Character Analysis Archive

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Author: u/Genprey

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Related reading: Mitama and Momento Mori

One of the most deceptive characters in Magia Record (putting aside Livia), Mitama is someone who never really lets on anything about her true feelings that are hidden behind a smile and bouts of teasing. The Mitama we knew at the start of Magia Record appeared to be happy-go-lucky, a character the writers put in to give us a break from the heavier parts of the story. Indeed, Mitama is a pleasant character who can easily put a smile on our faces, but as it turned out with her MGS, the front that was being sold to us isn't completely honest.

From Mitama's back-story, we learned that she was once a resentful girl. Mitama, who we knew as someone that would respond to adversity with a smile, would snap in a fit of rage as her peers betrayed her. Along with this, we learned the one thing that digs into Mitama, a weakness that caused her to lose her reason the moment a classmate spoke negatively of her: her sister, Mikage Yakumo.

By the end of her story--after having been mentored by Livia and meeting/helping the many faces of magical girls--Mitama had retracted her desire for destruction. The rage Mitama had toward the world was finally put behind her...

...or so it seemed for awhile.

This section isn't the analysis on Mikage that I'm close to finishing, rather, a bit of a prelude to that that observes the relationship between the Yakumo sisters. To my very pleasant surprise, the siblings here have an extremely meaningful connection to each other, even moreso than the Amane twins, given the amount of significance Mitama and Mikage (seemingly) will have in the future.

The Eightfold Fence

Starting off, it is important to note that family is a very important, recurring theme in Magia Record. The Amane twins highlight the importance of accepting differences between family members; that, despite sharing identical faces and the same bloodline, each individual will be their own person. Meanwhile, Nayuta appears to represent the destructiveness that occurs as a result of discord among family, hence her violent attitude and rage toward Touka.

They are not blood related, but the Azalea Trio explores the concept of home, stating that, even through adversity, it is the individual members of a family that make up a "home" moreso than any building or property. From an alternative point of view, Hanna, a girl who did not have anyone to lean on as "family", would decline into madness and, eventually, a tragic end.

The Yakumo girls tell a lesson about inheritance. It is clear that, by the end of her MGS, Mitama had accepted herself (past and present) and desired to move on with her life as someone who assisted fellow magical girls. Unfortunately, the past that Mitama desired to move from wouldn't vanish so easily.

Enter Mikage Yakumo, Mitama's kid sister, an individual important enough to Mitama that her being poorly mentioned was the final trigger that set her on a rampage. In one way or another Mitama's past actions would reflect on Mikage, through either her interactions with the social world or knowledge that her sister had once been in such a distressed state.

But, that's something I'll elaborate more on in Mikage's specific section, for now, we're going to look at the name "Yakumo". Yakumo combines the symbols used for "eight" ("ya", with eight being pronounced as "hachi") and "clouds" (kumo) forming "eight clouds" when putting them together. The number "8" in Japan is a lucky number that symbolizes prosperous growth, while clouds have both a variety of shapes and meanings that represent concepts such as "change", closeness to the heavenly realm, "hope", as well as an omen, as one might expect after seeing dark clouds roll over the sky.

More importantly, however, is the names association with the first known poem in Japan, the "Eightfold Fence". Being an ancient poem, this was something that was expressed orally and has been said to been handed down from Susasnoo, the younger brother to Amaterasu. Susanoo is a rather conflicting God who committed deeds both righteous and unruly by nature, earning him the association with the sea, something that wavers between being calm and hectic. This detail will be important in the future, so keep it in mind.

One day, Susanoo cannot commit himself to good deeds, for he cried for his mother, Izanami, who was entrapped in Yomi, the land of darkness. Frustrated, his father, Izanagi cast Susanoo away, who then decides to visit his sister, Amaterasu, in order to say his farewells. Pretty easy and sincere task, right?

...it wasn't. Spotting her younger brother below her land, Amaterasu grew suspicious of Susanoo and approached him, questioning his intentions. Eventually, the two would engage in a competition to test each others love for each other, and the very reasonable Susanoo showed his respect to his sister by...*looks at script* ...destroying her rice fields and plunging the land into darkness. Satisfied, Susanoo returned to his sister, who was rightfully not happy with her brother's tantrum and forced him away.

Eventually, Susanoo would venture down to the mortal realm, where he would join the Izumo clan, not as a God, but a heroic person who would slay beasts, rescue those in distress, and grow into a very respectable individual. Noting her brother's growth, Amaterasu would let her brother back in her realm, where they would revive their relationship after Susanoo offered his prized sword. During his stay, Susanoo would craft the first Japanese Poem:

Yakumo tatsu

Izumo yaegeki

Tsumagomi ni

Yaegaki tsukuru

Here, where eight clouds rise

In the land of Izumo

I will house my beloved

Inside an eightfold fence

An "Eightfold Fence" refers to a physical barrier that was built for defense, but also has a more metaphorical meaning that refers to stabilizing Japan's culture. In any case, it served as a sanctuary where one would keep his or her treasures/beloved individuals.

Going back to the Yakumo siblings, their relationship with each other is positive. On one end, Mkage truly admires Mitama, viewing her as one would view a hero, while Mikage is one of the few times Mitama is seen being stern/serious, to the point where she comes off as motherly, even. Even the best of siblings, however, will be forced to face each other in conflict, as is the case with Mikage and Mitama.

This will continue in my next section, The Inheritance of Mikage Yakumo. I realize that the little story I shared seems a bit farfetch'd, but bare with me, I promise it has a purpose.