I’m not sure if this was done on purpose or not, but I really, really loved this because in a way these scenes in the first and last episodes represent what happened in Aoi’s childhood with the Kind Ayakashi.
This is the reason why I think it was beautiful that the anime “began” with Oodanna and “ended” with Ginji:
Continue readingAoi was disappointed to find out that her dear grandfather had used her as collateral for his loan and promised her as a bride to Oodanna. Was her grandpa really an asshole or is there more to the story than what Oodanna revealed?↴
May contain spoilers from episodes 1-3. Please read at your own risk.
Yes, we know that Shiro, Aoi’s grandpa, was a little wild, but from the little that we’ve seen of him, he seemed to care about her. I don’t think he would offer her like that just because.
It seems to me that Shiro didn’t die just because of an accident, I think he may have been murdered by an Ayakashi instead. We already know that both Shiro and Aoi possess strong spiritual power, so I wouldn’t doubt if there were some Ayakashi who were after their lives. There’s also what Aoi said in ep. 2 when she was talking to Matsuba-sama: “It’s true that he was old, but he fell on the stairs and was taken to the hospital. Death can come so suddenly, huh?”
He was old, but not old enough to die.
It may not mean anything, but could there be more to his death than what we think?
Another thing to note is that Shiro taught Aoi how to cook dishes that would be liked by Ayakashi. We have this conversation Aoi and Matsuba-sama had in ep.2:
Aoi: “I guess the tastes he liked and what Ayakashis like are similar.”
Matsuba-sama: “That’s strange.”
Aoi: “What?”
Matsuba-sama: “He used to say that the hidden realm food was too bland to eat.”
Why would Shiro go out of his way to teach Aoi how to cook dishes that would be liked by Ayakashi if he didn’t like the food himself? I think it’s obvious that there’s more to it. He may have specifically taught Aoi to make dishes that would be liked by Ayakashi for her to avoid getting eaten and to gain the favor of the Ayakashi that eat her food. I don’t think Shiro’s tastes changed as he got older and I don’t think it was a coincidence.
I think Shiro knew that their lives were in danger and he asked Oodanna to take care of Aoi in case he died. However, even if she was the granddaughter of Shiro, who was respected and liked by many Ayakashi, it was possible that there would be those opposed to having Aoi in the hidden realm or have her protected by Oodanna. The best way to protect Aoi would then be for her to be the “Ogre’s bride”, the best way for Aoi to gain allies would be through her food.
So is there more to Shiro’s “promise” to Oodanna? I think so.
Please note: I have not read the manga or novel, I have only watched up to ep. 3 of the anime. Be considerate of others when commenting. Please use *spoilers* if you’re going to discuss anything beyond the episodes that have aired. I will warn you, but I’m not that patient: Failure to comply will get you blocked on the spot.
May contain spoilers from the anime. Please read at your own risk.
The idea that Ginji might be the Ayakashi or might know something about the Ayakashi that helped Aoi as a child came to mind since ep. 1. If I recall correctly, Ginji’s expression changed for a second when Aoi spoke about that Ayakashi. Nothing was mentioned after that, so I decided to not think too much about it at the moment.
However, that idea came to mind once more in ep. 3 when Ginji told Aoi that she liked curry & rice. At first, it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. I said to myself “hmm I don’t remember Aoi telling him that???” and while I was doubting myself if I had forgotten that piece of info from the previous episodes, Aoi’s reaction after that event had me screaming. After Ginji left, Aoi started saying to herself how Ginji was of great help, but then stopped as she realized something: Ginji knew she liked curry and rice? There’s one reason I can think of why she would have that reaction and that would be because he knows a detail about her that she hadn’t told him. I feel that pretty much confirmed it for me.
Here’s what we know:
Of course, just like others have mentioned, there’s always the possibility that it was someone else and that they told Ginji. That would also explain how he knows that information. Could that person be Oodanna or maybe Ginji’s mother? None of the above?
I can’t however, agree to the theory that Ginji knows the identity of the Ayakashi and wants Aoi to believe it was him because he wants to steal Aoi from Oodanna. I don’t believe Ginji is that kind of person and I would honestly be shocked if he was some kind of villain. He is like the most precious boy ever, so yeah.
Update: 2018.07.09
I’ve watched up to episode 15 and I’m still a firm believer that the Ayakashi is Ginji. It’s been heavily implied, but it has not been either confirmed or denied though.
There were times when the thought of the possibility that it was not Ginji crossed my mind. For example, one specific line that has always been bugging me is: “We will certainly meet again when you become an adult.” Why would Ginji and Aoi meet again, specifically when she’s an adult? It would make more sense if that Ayakashi was Oodanna since Aoi was promised to marry him after all.
Other than that everything points towards Ginji, but it may be nothing more than an illusion. Keyword: Illusion. A specific word in the new OP that caught my attention when they showed Ginji, as Ginji has the ability to deceive since he can shape shift. At some point in time I did say that it could have possibly been Ginji’s mother (Because that ayakashi seemed to be a woman and the hair color resembled Ginji’s) Another thought that has previously crossed my mind is that Ginji had a “mentor” and that he was the one who helped Aoi. This ayakashi is probably no longer alive and thus why Ginji makes a grim/sad expression when it comes to that ayakashi. It would make sense if that mentor left that mask to Ginji and thus Ginji is now filling the role of that “savior” ayakashi aka deceiving. (doesnt have to be for a bad reason though) Either way, I can say that the identity of that Ayakashi is closely related to Ginji based on many scenes, dialogue and even the openings. (Another reason why I don’t think it’s Oodanna)
Take a look at this sequence though. I feel that the light represents the apparent realm to where Ginji crossed to help Aoi. When he turns around he puts on the mask and then the appearance changes to the one that helped Aoi, which heavily implies that it’s the same person. We know that Ginji’s power/aura/flame is blue and the ayakashi disappears with it:
Feel free to share your thoughts below.
Please note: I have not read the manga or novel, I have only watched up to ep. 15 of the anime. Be considerate of others when commenting. Please use *spoilers* if you’re going to discuss anything beyond the episodes that have aired. I will warn you, but I’m not that patient: Failure to comply will get you blocked on the spot.
Sinful Liesel 