Tsukasa
ツカサ | |
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Tsukasa with her owner Shu | |
Vital statistics | |
Title | Tsukasa |
Gender | Female |
Nationality | Japan |
Age | 1 |
Abilities | Seeing-eye Dog |
Weapon | None |
Allies | Shu Mikami |
Voiced by | N/A |
Tsukasa of Jilldoll (ツカサ・オブ・ジルドール Tsukasa obu Jirudōru?) is the guide dog of Shu Mikami.
Due to Shu's blindness from a trauma he suffered at just four years old, at some point he obtained Tsukasa as a means of safely getting around.
Story[]
Before arriving to Yamijima[]
When Shu was a child and discovered his father Ryuhei Mikami lying dead in the living room of his house, he looked up and saw a dog standing in the doorway with a man before running off. Being only four years old, he did not know that he had just spotted his future self with Tsukasa.
When Shu grew up, he decided to return to Yamijima island to recover his lost childhood memories and brought Tsukasa along with him as his seeing-eye dog. She is the only one aboard the boat to become aware of a massive, black object zooming past the ship in the dark before disappearing. The waves become turbulent, the water turns red, and a tsunami impacts the ship.
Arrival at Yamijima[]
Washed ashore, Tsukasa finds Shu unconscious and dutifully waits with him, nuzzling his still form to get him to move and whining in concern. She accompanies him inside his childhood home (which seemingly hasn't changed) where he witnesses his younger self next to his father's body, realizing that it was his current self that he saw before. When Tsuneo Ohta walks up behind them, she growls at him defensively and then barks at the possessed corpse of Ryuhei before it runs off to chase the fleeing local.
Discovering the ability to sightjack, Shu becomes able to move around using Tsukasa's eyes, allowing him to navigate and avoid the wandering shibito. Finding a rickety shack, she helps him dig up one of his old drawings. Just then, the structure threatens to collapse and, acting instinctually, the dog throws herself at Shu and pushes him out of the way, becoming trapped and seemingly killed by the debris. Before Shu can try to help her, a shibito lured by the noise arrives and forces him to run blindly into the woods, where he falls down an embankment.
When asked later by Soji Abe where Tsukasa had gone, Shu laments that she has "become a memory" and how no one seems to stay by his side for long. Her collar can later be found and added to the archive.
However, while in and around the gold mine, Soji comes across Shu's spirit who leads him to a dog whistle. Blowing it, the dog appears alive and well. She leads him out of the mine where she gives him his lost lighter. Once Mother is defeated and all the survivors were put back into the real world, Tsukasa is among them. Finding Soji on the beach, she comes to sit next to and comfort him as they watch the sunrise, their nightmare finally over.
Trivia[]
Characteristics[]
A trained guide dog, Tsukasa is loyal to her owner and knows how to avoid hazards that pose a threat to Shu. She is quite protective, standing her ground against supernatural enemies and even willing to give her own life for his.
When Shu learns how to sightjack Tsukasa, he becomes able to easily navigate and is the only person who can move while sightjacking, although he requires the dog's help to do so safely. This compensates for his inability to fight enemies.
Typical of a dog, she has keen senses and is more aware of the supernatural forces around her than humans.
Trivia[]
- Tsukasa is a unisex Japanese name, in the masculine sense (司) means ruler and can also be read as Mamoru[1], but in the feminine sense means "early". As a simple noun it can mean "Official" or "Manager" (官, 司, 長, 首, 宰); Tsukasa (in the Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa) refers to a person (usually a woman) whose duty it is to officiate at religions ceremonies. Maybe an allusion to Hisako Yao, since the story happens in a remote island.[2]
- Her breed is indeterminate but is most likely a German Shepherd judging by appearance, color, and size