hen reading about Naoto for the first time in the manga, one gets the impression that she is trying to avenge her parents from ???. However, I’m getting the feeling that this is not the case.
Naoto, as one knows, is a highly complicated person. Her emotions don’t show as often as others. And this is one of the few reasons why I don’t think that her motivation is avenging her parents’ death. Not only did the murderer take away her family, (s)he also took away her memory.
Putting these two cases side by side, I have to say that Naoto’s memory is the real key thing to her motivation. It’s the deep instinct inside of her that wants to know who she is. Knowing that this has a near zero possible chance of happening puts her into a state of revenge and angst as we see her now.
I’m not saying that she hates or doesn’t care about her parents. However, I don’t think that her affection is totally at the highest point for them. She can’t remember them – how they acted, or what they even looked like. The only thing she remembers is the incident and what happened that day. Her affection for them has cut down immensely, due to the fact that she can even admit to herself that she cannot remember who they are.
Diving a bit further, one can also say that her motivation likes solely with Fuyumine. This itself is not a surprise as well, as Fuyumine and her share a relationship that she might’ve had if her parents had not been killed. This theory to her motivation is plausible, especially after witnessing few key moments in the story.
Naoto cries at Fuyumine’s demise.
As some people might assume, this is not OC (out of character). By the end of a chapter, one most likely will not understand a specific character well. Taking in the complications of Naoto’s personality, this has increased at least two fold. Anyone who is worth crying for is worth fighting for, no?
Naoto calls out to Fuyumine, shortly after the fight with Noki and Luki.
The term “father,” is used, but it is pretty obvious that she’s calling out to her mentor, yes? Furthermore, she questions him (although he is not physically present) about who she is supposed to kill.
But, one must consider how Fuyumine knew who the murderer was beforehand and, based on his swordsmanship, could easily whip him (her) into apple pie. However, Fuyumine is a man who takes respect into his ideals. Perhaps he respected Naoto’s fight, and perhaps that is one reason why he helped her develop her sword skills.
Conclusion: Naoto's motivation is not her deceased parents, as she cannot remember them and, therefore, most likely will not mourn them as she does not know them well as she could have. Naoto’s memory is a plausible motivator, as something such as that is most likely much more valuable than the latter. The death of Fuyumine is also another considerable matter, as she most likely knows him better than she could ever know her parents who, as stated beforehand, are “forgotten” in her mind.
Motivation