Without a doubt, the two plot twists in this episode have elevated Steins;Gate to the final step of ascending to masterpiece!
The previous storyline had already amazed and shocked the audience.
The continuous time travel, altering event after event to restore the twisted timeline to its original state, left everyone's scalp tingling with the intricate logic.
But if that were all, people would simply consider it a near-masterpiece.
And they would pity the two heroines who could never be obtained.
However...
With this episode's broadcast, that impression was completely shattered!
The two seemingly unexpected yet inevitable developments elevated the entire story to new heights!
According to Suzuha's original statement, as long as one remains on the same world line, no matter how much effort is made, the same ending will be reached.
This is the convergence of the world line.
To save Mayuri, one must escape this line and reach another one, which is exactly what Okabe had painstakingly achieved!
Yet, these two seemingly unrelated lines both pointed to the same future in this episode—
Which is a World War!
Without Mayuri, this tragedy unfolds.
Without Kurisu, the same tragedy occurs.
Upon deeper thought, doesn't this imply that they still haven't escaped the convergence and interference of the world line?
Only by achieving the final, perfect ending can true salvation be accomplished—
To truly... change the future!
This perfect logical loop carries an unparalleled aesthetic.
Not to mention the storyline that emerged from it was simply breathtaking.
The combination of both has truly propelled this work to the level of a masterpiece!
Without a doubt, as this episode ended, the comments under Akifumi's social media account exploded!
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"From now on, I declare Steins;Gate as my eternal god-tier anime!"
"I used to scoff when the creator said it would be a happy ending. What could be more perfect than the ending of episode 22? The answer finally revealed itself in episode 23!!"
"Ugh, this is exactly Warrior of Love and Hope-sensei style! Never inflicting pain for the sake of pain, but letting the plot unfold the pain naturally!"
"Finally, sensei didn't break my heart this time. This time, I feel healed!"
"Although this episode ended with the tragedy of Okabe killing his own love one, seeing Okabe's pained expression didn't make me want to cry. I actually wanted to laugh!"
"Sorry, I already burst out laughing!!"
"Those who called Steins;Gate trash, come out! I just want to ask, does your face hurt now?!"
"I wish I could go back to the day Steins;Gate first aired and punch the me who doubted sensei skills!"
"Stop roasting, stop roasting, I know I was wrong."
"No matter which world line, I will always love Kurisu. This is the choice of Steins;Gate!! So edgy, but so cool!!"
"Dropping and picking this anime back up was the best decision I made this year!!"
"Watching this episode reminds me of Okabe, who tirelessly traveled through world lines to save Mayuri.
"He would speak to her in the gentlest tone, understand her prayers as she reached for the sky, and hold her hand, saying, 'This is our promise.' Even if, in the end, he would be with the person who meant more to him."
"The future is unpredictable. Just like this reunion, the future holds infinite possibilities. This is the voice of Steins;Gate!"
"How can such an amazing anime exist? This is the peak of anime in recent years!!"
"Episode 1: Confused. Episode 11: Bored. Episode 12: Shocked. Episode 22: Crying like a fountain. Episode 23: Mind-blown!!"
"I really want to open up sensei brain to see what's inside that could come up with such an incredible story!!"
"Sounds a bit terrifying, but I want to see too!"
"I wonder how the final episode will save Kurisu!"
"Can't wait! Can't wait!!"
"I'm so happy, I decided to buy the creator's game to celebrate!"
"Me too!!"
"..."
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Seeing the flood of comments, Akifumi sighed with mixed emotions.
Despite the praise, why couldn't he feel any joy?
It felt like there was subtle mockery hidden between these comment!
And when he saw the last comment, Akifumi's expression turned to shock.
"Wait, what!?"
He instinctively opened the creator's backend on the Steam platform, only to find that within the last thirty minutes, sales had increased by over 5,000 copies!!
"Creating a happy ending once in a while can actually boost sales?!"
Akifumi clicked his tongue, a bright smile appearing on his face once again.
These guys could've avoided this, but in their excitement, they acted so impulsively.
"I hope they don't realize the truth too soon."
Otherwise, he'd worry that the good mood they just gained would vanish in an instant.
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"Phew."
"I finally found it!"
Even as the words "Game Over" appeared on the screen, Kasumigaoka Utaha's face lit up with a bright smile.
After finishing her work for the day, the girl rushed back to her rented apartment and carefully combed through the game story from the beginning.
Yet, until the very end, she couldn't find anything different from before, leaving her utterly puzzled.
Until the final chase scene, where she entered room after room and found the item named "Ellen's Knife" in a cabinet!
Though she hadn't reached the ending yet, Utaha knew the truth of the story was within her grasp!
"It was worth skipping episode 23 of Steins;Gate for this!"
She took a sip of water and resumed her serious expression as she reloaded the game.
With her previous experience, she smoothly obtained Ellen's Knife.
After some clever maneuvering, she successfully exited the house.
Just like before, she used the delicate little bottle to wither the witch's rose and advanced to the next map.
The screen transitioned to a cutscene.
The blonde girl, Viola, walked forward as the background rapidly faded away.
The screen dimmed, as if sinking into an abyss.
The purple-haired witch, with a broken body, appeared at the top of the screen.
"As expected!"
Utaha's heart leapt with joy—the joy of discovering the truth after countless efforts.
"What will change in the story this time~"
In her eager gaze, the animation continued.
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[Half-bodied girl: ...Ye... go...]
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With a few flashes, the witch was only a few meters away from Viola.
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[Half-bodied girl: Yo… yo...]
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Without any fear, Viola took a few steps closer.
A line of dialogue appeared:
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[Viola: Huh…. You're so stubborn.]
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Even without voice acting, the impatience in the girl's words was clear.
Then, a flash of red light swept across the screen, accompanied by a striking sound effect.
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[Viola: How long are you planning to chase after me? You know that body won't last long.]
[Half-Body Girl: ...Mm... Eh... Oh... Ah...]
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Viola turned around, taking a few steps back to distance herself from the witch.
Suddenly, the scene before her flickered, and in the upper half of the screen, a close-up of Viola's face appeared, tilted slightly.
Her golden eyes showed no emotion.
She turned her head, and a mocking smile appeared on her otherwise blank face.
Below the close-up, the scene shifted to the witch, her purple hair flowing around her.
Her lower body was already a mangled mess, covered in black mist.
Her missing eyes stared blankly at Viola's back as her left hand weakly lifted, as if desperately trying to grab something.
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As Utaha watched the scene unfold, she could almost hear the witch's faint whimpers in the air.
Under this perfect portrayal, the dark emotions she had previously felt began to surface again.
The witch, who should have been detestable, now appeared pitiful and tragic, stirring a deep sense of sympathy in her.
The close-up paused for a few seconds before the dialogue resumed.
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[Viola: Hmm? You want it back? No way. Your body seems perfectly fine to me.]
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Another close-up appeared, showing Viola tugging at her skirt as she gracefully twirled in place, her face lit up with joy.
As the close-up faded, Viola turned and walked back towards the witch.
The wind rustled through the grass as a close-up of the scene appeared.
Viola crouched down.
Her delicate face now bore a smile full of pure malice.
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[Viola: And besides, you willingly gave me this body, didn't you? Why... should I give it back to you?]
Viola: Right...? Viola?!
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The close-up showed Viola smiling faintly as she mockingly tilted the witch's head, her eyes filled with amusement.
But quickly, she grew bored with the scene, or perhaps disgusted with the body in front of her. With a look of impatience, she pulled her hand away.
The witch's head, lacking any strength to hold itself up, collapsed into the grass…
As expected!
Even though she had guessed this outcome long ago, everything she was doing now was simply to confirm her suspicions.
But seeing the truth unfold before her in such a powerful way still left Utaha stunned.
The dialogue, filled with malicious intent, paired with the dark, somber tones of the scene and the expressive close-ups, caused all the emotions to burst forth.
The contrast between the pure sorrow and despair of the girl and the witch's utter evil was stark and intense.
And when Utaha realized that she was playing the witch in this story—pushing the innocent girl step by step toward the abyss and sealing her fate—the overwhelming black emotions exploded within her heart!
'Ugh…' The intense discomfort made her want to throw up.
After covering her mouth and taking several minutes to calm down, Utaha finally managed to regain her composure.
'So this is it.'
Seeing the scenes unfold in person was a completely different experience from what she had imagined.
When she had first thought of this outcome, all she felt was a cold shiver and a sense of dread at the exaggerated finale.
But now, witnessing it firsthand, the intensity of the emotions was far more overwhelming.
Trying to calm herself down, she felt ready to continue.
In the scene, Viola dusted off the dirt from the hem of her white skirt and stood back up.
She took a few steps forward.
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[Viola: You must've felt sorry for me back then, huh? Couldn't even get out of bed.]
[Viola: So I used magic to swap bodies with you.]
[Viola: Just for one day, though... Heh, I think I said that before.]
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Viola turned and looked at the witch, Ellen, who lay on the ground, a defeated figure.
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[Viola: You almost trapped me earlier, I really didn't expect that.]
[Viola: But what's the use? That house belongs to me, after all. How could it possibly kill me? The house has been helping me. It wants me to escape.]
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Viola crouched down again, staring at the familiar yet strange body lying a few meters away.
Ellen's body twitched, as if trying to reach out.
In a close-up, Viola furrowed her brows.
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Viola: ...You're not dead yet? You really are stubborn. Ah, could it be… you're worried about your dad, so you don't want to die?
Viola: Viola, I know all about you and your dad. You two, relying on each other. Those memories are still in your body. He's a good man, a hunter, right? He even wrote you that letter. How nice of him. Unlike my parents at all.
Viola: I bet you're worried about what will happen to your dad if you die, huh? Don't worry, though. After all... his daughter, Viola, will still be there, doing her best to give her love...
Viola: Of course. I'll enjoy some part of your love too, so don't you worry...
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Before the dialogue could continue, a mysterious voice interrupted.
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[???: Viola?]
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The figure of a hunter appeared in the scene.
After a tear-jerking father-daughter reunion, the witch, now only half a body, found the strength to move toward them.
With her damaged vocal cords, she managed to let out a faint, desperate sound: P-p...
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[Viola's Father: Don't come near! Monster!!]
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The echo of a shotgun blast rang through the forest.
The light completely left the witch's eyes, and she collapsed into a pool of her own blood.
With her father's comforting presence and his large hand holding hers, Viola left the forest.
The scene ended with the same familiar mischievous smile, one full of satisfaction.
Was it a sense of triumph for the successful conspiracy? Or was it mocking the foolishness of the world?
Utaha couldn't say. She didn't have the energy to think any further.
The girl covered her mouth and rushed to the bathroom in her room.
"Ugh... Uug.."
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A minute later.
After emptying her stomach, Utaha, pale and leaning against the sink, stood up.
She wiped the corners of her lips, gazing at her pale face in the mirror, her eyes full of doubt. She pursed her lips.
'That cocky junior! To think he create something like this!'
Even as a creator, she clenched her fists in fury!
She didn't want to think about the logic behind it or the artistic techniques used.
At that moment, the girl just wanted to punch the person who created this game in the face!
This plot wasn't just cruel—it was downright evil!
There wasn't a shred of beauty in it. It only evoked sadness, pain, and utter despair!
Before she saw this ending, the bond between Viola and her father hadn't been so vividly portrayed.
Back then, she had merely seen their contradictions and contrasts as filled with ironic artistry.
But now, when their emotions were expressed through another's words, especially when Viola had said she'd take over her love for her, that unspeakable sadness hit her.
And imagining someone most important to her being replaced... the fear was overwhelming.
Everything, all those emotions, exploded with the hunter's gunshot.
At that moment, she truly understood what it meant to feel pain beyond words.