Dark Gathering may not exactly be a romance anime, but it delves into the relationships of the characters. One of which is the bond between Keitaro and Eiko. They are childhood friends, but do Keitaro and Eiko end up together in Dark Gathering?
OLM’s Dark Gathering revolves around Keitaro Gentoga, a young man who has a predisposition to the supernatural.
Along with his childhood friend, Eiko, and her cousin, Yayoi, Keitaro embarks on horrifying situations in the hopes of lifting his curse and finding the spirit of Yayoi’s dead mother.
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Does Keitaro Like Eiko?
Yes, Keitaro has had feelings for Eiko since they were children. Keitaro has a supernatural affinity, which means he can sense ghosts but cannot see or exorcise them.
His soul, as well as Eiko's, was damaged during middle school, causing him to live in seclusion for the past two years.
It left a life-long curse on both of their hands, which is why Keitaro avoids anything related to the occult. He also blames himself for dragging a dear childhood friend into his turmoil.
But, because Eiko has always been there to support him, he chooses to change his solitary lifestyle. Eiko's concern for him was the only reason he had the strength to step outside and confront his rehabilitation.
Keitaro feels that with Eiko's help, he can return to his former life and face reality. Eiko also suggested he get a tutoring job to help him reintegrate into society.
It's not your typical tutoring job when Keitaro becomes connected with Eiko's brilliant but occult-obsessed nine-year-old cousin, Yayoi. The more he tries to avoid Yayoi, the more concerned he becomes about Eiko.
He is most concerned with protecting Eiko, and he would go to any length to assure her safety, even if it meant confronting the same spirits that have wounded them in the past.
Does Eiko Like Keitaro?
Yes, Eiko is into Keitaro as well. Although they were childhood friends, Eiko has always regarded Keitaro as if he were her boyfriend.
They are always together, and not even a life-long curse can keep her affection for Keitaro from overflowing.
Eiko is Keitaro's support system. She is the only woman on the planet who wishes to rehabilitate Keitaro and reintegrate him into society by recommending him for a tutoring position.
She is pleased with Keitaro's minor development and looks forward to their time together as university students.
Eiko, unlike Keitaro, does not have spirit affinity, yet she always supports her childhood friend, as well as her cousin, Yayoi.
She is always available to drive them to haunted locations, and she is not hesitant to put her own life in jeopardy just to help them out.
So, Do Keitaro and Eiko End Up Together?
Keitaro and Eiko are dating in Dark Gathering as of writing. They finally progressed from being childhood friends to a girlfriend-and-boyfriend relationship.
It's not surprising that their friendship has grown so much, given that they've always been together, not only in class but also at haunted sites where Yayoi reaps spirits.
However, their relationship is in peril because Eiko has yandere tendencies. Her concern for Keitaro is on another level, to the point where she appears to be obsessed with him.
For example, Eiko once handed Keitaro spectacles with a built-in spy camera. She even has a GPS tracker on Keitaro that shows his location!
In the manga, Eiko’s behavior is often suspicious, as she believes that Keitaro is enamored with dread.
For Eiko, her boyfriend’s actions, rather than his words, speak volumes about what his true feelings are.
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