger so she won't be hurt trying to protect him again.