Ko and Kyoko

Though they didn’t name her, one reviewer of volume 1 questioned Kyoko Ikumi’s place in the overall plot: “There is also a character whose importance to the story fluctuates in such a way that it’s unclear whether they are a side character or if they are a fourth, but underdeveloped, lead.”¹

My take is that Kyoko is indeed intended as a lead character and arguably is more important to the overall story and its themes than Yasuko Sugimoto. First, it’s clear that Kyoko is Akira’s closest friend other than Fumi, and given her status as Akira’s same-year classmate at Fujigaya, that’s likely to remain the case. Kyoko has also grown closer to Fumi after volume 1 ended with them dissolving into tears together over their respective infatuations with Yasuko (SBF, 1:374–76).

Thematically Kyoko and Ko’s relationship somewhat mirrors that of Akira and Fumi, beginning in childhood and marked by one depending on the other. However, the situations are subtly different, in a way that echoes traditional gender roles: Fumi’s love for Akira was first sparked by Akira’s helping her, but Ko’s love seems to date to his helping Kyoko.

But there are more differences beyond that. The age difference between Ko and Kyoko introduces a note of inequality into their relationship, unlike the inherent equality between Akira and Fumi. (Kyoko is nominally the person who has the power to say yes or no to the relationship, with Ko wanting it more than she does. However, this is just an example of the traditional “man the seeker, woman the sought” dynamic, and it remains unclear exactly how much freedom of action Kyoko has.)

Even more significant is that Ko and Kyoko’s relationship is ultimately rooted in familial and societal expectations: that they will be married and that their marriage will cement an alliance between families. Ko’s mother’s concerns about his relationship with Kyoko emphasize this: “It looks bad for someone like that to join the family.” She may feel sorry for Kyoko herself, but from her point of view, Kyoko’s mother’s (ambiguously described) condition and its possible reoccurrence in Kyoko and her children threaten the future of the Sawanoi family (SBF, 2:49–51).

In contrast, if Akira and Fumi eventually enter into a relationship, they will be doing so as equal individuals, acting on their own in defiance of social norms and the possible disapproval of their families or even their friends.

It’s clear where Takako Shimura’s sympathies lie: Despite the increased focus on Kyoko, Akira and Fumi are the “stars” of Sweet Blue Flowers, and everything we’ve seen to date, including Fumi’s rejection of Yasuko, indicates that the manga valorizes equality and individuality in relationships. From this point of view, Kyoko and Ko, like Fujigaya, represent the past, with Fumi and Akira representing, if not the future, at least the promise of it.