This is an accurate representation of my current expression from exhaustion
No joke, Blade will add the -tan honorific to any loli he encounters 
Thoughts: Well I actually thought that this flashback episode (as already indicated in the preview) would be more exciting than what it actually was, so I ended up being slightly disappointed at the storyline here up until the end where that all changed once some kick ass action made it onto screen once again. Really, it wouldn’t be a NEEDLESS episode without some fist to skin action and I am just glad that even for an average kind of plot story, the action remains great to its theme and just completes the episode for me.
The flashback takes us back to when Blade was actually quite a gentleman-like looking priest and even back then, he was already acquainted to Seto and had a streak of nonchalantly express his lolicon fetish without constraint where ever he goes. Like I said, the story on how these two met up with Solva was rather flat but that said, I have seen worse off storytelling than this by a long shot and for a relaxing change, it made a great cool down episode before the next one brings us with bucket loads of GARness.
Well the story here goes as a couple of thugs attack the transport vehicle Blade and Seto was on which Seto soon defeats and they were both invited into the hospitality of Solva and her friends. They explain that the thugs are “predator” and they need help against the boss of the predictors who is a needless. Blade and Seto are later drugged and captured by the so called boss who turned out to be a loli which Blade called Kana-tan. In the end it turns out that Kana-tan wasn’t evil and it was Solva and her gang who are the predators (as expected from Solva’s evil, badass face switch:3). Solva’s fragment turns her into magneto but oh does she does so with epic style.
Actually, based on the fight itself I would have just rated the episode 10/10 for sticking to the theme and being epic but sadly it was a bit too short to wet my appetite. Still, it was brilliant and Solva shows herself to be a great villain, even if it only lasted for a few minutes before she is befriended by Seto and Blade’s combined might. But here is an interesting point to take note, during the fight Blade actually remembered Solva’s magnetic cannon attack but we never seen him use it once since then. Having this flashback already throws my theory that Blade “activated” not long ago right out of the window but then I wonder if something happened in between that made him lose his abilities or something…or whether his ability to remember skills decay over time at all.
Come to think of it, the flashback has already shown Blade to have a really different type of personality. He really was more of a gentleman back then XD
We have no reason why Seto is travelling with Blade but they do have a connection with each other. Seto always refers to herself as the shinigami and she always looks for Blade to give her permission to use her powers for some reason. I guess stuff like this will be revealed later but I really do dig how Seto abuses Blade like telling him to shut up or calling him a “damned lolicon” :p
Solva on the other hand is simple insane and two faced (in a good way). Unlike Mio though, she does have an intention to use her “cute” side to her advantage whilst her real intentions are definitely as black as mud…but THAT is awesome! Just like how she completely flips out and snaps all of a sudden with a change in both voice and appearance is great, and distinctive for her character.
And so the episode ends in a high note with Solva joining Blade and Seto with an instrumental version of the OP playing as the background. A nice relaxing end to a good episode 
Preview: ZOMG what has happened to Eve??? She turned against Blade and the gang and is now fighting in SIMEON’s side. That black widow chick must have corrupted her soul D:
Screen caps and comments:
And thus starts the flashback of Blade’s previous group
My my, those smart looking glasses sure takes a few years off his age
Well for some reason unknown to the viewers, these two already know each other on unknown terms and they hitch a ride to some unknown place
And it so happens that this is where they first meet Solva
And with such a hot chick next to him, I have no idea why Blade is still flirting with another girl, but I’ve come to a conclusion; he is a pimp
Very smooth Blade XD
And a pricelessly cute expression for Seto
Suddenly the truck was attacked
And Solva is held at dart point (wtf a dart)
Yes, a dart
Not if the sexy cool Seto has anything to do about it
“RAWRRRRR fear my awesome dart point!!!”
Is it a bird or plane?
And naturally when it comes to needless there is an obligatory pantsu shot
yes, sexy
And thus I bid the villains R.I.P
Blade and Seto is then taken into by the villagers and told of the situation blah blah
Solva also introduces herself as a damsel in distress
“Solva-tan” <3
But when Blade tells them that he has absolutely no powers at all we get this:
for about 1/10th of a second (and yes, it was difficult to time this for a screen cap)
Talk about a quick face change XD
And so they decide to help out after some persuading
Blade being gentleman like (WTF)
Turns out that the tea was drugged and as expected they faint
*Bonks the bad images out of my head*
And Blade finds another loli, kana-tan!
Seto: “you really are sick” (LOL XD)
I was surprised that the big guy managed to pick up such a heavy looking sword
But as they say, never touch someone else’s sword
Or this will happen when the owned releases the gravity seal
Loli isn’t impressed and unleashes fire and ice
Big boum!
But yep, they figure out that having two fragments are definitely impossible
“I will protect this place”
Meanwhile the angry villagers save Blade and Seto
Solva-tan!
And so the fight continues
Nothing get pass Seto’s shield but…
fire and ice does! :p
Wrong move buster
Since you’ve now pissed off Seto sama
Blade in the corner: “why me too”
Seto aims for the throne which turns out to be the trick behind kana-tan’s power
She gives up as expected
Having lost the fire and ice generating machine
Solva orders Seto to give the finishing blow
But she isn’t that stupid to not realise who the real villains are
There you go, epic true colours! XD
Just gotta love Solva’s facial expressions
Magneto’s daughter! XD
Yes, her fragment just tore Seto’s sword out of her hands
Fragment: Magnetic world
Blade: “I permit the usage of your shinigami powers” (kyaaaa so cool! XD)
And so Seto finishes off the grunts but…
What is the fun in that if Solva goes down so easily
Magnetic pulse vs gravity field
Well in this case gravity loses
Thankfully Blade was able to memorise the ability and shields the next attack
So with the help of Seto they finish this battle…
…NEEDLESS style
JUDGEMENT KITTAAAAAA!!!!
Flowers in the black spot? It’s considered a miracle
And this was what Kana-tan was trying to protect
So alls well that ends well
But for Solva, she wants in on the team
Reason? To take over black spot of course!
Deal! And thus, a new friendship was formed
Man, do I love Needless. It’s the only anime I watch the RAW of the moment it hits the torrents. It’s pretty rare for me to watch raws but I MUST see new Needless eps as soon as possible.
This ep wasn’t as entertaining as the others, but the last fight was really good. I love it when they start the music as soon as the fighting starts in all it’s glory. From 18:48 onwards it was awesome.
Oh Blade, will you ever learn? (Evidently he does not)
I agree with what you wrote above, that it’s certainly slower-paced than the average NEEDLESS and a bit of a disappointment as a result. But it was good to get some Seto and Solva action (the episode title is very misleading?) as opposed to the Simeon Girl Squad who we’ll see enough of in the long run (No idea if this is 13 or 26 or where the last episode will cut off).
Can’t get enough Seto. I don’t think that’ll ever change. As for Solva, I haven’t seen a character that two-faced since Edomae Luna – which is eerie since she teams with Seto -_-
Also, I can’t believe I went through all 70 manga chapters (and volume 0) in the span of 3 days. I can’t put it down.
Lol, yeah after watching this ep I decided to(finally) look for the manga and pretty much read the 70 chaps of it in one go. Originally I decided to not go beyond where they were in the anime but….I just couldn’t put it down. I haven’t read vol 0 yet. I’m saving that one for later
It was also interesting to see the differences between the anime and manga. For example the whole dero dero geldrink search was added in the anime and not present in the manga. There’s also the ep where the pretty killergirls went to compete with the two other girls(collecting the gold in a fort). Both of those were very much fun to see. I hope this will become a 26 ep series(or longer) with a lot of those extra stories which weren’t present in the manga.
Yea…I heard that unlike the anime the pretty killergirls actually killed their rivals which I thought was something over the top but scarily fitting emphasise their real roles despite the cute, gloss over images. They are killers after all.
And I would read the manga myself if it wasn’t for only 10 chapters being scanned, and I dislike reading manga via “looking at pictures and making out what’s going on” ^^’
Damn, I need to learn the runes faster XD
But yea I would imagine that despite changes from the manga, the anime remains being an epic beast in my mind
waiting for subber….. thx as always for good screencap
Solva-tan <3
Two-faced lolis really are the best. I love how over-the-top this anime is. It doesn't hold back when it comes to unleashing the action. The instrumental version of the OP at the end was a nice finishing touch indeed.