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Chronology |
Itsuwa (五和 Itsuwa?) is a character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. A seemingly shy girl of the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church at first, she later shows her mettle and effectiveness as an ally of Kamijou Touma.
Etymology
Her name is derived from the real world town of Itsuwa in Kyūshū, which was later merged with other towns to form Amakusa City in 2006.
Appearance
Itsuwa is described as a young Japanese girl with black hair (depicted in visual media as purple) that reaches her shoulders.[1] She wears her hair in a bobcut with short fringes. Kamijou Touma, upon first meeting her, references that she has double eyelids, the first feature he noticed on her.[3]
Itsuwa in her second outfit.
Itsuwa is rather well-endowed but is referred by her Amakusa comrades as hidden.[4] Her clothing consists of things that allows her blend with her surroundings more readily,[5] such as her sleeveless tank top—capris combo or her tank top over sweater with pants that seem to be cut apart.[5] During her mission in Avignon, she was forced to wear skimpy clothing because she had nothing else to wear after jumping into the river to save Touma.[6]
Her age is unknown but is still a minor (to drink alcohol),[7] despite being able to pilot a helicopter, drive a motorcycle, and boat, and being referred to as being around the same age as Touma.[1]
Personality
Itsuwa is generally very friendly and warm, though modest. The narrative of the novel has described Itsuwa as "a totally ordinary girl" and she seems to be unintentionally very humble about herself not only in personality but also in appearance, referring herself as "who is only charming with a hint of maturity," apparently allowing her to go to a bar without being interrogated,[2] and that she can not compete with gorgeous women such as Kanzaki in the looks department, many of the Amakusa support her and assure that she has charm.[2] She is skilled in housework and cooking, the latter being taught by her mother and even enough to impress Tsuchimikado Maika.[8]
She seems to have developed romantic feelings towards Touma, but due to her shyness she has not been able to act on them or convey them to him. She is described as a girl in love.[2] And has even shown to even challenge her Supreme Pontiff, Kanzaki Kaori, when it comes to pursuing Touma, despite only hearing rumors from Saiji.[9] Touma notices that Itsuwa is different from the girls he is usually in contact with, as Itsuwa is not prone to violent outbursts when upset and is more inclined to proper, softer lady-like responses regardless of the situation she is in. She also has been described as someone who matures too late.[4] Her pursuit of her love interest is very innocent and slow, a fact that is mentioned by one of her comrades as her charm regarding her constant use of the "hot towel" technique for Touma.[10] She easily gets flustered by direct contact such as holding hands or being hugged while she drives a motorcycle.[11] Tsuchimikado Motoharu speculates that Itsuwa would dare to wear the Erotic Fallen Angel Maid outfit without a second for Touma compared to Kanzaki,[12] though as shown later, even she is on the fence regarding erotic outfits.[2]
She also easily gets taken away by her emotions, as when she becomes depressed after being unable to help Touma from being beaten by Acqua of the Back, to the point that it took a stern lecturing from Saiji to bring her back to her senses,[13] and later became very enthused in proving Saiji her worth in protecting Touma by preparing her weapon, though scaring Saiji and her other comrades in the process.[14] When down in the dumps, she takes to drinking despite being a minor.[7]
In a mission she becomes serious, and as a member of the Amakusa Church where teamwork is key, she becomes a very reliable ally.
Background
As part of the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church, she most likely resided in Shimabara, Kyushu most of her life with her comrades,[15] and may have been witness to the many deeds of her Priestess before she left.
By the time of their introduction into the main story, they are well known enough for even people like Orsola Aquinas to seek refuge to. However, they still wanted to join Kanzaki, as is the reason why Saiji wears St. George’s Cross on his shirt, to show that they want to join her.[16] As the focal point of the Saint Destroyer spell, she is most likely present during its creation, in an attempt to truly know of the strengths and weaknesses of Kanzaki in order for them to stand by her side.[17]
Abilities
Amakusa-style abilities
- Main article: Amakusa-Style Remix of Church#Abilities
As being part of Amakusa, all of what Itsuwa wears is part of her magic and is deliberate.[18] The Amakusa Christian’s specialty is secrecy, since they’re Christians whose nature is to deceive others; they hide the teachings of Christianity inside Shintoism and Buddhism completely, and use rituals and techniques as part of their greetings, diet, and behavior in their everyday lives. They cover all their tracks so that others won’t even notice their existence. These teachings have been passed down from generation to generation.[13]
Friuli Spear
Like all the Amakusa Christians, Itsuwa carries a weapon. Itsuwa wields a Friuli Spear or Friulian Spear (
She is able to wield it expertly, able to take down several enemies with a single swing,[22] and relieve a cornered position with it, as what she had done for Lucia during the Battle of the Adriatic Sea.[19] However, she is most effective in team situations, unlike the human wave tactics that the vast Agnese Forces use, the Amakusa Christians, with its at least 52 combat-ready members,[1] have been shown to be much more focused on teamwork and unity. Indeed, during their protracted battle against Acqua of the Back, Itsuwa with her spear was the focal point of their strategy.
Known spells
Despite her magic being the same as that of her Amakusa comrades due to their shared history, Itsuwa has show spells that are either unique to her or is most well-known because of her usage.
Saint Destroyer
Itsuwa using the Saint Destroyer against Acqua of the Back
The Saint Destroyer (聖人崩し Seijin Kuzushi?, Yen Press: Saintbreaker) requires the Amakusa Christians to set-up a formation, with the attacker at the center, the Saint Destroyer is a magic attack that works on Saints alone. On a normal Saint it will only cause them to be unable to move for several seconds, but for someone like Acqua of the Back who who has the attributes of the Son of God and the Divine Mother, he will surely self-destruct.[23] Itsuwa alone is shown to be the only who is capable of casting this spell. It is because her wielding a spear, it is a reference to the spear that stabbed the Son of God, the Lance of Longinus as explained by Idol Theory, a weakness of the Saints.[24] The attack requires for her to use a tube using a towel with her spear in order to reduce the friction between her palm and spear when pierces the opponent with it.[17]
It appears as blueish-white purple electricity, causing an explosion, and the electricity forms into a Cross, the weakness of Saints through Idol Theory, as Saints have a body that is similar to the Son of God who was crucified on a cross and was pierced. Explosions continue to occur after the magic attack is dealt.[17] Other additions can be appended to increase the strength of the spell, specifically they should be related to the Son of God's crucifixion, such as a crown of thorns, a picket, and a large cross.[23]
It was created by the Amakusa Christians after the departure of Kanzaki Kaori in order to understand the burden of being a Saint, and in theory, surpass whatever she feels as a threat.[17]
Other spells
- Ley line damaging spell: Using found objects that serve symbolic properties according to Idol Theory, Itsuwa can use an Amakusa-style ley line damaging spell using her spear. After arranging the objects into a circle it will glow, and Itsuwa merely needs to strike her spear deep into the circle and turn it like a key until the ley line is disturbed to her needs. Severing a ley line completely, however, requires a lot of people.[21]
- Seven Blades of the Seven Teachings (七教七刃 Shichikō Shichijin?, Yen Press: Seven Teachings, Seven Blades) is a technique used by Itsuwa using steel wires. It is similar to Kanzaki's Nanasen, as it uses 7 steel wires that acts as superfine blades to attack a target at once at 7 different directions.[25] It is unknown if it is just Nanasen using a different name, or derived from it. Itsuwa uses her spear instead of a sword to use the technique.
- Healing Magic: A notable example of this is Itsuwa using found objects to create a healing spell after Acqua of the Back's brutal beatdown on Touma. Itsuwa fails to heal Touma after his right hand negates the spell.[26]
- Damage transference charm: Which transfers part the damage she takes, into her clothes. She also has a spell that uses her clothing as a scapegoat.[27]
- Icy Night Wind (冷たい夜気 Tsumetai Yaki?, lit. "Icy Night Air"): Magic that is casted on the tip of Itsuwa's spear, creating an explosion that can tear apart asphalt.[14]
- Reproductivity that Plants Possess (植物の持つ繁殖力 Shokubutsu no Motsu Hanshokuryoku?) or Scattered Grass (雑草 Zassō?, lit. "Weeds") improved her spear's durability by adding about 1,500 layers of reinforcement through resin, which symbolizes the age of trees. It uses an image of the growth of plants and amplifies hardness of her spear according to the passage of time.[27]
- White Explosion: An apparently Christian-based spell based on the sun. After Itsuwa draws a circle in the air with her spear and recites a small chant, a pure white explosion takes place in two locations. The first explosion takes place along the circle drawn by Itsuwa's spear and the second on the enemy Itsuwa is facing. Chant: "The power of heaven is always represented by the sun. Even in the depths of the earth where no light reaches, there is nowhere the Lord’s power cannot reach. Purify our peril with light as bright as midday!!"[28]
- Life force concentration spell: Itsuwa knows of one method that allows her to concentrate the life force needed to refine magic power and concentrate it on a single point. It was a standard method of creating a boost. Itsuwa uses the spell to sever the connection, that flow of power, of a cursed wax doll that had taken her blood to read her life force, and in turn make attacks that she cannot avoid. The spell can only be used by women and is based on the legend of Adam and Eve.[29]
The chant:
"This is the story of paradise before it was corrupted by sin."
"God created man and arranged to give everything to him, but the perfectness left the man feeling uneasy. The man could not live in solitude and the animals living in paradise were not enough to fill his heart."
"God, being generous, was willing to use his power to fill the man’s heart, but the man did not choose that method."
"That one man should have been enough of a beginning in paradise. Two starting points are not needed. Each subsequent man created from then one should have been a single point."
"God pitied the lonely man and created a partner from his rib. That partner’s name was Eve. That is the name of the starting point and model for all women!"
"All women come from the missing rib and must join with their lifelong partner through marriage!!" - Wax magic: A very specific one, where they are able to create a "wax suit" based off a person of their choosing, where a person can "wear" it. This "suit" is apparently enough to fool Necessarius magicians.
- Mandala: A diagram with complex patterns that makes one thing about the nature of the universe and the principles of the gods. When the patterns are rearranged it allows for the user's desired image to be sent to the viewer's head.[30] In short: an illusion magic.
- St. Andrew's lightning spell: A spell which increases the accuracy of Itsuwa's spear. To use it, Itsuwa carves an 'X', the symbol of St. Andrew, a patron saint closely related to lightning, on the spear's handle. She then throws the spear, which absorbs any lightning that strikes it and becomes a mass of bluish-white light which strikes the target. Chant: "St. Andrew’s lightning will accurately strike the evil woman who looked down on the innocent young man!!" [31]
- Mass-based cutting open spell: A spell which Itsuwa intended to use while wielding Tsushima's rapier, using the Christian symbol of a sword for cutting open and of Mass, where loaves were distributed evenly and where the bread represents the body of the Son of God. Itsuwa draws a circle on the ground representing the plate, then applies water to the rapier which represents a consecrated knife. She then has what is on top of the circle, the plate, be the bread which needs to be cut open, and uses the rapier to cut it open. This spell was intended to cut open Freadia Strikers' armour without damaging her life-force, though Itsuwa was unable to fully execute it.[31]
- Imitative Magic: Itsuwa makes uses of a large variety of magical symbols in her spells, which fall under this form of magic. She uses such symbols for both spells which have been devised in advance and ones which have been devised on the spot. An example of the latter would be when she matched the movements of Cynthia Exment, who was an Amakusa herself, and used her spear, which had lost its tip, to represent Cynthia's staff, into which data on the spiritual items in the British Museum had been downloaded, in order to duplicate the staff's function to shift into those spiritual items.[32]
Other abilities
Itsuwa has an international license and she can pilot cars, motorcycles, mini-boats and (with difficulty) a helicopter.[11]
Relationships
Kamijou Touma
Itsuwa has been in love with Touma ever since the La Regina del Mare Adriatico Arc. She relies on the advice of Tatemiya and the other Amakusas to get close to him. A common tactic of hers is to offer him a wet towel. She also gets excited by just a bit of physical contact with him, such as holding hands with him or getting hugged while riding a motorcycle together. Although initially embarrassed by the idea she later seems to take wearing the Great Spirit Revealing Maid outfit for him in consideration.[33] It has been stated that Itsuwa is prepared to die for Touma.[34]
Kanzaki Kaori
Kanzaki is Itsuwa's superior in the Amakusa Church, and like all of the other Amakusa's she looks up to her a lot. Itsuwa considers Kanzaki better than her at everything, including looks. Despite this respect she has stated that she will not hand Touma over to her or anyone else despite being aware of Kanzaki's feelings for him.
Tatemiya Saiji
Tatemiya is also Itsuwa's superior in the Amakusa Church. Itsuwa relies on him for relationship advice with Touma.
Character Art Designs
Design Evolution
Details in Itsuwa's design has changed as her prominence becomes more apparent in the later half of the Toaru Majutsu no Index series, though her overall design remains the same. According to Haimura, due to the theme of Amakusa wearing clothes that would not make them stand out, Itsuwa was drawn to wear features that would never be seen in reality, though are much more common in moe characters.[35]
By volume 14, and in Itsuwa's new clothes for that volume, Haimura had the idea that the Amakusa's would try to keep up with the latest fashion to better help them blend in. For the volume 16 clothes change Ituswa has, Haimura states that since she is a moe-type character, her design must follow a "cute" style, and must not be altered too much. For Itsuwa's Great Spirit Revealing Maid Haimura wanted to give more symbolic aspects to obtain an easily understandable overall image of a fairy, but he states he couldn't come up with any clear ways of representing the idea of a fairy, so the design has that same vagueness to it.
Her clothes during Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test are pretty much the same as in Volume 14, but there are some minor changes like the gold bikini top and ring on the left index finger.
Gallery
.jpg "Bikini Itsuwa (Twitter).jpg (202 KB)")
.png "Itsuwa face (Anime).png (226 KB)")
.png "Itsuwa body (Anime).png (234 KB)")
Quotes
- (From volume 16): "It won’t do if I don’t do my best."
- (Thinking about Touma, from volume 16): "That guy managed to fight back the two "God’s Right Seat" members, Vento of the Front and Terra of the Left, but I’m certain that I can do something, so I've got to do my best"
- (To Touma regarding Kanzaki's clothes, ibid): "You, you suddenly gave a shocking comment about the Priestess!? That isn't because it's obscene, but rather the spell composition that requires asymmetry!! It was deliberately made like that to allow the balance on both sides be used even more effectively, and not meant to deliberately show off the curves on her body or whatsoever—!!"
- (To Acqua of the Back, ibid): "…Even if it’s me…I have my own determination."
- (To Acqua of the Back, ibid): "…If you have something to say, say it later. After I beat you to a pulp over and over again!! If your jaw isn't all broken, I'll let you talk all you want!!"
- (Thinking about Kanzaki, from volume 17): "E-Erotic Fallen Angel Costume…!! To prepare such a horrifying secret weapon, as expected of someone as formidable as the Priestess! To wear such a thing, wouldn’t all the memories of that battle against Acqua of the Back be gathered at one point…?"
- (To Bayloupe, ibid): "We are from Necessarius, the 0th Parish of the Anglican Church. Do you understand?"
- (To Saiji, frome volume 18): "Wh-why are you suddenly jumping in here and talking about a roadshow? I don’t understa-hic!?"
Trivia
- Fans have speculated that Uragami, the Amakusa Christian girl that Touma fought and saved from a fall in volume 7, may actually be Itsuwa. It is later revealed in the second season of the Toaru Majutsu no Index adaptation that Itsuwa and Uragami are two different persons.
- Itsuwa was among the characters that were featured on a set of Toaru-themed Tarot cards were released by Animate for the series 20th anniversary. The cards were based on the Major Arcana of the Rider-Waite deck, and Itsuwa's card was The Lovers, with the image used being from Toaru Majutsu no Index Volume 16.[36][37]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17 Chapter 1 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 11 Chapter 2 Part 2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 1 Part 4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 1 Part 2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 4
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17 Chapter 2 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 1 Part 6
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS Chapter 3 Part 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 11 Chapter 4 Part 4
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 1 Part 7
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Epilogue
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 2 Part 1
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 2 Part 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 1 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07 Epilogue
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 2 Part 8
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07 Chapter 2 Part 2
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 11 Chapter 5 Part 4
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 6
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 7
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index II Episode 04
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 4 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 4 Part 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 8
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 1 Part 11
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16 Chapter 2 Part 6
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 1 Part 7
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 1 Part 10
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 6 Part 3
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 8
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Epilogue
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 6 Part 10
- ↑ Rainbow Spectrum: notes on Volume 11, translated by js06 and posted on Animesuki by user hao-sama
- ↑ Animate
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16
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