The start of episode didn't really seem that special, I wasn't expecting too much. But when the fighting started it amplified up and up. There was a good fight between Dōren and Jinka. It was a cool fight, but it seemed like typical Shōnen stuff so far.
But then Shakugan and Kagan really took stage. Stopping the rock elevated the levels of badassery. But then when Resshin stabbed Shakugan and Kagan, but Shakugan and Kagan kept going it was becoming peak badass.
What surprised me a lot from this episode is that Shakugan and Kagan might actually be dead. I thought there was going to be a fakeout, and Shakugan and Kagan would be able to pull something off at the end. But given the sadness from the characters and the bleak ending credits I think it's very possible Shakugan and Kagan died saving the newborn family. I suppose it's possible that Shakugan and Kagan could come back alive since their body is still around, but I'm not counting on it.
Killing of a protagonist aligned character this early really elevates this anime for me. I haven't seen this kind of death often in general, so it really makes Sengoku Youko stand out a lot more for me. It will intriguing to see how the surviving characters will react next episode.
Screenshots:Eye1MouthHeroism1Heroism2Heroism3Eye2Grief