Kimi no Kakera
Encyclopedia
is a manga
by Shin Takahashi
that is focused on a thirteen-year-old girl by the name of Icoro. She is the princess
of the "Upper World", a world where snow
is always falling and even princesses like her are forced to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at midnight, learning and working the rest of the day. The Upper World is a "country of night", surrounded on four sides by towering walls and with perpetual below-freezing temperatures.
of a "sun
", a mystical bright heat source that can keep the Upper World from being buried beneath the ever-falling snow. Icoro also has another servant: Kuro, a monkey-like little chibi. Icoro's status, aside from Kuro and Shah, has not been recognized. This is because of Icoro's mystical illness: Hitogata; "...a word that has been used in this world for years and years, the origins long lost in the mists of time."
Hitogata can mean several things. For instance, it can simply be a doll
in the form of a human, or an ornament or decoration that is missing a piece of itself. However, it is especially used in secret to disdain a child that is missing one of the core human emotions: joy
, anger
, pathos
and humor." Since birth, Icoro has never once smile
d.
Then one day, Icoro's dinner with her brother is interrupted by a strange boy crashing through the ceiling
. On further inspection, Icoro finds that the boy is wearing manacles and has white hair, but before she can fully realize what is going on, she hears a scream and rushes upstairs to find the "Warmonger Tribe" demanding the Hitogata.
The story continues, following the boy who has lost his memory
, who is dubbed "Shiro." He and Icoro rush towards the "Lower World", deciding that the two will find a sun. They are Hitogatas. Icoro, who can never feel joy, and Shiro, who can never feel pain
. This is an example of the duality theme presented in the series.
: The amnesiac boy who cannot feel pain. Icoro names him "Shiro" based on his white hair, but it also means "missing piece" in the language of her country. His constant question "Are you foe or friend?" is supposedly a teaching from his grandfather, the man who brought him up.
: Icoro's blind younger brother.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Shin Takahashi
Shin Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist best known for writing Saikano and Iihito. He was born in Shibetsu, Hokkaidō on September 8, 1967....
that is focused on a thirteen-year-old girl by the name of Icoro. She is the princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
of the "Upper World", a world where snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
is always falling and even princesses like her are forced to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at midnight, learning and working the rest of the day. The Upper World is a "country of night", surrounded on four sides by towering walls and with perpetual below-freezing temperatures.
Story
Icoro lives with her "Gramma", or Shah, her servant and her blind young brother Mataku. Her parents have left them for an unknown fate. Apparently, her parents are seeking out the legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
of a "sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
", a mystical bright heat source that can keep the Upper World from being buried beneath the ever-falling snow. Icoro also has another servant: Kuro, a monkey-like little chibi. Icoro's status, aside from Kuro and Shah, has not been recognized. This is because of Icoro's mystical illness: Hitogata; "...a word that has been used in this world for years and years, the origins long lost in the mists of time."
Hitogata can mean several things. For instance, it can simply be a doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
in the form of a human, or an ornament or decoration that is missing a piece of itself. However, it is especially used in secret to disdain a child that is missing one of the core human emotions: joy
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
, anger
Anger
Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response....
, pathos
Pathos
Pathos represents an appeal to the audience's emotions. Pathos is a communication technique used most often in rhetoric , and in literature, film and other narrative art....
and humor." Since birth, Icoro has never once smile
Smile
A smile is a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth. The smile can also be found around the eyes . Among humans, it is an expression denoting pleasure, joy, happiness, or amusement, but can also be an involuntary expression of anxiety, in which case it is known...
d.
Then one day, Icoro's dinner with her brother is interrupted by a strange boy crashing through the ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
. On further inspection, Icoro finds that the boy is wearing manacles and has white hair, but before she can fully realize what is going on, she hears a scream and rushes upstairs to find the "Warmonger Tribe" demanding the Hitogata.
The story continues, following the boy who has lost his memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
, who is dubbed "Shiro." He and Icoro rush towards the "Lower World", deciding that the two will find a sun. They are Hitogatas. Icoro, who can never feel joy, and Shiro, who can never feel pain
Congenital insensitivity to pain
Congenital insensitivity to pain , also known as congenital analgesia, is one or more rare conditions where a person cannot feel physical pain...
. This is an example of the duality theme presented in the series.
Characters
: Princess of the snow country, a 13 year old prodigy who has skipped 6 grades and has only books as her constant companionship. She is constantly ostracized as a result of her inability to smile and the declining position of the royal house. "Icoro" means "treasure" in the language of her country.: The amnesiac boy who cannot feel pain. Icoro names him "Shiro" based on his white hair, but it also means "missing piece" in the language of her country. His constant question "Are you foe or friend?" is supposedly a teaching from his grandfather, the man who brought him up.
: Icoro's blind younger brother.