#mnok theories

[arata-is-a-dunce]

The Kanoichi Clan

*This will be long, but bare with me. Please note that this is all speculation and not concrete.*

I have been thinking about this clan. But specifically on one bitch.

Kanoichi Satoru’s deadbeat dad. (I don’t really like the man. And this will be more bashing on the man because of what he did to Satoru.)

Is this man even alive? Don’t know but for now, let’s say yes.

I will focus on Kanoichi-san and his son.

For the rest of this thing, I will call the father “Kanoichi-san” and Satoru “Satoru” or “Kanoichi-kun.”

I am not apologizing for anything that might make one mad and I don’t condone what Satoru did in his introduction. This is to look at the characters on a deeper level.

Anyway, without further ado

This bitch would have allowed his son to be permanently disfigured (at worst, killed) for the house god beside him.

So, exactly what would his reaction be to our main character?

Let’s get a little deeper with this.

According to Satoru, his father had never been like this before. He would never have sacrificed his son for anything. But let’s let it be known that children never know their parents’ true colors until later.

Could it be that Satoru’s father had always been like this, and this incident revealed that to Satoru? Kanoichi-san probably didn’t care much about his son, seeing him as nothing but a tool that can be replaced. He can make more children if Satoru was to die, as stated in these panels.

“Unfortunately, that boy cannot be used as a threat. I can always make another child after all.”

“His eyes . . . His heart . . . Go ahead and gouge them out.”

This fucker, didn’t see Satoru as his son in this moment. “That boy” instead of “my son” or “Satoru” as in Japanese they don’t really have “he/her” pronouns. (Or is it just “you” that they don’t have a word for?)

Anyway. He didn’t care.

Satoru believes that his father would never have done that if it hadn’t been for the Another.

If it had been a different situation, I do believe Kanoichi-san wouldn’t have cared either way. He would have allowed the perpetrator to kill Satoru at any point no matter the situation.

Kanoichi-san probably never cared for his family and Satoru is finally seeing it, but the situation warped his way of thinking. Instead of finding blame in his father’s actions (or lack thereof), he placed the blame on the Another who is protecting them (I think this is how that works, correct me if I am wrong). The Another is there to help prosper the family and home, keeping it safe.

In the anime, during this flashback, Akane was saying how she’s gotten to understand Suzu (the mansion god) a lot better since Arata had come by. She compares Arata to Kanoichi-san:

“Everytime I see how Miyako-san acts with Anothers, I remember my uncle . . . your father. He was friends with Anothers. He was Suzu-sama’s best friend.”

(We also get his face here instead of the manga. Strange. They might have pulled things from the latest volumes.)

(The man would probably be in his late 50s-late 60s now depending on how old he was when he had Satoru. And he would probably not look a day over 40. Here he does look well into his early 30s but it’s difficult to tell.)

In this scene, Satoru and Akane spoke in a way that it came across that Satoru’s father (Akane’s uncle) has passed away.

As noted by Akane saying “[he] was Suzu-sama’s best friend.”

In the manga, the wording is a little different.

“He was even getting along with the mansion god . . .”

“The mansion god” is used instead of “Suzu-sama.”

A little odd on why the anime added more to the elevator scene and changed up Akane and her relationship with the Zashiki-warashi. (Unless that’ll be something later down the road in the series and they just pulled it towards the beginning.)

Again note the change in wording. Here she says

“It reminds you of . . . your father.”

Not whatever she said in the anime. Not the “I remember . . .” but the “It reminds you . . .��” 

This makes it a bit more meaningful. Allows us to see a different side. Everytime Satoru sees Arata acting in such a way, he’s thinking of his father. He’s remembering his trauma and what had led up to it, the why he has a scar in the first place.

There’s also this tidbit in the same page:

“Do you leave it there just to spite him?”

Satoru still keeps the scar to spite his father and the clan. And Satoru has made it clear to the audience the only reason he hasn’t given up his family name and turned his back on the clan is because Akane is still there.

So, these are giving mix signals. Is Kanoichi-san still alive or has he passed and Kanoichi-kun is trying to hold onto something as a reminder?

Kanoichi-san is . . . something.

I doubt he’s ever been a good father. He is probably one of those fathers that choose their obsesssion (work or hobby or something) over their own family.

The Zarashiki-warashi is the reason they are prospering. As stated by Satoru here:

You can see his anger but also the fear that he probably still holds.

He doesn’t see the worth in being a sacrifice for prosperity. And I don’t see it either. It isn’t worth sacrificing your child to live a prosperous life unless you’re a greedy person.

And he doesn’t trust Arata because he fears that he will sacrifice a human if it meant appealing to Anothers. He doesn’t have a reason to trust Arata either. He doesn’t know him other than as a new face in the work—naive and ignorant and fully willing to be all buddy-buddy with the beings that messed his life up.

So Kanoichi-san is a person willing to sacrifice his own child for the sake of keeping an Another safe. What’s not to stop him from sacrificing something or someone else for something even smaller?

This will now go into my theory of how Kanoichi-san will react to Miyako Arata. You can skip straight to the comments to rebuttal me.

If anything Kanoichi-san probably has an obsession with Anothers (not like Saejima). It’s toned down, nonchalant with the need to know, to find out. He is patient and does not rush, calm and cautious with his movements.

(I’m trying to think of an anime villain. Probably Aizen from Bleach? Dude planned for hundreds of years and experimented and got things done without rushing and it bore fruit.)

So say, Kanoichi-san is all the willing to watch the pieces on a chessboard fall, being careful in his movements and will take out and sacrifice anything along the way. (I’m not a chess player so this metaphor probably doesn’t make sense but pretend it does)

All of a sudden, some kid comes out of nowhere being able to speak to these creatures that have always fascinated him. This kid can understand them and learn from the creatures than whatever theories the humans make up. He would probably watch carefully from the shadows to see what he kind of information could extract before striking.

Arata is a fascinating character to the outside world. He is descended from a great onmyōji and has this man’s rare ability. So, now, he’s also fascinated by this human.

Patience can always wear thin and break.

Since he would give up his own son to protect an Another. What lengths would he go to get this human with the ability to speak to them on his side?

They are of a prominent clan, so they would be rich. Money could go a long way. Money could sway others where it won’t sway some.

He could most likely get away with kidnapping, yes?

But that’s a thought for another time.

Kanoichi-san gives off these little vibes of an antagonist who’s willing to wait in the weeds for the right opportunity. He will probably resort in taking Arata if it means helping him get close to Anothers. (Trying to think of character who betrayed mc after “teaching” them. Can’t think of anyone atm. Anyone know of anyone?)

(Wait, Kray to Galo. Even if he wasn’t really a teacher nor liked Galo.)

If Kanoichi-san is to cross paths with Arata, then I fear for the redhead. He will probably not see anything wrong with talking about Anothers with someone willing to listen after having been brushed off (maybe a little iffy cause dude bro is sketchy and related to trigger-happy Satoru). Because of this, he doesn’t really delve into weaknesses since he doesn’t really know them. He keeps important information to himself.

Despite being a patient person, Kanoichi-san finally allows himself to move.

Then, well, RIP Arata I guess.

Of course, this is all speculation. Except for the Satoru’s part because wow, he got the short end of the stick. I do feel bad for him, but I don’t condone his burning of babies.

Same with Sakaki Kyouichi, don’t condone him at all in the Hell Arc. I will get into that another time.

I bid you farewell with a soft Satoru. Look at him, baby.