Fire force is back and better than ever. The show balances its more serious, and action-filled parts with absolute humor and absurdity. After fighting the multiple core infernals, the series is set to follow a more serious route.
In the previous season, we saw Shinra finding out about his brother Sho’s existence and decided to bring him back.
We even saw a battle taking place between the two brothers. Who reigned supreme? Is Sho stronger than his older brother?
1. Is Sho stronger than Shinra? (Quick Answer)
In all the fights we’ve seen between Sho and Shinra, Sho has always come out on top. One of the main reasons Sho is stronger than Shinra is that he has been bestowed with the Evangelist’s Grace.
This acts as a cheat and allows him to access his Fourth Generation abilities to overpower Shinra easily.
If Grace is taken out of the question, then Shinra is stronger if not equal to Sho. However, if it is taken into account, Sho will reign supreme since Shinra will refuse to use the Evangelists’ power.
Note: To assess the powers and abilities of Kusakabe brothers aptly, I will first explain what is Adolla and Adolla Burst.
2. What does Adolla mean?
Adolla (アドラ), also referred to as “Hell (地獄) in another era,” is the world from which the Adolla Burst originates. It is an alternate world from which the Adolla Burst originates.
Hallucinations caused by the Adolla Link shows Adolla as an endless landscape of blackened Earth and flames with burning human bones scattered around.
Sho refers to this realm as another dimension that exists beyond the ordinary world. It is home to Doppelgangers, one of which seemingly exists for each human.
I. What is Adolla Burst?
The Adolla Burst or more commonly known as the Genesis Flame, are the flames that generate from Adolla itself. They were the flames that erupted around the world hundreds of years ago during the Great Disaster.
An Adolla Burst is regarded as the original flame, which is pure and unsullied. Within the scientific community, it is referred to as the Flames of Destruction.
Being from an alternate world, the Adolla Bursts do not adhere to the physical laws of Earth. They can produce powers that are considered impossible such as stopping or manipulating time.
II. What is Adolla Link?
The one unifying property of all Adolla Bursts is that since they originate from Adolla, they are connected to everyone who has a connection to that dimension. It is this link that is the source of the Adolla Link.
3. How strong is Shinra?
Shinra Kusakabe is the Third Generation and, by extension of the Grace, a Fourth Generation pyrokinetic. He also possesses the Adolla Burst, which makes him The Fourth Pillar.
I. Strength Without Adolla Burst
He is a Fire Soldier under the Special Fire Force Company 8, and the main character of the series.
Even though he is new to the fire force, Shinra has posed a challenge to experienced members of the force and even defeated a Captain. Being a Fire Soldier, Shinra is experienced in rescuing people.
Shinra possesses exceptional eyesight, having been able to spot things that other members haven’t been able to see at long distances.
While relying mostly on his Ignition Ability in combat, Shinra has exhibited skill in ordinary fighting, being able to pin an opponent to the ground and break their guard with a kick. He is also quite capable of defending himself from other groundbreaking attacks.
II. Strength With Adolla Burst and Link
Having the Adolla Burst, Shinra can be temporarily empowered with the Grace of the Evangelist through forcing an Adolla Link to a person who originates from Adolla, or someone graced.
Under Grace, Shinra can enter a state of light speed, causing his body to split into subatomic particles in the process.
The particles then surpass the speed of light, allowing them to go a few seconds back in time to the point before Shinra’s body broke apart. As a result, Shinra’s body is re-materialized.
Doing so enables him to circumvent the laws of physics and allow him to travel at relativistic speeds without ending up dead.
Under such a state, Shinra could accumulate enough strength to defeat the Demon Infernal within moments. The connection with his Adolla Burst is strengthened according to the intensity of his desire.
If we count his Adolla Burst empowered by the Grace, Shinra can easily outpower most captains and powerful characters. However, it is very unlikely that he will continue using this power given by the Evangelist.
A. Ignition Ability
When he was just a child, Shinra awakened the ability of a Third Generation and gained the power to ignite, manipulate, and control flames from his feet.
While doing so, he leaves ashes on the floor in the shape of feet, known as the “Devil’s Footprints”.
Using this ability, together with his fighting style, Shinra has enough force to sever a limb or destroy an Infernal’s core. With his ignited feet, he can change his kicks’ trajectory in mid-air, allowing him to rush in with a multitude of kicks.
Shinra is noted to be extremely agile while fighting. His Ignition Ability allows him to rapidly fly or glide across the floor and jump continuously from platforms to outmaneuver an opponent before they can react.
As a Third Generation, he has shown to have resistance against external flames. During his fight with Burns in Fuchu Prison, Shinra’s footprints evolved further with bladed talons at the edges of his feet.
B. Hand Signs
Shinra was taught by Captain Benimaru how to use hand signs to redirect and concentrate his body’s energy.
This allows him to manipulate characteristics of the flames he produces from his Ignition Ability. The two hand signs he frequently uses are Tora Hishigi and Corna.
III. Is Shinra a devil?
Shinra Kusakabe himself is not a devil but has devilish characteristics. He has a problem where he can’t help but smile whenever he is sad or angry, also his pyrokinetic abilities allow him to generate fire from his feet leaving a charred footprint wherever he steps – hence the name ‘Devil’s Footprints.’
3. How strong is Sho?
Sho Kusakabe is a Third Generation, and by extension of Grace, a Fourth Generation pyrokinetic. He is also Commander of the Knights of the Ashen Flame.
He is the younger brother of Shinra Kusakabe, who was abducted by the White-Clad after he awoke Adolla Burst as a baby. Due to this, he became the Third Pillar.
I. Without Adolla Burst and Link
Sho is an extremely quick Third Generation pyrokinetic and skilled swordsman. He is capable enough of fighting Joker evenly with his katana.
While trying to avoid killing his opponent, he fights using his sword’s sheath to bludgeon them or consistently attack with the face of his blade.
A. Ignition Ability
Being a third-generation, Sho can use his Ignition Ability to create feathers out of the flame. He uses this ability in conjunction with his katana.
However, he hasn’t actually been seen using it, and it would appear as if he prefers his Fourth Generation ability over his Third.
II. With Adolla Burst and Link
Like Shinra, Sho has the rare Ignition Ability Adolla Burst, and the Adolla Link. Due to the Evangelist’s Grace, he can use the Fourth Generation ability called Severed Universe, capable of slowing the flow of time.
A. Severed Universe
Severed Universe gives the illusion of extreme speed. Using it in conjunction with his katana, Sho is capable of defeating Shinra, Arthur Boyle, and Hibana with a single strike each.
The Severed Universe ability requires freezing the surrounding area to such a low temperature that it reduces the heat that causes the Universe’s natural expansion.
This results in time passing more slowly for everything, the sole exception being Sho himself, who remains at normal speed.
The major flaw of this technique is it exposes his body to extreme cold and results in him beginning to freeze almost immediately. This is why Sho avoids using it for extended periods.
Another weakness is that time doesn’t actually freeze, it just slows down significantly; so if someone is fast enough, it doesn’t matter if time is moving more slowly.
The ability is also based on Sho having the Grace of the Evangelist. Once he loses the Evangelist’s blessing, he will be unable to use it.
B. What is “The Grace of the Evangelist”?
Those who possess the Adolla Link are capable of forming a link with the Evangelist and receiving something called Grace.
This is called “The Grace of the Evangelist.” When under Grace, people gain access to strange abilities that can enhance their Third Generation abilities to those of a Fourth Generation.
If another user of the Adolla Link manages to form a link with somebody under Grace, they also gain a Fourth Generation ability.
However, The Evangelist seems to be able to revoke this Grace as she sees fit. This is demonstrated by Shinra when he links with Sho to get the Grace.
Despite the name, people other than the Evangelist have been able to bestow Grace, such as the black woman who granted Grace to Shinra, allowing him to defeat a Horned Infernal in a second.
5. Who is stronger? – Verdict
In all the fights we’ve seen happen between Sho and Shinra, Sho has always been portrayed as stronger than his older brother.
However, one of the main reasons Sho is stronger than Shinra is that he has been bestowed with the Evangelist’s Grace. This acts as a cheat and allows him to access his Fourth Generation abilities to overpower Shinra easily
In fact, when Shinra was linked to Sho, he also received the Grace and was able to awaken his 4th Generation abilities. This was one of the few times he was equally matched, if not stronger than his younger brother.
According to this, If Grace is taken out of the question, then Shinra is stronger if not equal to Sho. However, if it is taken into account, Sho will reign supreme since Shinra will refuse to use the Evangelists’ power.
6. About Fire Force
In a world combating the Spontaneous Human Combustion phenomenon, there emerges the Fire Force company to protect its people and guide the lost ones.
This phenomenon causes people to combust in flames and become a creature of fire called Infernals.
As evolution kicks in, humanity sees the growth of Second and Third Generation pyrokinetic users who help protect the world as they know it.
The anime follows Shinra Kusakabe, nicknamed as the ‘Devil’s Footprints’, who is haunted by his past – a tragic fire that kills his mother and brother.
Shinra joins Company 8 of the Fire Force in hopes of unlocking its mystery and, in turn, gets involved in deconstructing the grand conspiracy of his world.
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