The End of Kokuboro

The End of Kokuboro
Episode	Episode 52
Titles
Rōmaji	Kokubōrō no Shūen
Kanji	黒芒楼の終焉
English	The End of Kokuboro
Release Date
Original	Feburary 12, 2008
English	May 28, 2011
Themes
Opening Theme	Sha la la ~Ayakashi Night~
Ending Theme	Akai Ito
Screenshots

The End of Kokuboro (黒芒楼の終焉 Kokubōrō no Shūen) is the 52nd episode of the Kekkaishi anime adapted by Sunrise.

Summary

“	At long last, Yoshimori and Kaguro clash! At the very same moment when Kaguro's sword was about to cut into Sen, Yoshimori unleashed a power that no one had ever seen before. This power was so strong, it's force made Kaguro completely disappear.	”
–English dubbed narration

Tokine enters Yoshimori's shinkai

The episode opens with Tokine trying to save a semi-conscious Yoshimori. She penetrates his shinkai and grabs his hand, causing the Shinkai to fall with the help of a blast from Masamori's Zekkai. With Yoshimori and Sen saved, the group realizes that Kokuboro is crumbling away.

Shion transforms Hekian

Hekian reunites with Shion and her henchmen outside of the castle, and proposes they become partners and abandon Kokuboro together. Shion is insulted that he considers her an equal, and proudly states that she is a better puppet master than even Byaku. As proof of this, she transforms Hekian into one of her henchmen, and has him guide her group to a safe exit.

Byaku finds Princess

Byaku finds Princess in the castle's rubble. She commands him to leave her, not wanting him to see the worsening state of her legs. Byaku refuses and instead carries her on his back. As final proof of her power, Princess transforms the rocky terrain of Kokuboro into a golden field of pampas grass, the same that once flourished in her homeland, Kurosusuki. Byaku recalls the first time he met Princess, where she defeated him in combat and he chose to become her servant. He realizes that instead of becoming an ayakashi, as he once thought he desired, all he really wanted was to be human again. But he is still happy because being around Princess brought made him feel at peace. The pair enjoy their last moments together as the dimension collapses around them.

Tokine hugs Yoshimori

Masamori's group escapes Kokuboro just in time (with some help from Tokiko Yukimura). In the midst of celebrating their safe return, Tokine slaps Yoshimori, and yells at him for endangering himself, and not considering how the people who cared about him would feel if he were hurt. Yoshimori desperately apologizes when he notices her tears, ashamed that he made her cry again. Tokine hugs him and forgives him, but asks that he treasure himself more. Yoshimori then passes out, completely drained from his adventures.

Facing the next threat

Masamori and the Night Troop say their goodbyes and withdraw from Karasumori. Yoshimori returns to duty that night, even though Shuji wanted him to rest. Shigemori claims that if Yoshimori needed to rest, he wouldn't be a proper Legitimate Successor, though in private, he is pleased with Yoshimori's progress. Yoshimori and Tokine meet up at Karasumori, and face the next ayakashi threat together, as usual.

Differences from Manga

• In the manga, Tokine does not follow Yoshimori to Kokuboro, instead returning to inform his family of his disappearance. Tokine does later volunteer to go through the portal along with Masamori's search party, but Tokiko stops her, and Tokine waits until they return with Yoshimori before confronting him as she does in the anime.