It starts with the departure of Myoue and Koto, father and mother, to a realm unknown, leaving their children with a promise to one day return with the beginning and the end in tow. The once idyllic family life is torn apart, and thus begins the magical story of Kyousougiga.
The heart of Kyousougiga is family values, a return to the simpler joys in face of the looming anxieties of life. We are all brought up to face the responsibilities and demands of reality, to bust our bubble of idealism and to be bereft of innocence. Indeed, didn’t we all face the woes our protagonist Koto does, when we were slowly piled under duties and expectations without understanding them, when we only wanted to live a simple and joyous life? Kyousougiga is a reaction against the industrialized society in which so many are weighed down by utilitarian worries and the monotony of working life.
As if a direct contrast to the grey high-rises and symmetry which lines our streets, the world of Kyousougiga is filled with various architectural styles and imagery. The environment is based primarily on old Japan, but anachronistic elements like western castles, futuristic technology, and even arcane ribbons fluttering in the sky, infuse this world with a dreamlike vivacity unlike anything else. The art is drawn with wild strokes and vibrant colours, movements with fluidity and reckless rapidity, and facial expressions with unrestrained expressiveness. The lively world of Kyousougiga and the ebullient tone of the series is an antithesis to our excessive rationality; it is a reflection of our imagination which was once so unbridled and unconforming.
Yet, all of us are bound to face the pressures of reality. Myoue’s and Koto’s departure were inevitable, and the siblings each find their own ways to cope with this loss. Yase, half demon, half a spoiled princess, consoles herself in reminiscence and nostalgia. Devastated by her loss, she can only accept and mourn in this fate. Sifting through old memories of her mother, she longs for times long past, reaching ever further for the beginning. Kurama, the eldest sibling, prodigy and visionary, sets his sights on the future. Following his father’s will, he innovates new technology and organizes Kyoto with hopes to one day find a means to break out of it, to grasp the end. Young Myoue, heir of his father, deals with their departure through indolence and indulgence. Utterly dejected yet unwilling to admit it, he spends his days in denial of his grief and in escape from his duties. Thus lives this melancholy triad in their unassuming bubble, disunited and unable to fill the emptiness of their heart.
Then there is our protagonist Koto, youngest of the siblings and a headstrong fool of a girl. Alienated by her surroundings and unsure of her identity, yet never willing to display her vulnerabilities and always bursting with energy, she ventures into the mirror capital with the mission of finding her mother. Down the rabbit hole she falls, and she shall experience the full extent of the joys and sorrows of growing up, of the mounting pressures and of expectations unfulfilled.
Through all this turmoil Koto remains strong; her constant smile and foolhardy attitude disturbs as much as it inspires those around her. She is unconcerned with the past or future and lives the present to the fullest, be it helping others or making unreasonable demands. With hammer in hand, she smashes the boundary of worlds and confronts the parents who deserted them. Kyousougiga is about living in the present; to confront reality, stare into it eyes, and see the all colours about you. It is about reconciling the bubbles of our wistful imagination with the harsh world around it through the help of those around you. Myoue and mother Koto love their children immensely; they scramble all their resources and some more to give their children love, care, and a world where they are provided all that they need. Yet, they neglect their foremost duty as so many parents nowadays do – to always be there for their children.
Indeed, “Coming home five minutes earlier than usual,” says Koto as she plants her forgiving fist into her father’s cheeks, “that sort of thing is love!” Kyousougiga is not just lively in tone, its very essence is one which breathes life into the viewers. It is a fairytale of vibrant colours and simple joys, of familial troubles and love likewise. It truly is that brilliant painting of which a fleeting glimpse you catch, but an enduring impression you get.
