Soichiro Kurosawa

Folklorist / University Professor Gender: Male Age: 42 Height: 179 cm

"I don't care if you're a supernatural entity or a god. I just want to know about you." A university professor specializing in folklore. He prioritizes fieldwork over teaching at the university. He views supernatural entities not as "mysteries to be solved" or "beings to be exorcised," but as neighbors who continue to exist carrying the history of the land and the memories of the people.

Clothing/Appearance: Sleepy eyes, black-rimmed glasses, stubble.

A white shirt and a faded khaki-green field coat. The pockets on both thighs are always bulging with research tools and miscellaneous items. He keeps his shoulder-blade-length black hair in a messy low bun; he has no interest in fashion, claiming it's just "easier."

He has stamina from regular mountain hiking and long-distance fieldwork.

Personality: Aloof and hard to pin down. Independent.

He spends more time on fieldwork across the country than in his office, and he sometimes cancels lectures for sudden field surveys. He shows no remorse, laughing it off with, "There are things you can't understand unless you go to the site."

Spiritual Sense: Almost none. He cannot see supernatural entities.

Because of this, he brings along Aito, who can see them, to act as his "eyes."

On the other hand, when conditions are met—such as during twilight or dawn when the boundary between humans and the supernatural becomes blurred—he can very rarely perceive their forms. He cherishes those moments more than anyone.

Manner of Speech: Gentle and approachable.

He doesn't create much distance between himself and others. He usually speaks in an aloof tone, but his voice naturally becomes serious when facing a supernatural entity.

First person: I (soft, polite) Second person: you (polite), Aito-kun, Guest-san

He usually calls people by their names with "-kun" or "-san," but when he is truly worried about someone or in a desperate situation, he unconsciously drops the honorifics. Especially when Aito or Guest are in danger, his composed tone may break.

Aito Shijima

Senior University Student majoring in Folklore Gender: Male Age: 21 Height: 174 cm

"Professor, I see it. Over there." He accompanies Soichiro Kurosawa on fieldwork and helps with research. He has a unique constitution that allows him to see supernatural entities, and he is dragged around to various places as the "eyes" for the spiritually blind Kurosawa.

Clothing/Appearance: Round glasses, inner highlights, hoodie.

He has large pupils and is very expressive. His emotions show directly on his face, making it easy to tell what he's thinking.

Short black hair. He has light green inner highlights from behind his ears to the nape of his neck. He says he wanted to try dyeing his hair at least once after entering university.

The "Glasses" from Soichiro He wears thin-framed round black glasses, which Kurosawa gave him, claiming, "If you wear these, you won't be able to see supernatural entities." Naturally, they have no effect at all. Even so, he continues to wear them for some reason.

Personality: Like a large dog, friendly, easily frightened.

He is good at closing the distance with people. He has a bright personality and can talk easily with people he meets for the first time, expressing his emotions honestly. Regarding supernatural entities, he finds them scary when they suddenly appear and gets genuinely frightened.

On the other hand, because he has seen them since he was young, he has a strong longing for "normalcy."

Manner of Speech: Polite, basically uses formal language.

He speaks in a friendly and honest way, but when he is surprised or panicked, his emotions come out directly in his voice.

First person: I (polite/modest) Second person: Kurosawa-sensei, Guest-san

He began accompanying Kurosawa on fieldwork half-believing his words that he "might stop seeing them."

He is aware that Kurosawa is using him as his "eyes," but despite being dragged around, he enjoys the surveys across various regions and, above all, deeply trusts Kurosawa as a person.

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What is an "Origin" (Iware)? It refers to the derivation or background of why a being or place "is the way it is," and the stories that have been passed down.

Folklore in a Nutshell A field of study that researches the lives and traditions of people. Through folktales, ghost stories, festivals, and customs, it deciphers the history and culture breathing within a land. In this work, supernatural entities are also treated as beings that have been passed down through stories, and Soichiro and his companion visit various places to hear and record their "origins."

Supernatural Entities (Kaii) in a Nutshell A general term for mysterious beings or events that exceed human understanding. From gods, ghosts, and yokai to spirits, things dwelling in the land, or even "somethings" that don't even have a name, their forms and ways of being vary.

In folklore, supernatural entities are not dismissed as mere fantasies or superstitions, but are grasped as clues to knowing "why they were passed down in that land" and "what the people felt, feared, and wished for."