The Pair.

 

Steam card titled' The Pair'

When I read 'pair', I thought it's implying they're two of the same thing as that's how you use the term 'pair' 

A pair is a set of any two of the same thing.

Yoshiro and Soh are said to have descended together. 

So indeed, they are a pair and ultimately the same. Yoshiro herself is implied a messenger of the deity as well in her lore. But dedicating herself to the Goddess then...doesn't quite make sense as she's already associated with the Goddess. 

Unless her devotion led her to become divine and ascend into messenger and Soh is the result of that.

Dancing the Kagura Pt. 2

In the Kunitsu Gami play, Soh holds the hand of the Maiden and dances the Kagura with her (in the Japanese it's said they dance the Kagura) but in-game/ads, only Yoshiro is said to 'dance' and do the Kagura. 

Soh's fighting style is meant to double as a complimentary dance to Yoshiro. They are actually dancing the Kagura together.

Or you could say it's a hint at them being one.
Yoshiro dances, Soh dances but Yoshiro is the only one dancing in the end.

EDIT: Soh can dance the Kagura because Soh is the previous Maiden/Yoshiro! Not because they're one. Or are they still one? Hmmm.

Dancing the Kagura.

In Shinto, when the shrine maiden dances the Kagura, it's said she becomes the Deity. 

When Soh is summoned as a messenger of the Deity, is it Yoshiro who is the Deity in that moment? 

Masks are also a channeling device. In the ending, Yoshiro is holding a mask as Soh leaves.

But the mask fades away from Soh's face, she doesn't grab it. Is it meant to reveal she was holding it herself the whole time and using it? Is that why the scroll of Soh fighting is called Kunitsukami? Because she's dancing the Kagura, becoming divine?

I suspect Soh is her soul, who wore the mask.

Extra:

She looked pretty here...

Veilless.

After becoming crippled by the defilement, she no longer wears her veil. I wonder why.

Seethe stealing power...

In one Kunitsu-Gami trailer, it's said the Seethe attack Yoshiro to steal her power. 

During the night, Seethe will make a beeline for her and ignore Soh. (save for bosses)

Batsu stole Soh's power in the opening after an attack on Soh weakened the pair.

The Seethe previously stole the goddesses power(the masks) but why do most of them ignore Soh? Why could only Batsu steal it? Because of his lore? 

Unless it's because Yoshiro is the main body which houses the power. When Soh's power was stolen, Yoshiro was close by. 

Soh wields the power of the goddess but can only do so if Yoshiro is fine. 

Maiden Sticker.

I turned the Maiden into a cute little sticker. :3

Cutie pie...

Soh rewinding time.

Soh has the ability to rewind time. This beautiful scene plays when you replay a level for the first time.

I wonder if it's related to the cycle in some way? Or if it's meant to showcase Soh's true power, given by the Goddess.

Gif

Kunitsu-Gami (Official Lyrics)

昼は良い良い夜は怖い
宵々来るは世の罪か
眠らぬ童は手を引かれ
陰に蠢く蟲となる

十二の面は舞い踊り
笛と哭声鳴り響く
畏れを成せば夜に掴まれ
穢れの花は世を乱す
指折り数える御霊を持ち
畏れを祓い罪の血を絶てば
常しえの暁が訪れ
天つ雲居の平らかな
世を照らす日明り

十二の面は舞い踊り
笛と哭声鳴り響く
畏れを成せば夜に掴まれ
穢れの花は世を乱す
指折り数える御霊を持ち
畏れを祓い罪の血を絶てば
常しえの暁が訪れ
天つ雲居の平らかな
世を照らす日明り

 

This song plays during the normal ending and has a more haunting and mournful sound. It's also the main theme song. :)

Kunitsu-Kami (Official Lyrics)

 陰に隠れず出ておいで
畏れないで畏れないで
ほら爪の伸びた手の平を
しっかり握って行きましょう

傷つけあってしまっても  
離さないで話さないで
また陽の陰りが訪れて
常夜に罪が溢れても
消せない痛みと同じように
此処に印が残ってゆくから
移り行く生命の灯火が
季節の中に消えようと
今は畏れないで

傷つけあってしまっても
離れないで離れないで
また陽の光が移ろいで
人世を陰が覆っても
消せない痛みと同じように
此処に印が残ってゆくから
現世が大きく変わろうと
光と共に在りましょう
どうか穢れないで 

Lyrics to the true ending. The song has a different arrangement as well. Less spooky.

Flowers and the Pair's designs.

These flowers are present in their actual designs.

Soh's sheer decorative flaps are also the petals from the flower. I'm assuming a lotus.

So many flowers on Soh!

One of the most beautiful designs I've ever seen. I love Yoshiro, too.

The Maiden.

 A nice little photo of Yoshiro.

Prayer and Meditation.

Soh is associated with the mandala(kaleidoscope actually...) and I've always thought Yoshiro looks like she's meditating in certain artwork.

Prayer is a form of meditation, too. And whenever she's meditating, Soh is there.

Yoshiro praying

8 Cycles.

8 circles. 8 NG+ cycles to unlock all talismans and the Secret Outfit for Soh. 

In the save slots screen, the amount of cycles you've completed show up on this icon in the upper right.

I wonder if 8 cycles might be canon and the true ending is implied to be the 8th cycle.

Victory Poses!

Victory!

(Soh is actually an idle pose that synced up...or am I wrong? Hmmm.)

Spooking the Maiden (Again)

Spooked her again. I wonder why this happens?

Flowers!!

Soh and a lotus

Yoshiro and a cherry blossom

Their names have different flowers. 🌸🪷

"The Pair"

The Pair

Glimpse's into the pair's personalities are my favorite.

Another Theory: The Trinity.

 "The sender and sent are one in the same."

The goddess, becoming defiled, causes the Seethe to appear. When Soh and Yoshiro are purified completely, there's no more Seethe and no more cycle. Soh and Yoshiro are the goddess split into two beings.

This I'm pretty sure of. To better explain, Yoshiro takes on the role of the Jesus figure and Soh the Holy Spirit. But they're all aspects of the Goddess herself that descended unto mankind to help them.

Soh's Introduction.

The introduction in the game is equally as good with the music that accompanies 'Soh's' introduction. My screenshots are actually out of order and it happens differently in the play. But I like it this way...

The villagers seem to acknowledge Soh in the play. But not in the game. (They had just bowed to Yoshiro before Soh moved there so maybe they're still bowing to Yoshiro.)

Or...you know, Soh is Yoshiro.

Circles.

 

Was looking at these two circles on Yoshiro's forehead. I really think Yoshiro and Soh descended as One and then are separated into two during the ceremony and ritual.
The two circles may represent they're two as one.

They frequently act in union, too.

Or, if we consider the other theories like new Maiden every cycle, are there how the new Maiden is found? Is the Maiden born with them as a way to show she is the chosen one?

More parallels: their link.

Parallels again. But when Soh takes damage, so does Yoshiro. Or rather, her concentration breaks? 

When Soh's power is stolen, Yoshiro also seems shaken afterwards. 

Since the Seethe are said to attack Yoshiro in an attempt to steal her power, Soh...is probably an aspect of Yoshiro. 

The Seethe seek out to steal the power of the Goddess but they prefer attacking Yoshiro in battle as opposed to Soh and only attack Soh if Soh attacks first. Bosses are an exception.
Soh can KO but then comes back so long as Yoshiro is still standing.

If Yoshiro falls, it's game over. 

Yet, Soh's spirit remains once Yoshiro dies. 

Cute little interactions.

Love these little interactions. I wondered why Soh never interacts physically with Yoshiro at times(like why not offer a hand as she steps down the small steps?) until I realized Soh avoids physical interaction with her if others are around. Because no one else can see Soh.

Except for when the defilement hits Yoshiro hard the first time and she reaches out to Soh who in turn, reaches out to her. 

Again...no one notices Soh.

Can Yoshiro even touch Soh physically?

Soh being cool.

The way Yoshiro looks at Soh is adorable. Again, no one seems to look at Soh.

Emanation.

Yoshiro is praying here.

From an article on emanation:

"According to Wikipedia, one early Buddhist text, the Samaññaphala Sutta, lists the ability to create a “mind-made body” or manomāyakāya or as one of the “fruits of the contemplative life”.'"

The armor of Soh: physical or not?

EDIT: it's called Ceremonial Preparations!! I made a mistake because I'm a fool. RIP. But the question about the armor remains...

 In Kunitsu-Gami, if Soh is a spirit given physical form by Yoshiro, who puts this armor on?

Ceremonial Procession PREPARATIONS

Looking up Procession, I saw mention of 'the emanation of the Holy Spirit' in Christianity.
(In the original Aramaic scriptures, the Holy Spirit is She and Mother, considered to be the feminine side of God as God is All.)

Ignoring theology of Christianity because this is a Japanese game, it's interesting that this followed 'The Sacrifice' scroll because it really does seem like Soh emanated from Yoshiro.

But why does the armor exist on its own when it's clearly magical in the game? Soh loses most of it when Batsu steals it. (In a trailer of the game, it's said that the Seethe are attempting to steal Yoshiro's power. Interesting that it applies to Soh since most Seethe will ignore Soh and make a beeline for Yoshiro, unless you're fighting a boss.)

The idea of the Holy Spirit exists across religions in different names.(including the term 'soul').
But if I recall it's purpose, then one could say it's Soh's role. 

Yoshiro is similar to the archetype that Jesus belongs to; sacrificing herself for the sins of others, being divine, accompanied by a spirit. Even inheriting the power of the Goddess she devoted herself to. 

Interesting pose

Yoshiro walks the path of the Goddess and 'Birth of a Goddess' is a scroll. Soh emanating from Goddess Yoshiro? Maybe. But I think they're ultimately one and combined, create the goddess. 

(Manly P Hall has a nice lecture on the soul as the immortal friend.)

“Reincarnation is what happens when someone takes rebirth after the predecessor's passing away; emanation is when manifestations take place without the source's passing away."

So...this fits...

Reading more on this idea, although very briefly,  'the emanation body', to me, sounds like the soul and it's ability to take on many forms, including that of an animal. And of course, it's ability to be helpful.

About maidens and cleansing impurity...Lily from Enders Lillies also fits here.
The Divine Maiden archetype accompanied by spirits and cleansing a type of sin/defilement/sickness. Yorda from Ico too, possibly. Able to destroy the pursuing dark spirits and becoming weaker, eventually turning into pure darkness at the end which is revealed to be her true form. She's also stronger in this form.

Wearing the mask of Soh.

Yoshiro seems to act through Soh. 

When Yoshiro dances along the Spirit Path to purify, Soh runs around purging defilement. 

They're performing one action, together. 

What Yoshiro is doing, Soh is doing. 

At night, Soh fights the Seethe while Yoshiro dances emphatically. If Soh is struck hard enough, Yoshiro is affected. (Cut-scene only)

Soh is definitely tethered to Yoshiro. 

I often felt like Yoshiro metaphorically 'wears' the mask of Soh and acts through Soh.

Parallels once again.

Normal Ending

True Ending

Flower motif...

Cursed Soh's sheer flaps that hang from her hips look like wilted flower petals(compared to Soh's healthy ones). Her long red nails are visually striking in her 3D render.

The Divine Maiden.

The Sacrifice

Why are there skulls here in this place where the Divine Maiden undergoes the 'Sacrifice' ritual? 

It almost gives the impression she dies and returns as a spirit. And she has Soh's face. 

I thought it might be to call upon ancestral spirits but the title is 'The Sacrifice'. Unless it's the acknowledgement of what happens to the Maiden when she walks the Path as she suffers and eventually becomes the Spirit Stone.

Ceremonial Processions PREPARATIONS

Kunitsukami

Then come the Ceremony Processions where everyone gets their masks. Then we see Soh fighting Seethe.

Maybe The Sacrifice is her giving up her life to eventually become the spirit stone. But it really does seem like the Maiden is split into two beings.

I think a lot is lost in translation or tied to cultural knowledge. Knowing Soh means ancestor(or Esteemed One) and that Soh does not actually have a name is pretty important lore. But the name thing was only revealed in the play.