X(delete later and will be replaced by a cute photo of Yoshiro! Or a lore post.)

My blog is hard to navigate.

If you want to find out what my current theory is, it's impossible to find it now because it's scattered among many posts.

So I'm writing a new 'main theory' post. It will be a follow up to my previous with some things rectified and added. I'll also add important links to that post.

Currently indexing my blog and listing all the posts in categories. 

Then I'll pin both at the top.

I then need to edit the HTML because the h1/h2/h3 classes are used in ways that make posts look wonky if I try using them.

This blog is just a hobby and yet I seem to spend a lot of time on it...

I've also been shown another blog that has their Kunitsugami theory except they have a background in Shinto. I want to make a post looking at all of their theories. Some I disagree with it but when I look a little closer...I start to change my mind.

It's quite a drastic change.

Should I enable mobile theme on my blog to make it easier to read on mobile? Perhaps this is a 'kill your darlings' moment where as much as I love my theme and have worked very hard on it, does it matter if it's too hard to read? 

But then all my links disappear...

Do you like foxes?

In a previous post, I discussed Soh's mask and how it appears lupine.

When using ChatGPT, after discovering it can generate images, every time I asked it to generate a photo of Soh, Soh's mask was a kitsune mask.

I thought maybe because it's extremely popular?

However...

The Kunitsu-Gami twitter discussed menu details. When I went to look back, I saw Soh's status icon is a...noodles?

This blog however, which I discovered after writing this post, says it's fox noodles!

Indeed, it must be a fox!

Soh is a bit of a special character, and the design of their mask represents their relationship with Yoshiro.

The relationship is quite clear now.

The Maiden will one day wear the mask of Soh. (or is she already wearing it?)

Foxes are also known to take the forms of beautiful women to trick men. But Soh here is not that sort of Fox.

So, do you like foxes?

Kagura: the source of the Mikoshi.

 

The mikoshi was carved from here. The Great Cherry Tree of Nakahara.

Idea for a sequel: The Path as an actual journey.

The Path is Yoshiro becoming an abode for the Goddess. In the Mikoshi post, I showed how the localization implies this.

The mountain is alike the Goddess's body, and so when Yoshiro acts as a substitute, she absorbs the defilement from the mountain into her own body and becomes defiled instead of the Goddess.

Sometimes I like to imagine the Path as an actual physical journey with only the Maiden and the Messenger. Very Ico-like, if you will.

The mikoshi could be smaller and Soh could have the ability to interact with the physical world, allowing her to pull the mikoshi. (Yes, I want to be the one to pull Yoshiro!!)

I wonder what kind of journey they would have? What trials would Yoshiro endure on such a Path?

For a sequel, it could be a re-imagining of Kunitsu-Gami, allowing them to explore more ideas with their original concept. (I believe Evil Dead did this with its sequel. A remake and a sequel.)

I don't see how a normal sequel is possible without ruining the original. Sometimes things are perfect alone. And when they're perfect as they are, a 'requel' is an option: same concept, different execution.

All I know is I'd love to play this kind of story but only with these two characters. 

I think this game is very special and very mystical with the ideas it presents.

The Mikoshi.

The Japanese...

So it says the same thing really, except for the specification that Yoshiro is an abode of the Goddess. They also specify that Yoshiro's name is meant to be used instead of 'generation'. But is the translation meant to be plural? Probably not, since 'Yoshiro' seems to be the name of the current acting Maiden. So, they always feel bad for 'Yoshiro'.

The localization says 'walks the Path of the Goddess' which is a poetic way of saying she plays Goddess.

This theory mentions something I didn't/couldn't notice. (Oh!! They replied to me! I didn't think they would...)

Screenshot from the blog!

The kanji on the mikoshi is crossed out.

I don't understand what's being said here though... Google translate isn't helpful. (Hurry up and improve!)

The mikoshi says 'don't purify' and the curse says 'please purify'? hm...

Skimming through the theory again, so many things there! Like why it's Kunitsu-Gami and not Kunitsukami how the logo slightly changes in the ending to imply purification. 

Some things I so badly want to understand but can't because Google can't translate perfectly. There seems to be some hidden things in the kanji of the name...

I will look at it again and try putting the sentences into google translate individually. 

Eyes on Yoshiro.

 Let's look at Yoshiro!

Pierced ears!

Why were they removed? Because she's a shrine maiden and they can't have piercings?

Intense gaze...

If you told me this was Cursed Soh's face, I'd believe you.

Interesting how her in-game model has a completely different vibe to her artwork.

This is a cutie.

Very different feeling from the art...

The red markings on her body are different.

In the art, her markings are symmetrical. In-game, they aren't save for her face.

What a haunting stare...

Her facial markings are quite scary in the art. This absolutely looks like a cursed Maiden.

The way the red appears to spread down her cheek like tendrils.

These markings resembles Amaterasu markings more.

I wonder why it was changed? To make her cuter? It worked yet the Yoshiro of the art is another creature entirely...beautiful and a little frightening.

When I played this game originally, I thought Cursed Soh was our original Yoshiro. But I hadn't factored in that means we are playing as the spirit of Yoshiro from NG.

I considered our Soh might be the 7th generation and the next generation ascends, meaning our Yoshiro is the Soh in NG+. But it can't be because the bodies are different.

Back to her design...

Have a look at Yoshiro in the art again.

This is the only one that 'feels' like in-game Yoshiro

Isn't the atmosphere of this Maiden very different? She appears calm, collected, intense and focused. (Very Soh vibes)

This is more like Yoshiro's art face

Curiouser and curiouser...

Eyes on Soh.

Someone on Twitter was kind enough to share the mini-artbook from Kunitsu-Gami! I won't say their name to protect their privacy and so that Capcom won't have them killed or beaten. :x

But I'm very grateful!

Some interesting things about Soh...

How cute!!

A short ponytail!

If we look at Cursed Soh, who is definitely meant to resemble Soh's 'physical body', she has long hair. It's heavily implied Soh was a previous Maiden after all as Yoshiro inherits the mask when Soh departs.

Or maybe Soh is actually the original Messenger and the passing of the mask broke the cycle?
If so, Soh in NG+ is our Yoshiro. (Which might explain her more focused appearance in artwork and would then imply the Maiden and Messenger in artwork are one in the same. We don't see Soh's face, after all. It is also 'Soh's journey' and Yoshiro is without a doubt a main character of the story in her own right.)

She might've been drawn with short hair to show the design of her back and/or the story might have still been in the works. Especially since Yoshiro looks very different to her art but I'll touch on that afterwards.

There are some fun images.

I'm glad they changed this outfit

Soh in the very beginning...

A different outfit!

Soh in black. The helmet doesn't cover the full head as it does in the final design. We can see hair in the back.

I wonder if this is Male Soh?

Soh was originally conceptualized as a male.
(Do you see now what I meant when I say that Soh's neck gave away the fact she's female? (or her spirit body is female-shaped)) The waist and lower back of this art as well shows it's a male. 

Notice the difference in the necks? I'm observant...

A little add on here: Soh's hands in the main game don't fit that well for the rest of her physique. Intentional or did they forget to alter it slightly? (Or maybe she just has broader hands to Yoshiro lol)

I wonder what the original pitch was? Was it a love story?

All great stories are usually love stories, whether romantic or platonic.
Kunitsu-Gami is no different, in my humble opinion.

But I'm also projecting my love for Yoshiro onto Soh lol

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Collector's Edition.

There is a version without the game

A5 artbook. Only 64 pages.

A wooden postcard with 3d effect.

Cute wooden stands of all the roles.

It dropped when I was wide awake and sentient!

It sold out under 2 hours. (Should I write 2 or two?)

Replenished.

Sold out under an hour. Might be 30min actually.

"Kunitsu-Gami didn't sell well"

Capcom, please...the fans are piranhas devouring fresh meat in seconds...

A closer look at the goodies from the website.

First, the Stand.

I just want this one!!

It's quite cute but very simple for such a visually beautiful game.

The Post Card is next...

Again, very simple. These two items are not 'unique' to Kunitsu-Gami in any way. I don't think Capcom wanted to splurge. You know those designers had great ideas that were probably shot down...

Onto the artbook! The thing we all wanted!

This is disappointing. Each scroll should've taken up two pages to properly display their beauty. 
Many of us love this game for its beauty and art so this just seems insulting.

You can't appreciate the beauty when it's so small! These artworks need their own pages!

:o

There are two people in the tent. I wonder what the original pitch for the game was?

I want Capcom to sell a high quality digital fully complete artbook...

It needs a big artbook, like Okami. Okami's artbook is big and really showcases all the beauty of the game. The fact they hit us with A5 and 64 pages is cruel.

Overall, we're all starving for more of this game so even scraps will do.

Despite my complaints, I will hope they restock it and find a way to buy it without hurting my wallet.