#くにつがみ #KunitsuGami
— くけさとこ (@satoko_kuke) July 21, 2024
予言通り、腹の立つミッションが多いですが、ほぼ初見か2回目で全条件クリアできています。
皆が無駄なストレスを溜めないように、
使い終わった自作のマップを共有しておきます。
（IGNでもまだでした）
霧竹村 Kiritake Village
全ての壺の位置 all pots pic.twitter.com/iXRNrgFDJ1
Location of all pots in Kiritake Village by Satoko_Kuke on Twitter.
While researching the red bibs in Kunitsu-Gami and their possible significance, I learnt no one knows why these bibs are added to statues.
But it's speculated to honor children who died.
(My research is what began my Spirit Stone post but I never posted on the bibs themselves as it turned out to not go anywhere. It's not unique to Kunitsu-Gami.)
I thought child mortality, or even infertility, was an issue in Kunitsu-Gami but actually, in the past Japanese children would die young often. So this is rather normal.
But I wonder in times of woe, when the Seethe attack, is infertility an issue? The Path takes at least a year. It confirms all 4 seasons pass in the game.
What does the pact affect? How bad do things really get?
Some photos of statues:
They are in many places. Along with pinwheels, too. Pinwheels can represent the cycle of life, reincarnation or to honor dead children.
But here, they're put by the Goddess:
Is Kunitsu-Gami using the old belief that the Mountain God is an ancestral deity? It would explain why she is 'replaced' every cycle by the new Maiden, who was first worshiped as the Mountain Deity she had devoted herself to, effectively being able to replace her due to this perceived fusion.
(there's a belief that the maidens who worshiped the agricultural(mountain) goddess fused with her and were worshiped as well. This is what happens to Yoshiro)A short that touches on the Red Bibs topic:
Soh has chainmail across her chest!
 |
| cursed outfit. (power stolen by Batsu) |
Its design differs depending on whether she's in her 'cursed' outfit or her normal one. It protects the exposed skin.
In her 'cursed' outfit, the chainmail is clumpier, providing more protection?
The design is quite clever. It gives her a feminine neckline but still provides her with protection.
I realized it when I was looking at Wolf's outfit. He has chainmail, too.
A long time ago, I stumbled across a Reddit post that was a clip of Yoshiro eating. The comments weren't interesting but they referred to the circles on Yoshiro's face as 'eyebrows'.
In artwork, Yoshiro actually has no eyebrows!
It's in line with her make-up being from the Heian period. (mentioned in the future Kuon post)
I remember when I thought those circles were related to her becoming the Maiden and were magical in nature.
They aren't but it is interesting that she's the only one wearing such make-up. The other women in scrolls don't wear make-up in this style nor does Soh.
When the Maiden becomes the 'Spirit Stone Maiden', she shaves her brows and dons the special make-up. In the artwork of the Maiden when she's younger, she retains her eyebrows.
I can't believe I didn't notice her lack of eyebrows.
When the Cannoneer aims, the eye on their helmet looks to the target alongside the nozzle of the canon.
Those glowing blueish jewels are often placed on the 'eyes' of the masks.
Defiled Yoshiro≠Cursed Soh: The Spirit Stone and previous misconceptions.
Building off this post...I noticed something when looking very very close at Yoshiro and Cursed Soh.
I mentioned Yoshiro's Spirit Stone body is to protect her from impurity. There's very faint kaleidoscope patterns on her!
 |
| look at her glove, too. |
Cursed Soh, the Goddess, is trying to protect herself from impurity and has possibly turned her body into Spirit Stone?
Or is it that the Maidens who become these things and have merged with the Goddess has caused her to turn into this?
When Yoshiro's hair turns pale lilac/grey, we get the scroll 'Birth of a Goddess', signally she's become like the Goddess. Or has merged with her.
She indeed looks like Cursed Soh.
When the pair sync up Yoshiro's movements sync with Soh's, not the other way around.
Yoshiro is becoming like Soh(Cursed) but because the lines have blurred due to Maidens being worshiped as the Goddess, Cursed Soh in turn became like her. (The long hair and outfit changes)
I talked here about the Goddess's behavior when encountering Soh and Yoshiro.
Another detail that rattles me:
Cursed Soh's footwear is symmetrical, unlike Soh's.
I'm still awaiting my collector's edition but someone made an unboxing a few months ago.
(I only saw it now. I don't search up Kunitsu-Gami much.)
Everything is so small...
Look at this screenshot I nabbed:
On the left is the new Maiden we see in the normal ending. On the right...who is that? It looks like a Maiden.
Look at the shape of the crown.
Is that Soh's Maiden form...? But the hair is Yoshiro's.
The reason I wonder if it's Soh is that it resembles horns.
The design reminds me of a wedding dress.
I read that the first god a shrine maiden is possessed by is the god she is considered to be married to.
It's apparently an old thing where a shrine maiden was considered to be the bride of the god/kami she was in service to.
Now if only I would finish my post on the relationship between Yoshiro and Soh...
While doing some Taoism research, I discovered incense is a way to communicate with the 12 Divine Generals.
In Taoism you can use incense to communicate with the Divine generals. The Tsuba guards(containing the divine generals' powers) charge with incense!
That's how I learnt that the 12 Divine Generals are associated with the animal zodiac and that it's a very common idea in Eastern myth!
But, more on incense...
Ten has a post on the Tsuba Guard power.
Isn't that beautiful?
The 12 Tsuba Guards are the 12 divine general's powers. Incense is used to communicate with them.
So the Tsuba Guard gauge being incense fits perfectly because we need it to be 'full' in order to use the power of the generals! (We are offering incense to them)
Shinto has its roots in Taoism so they have much in common. That's why I wonder if the Shinto present in Kunitsu-Gami is closer to Taoism.
(I know it's correct English to write out 'twelve' but that's just for books, right? I prefer using 12.)
Writing on the Seethe as they emerge.
A mystery solved by Ten!
Deciphering "Kunitsugami" in cursive writing: "Path of the Goddess" - The Cry of the Earless Hoichi
It seems the writing is the symbols for the twelve animal zodiac signs.
(I used google translate here)
Transcription and Characters:
1. "Tamahiki yometa matamafu (太満飛記与女天多満不)"
2. "Tofukami e mi tame ne u (止不可美衣三多女禰宇)"
3. "Hitsushitorau tachimuma (比徒之止良宇多川美武満)"
4. "Inuihara hishi sarutori (以奴以八良比之左留止利)"
Since "sarutori" and "ne u" appear infrequently, it seems reasonable to consider them as part of the latter half of the sentence. It can be seen that the twelve zodiac signs (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig) have been slightly rearranged.
Contents of cursive writing
1. "Tamahiki yomedatamau"
It seems unusual to start with "Tamahiki" if it translates to "to bestow purification."
2. "Tohokamiemitameneu"
"Tohokamiemitamene" is a relatively common phrase in Shintoism.
4. If we remove the zodiac signs from this sentence, only "Harai" (purification) remains.
After removing the zodiac signs from 1-4, the remaining phrases are "Tohokamiemitamene," "Harai," and "Tamahiki yomedatamau."
Upon checking "Shintoism Glossary of Key Terms: Rituals and Ceremonies," it was found that this originates from the "Sanju-daigarae" purification ritual.
Very interesting!
The text is a combination of the twelve zodiac signs ("Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig") and parts of the "Sanju Daiharae" purification ritual ("Tohokami Emimame, Haraitamai Kiyometamae").
Seethe is the embodiment of the sins and impurities that people have committed, and what is engraved on their bodies is the prayer, "God of our distant ancestors, please look upon us, purify us, and cleanse us."
Therefore, for Kyoku, being defeated by villagers wearing masks of the sect or ancestors is a form of "purification."
Even if the moment he is born from the torii gate he has inscribed on his body the wish to be "purified and purified," he soon forgets it (the inscription disappears) and begins attacking in an attempt to eliminate Yoshiro.
It's quite sad...
A prayer on their body, asking to be purified. Specifically by the God of their ancestors.
The twelve zodiac animals are the twelve divine generals. Are the Seethe calling out to them, too?
 |
| Hmm... |
 |
| You know, her face really does look different at times |
 |
| but smaller...? |
 |
| maybe even smaller...? but quality is getting ruined |
When Yoshiro blooms at night, the pattern of her lotus resembles the shide (zigzag paper strops) of Soh's pink haraegushi (purification wand). Or should they be called paper streamers?
Soh's flower is also the lotus.
 |
| The lotus blooming from her head |
Maybe a little bit like the crystals too?
I became engrossed in a new game, which led me to believe Kunitsu-Gami's main message is Taoism.
 |
| he's literally me |
I finished playing Nine Sols(4 times) and something about it reminds me of Kunitsu-Gami. (And Okami)
I recommend trying it out, if you like metroidvanias and are looking for something new to play. It's more story heavy though.
This game is what made me think Taoism might be the real theme in Kunitsu-Gami.
I'm reading the two main books on Taoism(I have only read one so far) and in my search, I found a website with many translations of each chapter of the Tao Te Ching. I was surprised to see how much I agree with the philosophy. I wonder if this is why I like Kunitsu-Gami so much?
I now think Kunitsu-Gami has Taoism at its core. But I will make a post on this trying to explain my reasoning(explaining myself is difficult...)
It's Shinto on the surface. Purifying impurity. But perhaps the story is far deeper than that.
Someone also sent me a nice message but I couldn't reply because their email was a disposable one. Thank you for it! I'm always happy to hear from another Kunitsu-Gami fan!!
Some personal thoughts on Toaism...