Toji no Miko (Toji 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: Kizamishi Issen no Hikari", which is a sword action RPG. Although the perspectives of both the anime and app are different, the main storylines are connected. In this article, we'd like to talk about the three goddesses, important characters who appear in Toji no Miko.
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.
The Great Sagami Bay Disaster 20 Years Ago
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
When introducing the Three Goddesses, we must first talk about the Great Disaster 20 years ago. Officially, it was a sudden, massive outbreak of wild spirits that resulted in over 3,000 deaths and was suppressed by a six-person special forces unit. The six were later hailed as heroes, with one appointed as director of the Swords and Weapons Management Bureau and the other five appointed as presidents of the Gokaden schools across the country.
The Truth Behind the Great Calamity
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
The United States was attempting to bring back a large number of Noro for military use, but an accident occurred on a ship, causing the Noro to combine and become a human-caused disaster. This incident has been kept secret from the public. While the special forces that suppressed the disaster are said to have been six people, in reality, there were two more, for a total of eight. The two were Eto Kanami and Jujo Hiyori's mother, Fujiwara Minato, and Hiiragi Kagari, but their names were kept secret.
Suppressing the Great Aratama
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
It was actually Kagari Hiiragi who suppressed the great calamity, and the Origami and Hiiragi families possessed the power to pacify the Aratama. She had the ability to imprison the Aratama, along with her own life, in a place called the Hidden World. He uses it to defeat the great wild spirit and prepares to die, but is rescued at the last moment by Minato. At that moment, Origami Murasaki, who could only watch and feel guilty, is persuaded by Tagitsuhime, the great wild spirit who was about to be sent to the hidden world by Kagari, who tells him that she will help the two of them, so just do as she says, and he becomes possessed by her, and thanks to Tagitsuhime's high intelligence, the situation appears to have been resolved on the surface, and the curtain falls on that.
Members After the Great Calamity
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Origami Murasaki becomes Tagitsuhime and becomes the head of the Swords and Weapons Control Bureau, abusing her power in her role of managing the noro and katana. During the subjugation, Minato and Kagari's memories were partially erased, likely due to Tagitsuhime's doing, and they went on to live with their lives having forgotten about Tagitsuhime, but both of them lost their lives several years later due to the aftereffects of the subjugation. The remaining five are living as heroes and are the current presidents of Gokaden.
After 20 Years of Time, Tagitsuhime is Defeated
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
After learning of Tagitsuhime's possession by Origami Murasaki, Hiyori Jujo and Kanami Eto join forces with the descendants of the heroes of that time to defeat Tagitsuhime after 20 years. This incident was later named the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leak Problem, and the six members of the extermination team were treated as heroes, just like 20 years ago. However, Tagitsuhime had not completely disappeared, and was still living in three separate human forms.
The Three Goddesses
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Now, finally, to the main topic. After separating from Origami Murasaki, Tagitsuhime split into three bodies, each with its own individual will and actions. However, each one aims to absorb the other two and assume the will of the main body. Even as individuals, their powers are immense, and average Toji cannot even compete with them. Each is managed or controlled by a different organization.
Tagitsuhime CV: Rina Hidaka
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
One of the three separated goddesses, she is plotting to absorb the other two under the command of Principal Takatsu, also known as Hisu-obaa-san. Driven by her rage toward humans, she is the most warlike, aggressive, and troublesome of the three. At first, it appears that she has been defeated by Jujo Hiyori, who has assimilated with Ichikishimahime, but later she has successfully absorbed the other two and stands in the way of Eto Kanami and the others.
Takirihime Voiced by: Chiwa Saito
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
One of the three separated goddesses, Takirihime is kept in a highly secure location by the Ministry of Defense. Even the Origami family, which has lost some of its power, rarely meets her. Driven by her desire to dominate humans, she was the most overbearing of the three goddesses and looked down on them, but Nene's intervention brought about a change in her thinking, and in the end, when Tagitsuhime came to absorb her, she declared that she believed in the potential of humans and challenged her to a fight, but unfortunately was defeated and absorbed.
Ichikishimahime Voiced by: Eri Kitamura
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
One of the three separated goddesses, she was hidden underwater in a submarine along with Origami Murasaki. His driving force is finding meaning in his own existence, and while the other two have feelings for humans, his feelings are directed towards himself, which means he has extremely negative thoughts compared to the others. However, although he is weaker than the other three, he is far more intelligent and could be said to be the most troublesome enemy. After being thanked by Murasaki, who he was supposed to be possessing, he recognized Murasaki as the reason for his existence, and in order to protect Murasaki from being killed by Tagitsuhime, he fused with Hiyori and fought Tagitsuhime, but was defeated.
The Truth About Origami Murasaki
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Keikaku / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Although Origami Murasaki may feel possessed by Tagitsuhime and used as she pleases, she is actually fighting against her own inner self and doing her best to suppress her. When Kanami and the others arrive to defeat Tagitsuhime, she briefly regains her senses and commands them to kill her. In the midst of all this, she was very grateful that Ichikishimahime's presence within Murasaki had played a part in helping her maintain her sense of self. Compared to the two bodies of anger and control, Ichikishimahime, who represented her reason for existence, seemed to be a very important presence, and even after she separated into three bodies, she continued to act together with Ichikishimahime.
Summary of the Three Goddesses
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
(↑ Aunt Hiss in her younger days) Anyway, the story of Toji no Miko is deep and very difficult to convey in words, but I think it's fair to say that the great wild spirit within Murasaki split into two, each with its own will, and was released into the world. Each character has their own thoughts and actions, but the main focus is Tagitsuhime, whose influence continues to grow. Will Kanami and the others be able to defeat Tagitsuhime? The story is finally reaching its climax, so now is your chance to binge watch it all at once, so be sure to check it out.
