About

Haunted by the consequences of a poor choice in his youth, Kota tries to make the best of every day in light of his meager upbringing. Once a boy brimming with confidence, he has since withdrawn into the role of a silent observer, occasionally finding himself privy to the thoughts and desires of others through seeing their reflections. He considers his special sight more of a curse than a blessing however, and it's not uncommon for him to distance himself from family and close friends in order to preserve his opinion of them.

Kota can be very temperamental, cracking jokes one moment and clawing at someone's throat the next. Others might pin his turbulent emotions on typical teenage hormones, but this is probably exacerbated by his own slew of insecurities. Despite his negative opinion of himself, there are several things he does take pride in: his athletics, his ability to thrive in the wild, and his artistic eye. No task seems too daunting to Kota--his constant need to prove himself to others fuels an intense drive to persevere, and even when the going gets tough, Kota gets going with a smile and a laugh.

Story

Kota Marume was born and raised in a rural farmhouse passed down through his family for eight generations. Living out in the Japanese countryside taught him from an early age to rely on being resourceful and adapting to a life on less. Be it tending to the outdoor garden, preparing meals, sweeping up ash on the floor, or helping his parents with the family business, there is always a chore to be done at the Marume's. The massive furnace in the center of their living room is a testament to how their glassblowing business is at the core of their livelihoods, though it is also a constant reminder of their low-income predicament and is even loathed in the hot, muggy summers since they do not have air conditioning.

But, living out in the boonies isn't always a drag. In some twisted way, Kota enjoys being at the mercy of Mother Nature and considers himself a fine survivalist, capable of hunting meat and fishing on his own, identifying plants and animals, and recognizing signs in nature most would overlook. In fact, one of his favorite getaway spots is a secret clearing hidden deep in the bamboo forest near his house that he dubbed simply "The Place": a large pond fed by beautiful crystal clear streams where exotic fish hide from the world. However, he didn't manage to find this paradise without first going through some rough times.

As he grew older, the responsibilities bestowed upon he and his older sister multiplied, especially with the birth of his youngest sister. His marks in school plummeted and he fought with his family members on a daily basis, culminating in an argument so explosive that he decided to run away from home. The first time, he was found by his eldest sister in "The Place", but facing emotional instability at age 13, he ran away a second time and dared himself even further, toward the big city of Kumamoto in the west.

Despite his experience in the wild, he was unprepared for the harsh winter months ahead and nearly froze to death hiking in the woods. Luckily, he was discovered by two senior members of a criminal gang of researchers headquartered within Mt. Aso's summit, who took him into their care and inducted him as a member. Here he managed to harbor a sense of belonging and became close with many of his fellow delinquents, and it would be the strength of these bonds that would lead to the accident that changed his life a year later.

During a particularly nasty rainy season, floods swept into the valley, making the gang's operations dangerous. The most capable teammates were called upon to ensure the safety of the organization and inspect the integrity of the entrances to their base, including Kota's rescuers. Once he discovered that things looked bleak, he snuck past his friends and escaped out of the secret passageways winding down the side of the volcano. The torrential downpour had slickened the rocky outcroppings considerably, and with Kota in a hurry, he lost his footing, barrelling hundreds of feet down the cliffside. Were it not for his friends who discovered his mangled, unconscious body at the foot of the volcano and called for help, he would have never survived. He reunited with his family in the hospital, where he stayed for several weeks during a long and grueling recovery that claimed his spleen and half his ribcage. Doctors told him he was in for a difficult road ahead--not only would he be much more susceptible to illness, but he would have to have his steel false ribs replaced every few years as he grew. Though there was one major complication nobody but Kota would ever be able to know and understand.

His first glimpse of his body post-surgery shocked and disgusted him. Ugly, gruesome scars zigzagged down the left side of his chest where a surgeon's blade had kissed his skin. Intense feelings of self-loathing and despair fed the demon his older sister had called upon to save him, initiating the pact that would forever intertwine their lives. And there, staring back at him in the hospital room mirror stood a hideous shadow, pouring blood from a gaping chest wound. From then on, whenever Kota's eyes crossed a reflective surface, they began to see how others perceived themselves in their reflections. Should they be content with who they are, perhaps this manifests into bright, captivating spirits bursting with vibrant color. However, should they struggle with their self-image, strained relationships, or outside forces beyond their control, he can see horrible phantoms of their pain and suffering. Such a curse has led to Kota actively avoiding mirrors, especially to escape having to see his own self-consciousness about his appearance and his inadequacies reflected back at him. He hides his chest whenever possible to conceal his scars, going as far as to wear large t-shirts in the bathtub or at public pools and being uncooperative around doctors during his frequent visits. The aftermath of the fall has also instilled in him a debilitating fear of heights and he gets anxious just being around tall skyscrapers or amusement parks.

Now 17 years old, Kota appears to be doing well despite his discontent with himself. While his grades aren't stellar and he misses a lot of school due to being sick, his intense desire to prove himself fuels his drive for competition and he remains active playing on his high school baseball and swimming teams. He holds a part-time job as a lifeguard at a hot-springs-turned-corporate-waterpark where he met his coworker and current girlfriend, sexy foreigner Sally Jones. At first glance, it's difficult to tell why Sally, a hot commodity in the high school dating world, chose someone as average-looking and awkward as Kota Marume. Though, Kota's longtime friends have begun to understand that she has taken advantage of his low self-esteem and desperation in order to milk him for every penny to his name, be it through daytime shopping excursions or steamy nights in sleazy love hotel rooms. Yet, much to their chagrin, Kota remains head over heels in love with her and cites her as one of the only lights of hope in his life.

What he doesn't know is that he's attracted the attention of a photographer and her unusual camera…

Relationships

Desiree Dubois [ best friend ] Ms. Desiree (“Dez”) Dubois, the French contortionist and one of the ringleaders of Cirque du Corbeau. They met while in a gang together as kids and while she thought of him as a pest at first, Desiree grew to appreciate him after having seen his soft side. One reason Kota survived his fall was because she donated blood to him. While she is often very busy due to the nature of her job, she always tries to find the time to catch up with her ami.

Lucy L'Estrange [ best friend ] Desiree’s lover and connoisseur of all things spooky and supernatural. Kota met her while she was in the same gang. Though she sometimes thinks of him as a pest and often caves in to his outlandish requests, she feels some sort of obligation to act as an older sister figure and ensure that he's protected.

Kasumi Watanabe [ best friend ] A rising popstar who also defected from the childhood gang. As they got older, the two of them gravitated toward each other because they felt lonely and wanted to hang out with a familiar face, and in turn, Kasumi would frequent his house to visit him and get away from the idol life in the city. His parents adore her and admire her tenacity and how she manages to get their son out and about, his sisters think of her like another sister to swap fashion advice and gossip. As for Kota? He comes to see her as an ever-present source of support to get him through the rocky road that is high school and, years down the road, they both realize that their soulmate has been there all along.

Sally Jones [ girlfriend ] A frisky girl from America who won over Kota's heart with her intense personality and attractive looks. In reality, she is manipulative and takes advantage of her "boyfriend" any chance she gets, squeezing him for free money, meals, clothes, and sex. Yet, since she is his first love, hopeless Kota knows no different and turns a blind eye to the impending signs of dysfunction in their relationship.

Sousuke Watanabe [ ex-roommate ] Kota's roommate during his time in the gang. He used to see him with contempt and seized any opportunity to assert his dominance over this quiet boy, even though Sousuke looked up to him. In fact, Kota was the reason that Sousuke lost his arm while looking for him when he ran away during the storm. After parting ways, they kept in contact and grew to be friends, but only after a few years of tension.

Tanaka Watanabe [ ex-caretaker ] Rescued him and became one of his guardians in the gang. Kota once saw him as a shoulder to cry on and while he often took advantage of him and could be downright mean, he placed the utmost trust in Tanaka and will still fiercely defend him with his life. Often, he consults him for advice, especially when it comes to growing up. Tanaka now owns a successful animal daycare center on the outskirts of the city.

Yui Yamaguchi [ senpai ] Rescued him and became one of his guardians in the gang. Kota sees her as a "big sister" figure and while in the beginning his defiant personality clashed with hers, she has managed to break him through merciless discipline. He admires her strength and impending presence and aspires to be like her one day, so he works hard to make sure he does not disappoint her. These days, she lives with her husband Min Lau, dedicating herself to the quiet life of a shrine maiden.

Min Lau [ sensei ] Kota used to find much entertainment in pissing off this prissy snob, and though he would never admit it, he is greatly intimidated by him (though he would never admit it). As difficult as Kota was, Min still views him as one of his 'children' and harbors no ill will against him. With Yui by his side, it is through their demanding training that Kota is able to change his image and sets him on the rightful path to the Coast Guard Academy.

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