iāve only read gachiakuta through one time and i felt like it was fairly comprehensible in comparison to something likeā¦ jjk, maybe. but if you donāt understand it just yet, iāll explain! gachiakuta spoilers below
vital instruments are something that you cherish deeply and care for extensively. the love and effort you pour into keeping that object āaliveā ā like itās a child to be reared ā is what gives it anima, or the ability to become a vital instrument. so it canāt be anything you pick up or that you frequently replace, but it CAN be an object that is considered one-use or disposable if you can find a way to make it cared for and reusable. i feel like this aspect is NOT incredibly misunderstood in the fandom, but again, iām just dipping my toes in
what really grinds my gears is how people pick their objectās function. because by and large, a vital instrumentās abilities are drawn directly from the giverās greatest desire/greatest tragedy. in exchange for your love and care, this object will give you that which you want most. this is why you can have multiple givers with the same object, but none of them function the same way. itās unclear whether watchman series items have unique operations or if they also adjust to the wielder, but here are a few examples, right:
rudoās entire character revolved around taking care of broken things. at his core, he thinks heās trash and that he was left out to rot by the people who were meant to care for him. this drives his hobby of trash-picking and, subsequently, is what his 3r gloves let him do: breathe life into objects that have been discarded by others, just like he wished someone would do for him.
enjinās umbreaker, arguably the easiest example, operates as a method of protecting an individual from misfortune. he says so himself shortly after heās introduced. enjin, who has been determined to protect people around him for most of his life, has a vital instrument that shares dual functions as a sword and shield like a knight of old
folloās hammer: another good example. itās power-up function operates like his own mental state, of bottling things up until they explode, but it is powered by protecting others, which is his job and his ultimate goal.
amoās boots: another watchman series example ā though maybe itās the wielder that fits the item in their case ā where the boots conjure up memories of loved ones and trap you in a delusion where youāre valued, which echoes back amoās life with the trafficker as well as her deepest desire to be loved for who she is, not as a tool for others (though you could say that amoās boots are a double-edged sword, because the people under its smell-spell protect amo not because sheās amo, but because sheās someone else to them).
all in all, the wielder and the item have to share a goal. it is up to you, the creator, which one comes first, but in an overarching sense the item usually responds to the desires of the giver. and so here are how vital instruments would function:
a stuffed teddie that the user was given by a loved one who was responsible for their protection. the loved one was lost, the teddie remained, and the userās grief over the loved one is transferred into the object. now the stuffed animal can transform into a real animal to provide protection to the wielder.
a switchblade given to an old warrior by a comrade turned enemy. their betrayal was incomprehensible, as they thought their bound uncleavable, and now the switchblade has the power to cut through any material.
a teapot found by a homeless person which now transforms into an impenetrable fortress and portable home. or, if the homeless personās greatest desire is not shelter but surviving the cold, the teapot might generate a natural heated spring, or an intoxicating aroma/drink that can lull all around them into a false sense of safety.
a legal code picked up by a young girl in a lawless place. given great care by a girl who desires nothing more than order in her world, it gains the ability to apply a law to a certain individual or radius of space, and all who break it are summarily punished (this is what iām using for my oc, or some version of this).
just a thought. this can also be used to examine characters whose backstories we donāt have yet, like riyo. why scissors? maybe like the switchblade, itās all about cutting ties. i donāt know. but hopefully this helps a couple people get a feel for how the vital instruments workā¦ :D
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