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: Tokimishi Issen no Hikari, which is a sword action RPG. While the perspectives of both the anime and the app are different, the main storylines are connected. In this article, we'll introduce the Aratama, which appear in Toji no Miko and are recognized as beings that cause harm to the world.
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.
What are Aratama?
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Aratama are creatures born from the impurity slag released from the material used to make sacred swords, called tamahagane. They come in all sizes and cause various disasters.
What are Toji?
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
A type of national civil servant, a Kannagi shrine maiden who can wield sacred swords. Their goal is to subjugate wild spirits, and they undergo training at specialized training schools across the country called Gokaden. Generally, only girls under the age of majority can become a shrine maiden.
What is a Noro?
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Crafted from a sacred, rare metal called tamahagane, Noro possesses special powers that only the swordmasters can harness, making it the only means of defeating wild spirits.
What is Noro?
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Impurities leak from the gem steel used to forge sacred swords. They contain hidden negative emotions, and when many gather together, they combine to become sentient wild spirits that cause disasters. Injecting Noro into the body temporarily grants great power and is used to prolong life when ill, but it places an immense strain on the body.
Possibilities for Aratama
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Dr. Friedman has also researched the interpretation that the Aratama were originally expelled from the gem steel due to the egoistic nature of humans crafting the sacred swords, and that they are raging out of resentment. Some of the Aratama, such as the Three Goddesses, can communicate with them, so some beings, such as Maikusa, believe that it is wrong to unilaterally label them as evil, and are exploring the possibility of coexistence with them.
Nene, the Bridge of Coexistence CV: Risae Matsuda
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
She is Kaoru Mashiko's guardian spirit beast and Aratama. At first, people like Jujo Himewa dislike her, as she intends to eliminate all Aratama, but gradually she is understood by those around her, and it becomes a source of hope that Aratama can coexist with humans. After seeing Nene's memories, Takirihime finds the answer to the question of why Aratama are living alongside humans.
Nene's Past
Source: Toji no Miko © Gokaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
Originally a gigantic, ferocious wild spirit, Nene ran wild on the Mashiko family's territory. She encountered Kaoru's ancestors, fought them, and, touched by their kindness, they began to survive together. She eventually evolved into the small, adorable figure she is today.
The Possibility of Coexistence with Aratama
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As mentioned above, while rare, there are cases like Nene's. While it's true that Toji members who previously subjugated even the smallest Aratama are increasingly choosing not to kill indiscriminately, thanks to Kaoru's persuasion, the number of people who do so has increased. However, to most people, Aratama are seen as the source of disaster, and are rarely acknowledged. Kaoru herself tends to overlook small, less dangerous Aratama, but when they grow large and become violent, she takes it upon herself to subjugate them, believing that it is her own fault for not being able to save them.
[Toji no Miko] Aratama Summary!
Source: Toji no Miko © Godaden Project / Toji no Miko Production Committee
So, while the Aratama are said to cause great disasters, the conclusion is puzzling, suggesting that humans may also be responsible. Ironically, though, the impurities that leak from the sacred substance of Jade Steel are actually impurities. Will coexistence between humans and Aratama be possible, as with Nene and Ichikishima-hime? We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for Toji no Miko.
