Akai Ito

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A Visual Novel created by Success, it is essentially a supernatural adventure with some Girls Love thrown in.

The story is about a girl named Hatou Kei who, as a result of a dead mother, heads to her father's house in order to claim her inheritance. However, she soon finds herself caught up in supernatural happenings after a dream concerning a huge tree and a mysterious girl...

It has a sequel of sorts called Aoi Shiro.

Tropes used in Akai Ito include:
  • Action Girlfriend: Kei rarely, if ever, fight the enemies herself.
  • The Alliance: The cooperation between the Mizuki and the exorcists sent to defeat Nushi, long time ago. By now, it's completely fallen apart amongst other things because the exorcists have wiped out the Mizuki and the lineage of Nie no Chi dwindled, with Kei being the last generation.
  • All Myths Are True: Indeed.
  • All There in the Manual: The Akai Ito JIVE Guidebook.
  • All Your Base Are Belong to Us: During Uzuki route, Uzuki has been knocked out by KEI-kun. Kei and co retreat to her Big Fancy House, and do their best to supernaturally barricade the house with paper charms from Uzuki. Unfortunately, this time it's not just Nozomi and Mikage who is out to get Kei...
  • Ancient Tradition: Sakuya is a one-woman ancient tradition who watch over the Nie no Chi. Were the Mizuki tribe still exist, it would have been their duty.
  • And I Must Scream: Nozomi is trapped inside the Ryugetsu for centuries after Nushi-sama is sealed. This is probably also her fate in the endings where the Ryugetsu isn't destroyed.
  • And Your Little Fox Too
  • Arc Words: "Taisetsuna hito // inakunatta". Rough translation: "Someone important to me // have disappeared."
  • The Atoner: KEI-kun.
  • Back from the Dead: KEI-kun, and it's Uzuki's job to make him dead again.
  • Backup From Otherworld: Yumei, all the time, no matter what route you're on (save for Nozomi's). This doesn't apply on Yumei's own route, where she becomes physical again (and for all purpose, alive) due to drinking your blood.
  • Barrier Maiden: Yumei or whoever is being the current Ohashira-sama.
  • Battle Aura
  • Battle Couple: Kei and Sakuya, in the Onikiri no Oni ending.
  • Battle Harem: A Yuri Genre example: Kei has four women (OK, 2 women, 2 girls) who are seriously interested in her, ready to fight to death to protect her. It's very noticeable because Kei herself is not an Action Girl.
  • Beastess: Sakuya is big, has Cute Fangs, and has an animalistic aura about her. When she drink Kei's blood or use Ragou, she is a shade removed from being a werewolf. And then in the Onikiri no Oni ending, she become an actual oni.
  • Beautiful Dreamer: Inverted. It's Kei who is seen sleeping by [[spoiler: Uzuki and Yumei, in their respective route. For the former, it's the result of the But Thou Must!, below. Because of this, fandom often depicts Uzuki as a creepy stalker.
  • Big Bad: Nushi-sama who is inside KEI-kun.
  • Big Brother Instinct: KEI-kun, who does all he can protecting his twin Kei. Well, it's not like he is older than her.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Yumei-san, all the time. It's really her obligation to do so.
  • Big Fancy House
  • Blood on These Hands: One of Kei's resurfaced memory, about her hands being covered in the blood of her father. Turns out that while the memory is real, it's not her, it's Hakuka's. At that time Nushi was controlling him.
  • Blood-Splattered Innocents Some examples: Kei gets a fist through the chest. Her hand is covered in blood. She falls off a cliff.
  • Bloody Hilarious: Kei just keep on feeding Yumei during the later's route. Affectionately. While being watched and commented by Sakuya and Tsudura. The game even make a small sub-screen during the CG to display them commenting!
  • Broken Bird: Uzuki. The stress of being a morally-upright onikiri really gets to her nerve. Of course, having a dead big brother is a huge factor. She literally never smile except in her route.
  • But Thou Must!: After Uduki over-exert herself chasing away Nozomi and Mikage, Kei bring her to her room. There Is Only One Bed. "Option 1: Sleep next to her." "Option 2: Sleep next to her." "Option 3: Sleep next to her." Lampshaded.
  • Butterfly of Death and Rebirth: Ohashira-sama's standard attack. Probably also qualify as More Dakka.
  • Boobs of Steel: Sakuya and Uzuki kicks ass physically more than Tsudura or Yumei.
  • Cat Smile: Nozomi, of all people. Mikage doesn't have one, though.
  • Cherry Blossoms: Averted. The tree where Ohashira-sama dwells is not a Sakura, despite obviously being cast in similar light down to the myth that Sakura bloom beautifully because corpses are buried under it. It's an Enju, or Japanese Pagoda Tree.
  • Cell Phone: Kei's. In her Happy Ending, Uzuki also gets one, much to Kei's surprise.
    • The Cell Phone is also a "destroy all enemies onscreen" item in the spin-off Mini Game "Onikiri no Oni" where Kei is an oni-slaying oni. Must be something she use to retain her humanity.
  • The Chick: Kei.
  • Cool Big Sis: Yumei, somewhat literally even. She is/was the daughter of Kei's father's little sister.
  • Cool Sword
  • Crazy Prepared: Tsudura fall into a well while running away in a random direction during an angst-laden fit? Don't worry! Earlier, Kei onee-san have tied a rope to climb out of the well!
  • Creepy Twins: Nozomi and Mikage subverted, Mikage is really Nushi's Wake-Mitama that took the form conforming to Nozomi's crumbling psyche while the former is trapped in Ryugetsu.
  • Cute Ghost Girl: Yumei-san, Nozomi-chan, Mikage-chan. The first is basically Kei's guardian angel, the other two... want to eat Kei.
  • Cute Little Fangs: Tsudura, Sakuya. Nozomi and Mikage aren't exactly cute.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: For each character. Some more disturbing than the others.
  • Date Crepe: Kei and Uzuki.
  • Dead Big Brother: Senba Akira.
  • Death by Origin Story: Senba Akira, whose death is a very major element in Uzuki's and KEI-kun's background.
  • Demonic Possession: Poor KEI-kun. Later on during Uzuki route, Nushi-sama begin to possess Kei, which can lead to a very bad end.
  • Devour the Dragon: During Tsudura route, Obana is killed by Nozomi. Tsudura fall into Heroic BSOD... and then eat Obana's corpse, fusing the kitsune into herself. And then she become a super-powered werefox mage.
  • Distant Finale: The "Onikiri no Oni" ending, where many, many years have passed before we see Oni!Kei and Oni Sakuya fighting yet another Nushi cultists.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?: Although Akai Ito is not an eroge, all the blood-drinking scenes are EXTREMELY obviously stand-ins for sex. There's even have a special soft, romantic-porno style BGM track reserved for those scenes only. Even Kei feels that Yumei drinking her blood is something sinful, since Kei sees Yumei as a motherly figure.
  • Driven to Suicide: One of the endings has Uzuki being forced to kill Kei; she ends up killing herself so the two could be 'bound in death by the same blade.'
  • The Dragon: Nozomi and Mikage, for Nushi-sama.
  • Emergency Transformation
  • Emotional Maturity Is Physical Maturity: Played straight and subverted. Sakuya looks thirty, and acts like she's in thirty. But in her route, it's revealed that she hasn't exactly grown up from being the little girl who was really attached to the first Ohashira, centuries ago.
  • Emotionless Girl: Mikage. She is not really an individual.
  • Eyes of Gold: Sakuya. Kei, too, after she cease to be human in the Onikiri no Oni ending of Sakuya route.
  • Even the Girls Want Her: Kei seems to be rather popular with the ladies, don't you think? The fact that she has the Nie no Chi may be one of the reasons...
  • Evil Gloating
  • Explaining Your Power to the Enemy: Some characters (especially Nozomi) are more prone to this than the others.
  • Fake Memories: To the point that Kei's past seems to be disturbingly similar to Cloud Strife's.
  • Familiar: Obana, Tsudura's white fox. Like everything else supernatural, it can be powered by Kei's blood.
  • Fighting Down Memory Lane: It takes great courage for Kei to see beyond the trauma, about what actually happened 10 years ago. Also an Epiphany Therapy for her.

Fake Mom and Dad: Fufufu... That's right... Kei is a bad girl.

  • Finger-Suck Healing: Subverted. Kei deliberately hurt her finger with a sewing needle so that Yumei has a moral reason to suck her blood; otherwise Yumei will be too shy to do so. Cuter than it sounds.
  • Finishing Each Other's Sentences: Nozomi and Mikage.
  • Flashback Nightmare: Kei. However, some of it belong to Hakuka, and some are outright fakes; either created by her own mind or planted there by Nushi.
  • The Four Faces of Eve/Hecate: From Kei's viewpoint:
    • Crone: Sakuya and Nozomi
    • Mother: Yumei and Sakuya
    • Companion: Uzuki and Yumei(!)
    • Daughter: Tsudura and Nozomi
    • Also, Kei herself can fit into any of the above role, depending on the route:
  • Freak-Out: During Sakuya route, Kei's mind can't bear the sudden revelation of so many supernaturals right in front of her. She snaps, It Got Worse, and then either she dies falling off a cliff or she gets better, depending on earlier choices. To be fair, before that happen you are given the option to simply escape Hemizuka and return to mundane life.
  • Friendless Background: Tsudura's only friend, she says herself, is Obana.
  • Frozen Fashion Sense: Subverted, Inverted, Justified, and even Played Straight. Let's see... Nozomi and Mikage has been trapped inside Ryugetsu for a long time that the change in people's way of dressing doesn't affect them. Yumei, on the other hand, only began wearing traditional kimono when she became Ohashira; in the flashback when she was still alive she wore normal clothes. On the other hand, Sakuya dresses liberally, despite being 1000+ years old (just look at her huge tract of land!). But then Nozomi, Mikage, and Yumei are ghosts, so it's not like they have a set of wardrobe.
  • Furo Scene: An ample opportunity for Sakuya to show off her assets.
  • Fur Against Fang: Of the Individual Battles variety: Tsudura fused with Obana's soul versus Nozomi and Mikage.
  • Genki Girl: Tsudura
  • Ghost Shipping: Choose one: Yumei or Nozomi. However, in the Happy Ending of her route, Yumei becomes human again.
  • Girls Love
  • Go Out with a Smile: Kei, after she got impaled by Nushi near the end of Sakuya route. Unless Sakuya give her an Emergency Transformation. Also Nozomi at the end of her route, but she got better.
  • Half-Identical Twins Kei and KEI (aka. Hakuka, Kei's twin brother)
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Obana.
  • Heroic Willpower
  • Heterosexual Life Partner: The Happy Ending for each character, except for Tsudura. Well, more like, "not immediately" in Tsudura's case. And not exactly "life" partner for Nozomi. In Sakuya route, the house plate was even changed to "(residence of) Asama Sakuya and Hatou Kei"!
  • Hidden Eyes
  • Huge Schoolgirl: Uzuki, at about 170 cm tall.
  • Human Aliens: If the myths are to be believed, the Mizuki Tribe originated in the moon and are either related or are the basis for the folklore of Kaguya-hime.
  • The Hunter: Uzuki. Being a hunter is pretty much the job of the onikiri.
  • Hypnotic Eyes: Seems to be the standard ability of Nushi and his right hands.
  • Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Near the end of Sakuya route, either Kei or Sakuya is gutted through the stomach by Nushi.
  • "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Averted. KEI-kun does his best to contain Nushi-sama, but when the evil snake god is out, KEI-kun is gone. Except in Yumei route... and then he commits Senseless Sacrifice.
  • Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Yumei-san. She never take Kei's blood without the latter's consent, she never snaps, she never gets angry at Kei even though her current state is, at least marginally, Kei's fault, she stands vigilant as an Ohashira-sama for about ten lonely years, she saves Kei all the time, etc etc and so on. She stands in stark contrast to another vampirism-capable ghost, Nozomi, who is sometimes a Complete Monster.
    • In fact, Yumei's theme song was later made into an Image Song (with vocal!), which nicely sums Kei's story in Akai Ito. It's a shame that the song isn't featured in the game. Definitely a Missed Music of Heartwarming.
  • Intergenerational Friendship: Kei and Sakuya. Kei calls Sakuya, "Sakuya-san". When Kei's memories return, she remember that in the past, she call her Sakuya obaa-san.
  • In the Blood (haha): The lineage of the Nie no Chi. From Emiko to Kei's father to Kei and Hakuka, aka KEI-kun.
  • Intrepid Reporter: Sakuya, whose job is a reporter/writer/photographer. Her field of specialty is folklores, occasionally branching to the occults. That she herself is a supernatural is a huge advantage.
  • Invisible to Normals
  • I Will Definitely Protect You: Said by Uzuki to Kei. This is even the central premise of their relationship, with Uzuki doing her absolute bestest to protect Kei and Kei believing in her against all odds. See Just in Time below.
  • Japanese Mythology
  • Just in Time: Nozomi and Mikage comes storming with Nushi, the paper charms from Uzuki doesn't work, neither Sakuya nor Yumei is fit for fighting, and Uzuki herself is still unconscious from her previous battle with KEI-kun. Kei is forced to take up a sword and desperately pointing it at Nozomi, who laughs sinisterly. And then Uzuki wakes up and begin kicking ass. Phew!
  • Karma Houdini: Nozomi in her route. Elsewhere, she gets what is coming at her.
  • Knight Templar: The onikiri (exorcists) are very prone to this. The tenet of the Senba is basically "if it's an oni, it should die. No exception". Just how far Uzuki is willing to carry this creed vary between routes. The Wakasugi have wiped out all of the Mizuki Tribe save for Sakuya, even though they were protecting the Seal of Nushi.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: Tsudura, to Kei. See Save the Day Turn Away below.
  • Last of Her Kind: Sakuya. And it's the fault of the Wakasugi onikiri. And you wonder why she doesn't get along with Uzuki.
  • Laughing Mad: Part and parcel with the Freak-Out, above.
  • Leitmotif: "Itsuka no Hikari" for Yumei, and "Utakata" for Nushi, both of which were later made into full-fledged Image Song.
  • Lesbian Vampire: While none of the characters are vampires and more like oni, their drinking Kei's blood definitely invokes this image. Lampshaded, too, with Kei comparing Sakuya to Dracula, when the Sakuya need blood for her power, to save both of them out of a cliffhanger situation.
  • Lethal Chef: Kei cannot cook at all and her food is described as a biohazard.
  • Life Meter: Kei's blood. There is no way to recover it in-game, since the game only take 4 days. Guess what Kei must do to save Yumei.
  • Loners Are Freaks: Seems to be a recurring theme amongst the "romanceable" characters especially Nozomi, who has been in an And I Must Scream situation for centuries.
  • Madness Mantra: Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!". Kei have just had a painful memory resurfaced.
  • Magi Babble: So... so much. There is even an in-game Encyclopedia Exposita.
  • Magic Mirror
  • Manipulative Bastard: Nozomi, so very much. While trapped in Ryugetsu, she whispers encouragement to the Wakasugi to massacre the Mizuki, on the basis that Mizuki, too, are oni. And the Wakasugi, in their paranoia, listened.
  • Masquerade: There are oni, insidious beings who corrupt and prey upon humans. And then there are the humans who hunt them. It's "better" for everyone if the humans don't know of this conflict. The Wakasugi is especially good at keeping this. Near the end of Tsudura route, Kei wonders whether she will be Killed to Uphold the Masquerade, after all that adventure with Tsudura. Tsudura's answer? Laser-Guided Amnesia.
  • Mayfly-December Romance: Sakuya with Emiko, who was Kei's grandmother. And in her Happy Ending, with Kei. Averted in her Onikiri no Oni ending, in which Kei herself become something that is not human.
  • Miko: Uduki, even though she normally doesn't wear Miko attire. Kei seems to have a... wanting to see her in one.
  • Miss Exposition: Tsudura, Sakuya, and Uzuki each gets their turn. Sometimes all of them at the same time.
  • Mishmash Museum: Averted.
  • Missing Time: The result of Laser-Guided Amnesia, above. Lampshaded.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Tsudura disappear into the forest after she realize how much she have hurt Kei while in werefox-mode, while Uzuki is Driven to Suicide after accidentally killing Kei.
  • Mysterious Waif: Yumei
  • Nice Girl: Kei. She even refer to the vampire twins as Nozomi-chan and Mikage-chan, even though they were trying to exsanguinate her just five minutes ago.
  • The Nose Knows: Tsudura gain super(-natural) scent ability in werefox form, after fusing with Obana.
    • Scarily Competent Tracker: And she can track Nozomi and Mikage by the smell of Kei's blood that they drank, even though those twins are vampire-ghosts hiding in a mirror.
  • Not So Different: What Nozomi whispers into Uzuki's mind, after she accidentally slash Kei to near death.
  • Oedipus Complex: Want to know who amongst the romanceable characters Kei is most attached to? You guess it, it's Yumei-san. She says that Yumei is like a mother and a big sister to her. Doesn't stop her from wanting to live with Yumei, in a way that's more like a couple. Yumei doesn't object to that, not at all.
    • The whole story can be said to revolve around this trope. There is that bit about Kei's memory of staining her hands with her father's blood. The memory is true, although it's not hers. And the plot starts with death of Kei's mother. The other character whose Happy Ending shows her living together with Kei? Sakuya, who has been watching the lineage of those with Nie no Chi and who have consoled Kei during the death of her grandmother and mother.
    • It's worth mentioning that the maiden name of Kei's late mother was Senba Mayumi.
  • Onmyodo
  • The Order: The Onikiribe ("demon-slaying groups"), of which the Senba and the Wakasugi are two amongst many.
  • Orochi: Nushi.
  • Our Ghosts Are Different
  • Our Souls Are Different: The Wake-Mitama, houses a part of Nushi's divine soul. In most route, the Wake-Mitama is inside the Ryugetsu, which is sealed since long time ago. Nushi can manipulate those who gets too close to his Wake-Mitama into freeing his true soul. Works both way too: those who wield the Wake-Mitama can harm Nushi more easily... if they are of sufficient power.
  • Our Vampires Are Different: Let's look at the Sliding Scale of Vampire Friendliness...
    • Blood Requirement: N/A ! Nozomi, Mikage, and Yumei doesn't need human blood to survive, at all. They are more like spirits sustained with magic (and blood, especially blood of a Nie), than traditional vampires. Nozomi and Mikage only seek human blood to awaken Nushi.
    • Conversion: They can't convert the biting way. One becomes fettered spirit through powerful and rare magic. Bizarrely enough, only Sakuya can convert... although the converted one won't become a Mizuki.
    • Morality Shift: It really depends whether someone was already a messed-up person before conversion. However, Oni!Kei does seem to become less human after she ceases to be human.
    • Super Power: Oh yes, becoming an oni gives you super power.
    • Weaknesses: Nozomi and Mikage can only appear during the night, while Yumei can appear anytime.
  • Our Werewolves Are Different
  • Pinky Swear: Uzuki and Kei. It's also in the opening movie.
  • Post Dramatic Stress Disorder
  • Power Levels: In the JIVE Guidebook. Sakuya (in Ragou mode) is listed as higher than Nushi and thus highest in the ranking, while Kei is (obviously) the lowest. Oni!Kei and Horned!Sakuya aren't listed.
  • The Power of Blood: The story revolves around the blood of the Nie no Chi. In this era, that means Kei.
  • Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Sakuya is 17-centuries old.
    • Subverted for Yumei, who have only been an Ohashira for about 10 years, and when she became a spirit was only 16 years old..
  • Rie Kugimiya: Tsudura. Guess what. Tsudura even say that she hates people since she's constantly targeted by bad people, some of which aren't humans.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: Nozomi and Mikage. Tsudura's werefox mode.
  • Red String of Fate: The literal translation of the title. When someone take Kei's blood (with her consent), there is a short FMV showing two blood-red sinusoidal wave synchronizing with each others into a straight line, showing adjoining of destiny. This even become a running gag in Yumei route!
  • Restored My Faith in Humanity: Kei, for Tsudura. It doesn't stick, Tsudura returns to her world of the onikiri. Unless you get her Happy Ending, in which Kei remember everything when Tsudura pass near her.
  • Save the Day Turn Away: Even though Tsudura have become a very powerful onikiri, have eliminated the threat of Nushi-sama (before it can even start), have saved Kei from very certain death, have helped Ohashira-sama Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence, and most importantly: have found a person she need not be paranoid of, she can't be together with Kei because doing so will endanger Kei. She does regret it.
  • Save the Villain: There is a Nozomi route. [[spoiler:However, it's rather short. It's at least partially canon, because Nozomi is hanging around Kei in the Aoi Shiro Kaeishou manga.
  • Secret War: The conflict between the Onikiribe and the Oni has been on-going since the beginning of time. Kei is only hidden from the preying supernaturals due to the blue marble charm that is her cellphone straps. And even that isn't fool-proof.
  • Soundtrack Dissonance: You would think that the final battle against Nushi will have Ominous Latin Chanting or something, but no. Well, it actually has its meaning
  • She Who Must Not Be Seen: Youko-chan, Kei's friend at the school. Also, Kei's father in the flashback; which is egregious because every other significant male characters (except Senba Akira) was seen.
  • Super Mode: Sakuya, who morph into a near-human form whenever she drink Kei's blood. There's a level 2 of it, that's when she use Ragou. And then there is a level 3 of it, seen only in the Onikiri no Oni ending... maybe because she drink Kei's blood all the time.
  • Supernatural Angst
  • Supernaturally Delicious and Nutritious: Kei's blood is very tasty and powerful. It's also an Amplifier Artifact, and in the Onikiri no Oni ending, seems to be an Upgrade Artifact that allow Sakuya to be in her true Oni form.
  • Survivor Guilt: Sakuya, who was a Death Seeker after her tribe was annihilated. She got better after she met Emiko, Kei's grandmother.
  • Talk to the Fist: When Nushi have taken over KEI-kun's body and is now in his full form, a muscular man with snake tattoo:

Nushi: So, what are you going to do?

Sakuya: THIS! *delivers a Ragou-empowered beatdown*

  • Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Uzuki, which may have contributed to her popularity.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Sakuya doesn't like Uzuki or any onikiri, for that matter. Tsudura hates to be reminded of the duty of an onikiri. Uzuki hates oni with a passion and Sakuya is an oni. But they do have to sweep personal issues under the carpet, because 1) it's the right thing to do, 2) if Nushi get his hands on Kei, things will go downhill fast, and 3) they do want Kei. And it worked.
  • Theme Tune Cameo: Kei use the opening theme as her cellphone ringtone. It sounds somewhat sinister, and in the OST CD, is titled "Wheel of Fortune". And it's also the Leitmotif for Nushi, titled "Utakata". Yeeeeeeah!
  • Time Dissonance: To Sakuya, the World War 2 was something that happened just recently. Granted, she is possibly 1000 years old...
  • Together in Death: In Sakuya route, where she and Kei become the next Ohashira so they can be together forever. Yumei, now alive again, feel pity for them and is doing her best to allow them to live again.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Kei, of all people. In Onikiri no Oni ending of Sakuya route, Sakuya give her Mizuki Tribe blood to the dying Kei, making her something that is not human. Then they become a couple who fight those who try to awaken Nushi-sama again, possibly forever. Fans seems to prefer this ending so much over Sakuya's Happy Ending, that there is an unlockable Mini Game about Kei's life (unlife?) as onikiri in Aoi Shiro.
  • Total Eclipse of the Plot: Nushi cause lunar eclipse to happen to prevent Sakuya from using her Ragou magic. However, it doesn't work because Sakuya was born during a new moon. Badassery ensued. Ouch.
  • Trauma-Induced Amnesia: Even Yumei-san beg to Kei to not remember things from her past. For good reason.
  • Undeath Always Ends: Different end for different character.
    • Yumei: Becoming alive again, physical body and all when someone take her position as Ohashira. I.E., by KEI-kun at the Happy Ending at Yumei's own route, or by Sakuya and Kei at one ending of Sakuya route. It's also possible to retire from being an Ohashira if there is a (very powerful) magic that can act as a seal, i.e. at the end of Tsudura route. In that case, Yumei Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence.
    • KEI-kun: Dead, when Nushi completely took over his body.
    • Nozomi: Averted. At the end of her route, she doesn't get to be alive again. It's not known whether she's sent to Final Death when the Ryugetsu is destroyed in another routes.
  • Unstoppable Rage + Berserker Tears: Sakuya, when Kei was gruesomely impaled by Nushi.
  • Vampire Invitation: Played with. It's exactly because Kei refuse to forget Yumei that the vampire-away charm is breached. Which means that Nozomi and Mikage become able to find Kei.
  • Vampire-Werewolf Love Triangle: Averted. There are vampire ghosts and were-people who are competing to get Kei, but the vampires are obviously villains who don't care about Kei's well-being.
  • What Measure Is a Non-Human?: The oni is a decidedly broad category. Dead people walking around? Oni! Ghosts appearing? Oni! Evil god who demand blood sacrifice? Oni! Your non-human ally? Oni! Those who murder people in cold blood, thus have no human heart? Oni!. Seriously, those onikiriyaku need to chill a bit.
  • When The Stars Align: The requirement for Sakuya to use her Ragou magic. Unfortunately, one of Nushi's power is control over celestial objects...
  • Who Wants to Live Forever?: Sakuya's lament when Kei dies is... touching. To be fair, she has lost absolutely everyone she knows in her very long life.
  • You Are Not Alone
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