Character Analysis Archive

Reddit Post: [reddit]

Author: u/Genprey

Previous: Mitama and Momento Mori

Related reading: Mitama and Momento Mori

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An enantiomorph refers to the mirror image of something--if you were to look into a mirror at this very moment, you would see a reflection of yourself and your surroundings. This reflection, however, appears to be reversed. Tsukuyo and Tsukasa are identical in appearances, yet at the same time, are also reversals of each other. Of note:

• Both girls wear a single legging in their transformed state: Tsukuyo's on her left leg and Tsukasa's on her right.
• While Tsukasa has her hair styled in twintails, her sister opts to wear hers loose/straight down.
• As remarked several times by Kanagi, Tsukuyo is more well-endowed, while her sister is slender.
• Tsukuyo wears a long cloth that is wrapped by a blue sash, while Tsukasa only wear her skirt that is coiled by a green sash.
• Compared to her sister, Tsukasa was brought up in a poor area.
• The two girls have notably different personalities, likely related to the differences in their upbringing. Tsukasa is a lot more informal; as a response to seeing her "doppelganger", her reaction was to distract it and then punch it. Her mannerisms are, likewise, very casual, and she is more playful with her friends, in which, to the dismay of her sister, she will jokingly hit them.
• Tsukuyo is much more formal, but despite being a respected figure, she lacks the friends that even Tsukasa has.

Alternatively, you can see a stark difference in tone by reading the description of each girls' personal Memoria:

It is both painfully nostalgic and dear to me, and has been since I discovered it. As I play it, my heart calms and the sound waltzes upon the breeze. Oh lovely note, where are you headed? I know where you must be going. To where my faraway sister stands...

I keep it with me, because it's painful to be away from it. No matter how closely you look at it, it stays the same: a regular old flute. Hey, flute, just what are you? It's a bridge that connects me to my distant sister.

This carries on in their transformation sequences, which has been conveniently uploaded side-by-side, which opens up with a moon behind a set of clouds.

Tsukasa's opens with a full moon covered by clouds that are more full in appearance, while Tsukuyo's is a crescent moon covered by thin, tailing clouds. The scenes switch to Tsukasa's left eye and Tsukuyo's right eye before transitioning to a full-body view of Tsukasa in front of a bright yellow background and Tsukuyo in front of a dark purple background. Both girls bow and frolic before both sequences end in a similar fashion. The girls both have a Summer Alt, but from what I can see, the transformation video is mostly evidence that the character designers are really proud of how the sisters look.

For the most part, Tsukasa's and Tsukuyo's introduction videos play around the girls' symmetry, but also shows key differences between the two. Between the first syllable of their names ("Tsu-") being phonetically similar to the word "moon" in Japanese and one of the main visuals in their transformation video, the moon seems to have some significance to the twins. This is where I had the most trouble analyzing them, as the moon has a very broad range of symbolism, even within Japanese culture and Buddhism. It represents femininity, the cycle of time, good harvest, among other things, most of which could be applied to the girls, but only vaguely. This is where I have to sort of reach further than I'd normally like, so bear with me, and remember to take this as one person's observation, rather than a fact.

Among the many things associated with the moon is regeneration, the process in which something becomes whole again after experiencing loss. One of the key characteristics of the Amane sisters is the fact that they live separate lives and, despite being kind, good girls and, in Tsukasa's case, even having friends, they feel as if there is no one who can truly understand them. At the beginning of her sidestory, Tsukasa remarks that she only feels full and relieved when she heads out to play her flute. Likewise, Tsukuyo mentions that she "loses sense of herself" whenever she is put through the tiring practice by her grandmother and also feels comfort in playing her flute. After officially meeting, Tsukasa and Tsukuyo finally met the one person who completes them--in a way, it's as if this reunion has made them whole.

Another major thing associated with the girls is sound, most particularly from that of the flute. Some of the main components of music include harmony, the combination of sounds being played simultaneously, and melody, the organization of these sounds that, when put in a sequence, produces music. In combat, the Amane Twins are known to fight together, just as if they were a musical duet. Music, in this case, is their weapon, but also a testament to the synergy they share together.

Finally, the girls' Doppels are named Dee (Tsukasa) and Dum (Tsukuyo). Their descriptions read as such:

The master of this emotion, free from being bound by her own environment or circumstances, drowns in affection for her other half as the one person who understands her. By using this Doppel, the two of them cut themselves off from all connections except theirs. As long as they stay within this tiny half-planet, they each only believe in what the other can sense; outsiders will never get through to them, no matter how many opinions one expresses or how overbearing an attitude one takes. The use of this Doppel shuts out the diverse values held by others, thereby stabilizing one’s mind, but as a side effect, their hold on society’s ethics will dwindle as well.

The master of this Doppel isn't swayed by mood or emotion. She does, however, rely on her other half, the only person who truly understands her. Through this, the two of them are capable of completely isolating themselves from the outside. Together in their miniature world, they need only the company of the other to survive. This Doppel shuts out all physical and magical phenomena, allowing its master to perfectly protect herself and her twin. Though doing so causes their memories of anyone but each other to fade away.

The names of these Doppel probably make you think of the short twins from "A Looking Glass", and while there is a connection between those 2 and the Amane Twins, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (the characters) are actually a reference to a famous piece of satire written by John Byrom. It reads:

Some say, compar'd to Bononcini

That Mynheer Handel's but a Ninny

Others aver, that he to Handel

Is scarcely fit to hold a Candle

Strange all this Difference should be

'Twixt Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee!

"Some say that compared to Bonocini, Handel is a fool (Ninny). Others say that compared to Handel, he (Bonocini) isn't fit to hold a candle. Strange all of the differences between "Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee"

This epigram references the rivalry between two famous music composers, George Handel and Giovanni Bononcini, in which the Whig party advocated Handel's work, while the Tories supported Bononcini. In it, Byrom is basically making fun of the pettiness of this disagreement and a statement that the two are both identical. This would be re-adapted in a later Nursery Rhyme written by Lewis Carroll as:

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Agreed to have a battle;

For Tweedledum said Tweedledee

Had spoiled his nice new rattle.

Just then flew down a monstrous crow,

As black as a tar-barrel;

Which frightened both the heroes so,

They quite forgot their quarrel.

Much like the original piece it was based on, this piece tells a short story of two twins having a petty argument that would lead to them challenging each other to a fight. However, after being frightened by a large bird, they would quickly agree to a truce. Caroll's intention between Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum was to create create 2 characters who were mirror images of each other that never contradicted with each other, even during their short argument.

This is referenced in both girls' sidestory, where they become terrified of seeing each other as a result of Kanagi and Mifuyu teasing them that they were each others' doppelganger. During their second encounter, both Tsukuyo plans to distract her "doppelganger" before retreating, while Tsukasa, instead, plans to punch her sister if it was revealed that they shared the same exact name. This conflict would be avoided as they eventually revealed themselves as being different people.

Further in their sidestory, we are shown various contrasts between the girls. When eating together, Tsukasa is appalled that Tsukuyo had never eaten fast food before, while Tsukuyo is, in turn, somewhat disgusted seeing her sister eat with her hands and even with how she sits. This would continue as Tsukasa's used clothing symbolized unkemptness to Tsukuyo and the two's relationship would deteriorate as they found out more about each other. This would continue until their falling out separated them, even making them come to the conclusion that they were not twins.

Similar to Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, the argument between the girls is rather petty and based on a lack of understanding each other, something Tsukuyo would admit after they'd reunite at a hospital later on. Unfortunately for them, however, Kyubey would act as their "crow" in their own story.

Both Doppels represent the act of cutting oneself away from public society, which is an extreme take on the Amane sisters' desire to be with each other and the importance of their relationship. As noted in both demerits, only minding each other and cutting away from the rest of society would blind them of everything around them. We know this not to be the actual case with the twins, as despite the love they have with each other, they also get along with other friends.

They appear as two aquariums, which are popularly used to keep certain living creatures as pets. We might decorate these mini-homes to resemble the place of origin of the pet we're caring for (i.e. the ocean for fish, drylands for reptiles, gardens for butterflies), but the truth is: they're completely detached from their actual environment.

What is notable about Dee and Dum is that they seem as if they're able to combine with each other. This is further hinted at when we notice that Tsukasa is initially upside-down--assuming the two were to pull a Power Rangers and combine, being a sphere, it's important for both girls to have separate orientations for the purpose of being able to properly steer the mechanism. There's also their swimsuit alt that shows the two being connected.

Overall, Tsukasa and Tsukuyo are a lesson that some things so similar can be simultaneously dissimilar, yet these differences do not need to separate them from each other. The divide between the Amane parents was a result of them failing to acknowledge this fact.

With that all being said, I appreciate the feedback I've gotten--this is something I really enjoy writing and it makes me pretty stoked that there is a bit of interest from others, as well. I have a list of girls that I'm interested in, but unfortunately, some (Masara. Basically Masara.) I feel I should hold off on doing until they get their 5 star uncap/Doppel.

Next, I would like to cover Ren and her connection to concepts related to life and death, as well as rebirth. Midway through analyzing her, I actually found out that someone has long beat me to the punch, so her section will be a bit different from what I've done so far. It'll be more like response to the video I just linked, where I add in my own observations, as well as things I felt like were missed.