Alright here we go... Ep 22 and trying to organize my mess of thoughts
(Disclaimer: I probably forgot a lot of details from previous eps so this is just me working mostly with what I currently remember)
As much as this ep gave us a whole lot of glimpses into their past, it also gives us a lot of vague scenes to speculate on
So first off, Frostheim Haku! He doesn't have his earrings here
Piecing together the chapters, I suppose this flashback takes place shortly after the Clash when Haku was transferred from Clementia -> Frostheim, Rui from Clementia -> Obscuary, Haru from Dionysia -> Jabberwock, and Yuri from Frostheim -> Mortkranken
Tohma was only about to be transferred from Vagastrom -> Frostheim by Jin's request
Additionally, Elias is still in uniform (+ Dionysia's house color is pink, huh) and the Institute was still deciding what to do with the "problematic students"
This was also before Benkei got demoted to the campus store
So we got Mio Susuhara, Shion Genkai, and Jo Kongoza from previous eps, and then there's Enzo from Ultio (who I guess is known to be kind of brutal considering he manages his house's prison/s?)
I'm not sure if I just missed it from before but Shiki seems to be a new name I'm seeing flying around more often (and I guess he's the one Rui's been talking to via the VR headset thing? The nickname does sound familiar, though, I'm just not sure where to look)
Yuri doesn't like getting himself involved with Frostheim and that includes Haku...
Bonus tidbit: Jiro actually has 20/20 vision and Yuri gave him glasses that he used to wear (because the latter was somewhat embarrassed about them being in close proximity sometimes? lol)
Jiro, Alan, Towa, and Rui were already listed as the primary suspects of the One-Eyed Sleeping Beauty murder that triggered the Clash, with Rui admitting to both the professors and Haku that he killed the student (but did he really?)
Ed was only added to that list just because he wanted to cover for Rui; is it really just because of Rui's tears that Ed wants until now for some reason?
+ With Ed's involvement, the Institute can't do anything about the other suspects either
Dante wasn't in the meeting so I guess he was still "dead" at the time? (Or in the process of being resurrected or something)
When will we finally know about the spy?
(That probably has something to do with Haku or Sho doesn't it—)
And I wonder if we're going to get all the answers to who's been responsible for the strange occurrences in much older eps (i.e., the mermaid flesh incident, the break-ins and thievery, the clockwork anomaly + the Feather of the Heavenly Maiden from ep 18 still being missing, etc.)
^ Especially when Mio's clockwork anomaly and its convenience were mentioned again this ep
Onto Jabberwock's past, even though it may not be much for some, I'm actually really happy about this!
I kind of like their second year looks :3c
This part gives me so much Meteor Impact war era vibes ough
"I waited all this time. You finally came... Why do I have to share you...?"
We already knew Towa has a strong attachment to Haru but why? And how did they actually meet for it to get to that point?
Was Towa all alone until Haru was transferred and found him?
Not to mention, Haru was the one who gave Towa his current name (and taught him how to write), so did he not have a name or did he just choose to abandon his old one for certain reasons related to his past?
Towa seems to be someone who's been out in the wild before he was taught to adjust to live among humans so I wonder how they got him
Plus, we still don't have much of a clue that explains why Towa seemed to be in pain in ep 12
Also huh, apparently Peekaboo's the name of the anomaly species itself
Our poor Peekaboo was neglected by his family...
(Ngl I thought the Clashbacks were also going to be reflected on the present like the Peekaboo brothers being the equivalent of the mice denizens but I'm pretty glad that wasn't the case)
Taiga eating one of them was hella brutal damn (but it's Taiga so yeah)
We've still yet to know how Haru and Taiga's past went... As well as Romeo
Ah yes, April 4th, the day Zenji got a 4/10
"The tears I saw fall from your eyes that day..."
Towa was deeply upset when he knows he's hurt Haru...
Zenji is really sweet for him to offer advice like this (I really love him as a character for this)
Unrelated to this scene, I guess if anyone is going to reveal everything about the Clash to us, it's gotta be Zenji
"Is it time to tell her the whole story... or should I take it to the grave with me, one more time?"
Zenji please...
They didn't really delve much into the autopsy of Zenji's body either
The thought of the Institute cryogenically preserving his body just to be studied is kinda brutal...
Towa may struggle dealing with his own emotions but he still wants to do everything to keep Haru by his side
I was thinking Towa's attachment might've had something to do with Haru's willingness to take care of the animals as he's turning over a new leaf but...
Seeing how Towa sometimes doesn't care as much for the animals, that's probably not the case...?
I suppose it's more of Towa helping out for Haru's sake instead
But what about that tree from before? Why is it so important to Towa?
THIS CG. THIS BEAUTIFUL CG.
FOR 19 EPISODES I'VE WAITED... HARU FINALLY OPENED HIS EYES
AND I KNEW DAMN WELL IT WAS GONNA BE WHEN HE'S PISSED OFF
The sprite itself was a little unnerving to me though but ough
I didn't get to share my thoughts on the prev ep before but I was instantly onto the shopkeeper when I pieced together how she saw the mice and "they had already met all of the denizens" like Taiga deduced
(I was like AUGHHH I SO CALLED IT until I was proved wrong anyway WAHAHA)
I gotta say, the way it was suddenly debunked is so good I was stumped myself as someone who didn't critically analyze the situation as much to see how it all unfolds instead
Plus, I didn't even notice how "Mina" was in the shopkeeper's fake name before I was like "Damn, that was good LMAO"
Even when a lot of us may have already guessed it was the Kyklos who "killed Robin" all along, I'm personally just really impressed about how it was executed
Rui... Oh Rui... Please don't look at us like that... It's not your fault
He really got that Mizu5 look
This part was so heartbreaking but I think we all knew it was coming
The thought of Rui just wanting to help us break our curse even when he has his own to worry about has me on my knees
The thought of Rui willingly trying to overcome his discomfort of using his curse to kill the Kyklos for our sake...
And yet, he still has the heart to care about the Kyklos despite it no longer being the human it once was
Rui's kindness is his greatest strength and weakness...
I always try to take note of the weird one-off moments because I know they'll eventually come up again as a crucial detail later but I definitely forgot about the elderly couple looking for their daughter and THAT WAS JUST SO GOOD (IMO)
Now we're back to that feeling of dread again and this time it's much more serious: they can't perceive the Kyklos nor the Flower Witch anymore so how on Earth are they going to capture or kill them?
I also wonder if any of the previous anomalies (i.e., the Rinfone, the Immortal Inpatient, etc.) will eventually serve to be useful for this last arc
I guess it's gone full circle now; we're back to Kaito and Luca, our first friends and the ones who swore to keep us safe no matter what
Will they really stick with us until the end even when we might grow beyond recognition?
This ep title already has me scared but excited because it reminds me so much of a certain amazing Ao3 fic
IMAGINE... Us going through each of the ghouls who helped us for the past year and everything starting to fall apart
Let's also not forget how tensions are rising between humans and non-humans again; who knows if a catalyst to start a Clash 2.0 is just around the corner
This is going to be one hell of a ride and I'm all in for it
Okay, I have a fever, I'm bored and I need some more Benkei in my life. So let's ponder him and Clementia a little.
Now as we know (if you're past ep.4) he's the former Clementia advisor/professor and now runs the campus shop under a cat manager (hilarious). His name is taken from a Japanese monk, very fitting for the advisor of a curse/church/temple/magic centered house.
It's of course for tension building reasons in the story that the we know so little of Clementia and by extension Benkei at this time. Like, Clementia would prolly be one of the best, if not THE best house to take care of MC's curse, so they can't have been a part of the arc yet to just magically solve the problem early on.
BUT THIS ROBS US FROM SUCH COOL THINGS and I honestly hope we'll see Clementia guys and their cards this year after Dionysia sits down. To further thicken the soup that is the plot.
Haku and Rui have been part of the house before. It honestly makes sense for both of them; Haku is the heir to a temple and Rui knows his shit with anomalous plants and herbs and has an interest (and contacts) in witchcraft. But both are spiritual and magical skills and interests and I need ALL of that in my life IMMEDIATELY.
We know quite little of Benkei, but he does sell all sorts of anomalous medicine and magical items in his shop. Even the shop background has those Japanese curse dolls (wara ningyô) on display that MC used in her performance in the haunted house, mimicking the Ushi no toki mairi-curse ritual.
So Benkei knows his shit, prolly having been a monk before getting a teaching/advisor job. But to just openly have curse items for sale in his shop for students to buy...? That's ballsy and dangerous as fuck, especially now since Clementia is defunct and Benkei isn't teaching anymore.
Does Darkwick's curriculum even have curse or straight up magic related classes anymore?
(Off topic kinda but I hate the steel blue waistcoat and salmon tie on Benkei, he looks like a fucking sushi or a cheap hotel auditor lol. He looks so much better in the shop apron, the green and the gold really suit him and I swear to fuck if Twist doesn't make Clementia's house colour green I'll explode something in Minecraft wwwwwww)
Now, the poor guy is super worried he's being creepy towards students that he does indeed come off a little creepy, to his own detriment. I believe the game devs tried to write a fresher take on the 2000's "pervy monk" trope and turned it to um... You know how when you go through airport security checks, you've made sure you have nothing on you and something still beeps and you panic like "oh shit what if I'm accidentally a drüg mule??"
That. They made the poor guy that.
Sure, as per the later episodes he's involved to at least to some extent with the academy's bullshit like the other professors, but honestly? I trust him more than I trust Nicolas at this point. Even if we know so little of him.
(I just think Nicolas is a sus henchman that keeps fucking up and feels guilty for dancing to Darkwicks tune lol)
And I have a stupid little theory why Benkei is so worried about coming off as creepy towards students. Being the advisor of a magic/spirituality/herb etc. forward house, he might've been involved with an accident involving love spells or love potions, even love related curses before Clementia got shut down.
I don't think it's anything related to the main plot, but who knows.
But why would a guy like him ALSO be the advisor to Ultio? A house literally named "revenge" that runs a fucking prison/holding facility??
It doesn't really fir his personality and vibe, at least knowing what we know so far of the facilities, but then again, all the professors are sus as fuck. Benkei just less so. I kinda hope he's in kahoots with Haku to throw Darkwick's plans off. Maybe he's one of the people Haku calls so often? Or the Institute? Dunno, just spitballing.
So far he just seems like a more straight up kinda guy than any of the other faculty members. Maybe I'm holding on to false hope for ONE professor to not be a conniving asshole lol
What was the point of this? Was this fruitful or full of new ideas? No. Heh.
Tokyo Debunker really cares about names and meanings. In fact, each house has a certain theme when it comes to names (e.g Hotarubi and the imperial regalia of Japan) of course it’s also related to their designs/appearance.
I decided to share this so you could speculate their roles and designs.
DISCLAIMER: I’m not a professional. I have knowledge but I welcome any corrections.
Dionysia
Theme: fantasy, magic and theater?
Elias Pratt
Elias is a form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations. It’s from the Hebrew name אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning "my God is Yahweh". Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament.
Pratt is from Old English prætt meaning "trick, prank". This was a nickname for a trickster.
We’ve met him but he hasn’t gotten a proper introduction yet. He might be added later, who knows?
Shion Genkai
Shion (シオン) is just katakana for Zion, but Shion (紫苑) means "aster" (a purple flower that symbolizes memory, eternal love, and mourning). It can also come from (詩) meaning "poem" and (音) meaning "sound". Mermaids/sirens are known to have beautiful voices.
Genkai (幻海) is a Japanese boy’s name. 幻 (gen) means "illusion, phantom, vision" and 海 (kai) means "ocean, sea".
I’m really curious why Shion is in katakana… but there’s another character like this.
Mio Susuhara
Mio (未桜) is from Japanese 未 (mi) meaning "not yet, future" combined with 桜 (ō) meaning "cherry blossom". I’ve always seen 桜 used in names for characters associated with the sakura in design. “Not yet a cherry blossom” → “The cherry blossom that has not yet bloomed.”
Susuhara (煤原) 煤 (susu) means "soot, coal dust." 原 (hara) is a very common surname suffix meaning "origin, source, foundation." Maybe the full meaning is “Source of Ash” or “Soot Field.”
Jo Kongoza
Jo (丈) means "height", "length" or "man", used as a masculine suffix in given names for a strong or noble tone.
Kongoza (金剛座) 金剛 (Kongō) is literally "vajra" or "diamond/indestructible." In Buddhist context, it symbolizes strength and resilience. 座 (Za) can mean “seat,” “place,” or “theater troupe.” Often evokes an elevated or ceremonial position. So, 金剛座 literally means “The Diamond (Vajra) Seat”. The sacred spot of enlightenment, unshakable and pure, under the Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
Clementia
This is pure speculation. I’m not sure if these characters are in Clementia, nothing is confirmed.
Theme: spirituality?
Shiki
Shiki is also written in katakana (シキ) which can be associated with multiple kanji and meanings depending on context.
四季 = four seasons
死鬼 = death spirit / demon
識 = knowledge / awareness
Writing entirely in katakana gives an edgy, modern, or ambiguous impression..
Yamato
Yamato (倭刀) is literally “Japanese sword.” 倭 is an ancient name for Japan, 刀 is “sword, blade.” The name evokes strong, nationalistic, or heroic imagery. The reading Yamato for 倭 is classical, “刀” is often left unpronounced in a stylized name.
EP23 spoiler: Haku doesn’t use the honorific “-san” when referring to Yamato. It could mean he’s just younger than him (since Haku doesn’t use honorifics for the 1st and 2nd years) or they could be very close… or even related. Apparently they have the same home. Maybe brothers or cousins? Haku’s last name, Kusanagi, refers to the legendary sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi.
Inamori
I have a speculation that this could be Yamato’s last name…
Inamori (稲荷社) is a little complicated. Usually it’s not pronounced Inamori. If read “いなりしゃ / Inari-sha” it literally means "Inari-shrine."
But names (personal or place names) in Japanese can use special “name-only” readings (nanori), and 稲荷社 can also be read “Inamori” in that context, even though the standard reading is “Inari-sha.”
Inari (稲荷) Refers to Inari, the Shintō kami (deity) of rice, agriculture, fertility, prosperity, and later commerce. Sha (社) means "shrine" or "shrine building." So, 稲荷社 = a shrine dedicated to the Inari deity.
Ina (稲) literally means "rice plant", na (荷) "cargo/load" (In the context of Inari, it is part of the compound “Inari” (稲荷) while for names, it can retain the na reading). Mori (社) still means "shrine" or "company". In surnames, 社 can sometimes be read mori, especially in combination with other kanji, following historical/nanori patterns.
This name carries a religious/cultural nuance, suggesting a family tied to an Inari shrine.
Inari is primarily associated with the fox spirits (kitsune) as messengers.
Haku has been associated with the tanuki..
Ultio
Theme: not sure yet…
Enzo Natori
Enzo (淵造) en 淵 means “deep pool,” “abyss,” or “deep water.” Often connotes depth, mystery, or solemnity. 造 (zō) means “create,” “build,” or “craft.” Frequently used in male given names. Natori (鳴執) na 鳴 is “sound, resonance, voice, something that calls out” and tori 執 means “to grasp, hold fast, act with commitment.”
And that’s everything so far. If anyone can correct or help, I’d appreciate it. Have fun with theories.
do you have any guesses on the origin of each houses names? From what ive seen, Jabberwock could be based on Lewis Carroll's nonsense poem jabberwocky, sinostra could be a combination of the Sicilian mafia/cosa nostra and the defunct house's names are based of ancient goddess
I made a post about that a few months ago! Although most of that is in the tags of it haha. Most of them just seem to be combinations of words in different languages, except for Hotarubi which is just Japanese.
Frostheim - English word 'frost', Germanic word 'heim' meaning 'home'
Vagastrom - Latin word 'vagus' meaning 'wandering' 'wavering' 'unsteady' 'inconsistent', Germanic word 'straum' meaning 'stream' or German word 'Strom' meaning 'large river'
Jabberwock - from the Lewis Carrol poem 'Jabberwocky'
Sinostra - most likely from Italian 'nostra'(meaning 'our') in 'cosa nostra'(meaning 'our thing', the name of the Sicilian mafia)
Hotarubi - Japanese 蛍火("hotarubi") meaning "glow from a firefly"(their house emblem is also a firefly)
Obscuary - from English word 'obscure'
Mortkranken - from French 'mort' meaning 'death' and German 'krank' meaning 'suffering from/afflicted with'
Clementia - Roman goddes of clemency and mercy
Ultio - Roman goddess of venegence
Dionysia - Roman festival to honor the god Dionysus, "wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre", the central events of which were theatrical performances in larger cities and a procession followed by dancing and singing in rural ones.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
I wrote 3 things for Sanguinala this year! This one was my actual assignment, and it's the rarest ship, one of those actual-ship ships: Abaddon/Ultio, set at the end of Black Legion when he's recovering from his duel and she needs reassurance that her beloved captain is well. They compare experiences of embodiment and warfare and sex.
