Well in fact the bib problem is some of the "fake endings"...wich are sometime quite useless^^". Then i agree with the fact that most of them are repetitive......but as I do not have finished it (I made my way till "included in", and it seems like the "answers arcs" are just after it...), I cant tell how good the whole story is.
The story really begins to be cool when we drop hiroshi's point of vew for more interesting characters....
Spoiler for for voices:
even if I regret that he as a voice too....after listening to it he is much more annoying
I think I will actually wait until the anime version airs...I seriously need some candy to lure me into continuing. I never thought that could actually happen with a Ryukishi story, but Ookamikakushi dragged even more than the dragging parts of his other works for me.
Maybe it was the fact that you actually had to pay attention even through the slice of life scenes, compared to many of the club games during Higurashi.
While I liked the setting it reminded me too much of a typical shounen mystery adventure from time to time...the characters didn't really draw me in that much, but well maybe I just stopped short before things really got interesting again.
No, it's 2010年1月7日 so January 7th.
So we have not even a month left to wait...but well I'm not that excited concerning the broadcast, considering the story didn't draw me in like Higurashi or Umineko did and the designs for the anime are...well...typical Peach Pit gone anime, it kinda lacks anything special for me.
And I don't like AIC as an animation studio that much....they did a nice work with Chevalier d'Eon, but most of their works kinda had that ecchi vibe going on...ah well, nothing to do except waiting.
Is there any group working on a translation for the game?
If not, it seems that I have to stick with the Anime "only" (and not both).
Btw. now with the first episode out the beginning indeed kinda reminds me on how Higurashi started. Of course, there are differences but still there are some parts that definitely remind me on Higurashi (well it isn't that surprising though ).
After playing this game in a week, Finally i got all ending with help from chounokoe
So is there anyone here besides me and chounokoe who play this game ?
Beaten it a while ago. Personally, I think some of the bad endings are pointless or weird. They are just there for the sake of being there and doesn't serve much purpose.
I wonder whether it is only one story (without question and answer arcs)... Then everything is bored...
Well it's not the same strict question - answer build up as we had in Higurashi, which could stem from the fact that Ookamikakushi does not have that many mysteries to begin with...it was more about the story and the characters.
There are some chapters later on which give some answers to peoples motivations and what exactly happened to them during the time the main character wasn't watching...still there are very few 'Ah now I get it' moments.
I found Ookamikakushi okay so far, but it's of course not Ryukishi's highlight of the year...well no wonder, it was written while they were busy with Umineko (unless he had it hidden in his drawer, just in case).
Have to agree with Rias that some of the bad endings are rather pointless, as they just add very small 'what if' factors to an already existing ending. Sometimes I literally went insane...because I wanted to get 100% but some ending pathes were just so boring if you've been through similar stuff already (hail to the skip function).
Especially the endless variants of 鬼宿りの章 were a real pain in the ass.
Honestly wouldn't it have been enough with one good and one bad end?
EDIT: And am I the only one who's a bit 'startled' by AIC's very own version of events?
Spoiler for spoiler present in anime episode 2:
Showing the death of Sakagi's girlfriend in episode 2 seems a bit strange.
Btw. is this like in Higurashi and Uminekowith a "repeating" story. Well I mean like in Umineko where those two days are repeated a various times with different events in it?
I wonder if the ending will be similiar to Higurashi in some sort. After all the beginning had a few similarities (of course, it is different but some things...).
Btw. who is actually the main char in this. Is it really that boy "Hiro"? I somehow have the feeling that he is indeed important but that he isn't the main character but only used "currently".
Ah one other thing: Is this a "mystery" story which means that for various like fantasy looking things, you would have to try to find a solution that is not fantasy doesn't anything appear that looks like fantasy (though various things already point toward fantasy elements in it, e.g. the "flying" scene in the intro or how that "girl" is using such a big scythe like it - a bit xaggerateed - butter knive, a.s.o.).
How many episodes is the anime supposed to have anyway - 26 like Umineko or more; as Umineko's 26? If so, is the game as contentful as Umineko (without the Chiru arcs)?
I thought that was okay. Granted, it was early. But it skips all that time when they have to explain the relationship bettwen Sakagi-Mieko-Kaori.
Personally I think they only have time to do 2 arcs.
Spoiler:
The current one will use Roumensukuna-hen as a base while incoperating all the arcs, and one using the kaitou-hen for that super cheesy ending.
Even tho I think Gekkonenjo-hen is one of the better arcs...
Call me a softy, but I actually liked 復習奔流編 for it's depiction of the relationship between Sakagi and his women, I would have liked to see some scenes from there too. Well they could still be inserted...but if they bring up the death of Mieko now I think they will just develop him over those little sequences (they still have only 12 episodes).
Well yeah more then 2 arcs would be suicide...unless they pull a bad end next episode or at episode 4. Then they could make it 3 FAST arcs.
Spoiler:
I agree that going with 狼面宿儺の章 would be the most plausible solution for the first arc. They can somehow stuff in at least the information given in the 鬼宿りの章. But then I wonder though how they want to end up with the scene shown at the beginning...unless they wanted to show an alternate ending there...which nobody without knowing the novel would get.
And going with 回答編 is somehow a given if they want to stop at 12 episodes...but I wonder how much of the information given in the 3 編 before that will even be in the anime and not only shown as a highly suggestive shot during an episodes beginning.
We have the 白狼観音 in the opening, so they should at least put that in.
Call me a softy, but I actually liked 復習奔流編 for it's depiction of the relationship between Sakagi and his women, I would have liked to see some scenes from there too. Well they could still be inserted...but if they bring up the death of Mieko now I think they will just develop him over those little sequences (they still have only 12 episodes).
Well yeah more then 2 arcs would be suicide...unless they pull a bad end next episode or at episode 4. Then they could make it 3 FAST arcs.
Spoiler:
I agree that going with 狼面宿儺の章 would be the most plausible solution for the first arc. They can somehow stuff in at least the information given in the 鬼宿りの章. But then I wonder though how they want to end up with the scene shown at the beginning...unless they wanted to show an alternate ending there...which nobody without knowing the novel would get.
And going with 回答編 is somehow a given if they want to stop at 12 episodes...but I wonder how much of the information given in the 3 編 before that will even be in the anime and not only shown as a highly suggestive shot during an episodes beginning.
We have the 白狼観音 in the opening, so they should at least put that in.
Spoiler:
Well Hakurou Kannon isn't something they can cut out...since Sakagi and Kaori are essential to the whole story. I often think that the true hero/heroine of Ookamikakushi is actually those two.
Personally, the only "alternate ending" I can think of is that Isuzu actually comes to her senses, and work with Nemuru, leading into the intro of kaitou-hen. That would enable them to do one giant arc for 12 episodes or so. Issei will still be dead, and Kaname wouldn't be attacked by Isuzu. Of course, that would cut out some of the Isuzu scenes at the end of Roumensukuna/Aibetsuriku-hen, especially the death scene where Isuzu realizes if her love for Hiroshi was real or not (personally one of the better scenes). Also, this way the plot might be too "happy" instead of having the sad/mysterious feel that the game has throughout.
Ending next epsiode isn't feasible...they have to do the Issei part, then the Isuzu part, which would be the quickest route right now. If they put both in an epsiode, and end it right there, I think I don't have to watch ep4 and on.
Well Hakurou Kannon isn't something they can cut out...since Sakagi and Kaori are essential to the whole story. I often think that the true hero/heroine of Ookamikakushi is actually those two.
Personally, the only "alternate ending" I can think of is that Isuzu actually comes to her senses, and work with Nemuru, leading into the intro of kaitou-hen. That would enable them to do one giant arc for 12 episodes or so. Issei will still be dead, and Kaname wouldn't be attacked by Isuzu. Of course, that would cut out some of the Isuzu scenes at the end of Roumensukuna/Aibetsuriku-hen, especially the death scene where Isuzu realizes if her love for Hiroshi was real or not (personally one of the better scenes). Also, this way the plot might be too "happy" instead of having the sad/mysterious feel that the game has throughout.
Ending next epsiode isn't feasible...they have to do the Issei part, then the Isuzu part, which would be the quickest route right now. If they put both in an epsiode, and end it right there, I think I don't have to watch ep4 and on.
Spoiler:
Did you mean Oniyadori-hen besides Aibetsuriku-hen? Because wasn't Oniyadori the equivalent of Aibetsuriku? If I remember correctly (and correct me if I'm wrong) Roumenshukuna-hen was the story where Hiroshi turns Kamibito in the end and has the options of killing himself, killing his family or being killed in Sakagi's desaster...or wasn't it?
Right now to get into Roumenshukuna there isn't enough trust from Nemuru I think and we know that he will be attacked by Issei in his car, not the alley (but well they can think of a way for him to run into Sakagi)...but well they could decide to go that path to cram all the information about Kamibito and Ochibito into this part and then concentrate on the whole Sakagi, Kaori, living happily ever after ending in the next one.
Urgh....watching the anime is giving me a serious headache, when trying to think about fitting the games story into it...
Did you mean Oniyadori-hen besides Aibetsuriku-hen? Because wasn't Oniyadori the equivalent of Aibetsuriku? If I remember correctly (and correct me if I'm wrong) Roumenshukuna-hen was the story where Hiroshi turns Kamibito in the end and has the options of killing himself, killing his family or being killed in Sakagi's desaster...or wasn't it?
Right now to get into Roumenshukuna there isn't enough trust from Nemuru I think and we know that he will be attacked by Issei in his car, not the alley (but well they can think of a way for him to run into Sakagi)...but well they could decide to go that path to cram all the information about Kamibito and Ochibito into this part and then concentrate on the whole Sakagi, Kaori, living happily ever after ending in the next one.
Urgh....watching the anime is giving me a serious headache, when trying to think about fitting the games story into it...
You are right, I did get them mixed up.
Spoiler:
I don't think they can get into Roumensukuna-hen right away, since that requires Isuzu attacking Hiroshi and turning him into a Kamibito. They can probably link Oniyadori's ending with Roumemsukuna-hen, but probably would have to do another arc that way.
They probably would cram all that Kamibito stuff in the next one, if they were to do two arcs, and leave the first one "mysterious" and all. Throw in the intro of Oriduruhimenomikoto to explain the relationship between Ochibito and Kamibito (cut out the Isuzu going bersek part, change the ending by linking it to kaitou-hen.
I'll post this here, because extensive spoilers aren't that well placed in the anime thread.
Well seems like the anime is trying to combine all the possible events depicted in the VN into one story of maybe at most 2 arcs. To go for one arc is difficult I think, because some characters aren't even introduced yet...but who knows, they are doing some creative re-writing
Spoiler:
I thought at first that it was strange to show Sakagi meeting Kushinada already, but thinking about it again, it really creates some tension and could be a well placed red herring during the current events.
Also the fact that the wolves went on their hunt for an unknown 不埒者 was quite well placed I think...even though I wonder who that should have been...well maybe the guy from the river or someone completely unrelated.
Next week seems to be the turn of the waitress, but it seems to play out differently as Hiroshi doesn't seem to be present.
And because I know that I can't post it in the anime thread right now, I'll start posting my translation of the Actipedia articles here.
So everyone who can't read the game, but wants to know what background information about characters might have been left out can read it here.
It's still not finished though, but I'm about halfway through and can post the first third here now.
And I hope you can excuse some awkward English here and there.
OF COURSE there spoilers in there, so if you don't want the mystery of Ôkamikakushi ruined for you, don't read anything in the spoiler brackets.
And of course the more brackets you open the worse spoilers you might find, but once the anime is finished I thought this could become a nice additional information.
THE KUZUMI HOUSEHOLD
Spoiler:
Quote:
Kuzumi Hiroshi Born: November 11th 1967 Age: 15 Height: 167cm, Weight: 58kg Bloodtype: A
Spoiler:
The protagonist of this game.
A boy who moved to Jôgamachi this summer.
He wears glasses because of shortsightedness, if he were to take his glasses of he maybe wouldn't even recognize his friends in the school's hallways when touching them.
Because of his father being a writer, even though he just passed the exam to enter a school in the city, he is now attending the 2nd group of 1st grade in the Private Jouga Senior High School.
His personality is not yet fully established, he is a normal student without any redeeming features.
Sometimes he looks a little wimpy, he is not the type to take the opportunity to suggest something or to play the leader, before he transferred he had never been in the center of attention.
With his father Kuzumi Masaaki and his little sister Kuzumi Mana they are a family of three.
Because Mana's legs are paralyzed, he is often showering her with care.
He thinks of protecting his little sister like his own mission, and is therefore often overcaring.
But still his actions are fueled by the thought, that all this is for the sake of his sister.
Because of his sister's condition, he is sensitive towards bullying and discrimination, those are the things he hates the most.
„If you feel bad, go fishin'...“
That is Isuzu's way of dealing with bad feelings, as he learned from Kaname.
Spoiler for Beginning:
Right after he transferred into the Private Jouga Senior High School, he was mysteriously met with friendliness from boys and girls alike.
Because he was often getting called 'Kuzumi Hakase' before, he developed a complex towards his own name and doesn't like this nickname at all.
To be called 'Professor' even though he's neither a genius nor talented goes against him, still it came about that his classmate Asagiri Kaname gave him the nickname 'Hakase-kun'.
Even though he is living only with his father and sister, it is not as if his mother had died.
Because of adult problems, they are living seperately right now.
Even if he got into an age where he could understand those circumstances, he hasn't asked his father about those reasons.
It happens often that he speaks out loud what he's thinking.
Again and again this get's him into trouble.
And even though he want's to be an adult, he has his fair share of problems with that.
His hobby is building plastic models.
Recently he has bought the model of a famous robot anime, but Hiroshi is also interested in airplanes, ships, cars and tanks.
He is more rooted in reality than fantasy.
Because he himself thinks of his hobby as a bit crazy, he can't speak openly about it and unintentionaly he tries looking good by saying his hobby is reading and things like that.
It's not just limited to school, in town too he is gathering attention.
Is it really right after he moved to Jôgamachi that he is being so closely watched?
He can't stand big onions and eggplants.
In front of Mana he can't speak about his likes and dislikes, but still what he dislikes he dislikes.
Mana is often making a joke out of it, serving it at mealtime, he is often at the verge of crying.
Spoiler for his guilt:
Mana's traffic accident which happened in the past.
He thinks that the paralyzation of Mana's legs is his own fault and still can't forgive his selfprotective self from back then.
That he is pampering Mana with care beyond neccessity, that he stays so close to her, that is the reason.
To atone for the sins of the past, his unconsciousness is filled with thoughts that he should favour Mana over himself.
As underwears he wears trunks.
Since a school trip during middle school he went from wearing briefs to trunks.
Spoiler for His secret:
He spreads a fragrance that is very appealing to Kamibito.
His colleagues who pampered him so much, were Kamibito who got drunk on Hiroshi's smell.
That he is strangely treated so nicely after moving to Jôgamachi is also thanks to that smell.
Hiroshi's smell is so strong that it is destroying the Kamibito's senses, makes them drunk and robs them of their sanity.
To emmit such a stron smell is a rare constitution that maybe only 1 person in 100.000 people posseses.
Because of this he becomes the target the Kamibito who lost their senses are hunting for.
Quote:
Kuzumi Mana Born: July 28th 1971 Age: 12 Height: 138cm, Weight: 36kg
B:68 W:50 H73 Bloodtype: A
Spoiler:
Kuzumi Hiroshi's little sister.
She is attending the 6th grade of the Municipal Jouga Sakken Elementary School.
As an after-effect of an accident her legs have been paralyzed and she is bound to a wheelchair.
She has a very philosophical view of the world, so she is often not very sociable.
Because there is no mother in the Kuzumi household, she is taking turns with her brother and in charge of the household on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. But because she can't leave some things to her clumsy brother, she is often doing the chores outside her duty too.
Her hobbies are watching TV and looking at sceneries without people.
She doesn't seem to be that good around people, therefore she doesn't like going out.
She likes her white hat so she often wears it.
Spoiler for beginning:
A saying she hates is 'Give it your best'.
Her dislikes are, crowds of people, people who are overly meddlesome and people who are hard to deal with.
Because she seems to perceive her brothers kindness as meddlesome, she is often greeting him with resistance.
Her disliked food is everything that is bitter. She especially hates green pepper.
The fact that it is hollow is a furthering cause for her dislike.
Even though he refers to dumb people and those she doesn't like as 'green pepper', she makes sure to never say it out loud.
If that person happens to be female, she starts refering to her as 'green pepperess'.
She doesn't like the colour black. That is because as a small child she was taught that a black cat crossing your pass meant ill fortune.
On the contrariy she decided for herself that a white cat meant good fortune.
It is because of that that she also likes to wear white clothes.
Being bound to a life in a wheelchair she thinks that it would be nice to become something like a white cat.
She likes to cover her weakness that is causing trouble to people around her at least a little bit.
Because she is very skillful with her fingers, she excells at making candy.
She especially loves to make cream puffs and langue de chat cookies for her beloved.
Her repertoire of sweet recepies is bigger than that of normal food.
Even though her father begged her to put a little more heart's blood into cooking real meals, she unintentionally lays her hands on nothing but books on sweets.
Normally she stays close to the recipe, but if she is to put in just 2 teaspoons of sugar she will deffinitely increase it.
She loves everything stylish, which is why she often reads teen magazines.
It often happens that, when she cuts out photos of fashion she likes, she doesn't notice any nice pictures on the other side and regrets it later.
Then she decides to repair her one big regretable flaw by piecing it back together with tape in a rather poor manner.
Her brother's taste in western fashion is something that is unacceptable to her.
Because she loves TV she often watches it.
She has a particular weakness for travel programs and soaps.
On days when her favourite program airs, to be able to watch them properly, she prepares tea cookies well before the airing time.
Quote:
Kuzumi Masaaki Age: 46
Spoiler:
Kuzumi Hiroshi's and Mana's father.
He makes a living by writing novels, scientific books and magazine articles.
He does not have a fixed monthly income, the finances of the Kuzumi household is dependant on his motivation and ability to create something.
He is not a particulary well selling or favourite author, but somehow he is able to uphold being able to support his 2 children.
He has many troubles and often overdoes it without people noticing it, but he doesn't let it show.
If another person was to notice, he would overplay it with an optimistic face.
Even if he gives the impression of being irresponsible, he is a caring and loving father.
He has the trait to get lost in his work too much and not notice his sorroundings, but he works really hard to pass as a normal father.
Spoiler for reason for moving:
He has had an interest in Jôgamachi's history and culture before and has decided upon it as a target of his research.
Because he recently got into his hand a municipal residence in Jôgamachi, he decided wholeheartedly to move with his family to this city.
Spoiler for marrital circumstances:
He lives seperated from his wife Kuzumi Misaki for 3 years now.
Because he was too involved in his work and forgot to involve himself in family matters, she left him.
He still loves his wife and would like to return everything back to how it was.
He usually doesn't stand in the kitchen, and because his single living times are long gone, his cooking skills are rather lacking.
He hides his inability to cook with laziness, but it seems to be his own peculiar way to protect his children.
Quote:
Kuzumi Misaki
Spoiler:
Kuzumi Hiroshi's and Mana's mother and Kuzumi Masaaki's wife.
She left her family 3 years ago.
Because she couldn't make up with her workaholic husband Masaaki, and also because of Mana's traffic accident, she fled her home due to emotional stress.
THE KUSHINADA HOUSEHOLD
Spoiler:
Quote:
Kushinada Nemuru Born: January 5th 1968 Age: 15 Height: 152cm, Weight: 42kg
B: 77, W: 51, H:80 Bloodtype: A
Spoiler:
A female classmate of Kuzumi Hiroshi.
She is the class representative of Hiroshi's class.
She doesn't speak much and always seems calm and collected.
Because of the air of elegance that accompanies her, she is always an image of courteousness.
She is totally different from other girls her age, as she carries a certain air of mystery.
Her faultless rigorous speech and conduct, she has a very close resemblance to a lady of the court.
In Hiroshi, who was beloved by his classmates right after transferring, she holds no particular interest at all.
It rather looks like she keeps herself at distance from Hiroshi.
Spoiler for beginning:
Somehow she seems to be feared by her classmates at times, everyone in class somehow seems to avoid to even look at her.
The result is superiority and it is rumored if she may be class best if not even the best at school.
If the blackboard is dirty before class begins, she cleans it silently even if it's not her day of duty (but afterwards she holds a demonic sermon), so she holds an extreme love for cleanliness.
It is rumored that once when the staff room's floor was dirty, she sent all the teacher's out and silently cleaned every corner.
You can often see her alone in a classroom, folding Origami cranes or reading.
She seems to be very involved in Origami and the paper she uses does not seem to be cheap, ordinary paper found in any stationary shop, but high class japanese paper.
The paper cranes folded from that paper are something beyond description.
Spoiler for private situation:
She is the niece of Kushinada Shigetsugu, the head of the Jôga Medical Centre.
The Kushinada family seems to be a prominent and respected house in the Old Town, an integral existence to the Old Town even.
Therefore the people living in this town since old times seem to be very conscious of her.
It seems like she resorts to keeping a distance from every person she meets and is issolated in her class.
She is bad at socializing with people and therefore remains silent.
She has no interest in trivial social matters, she does not even watch TV, therefore she doesn't even know what programs might be on currently.
This is why she can't keep up a conversation and many people who can't bear her standing there silently simply run off.
In her private time she mostly wears a kimono and her behaviour stays formal.
Almost like a character from a historical play, she gives off an old style impression.
She is very skilled with her hands and at crafts even puts some of the boys to shame.
How she indifferently models delicate objects resembles almost the cold behaviour of a machine.
She likes japanese food and is especially fond of seafood dishes.
Buri Teriyaki is her favourite food.
On the contrary she has not much experience with meat dishes, suspects that they will not be tasty and therefore doesn't like to eat them that much.
Even though it seems that it's beauty somehow fails to hit other people, she dearly loves Usamimi Kaeru.
Considering her normal behaviour it is hard to imagine that lovey dovey behaviour, which even goes so far as to give that beloved doll the name Mr. UsaEru.
She has got a good Mr. UsaEru fellow in Mana.
Spoiler for her secret:
Spoiler for her mission:
Jôgamachi, where Kamibito and Ochibito live.
Her true persona is the one who hunts the Kamibito who have conducted a missdeed, to hide the existence of Kamibito from the Ochibito.
But, above her selfimposed mission as the one carrying out the execution of Kamibito, she wishes for Kamibito and Ochibito to coexist more than anybody else, this is why she bears that harsh role.
And above all she loves this Jôgamachi where she was born.
Because of her strict upbringing, she is so shy, she cannot even look at a kissing scene in a soap.
Spoiler for herself:
The Kushinada family is the most noble among the Kamibito and contains the person who hunts the Fallen Ones.
This influence is held over all Kamibito.
She herself is also a Kamibito.
She is a classmate of Tsumuhana Isuzu since Elementary School.
Partly she secretly envies her for her absence of cowardice and happy personality.
Spoiler for her father:
Because presently her father Kushinada Jûzo is confined to the sickbed, she is the acting family head of the Kushinadas.
It is so to speak the position of leader of the Kamibito society, which is why she holds the heavy responsibilty of performing the Ôkami Purification through the Kamiotoshi.
She also attends the township meetings in her father's place.
Spoiler for her mother:
She is the spitting image of her mother Kushinada Rikako and regards her Kimono of Jôga silk as a precious treasure.
When she puts on her mother's kimono, she feels like she could become a noble person like her much respected mother and her body becomes tense.
She regards her mother's way of life as a role model for herself as a Kamibito.
Her hobby is Bonsai.
While helping with taking care of her father, it subconsciously became her own hobby too.
Her potted maple tree, which she raised with so much trouble, is her favourite.
Quote:
Kushinada Jûzo
Spoiler:
He is famous around this area and quite influential in town.
Spoiler for his secret:
He is the head of the Kushinada house and the leader of the Kamibito society.
There is nobody among the people in the Old Town who doesn't know him, and everyone will greet him when he takes a walk.
He is stubborn regarding his conservative stance, and because he is not comfortable with new people moving in or the construction of the New Town, he almost never leaves the Old Town.
Spoiler for his view on the town's secret:
His exclusive thoughts are strong and he thinks that the Ochibito who further the wild drives of the Kamibito should be driven out of Jôgamachi.
Spoiler for his condition:
He is 43 years old.
Compared to his older brother Kushinada Shigetsugu he ages rapidly, he looks much older than Shigetsugu.
Spoiler for the secret reason:
In the past he carried he carried out the Ôkami Purification through the use of the Kamiotoshi, he carried out many different exhausting deeds to uphold the Kamibito community.
It is supposedly because of those that his bodily fatigue and his aging has progressed so rapidly.
Presently he is bound to the sickbed and therefore several years ago had to pass the position of the Kushinada family head over to his daughter Kushinada Nemuru.
Quote:
Kushinada Rikako
Spoiler:
Kushinada Nemuru's mother. Deceased.
She was a devoted wife, a caring mother and was famous for her beauty in the neighbourhood.
Spoiler for her secret:
She came to live in Jôgamachi practically right after it was open to migration.
Spoiler for her origins:
She was originally an Ochibito who came from outside, but a heartless Kamibito turned her into one of them.
After turning into a Kamibito, she married the Kamibito Kushinada Jûzo.
She regarded her child Kushinada Nemuru as her treasure.
In the name Nemuru she put her earnest longing for her to live a rightful life, being able to put the cravings of a Kamibito to sleep.
She believed in the power of words within a name, which could guide humans through their life.
Spoiler for what happend to her:
But that happiness did not last for long, as the mark of Ôkami-sama appeared on her and she had to leave her family's side and become a Hakurô Kanon.
Shortly afterwards they received notice, that she had reached the end of her lifespan.
Spoiler for her stance towards the town's secret:
She differs completely from her husbands stance towards Ochibito as she embraced the faith that Kamibito could live in coexistence with the Ochibito.
This way of thought had a strong influence on Nemuru, too.
Quote:
Kushinada Shigetsugu
Spoiler:
Kushinada Nemuru's uncle.
He is the head of the town's general hospital, the Jôga Medical Centre.
Through his caring personality he gains the trust of his patients.
Also, as an allround physician it happens that he is treating patients from other hospitals too, his appreciation as a professional and faithful veteran doctor is high because of that.
His special field is the study of pathology, but he has also knowledge in pharmalogy and clinical psychology.
Because he never married, he holds his niece Nemuru dearly like his very own child.
He is worried because she sacrifices all to lend her powers to her father, which is why he wishes to lend her his own powers even more.
Spoiler for his secret past:
Spoiler for his reason to become a doctor:
As Kushinada Jûzo's elder brother, it was originally his position to carry on the house of Kushinada.
They had another brother, elder by 2 years, named Jûichi, but he commited suicide at 16.
The will he left behind was written calm and composed, he wondered about the pain of bearing the cravings of a Kamibito and what would be the meaning of living with bearing them.
This will and his brother's death was what prepared his way towards medical science.
Spoiler for his guilt:
For the Kamibito who suffered through their cravings, the progress of medical science was important, which is why that superior Kamibito stepped up to become a doctor.
Shigetsugu who had excellent grades in high school was allowed to persue his medical career and the Kushinada family decided on his younger brother Jûzo to lead the house.
Because it was originally him who would have had to take the place as Kushinada family head, but now it was inevitably forced upon his younger brother to succeed the Kushinada family, this all was inexcusable to him.
Spoiler for his doubts:
In the past he also once had a Kamibito fiancee who was decided by his parents, but she was led astray by the scent of an Ochibito, commited a sin and had to be executed.
Because of that past experience, he feels troubled concerning the future of the Kamibito and strives for a full-blown research concerning the taboo ladden Kamibito.
THE TSUMUHANA HOUSEHOLD
Spoiler:
Quote:
Tsumuhana Isuzu Born: Octobre 20th 1967 Age: 15 Height: 153cm, Weight: 43kg
B: 85, W: 52, H: 81 Bloodtype: B
Spoiler:
Kuzumi Hiroshi's classmate, who lives right next door to him in the appartment complex he moved into, a bright and sweet girl.
She is attending the 1st year 2nd group of the Private Jôga Senior High School along with Hiroshi.
She wears an intersting little bell on her left wrist and everytime she moves it makes this sweet little sound.
She is a bright and lively girl, who sometimes comes off as a little tomboyish.
She often behaves comically and almost always laughs.
She is getting along with everyone and is someone who you could call a moodmaker, together with her overall character this is the reason why she is so popular in class.
If she is excited it often happens that she can't find the proper words and starts blabbering.
Because of that impression she has gotten the name 'Burst Angel' stuck to her.
Spoiler for beginning:
Why is it that she is so clingy and flirty towards Hiroshi even though she just met him, and all that right after he just moved here?
At times her rather bold actions seem almost as if she is abusing Hiroshi who is so weak towards girls.
And still she really gives it her all at everything.
She is studying the ways of love day and night, just to win the heart of the person she loves.
But even though her comparisons sometimes seem a bit absurd...she also often gets things just plain wrong.
Right now, she still seems to think about wether or not to read the Shôjo manga and love novels she got from Mana.
Even if she likes to brag „I love cooking“, her real skills are with one word, disastrous.
One time, after eating one of her selfcooked meals, her brother lay in bed for 5 whole days, and meeting him after that you wouldn't even recognize him, at least that's what Kaname tells.
At any rate, there are times when she confuses cooking with crafting, and even if it's natural, she never tastes her creations.
It's really hard to actually say something concrete about her cooking.
You could almost compare it to avant-garde art.
And it proves true that „I love cooking“ does not equal „I am good at cooking“.
She is extremely fond of sweet food, if there is a sweet smell in the air, she is immediatly drawn to it.
She knows all the places for sweets in the Jôga Centre Market by heart.
She doesn't consider it a personal hobby, but it sure seems like that once she is around sweets.
Her favourite dishes are fish sausages and the egg yolk of boiled eggs.
Her favourite food may seem a bit odd at first, especially when compared to those of your own, but it could be all because she is so bad at cooking.
She hates scary stories.
Even if she brings up such a story herself, it can happen that she just snaps.
She is pretty fond of that game called 'Poppop' where you turn the cap of a milk bottle inside out.
She has a hobby of collecting those caps and carries a cookie box with a collection of many different caps around.
Because of her divine skills the elementary school kids in the neighbourhood whisper about her as the 'Empress of Poppop'.
Isuzu uses to say „I can smell the presence of a competitor...“, which is why she involves herself in that game, but to be directly confronted with such manner is not a nice thing.
She hates studying, which is why her grades don't seem to be that high.
She often fails at tests and has to take extra curricular lessons...
At times she is a fairly spoilt child, because she is so close with her elder brother Tsumuhana Issei.
It's an everyday occurence that she watches TV while sitting on her brother's knees, both unashamed.
Spoiler for her true self:
Although she always expresses her bright and upbeat image, it is not like she is tough by any means.
It is maybe just an act to hide her her free spirit which could just be called total arrogance and her true personality.
Naturally she has many traits of a spoilt child, she desperatly needs to cling to something and if she is unable to establish a bond, you can catch a glimpse of a dangerously fragile emotional layer.
She is a classmate of Kushinada Nemuru since Elementary School.
Spoiler for frictions:
She fears the Kushinadas, but different from her other Kamibito classmates who can't even get near Nemuru or even speak to her, she can approach Nemuru just fine.
Even though she sufficiently understands what the Kushinadas are to the Kamibito, and though she knows the truth that Nemuru has succeeded the house of Kushinada, inside Isuzu Nemuru is still just her old childhood friend.
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Tsumuhana Issei Age: 19
Spoiler:
The elder brother of Tsumuhana Isuzu, a young man who attends the Private Jôga University.
He has gracefull features and is very popular at the university.
Concerning his handling of girls, he also possesses a natural talent on that field.
It seems that here in Jôgamachi, there exists a secret fanclub for him.
He is very helpful and help Hiroshi who has just recently moved here with all his power and interest, a really nice brother-type guy.
His reflexes are good and he loves working out and partying, which is why he always takes the initiative to throw a welcome party.
Because he is older and has such a calm and collected manner to him, he seems like a person to whom they can turn to Hiroshi and the others,
But, also because he is Isuzu's brother, there are parts of him that are hard to judge.
You can't read his true motives and there are times when he seems pretty nervous.
He holds his little sister Isuzu dearly and pampers her often, but basically he respects the free will and believes in the principles of laissez-faire.
For Hiroshi who has just moved to this city and only has female friends, he is a person with whom he can share his hobbies and talk about different things.
He also learned from him about a shop for things of more manly interest.
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Tsumuhana Seiji
Spoiler:
Tsumuhana Isuzu's and Issei's father.
They've lived in this town forver, but along with the town's development the whole family moved into the apartment complex in the New Town.
He works as a buisiness man in a trading company in the New Town.
The inhabitants of Jôgamachi were normally all involved in the cultivation of Hassaku, but along with the town's development people like him who ascended to a new job (from the outside) increased.
Quote:
Tsumuhana Suzuka
Spoiler:
Tsumuhana Isuzu's and Issei's mother.
She works as a part-timer in the New Town's supermarket during the day.
A female classmate of Kuzumi Hiroshi.
Generally she is a normal and nice girl.
She is a person of character and can associate with any person no matter what kind.
Her manners are refined and she speaks in a very calm way.
Around a girl so smiling and cheerful as her, there always hangs a calm atmosphere in the air.
She gives off a gentle impression, but even more impressive is her witty character and her abilty to observe and understand.
She is a specialist in planning out communication based on foreseeing people's emotions way before, but there is also a form of clumsiness in her way of speaking.
Therefore it can happen that she says something which literally hits you in your heart, but because there is no evil will at all in her voice, neither misunderstanding nor discomfort linger around. (To be honest, sometimes you might think she is evil...because of this doubt, Hiroshi can't even return something)
In her straightforward way she often translates what Isuzu, who isn't that good with words, wants to say, she often tones her overly high spirit down a bit and acts as a sort of watchdog for Isuzu.
Also, because she has extensive knowledge about many things and can handle many things at ease, she is being relied on even by her classmates who use to say „If you don't get it right know, why don't you try asking Kaname?“.
She is very close with Isuzu, but that connection was only established when she entered senior highschool.
Because like Hiroshi she only just moved here to Jôgamachi and she came here just in time for her entrance into senior highschool.
Because she likes books you can often notice her reading all day long forgetting everything around her.
She especially loves mystery novels, she is a big fan of detectives like Sherlock Holmes or Akechi Kogoro.
Additionaly she is collecting guides about books, it seems to have become an obsession of her's.
Because she is extremely good at observing things, she often notices things that other people don't.
With her characteristic insight and power of observation, she also seems to understand how things functions.
Maybe because she likes mystery and detective novels so much, her true character is full of curiosity.
Normally she might be rather calm and collected, but once her interest-switch is turned on, she shows an unbelievably active side.
Because she is is so calm and collected and it is so hard to anger her at all, her true self when angry is scary.
Once, Isuzu is said to have pulled a prank on her as a joke, but her behaviour then is said to have been demonic.
You can't really see the angry aspect of her, it is an anger that broods even through her ever smiling face, and everyone who sees that is struck with fear from the deepest pit.
She belongs to the school commitee (library section).
She is often in the library during the breaks or after school.
Her actions are calculated and without any flaw.
Therefore she is almost never disturbed by anything.
If there really was something that could actually disturb her, it would probably have to be something really bad.
Quote:
Sakagi Junichiro Age: 25
Spoiler:
A graduate student of a certain university in the city.
He says he majored in geology, and he visits Jôgamachi to gather data for his essay movie.
A young man who gives of an impression as if made of ice, maybe because he has always a sour look and doesn't even smile once.
Hiroshi was saved by him when he was attacked by a hoodlum.
This great performance and fighting skill is something which you would think of more fitting to an action movie.
This is not something you would expect from a graduate student performing a geological survey.
Spoiler for his background:
4 years ago someone close to him was killed in this town.
But this incident was masterfully concealed and never got known.
It is possible that behind this incident might exist a mysterious group, and he is investigating that.
4 years ago, even though he tried to raise suspicion so hardly, and whatever else, the truth regarding this town which was so well hidden, remains uncertain.
Spoiler for his ties to the town:
The person killed 4 years ago was his lover, he harbours a desire for revenge towards this whole city.
Spoiler for his secret and connection to the town:
He himself is an Ochibito.
Still he knows about the existence of Kamibito and also very well about their habbits.
He seems to have ties with the Kushinada family, but his true intentions remain uncertain.
Spoiler for his grudge:
He holds a deep grudge against the Kamibito, but especially the Kushinada family.
Which is because of the sudden murder of his lover.
He researches about Jôgamachi to reach the truth behind it.
He only knows that she was killed by a member of the Kushinada family.
This grudge has him turned into a heartless, coldblooded murderer.
Sakagi Junichiro is an alias, a name he assumed when he snuck into Jôgamachi to reach his goals.
His own name, his life up till then...
He threw all of his past away, everything before what happened 4 years ago and apart from the truth behind the incident sorrounding his lover Arami Mieko.
Spoiler for his past:
Actually he never graduated from any university.
The graduate student who majored in geology is also part of the profile he prepared for 'Sakagi Junichiro'.
He attened the geological section of the department of science at a national university in a certain area.
This is where he met Arami Mieko.
Because his father had died on them some time ago, his family was not exactly wealthy, but also because of his mother's suggestions he entered that university.
This is why he continued with his studies, while at the same time earning his tuition and his living expenses working on his own.
His real name is Mukata Junichi.
Quote:
Arami Mieko
Spoiler:
Sakagi Junichiro's lover.
She went missing and was killed 4 years ago here in Jôgamachi.
Even though it was a murder no matter how you look at it, the incident never became officially known, the truth is buried in the dark.
Concerning this, there is no kind of cooperation from the officials in Jôgamachi.
Spoiler for her past:
She attened the geological section of the department of science at a national university in a certain area, just like Sakagi Junichiro.
She ran into Sakagi Junichiro when they had just entered university and became close to him because they shared the same subject.
At the time of her enrollment she completely changed herself, a senior high school girl who came to this university from somewhere really deep in the countryside, and she became someone who aroused some interest in her subject area.
Spoiler for the strangness of her demise:
Her corpse, who was discovered by her lover Sakagi Junichiro 4 years ago, was slaughtered following the old rites and customs of the Kamibito.
Sakagi knew it was his lover's body from the ring stuck to her finger.
Quote:
Mana Kaori Born: Decembre 17th 1961 Age: 21 Height: 166cm, Weight: 46kg
B: 84, W: 56, H: 81,
Spoiler:
A student enrolled in the Private Jôga University.
Out of certain reasons she is temporarly absent.
She is very helpful, a nice girl with a warm and loving aura around her.
Her hobby is playing the violin, she performs at a nearby river or at her home.
She moves the hearts of those people who hear her play, her fans who want to hear her play more are many.
Her parents have died so her grandmother from her father's side took care of her, but she died too.
Right now she is living alone in her grandmother's house in the Old Town.
Her house is constructed barrier-free, which is rare even in the city.
Her grandmother had it reconstructed, because she wanted to live a good life despite her bad legs.
Because both her parents were famous musicians, she has played with the violin's bow since she was a very young child.
Her interest in the violin, to which she was used since infancy, never stopped, everytime she started playing at home people would stop to listen, everytime she plays now people flock by in masses.
So the place before Kaori's house unawarely became known and loved as 'tranquility square'.
Opposite to her calm behaviour her inner self is strong, she never wavers once she has decided on something.
But this isn't something that could be described with selfishness, she also thinks about other people when doing that.
Her body seems weak and her condition rather frail.
She tries her best not to let anyobdy notice that side of her, but lately she grows worse and worse in hiding it.
She loves it to spend her time resting in the forest, which is why she has started to take longer walks in the woods.
Maybe because she has such a calm personality, she enjoys it to spend some time allein doing nothing at all.
Even though much greenery is torn down due to the development of Jôgamachi, the virgin forest in the remaining forest park is a precious place to her where she is able to relax.
Spoiler for unexpected surprise:
She very much resembles Sakagi Junichiro's lover Arami Mieko.
Even to Sakagi, who knew Mieko personally, it happens that he mixes Kaori and Mieko up.
She wanted to transfer to a different university with a musical department, but due to certain circumstances that won't allow that she keeps attending the teaching department of the Private Jôga University.
It seems she has given up the path of music, but it seems that deep in her heart there still remain some lingering emotions which she just can't get rid of.
Spoiler for her deepest secret:
She is a Kamibito who bears the sign of Ôkami-sama.
She is chosen to become a priest of the Hakurô Kanon.
Quote:
Mana Iwaya
Spoiler:
Mana Kaori's father.
He died in an accident together with his wife Mana Chiharu several years ago.
He was a skilled violinist and his music still remains famous.
Jôgamachi was where he performed and the town hall was a place of frequent concerts.
Famous musicians who visited his concerts where deeply impressed by his talent, they recommended him to play outside of Jôgamachi too, but strangely he didn't want to leave.
His music spread and became famous through records and he became known as the mysterious musician.
Quote:
Mana Chiharu
Spoiler:
Mana Kaori's mother.
She died in an accident together with her husband Mana Iwaya several years ago.
She was a famous pianist and together with Iwaya she gained the name of the Mandarin Musicians.
Like her husband, she wasn't willing to leave Jôgamachi and so at least her music remains to her fans around the world.