Toji no Miko (Sword Maidens), which began airing in January 2018, is a battle series in which young girls use swordsmanship to fight monsters called Aratama. A little after the anime aired, Square Enix also released the app "Toji no Miko: Tokimishi Issen no Hikari", which is a sword action RPG. Although the perspectives of both the anime and app are different, the main story is generally connected. In this article, we'll explore the appeal of Toji no Miko's protagonist, Eto Kanami!
A Brief Introduction to Toji no Miko
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
In a world where strange monsters called Aratama rage throughout Japan, this work depicts the daily struggles of young girls called Toji, who have trained to use swords called mitou to defeat the Aratama and protect the people. Each character has their own school of swordsmanship, and most of these schools are based on real-life examples, and their sword techniques are also based on these schools.
Who is Kanami Eto?
Source: Toji no Miko ©Gokaden Project/Toji no Miko Production Committee
The protagonist of Toji no Miko, Kanami Eto is a 13-year-old student at Minoseki Academy, one of the Gokaden schools. For better or worse, she is a cheerful girl with a passion for swordsmanship. She practices the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu style of swordsmanship, and her beloved sword is Chidori. Her mother was also the strongest Toji 20 years ago, and perhaps thanks to her bloodline, she herself is blessed with a talent for swordsmanship. Her voice actor is Hondo Kaede.
Eto Kanami's Charm #1: Swordsmanship Enthusiast
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
She often thinks about swordsmanship day and night. In fact, she even sleep-trains by having her mother practice swordsmanship on her in her dreams. Swordsmanship is a constant obsession, whether awake or asleep. When she sees a strong opponent, she immediately wants to fight. On the other hand, she's happy to challenge even weaker opponents, and simply loves swordsmanship. She's such a master swordsman that she can instantly tell what style her opponent uses just by looking at their stance.
Eto Kanami's Charm #2: She's So Strong
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
She's undoubtedly the strongest of her generation, and I think she's virtually unbeatable among living people. The only person she can beat is her mother in her dreams. Yume might have had a chance of winning... She was able to take down opponents that everyone else was fighting while grumbling about with a single strike, so I ended up becoming the OP protagonist.
Eto Kanami's Charm #3: Effort
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Of course, she's a talented second-generation swordswoman, thanks to her mother's bloodline, but she's always thinking about swordsmanship, practicing in her spare time, even training in her dreams. She's accomplished things that wouldn't be possible with someone who just likes it a little, or even half-heartedly. She's a real hard worker, after all.
Eto Kanami's Charm #4: Just Kind
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Aside from her swordsmanship obsession, Kanami is a very cheerful and kind girl who is comfortable with anyone. She easily got along with Sayaka, who is a bit socially awkward, and Kanami is very popular with her juniors and classmates. Even after saving Himewa without knowing much about the situation and becoming a wanted criminal, she didn't complain.
Eto Kanami's Charm #5: Cute
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
There are so many cute characters in Toji no Miko, I think the balance between favorite characters was well-balanced. However, the main character, Kanami, is naturally cute and popular. A short haircut and a moderate, not-too-over-the-top style are probably best.
Eto Kanami's Charm #6: Caring Friends
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Although she sometimes tends to act on her own initiative and put those around her off, she cares for her friends and comrades more than anyone else, even to the point of risking her life for them. She's so kind to everyone that people sometimes get jealous.
A Summary of Kanami Eto's Charms!
Source: Toji no Miko ©Gokanden Keikaku/Toji no Miko Production Committee
That said, Kanami's greatest charm is how her strength grows more extraordinary with each episode. Leveling up even while a normal person is sleeping is like cheating with the infinite level-up system in the old Dragon Quest games. However, it is also true that she has put in a lot of effort, so just being a second-generation character doesn't make her strong, and that is also wonderful. If you haven't seen Kanami's strength yet, hurry up and watch Toji no Miko. Thank you for reading until the end.
