The original work is a fantasy light novel by Kei Sasane, "You and I's Last Battlefield, or the Holy War That Begins the World," commonly known as "Kimisen." It has been published by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko since 2017, and was adapted into a manga in Young Animal in 2018. An anime adaptation is scheduled to begin airing in October 2020. After the great witch Nebulis plunged the Empire into flames, the military state "Empire" and the witch nation "Nebulis Imperial Court" engaged in an endless war for world dominance. On the battlefield, the protagonist Iska, a soldier of the Empire, and Alice, the "Ice Calamity Witch" and royalty of the witch nation, meet. Despite their antagonistic relationship, the two are drawn to each other and realize they share the same goals. However, their relationship is like that of Romeo and Juliet, and it was impossible for them to be together. Despite their fateful encounter, they end up heading to the battlefield for their own purposes. This time, ahead of the anime adaptation, we'd like to share a fascinating synopsis of the story. This post contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen it yet, be careful!
Iska Released
The story begins with the release of our protagonist, Iska. Iska, a former "Apostle Saint," the Empire's most powerful warrior, committed a serious crime and was sentenced to life imprisonment. A year after his arrest, Iska is shocked by his sudden release. The "Eight Great Apostles," the highest-ranking officials in the Imperial Diet, cannot easily overturn a decision. Iska's release was necessary to carry out a crucial mission. The mission was to defeat the "Purebloods," the direct descendants of the Great Witch Nebulis, and the "Ice Witch," who the Empire particularly feared. To fight the witches, the Star Sword was essential, and only the successor of Kurogane could wield it. Iska, the only successor of Kurogane, received an unusual release from prison and set out to defeat the witches.
What serious crime did Iska commit?
Iska was the youngest Apostle Saint to be arrested, but he was arrested for helping a captured witch escape from prison. Iska's goal was to negotiate peace with the enemy nation. To achieve this, they needed to capture someone who would force the enemy nation into negotiations, and there was no need to deliberately put a young witch at risk. Furthermore, Iska respectfully referred to her as a "spirit user" rather than a "witch." Although they were enemies, they did not view everything as evil, and instead aimed to end the war peacefully.
Reuniting the 907th Squadron
The Great Eight Apostles offered to provide Iska with everything he needed, but Iska insisted that three comrades would be enough. After his release, Iska gathered together the 907th Squadron, with whom he had been a member before his arrest. Jin, the handsome sniper with unparalleled accuracy; Nene, the skilled machinist who looks up to Iska like an older brother; and the busty, clumsy captain, Mismis. All three have been waiting for Iska's return. The fact that Iska turned down the support of the Eight Apostles and gathered these comrades shows that he has a great deal of trust in these three. Captain Mismis was taken aback when he heard about the mission... (lol)
Attack on the Nebulis Imperial Palace
Unit 907 is suddenly attacked while traveling by car. Judging this to be an attack from the spirit troops, Iska instructs Jin to take the captain and Nene and escape. The spirit troops underestimated Iska, who was left alone, but Iska slashes the flames and defeats them in an instant. This will not serve as any kind of rehabilitation... Iska defeats the spirit troops, but the target of his mission, the "Ice Calamity Witch", is waiting for him. Iska suddenly comes into contact with his target without any preparation.
Iska Negotiating with the "Ice Witch"
The "Ice Witch" is Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX, commonly known as Alice. Iska appears to have been captured by Alice's powerful attack, but Iska dodges the attack and seizes the opportunity to take Rin hostage. Iska demands that Alice be taken hostage instead of Rin. Rin tells Iska to defeat her without worrying about her, but Alice asks what he intends to do with her as a prisoner. Isuka wanted to put an end to this endless war, and intended to use the "Purebloods," the royal spirit users, as hostages to force the Nebulis Imperial Court into peace negotiations.
The "Star Sword" that Slashes Spirit Magic
Rin takes advantage of Isuka's opportunity to escape. With the hostages gone, Alice no longer needs to negotiate. Alice overwhelms Isuka with "A Thousand Thorn Blizzard." Spirits are the will of the stars themselves, and the Empire, which has rejected them, has no way to counter their attacks. However, Iska's twin swords were special swords that could cut through spirit arts, and only one of them existed in the world. The Black Star Sword has the power to block stars. Because spirit arts originate from the power of the stars, if that power is blocked, the arts themselves will not work. The White Star Sword also has the power to release stars, allowing it to recreate a spirit art cut with the Black Star Sword just once. Iska used the Star Sword to break through the "Thousand Thorn Blizzard" and attempt to finish off Alice, but was unable to do anything due to the invincible shield "Ice Flower."
Iska and Alice Get Close
With neither of them able to make a decisive move, Alice shares her ambitions. "Eternal peace without invasion or persecution." That's the world she desires. But while she's saying it, she slips and falls straight off a frost pillar... Despite what she'd hoped would be a cool statement, she's so clumsy (lol). Iska, who is generally kind, reflexively helps Alice, and the two end up staring at each other from close range. Now that Alice's face has been exposed, she can't let Iska live, but Unit 907 arrives to help. With their pursuers on the scene, Alice and the others retreat. Jin asks Iska what the Ice Witch looked like, but for some reason, Iska lies and says he didn't see her. From this moment on, Iska and Alice begin to notice each other.
The Two Begin to Notice Each Other
After the battle with the Ice Witch, Iska returns to his room for the first time in a while, but he can't sleep at all. Each of the Ice Witch's spirit magic is comparable to natural cataclysms, making her an undeniably threatening opponent. However, the person using it, Alice, is a beautiful girl about his age. Is it love at first sight? Isuka's mind is full of Alice. Meanwhile, Alice...she's also unable to sleep, preoccupied with Isuka. Apparently, Alice was saved by someone wielding a pair of black and white swords when she was a child, and she's wondering if that person is Isuka...
The Clumsy Captain, Misumisu
Worried about Isuka, who hasn't come out of her room, Misumisu offers her opera tickets as a gift to cheer her up. However, what she gives him is a slightly sexy, adult-looking bra... Apparently, Miss Misumi hides her valuables in her underwear (lol). She panics and makes excuses, but ultimately reveals her true feelings: she'd like to try wearing adult underwear too.
A Second Encounter at the Opera
Thanks to Miss Misumi's kindness, Isuka goes to the opera. Sitting next to her is a woman engrossed in the story, crying her eyes out. He kindly hands her a handkerchief, and the woman says she wants to thank him. When the lights in the venue come on, she reveals that the woman is none other than Alice, the Witch of the Ice Calamity. The two coincidentally attend the same opera. Alice tries to settle the score, but Rin stops her. The laws of the neutral city where the two are currently located state: 1) All conflict is prohibited within the city; 2) The first person to attack is considered the violator; and 3) All cultures are accepted and art is to be enjoyed. Causing trouble here would antagonize neutral cities around the world, so they cannot harm each other. The two are surprised by their sudden encounter, but they decide to part ways without fighting.
Iska Entrusted with the Star Sword
Iska falls asleep while watching an opera and dreams of an old memory. The Star Sword is the only hope for "regenerating" the world, and Iska was entrusted with it by his master. While it's unclear how his master entrusted it to him, Iska, who wields the Star Sword, holds the key to putting an end to the war!
A third time?!
After the opera, Alice and Rin head to a famous pasta restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant is fully booked, but they're happy to seat someone if they don't mind sharing a table. Wanting pasta, Alice readily agrees and heads to the shared table. There was no one sitting next to them, and as they were having a drink together, the person they were sitting with returned. It goes without saying who it was... (lol) At this point, you can't help but think it was intentional. Rin suspects they're being followed, but it's Alice and the others who later sit at Iska's table. The two of them are speechless... In the end, they end up eating together, but Alice has almost no experience of eating while conversing with others, and she unexpectedly finds eating with Iska, who has similar tastes in food, enjoys it. During this impromptu dinner, they discover things about each other that they didn't know before, and the two become even more attracted to each other.
Risha in the Empire, the Empire's Pride of All-round Genius
Unit 907 was conducting crossing training in the desert field of their training area. After a scorching heat, they were exhausted when Risha appeared, looking refreshed. She was Iska's former colleague and now an honor student assigned to the headquarters. She is the trusted adviser to the fifth-seat Chief of Staff, the Heavenly Emperor, and although she is an Apostle Saint like Iska, she is of a different rank. The reason why the busy Risha appeared before Unit 907 was to ask Iska and the others to work under her. Being assigned to the unit directly under the 5th seat is a big promotion for Unit 907, but Jin feels uneasy about being chosen despite having no track record. Richa says that even though he has no track record, she knows his abilities, but is that really the case? Richa tries to ask Iska about their trip to a neutral city. Has he found out about Alice?! Iska wonders, but Mismis's naivety explodes, and the conversation is left unresolved... Nice work, Captain Mismis!! How much does the all-round genius Richa know? What is his true intention in assigning Unit 907 directly to him?!
The Awakening of the Founder and Its Cause
Alice is summoned by her mother. The conditions are that she refrain from using spirit magic and be banned from the battlefield. 100 years ago, the Founder, feared as a great witch, singlehandedly plunged the empire into flames. The Founder continues to live to this day, blocking the flow of time with the power of her immense spirit. Cracks are beginning to appear in the Founder's bonds, and her mother says this is a sign of her awakening. It all began when Alice fought Iska. It is said that spirits resonate with other spirits, and Alice's mother and the Seireiin believe that her spirit is resonating with that of the Founder. Alice is convinced that it is not her influence, and remembers Iska telling her to "wake up." The black stone pillar that bound the Founder and Iska's black star sword are similar, and the white star sword releases spirit magic. Realizing this, Alice begins to wonder if Iska is involved in the Founder's awakening.
A reunion that's become a given
Iska receives tickets to an exhibition by Imperial painter Vibrant Saril from Richa. Alice was also planning to go after the opera, so she heads to the exhibition for a change of pace. The two meet again by chance in the neutral city of Ein. Meeting at the same time and in the same place is nothing short of fate. Since they're enemies, they can't go together, so they split up and head to the museum. After Iska finishes looking around and heads home, he notices Alice, who's lost and hasn't made it to the museum yet. Iska takes Alice to an art museum, where they indulge in a shared hobby. Alice is captivated by Iska's talk about Vibrant. As they grow closer, their casual conversation becomes almost like a couple, without any enemies or allies.
The anime adaptation is finally here! Let's take a look at the exciting content! (Spoiler Alert!!) Summary
What did you think? Iska and Alice are attracted to each other, but because they're enemies, it's hard to close the gap between them. It's frustrating, yet captivating. Their shared hobby has brought them closer, and we can't take our eyes off what happens next!
