was NOT expecting to like this as much as i did, holy shit this rocked. i'm often mixed on urobuchi's works because while i love his quirks and style (like the intentional anticlimaxes, the unique way he deals with morality in his stories and the dramatic irony that's present in a lot of his characters' arcs) i never feel it all really comes together. but this hit all the notes for me in a way i wish fate/zero, saya no uta or even kamen rider gaim did (madoka fucking rules though). just a completely unhinged and twisted take on the hero's journey and wuxia that still manages to understand and capture the heart of why these stories work, all complete with some of his most insane action scenes. also features a much better rendition of twisted love than whatever saya no uta was trying to do imo. there's definitely problems i can point to, like the beginning being very rough and the story only coming into its own later on but it leaves such a strong impression that i can honestly mostly ignore them.
just a very fun time overall and definitely my second favorite Nitro+ VN now, only behind Muramasa for my actual favorite.