Mitsuba's Squad (Episode)

"Mitsuba's Squad" (三葉のチーム) is the seventh episode of the first season and seventh episode overall of the Seraph of the End anime.

Synopsis
Yūichirō Hyakuya, Shinoa Hīragi, Shihō Kimizuki, and Yoichi Saotome meet Mitsuba Sangū and form a squad led by Shinoa. They leave the walls of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army to exterminate vampires before heading to Shinjuku for a major battle. In the meantime, Guren takes a separate route.

The squad hears a scream and sees a young girl being attacked by a Four Horsemen of John. Defying orders, Yu attacks the monster to save her and is ambushed by a trio of vampires.

The rest of the squad defends him, and both humans and vampires retreat. The rescued child gives them information on the vampires at Omotesando station.

Summary
Twelve-year-old Mika asks Yu why he left him behind. He tells Yu that he will ask this question until Yu answers him. As demonic smoke consumes him, he reappears in the form of Asuramaru. He reminds Yu to let him know when he feels his spirit will break then claims he will get revenge for Yu if he surrenders to him.

The ringing of Yu's alarm clock wakes him, and he dresses in military uniform after brushing his teeth. With one last look at Ferid's stolen gun, he thinks of Mika.

Yu encounters Shinoa in a dirty subway. She tells him he looks nice in his uniform, and she teases him saying that she looks nice, too. They meet and enter the underground train. As the lights flicker, she says that the vampires from Kansai are planning to retake Shinjuku. Yu only cares about killing the vampires and claims that he was not listening.

They reach the outer wall. After some older soldiers wonder about people so young being part of the Moon Demon Company, Shinoa tells Yu that they think he is a kid. He corrects her by saying it is because she is short. She tells him she still has growing to do because her sister Mahiru had a large breasts. After she tells him her sister died, he apologizes, but she says that no one has survived in this ruined world without losing someone precious.

They hear Mitsuba Sangu arguing loudly with Guren after they reach the meeting point. Mitsuba disagrees with Shinoa being the squad leader instead of her. Guren orders the two girls to not fight with each other, but Shinoa's goading quickly causes Mitsuba to summon a battle axe. When Shinoa manifests her own weapon, the two begin fighting, Guren steps in, disarming them and grabbing them by their necks. He threatens solitary confinement, and the two girls apologize. The boys stare at them, dumbfounded.

Guren states that he is heading to Shinjuku from a separate route. He introduces Mitsuba and instructs them on working in five-man teams. He says that numbers fewer than that typically result in loss of a comrade. He orders them to not fight each other and never fly solo. When Shinoa asks Yu if he heard those instructions, Yu states that he promises nothing. He says that he will attack any vampire before him, even if he is by himself. Mitsuba reacts by trying to kick him in the head, but he manages to block it the last second. Mitsuba claims that she understands now. She says Guren wants her to train Yu, but Guren mocks the idea of having a troublemaker as a trainer. Kimizuki says they are all pains in the ass. Yoichi says that must be true, if it is coming from Kimizuki.

Guren instructs them to protect each other with their lives. He gives them their mission. He tells them to go to Harajuku, crush the vampires, and free the people there. Then, they must proceed to Shinjuku.

As they walk to Harajuku, Yoichi looks around and says he has not been outside of the city since he was taken in by the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. The other soldiers have. Kimizuki and Yu patrolled the wall as guards before. Shinoa suddenly goes into a lecture about how the horsemen are drastically stronger half a mile out. She says one misstep could kill them and tells them that they must be careful. They must not break formation and must stay on their toes.

When Yu asks what that was about, Shinoa giggles and says Mitsuba must be feeling responsible for the young recruits.

They reach Harajuku station and hear a young girl's scream. A girl in normal clothing runs from a Horsemen of John. Yu wants to save her, but Mitsuba orders him against it. She tells him that this was a vampire's trap. Saving that child risks the lives of everyone in that squad. The Horseman reaches the girl. Yu refuses to obey orders, telling his squad that he is tired of surviving because he left someone behind. Yu runs to rescue the child, and Mitsuba chases after him. When Kimizuki and Yoichi try to follow, Shinoa stops them and warns them to get ready for the vampire attack.

Yu defends the child. Shinoa warns Yoichi and Kimizuki that this child is bait used by the vampires to lure any humans who try to rescue her. Kimizuki states Horsemen have no will and asks how the vampires could control one. Shinoa says they are not obeying vampires but only attacking humans, as if culling the overgrown human population from this earth. Mitsuba cuts off an arm of the monster, and a trio of vampires ambush them. Mitsuba says this is the oldest trick in the book used by vampires.

She jumps back, and the three attack Yu, cutting Yu above his right eyebrow. He calls Asuramaru's name, increasing his demonic power and covering his skin with purple markings. The vampires step back. As the Horseman attacks again, Kimizuki cuts its mouth and forces it down, claiming Yu left his back open again. When the monster's tail reaches up to kill Kimizuki when he turns his back, Yoichi fires arrows to destroy the tail. Shinoa has taken possession of the child. Mitsuba finishes off the Horseman.

The vampires comment on the Cursed Gear and realize these humans are members of the Vampire Extermination Unit. They decide to call for backup and capture them, but Yu attacks at full power. Mitsuba tells Yu to retreat. When one of the vampires asks if they think they will let some damn livestock escape, Yu asks what he just said. The vampires decide to retreat. Shinoa orders her squad to retreat since they are behind enemy lines.

Back in the base, Mitsuba slaps Yu, scolding him for his reckless behavior and for endangering the entire squad. She says she is grateful they only had second-class weapons. Yu says she is right, but he does not regret it. He tells her to punch him all she wants until she feels better. She states she hates people like him the most since he is the type who leads entire squads to annihilation. The child thanks Yu, and Mitsuba says she will be save now with the army's protection.

Shinoa warns Yu to be nice to Mitsuba since she has a dark past of her own, but she refuses to divulge any details.

As the girls shower, Mitsuba rants about Yu's behavior, and Shinoa teases her, saying that she will fall in love with him. Shinoa suggests that Mitsuba hates Yu because his behavior reminds her of how hers used to be. Mitsuba recalls a time when she disobeyed orders and broke formation to rescue a comrade. Even though she freed that comrade, her leader had to sacrifice him in order to rescue her. As a result, her entire squad was killed. When Mitsuba tells Shinoa to not come into her shower while she is showering, Shinoa gleefully jumps in and attacks her.

The resultant squealing makes Yu wonder what those girls are doing in there. The boys have already finished showering.

Kimizuki brings a drink to the rescued child. He asks for information, but Yu says she does not have to answer anything she does not want to. Mitsuba gets annoyed by Yu and walks off, leaving him confused. The child tells them the vampires in the Omotesando Station are raising human livestock. They head off the next day to exterminate the vampires. They decide to ignore the human livestock. Shinoa orders them to retreat if the vampires are armed. Yu dislikes the idea. They reach the station entrance. Shinoa tells him that Yu may be okay since he bears a Black Demon Series weapon, but she prefers them eliminating vampires without getting a scratch themselves. She orders Yu to behave, and he agrees.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:

Gallery
Anime images provide a visual overview of the events of Episode 8 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world, scenarios, artistic style among other areas.