Archery has always stood out as one of his many talents, but is Makoto a kyudoka in Tsukimichi? The answer lies in the abilities he demonstrated in the final showdown against Sofia Bulga in the Prison of Swords.
Makoto exhibits exceptional archery skills in Tsukimichi. His abilities are not simply the product of innate talent but are solidly grounded in practice and discipline that seemingly align with a kyudoka's.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Tsukimichi season 2, so proceed with caution.
What Is a Kyudoka?
A kyudoka is a practitioner of kyudo, an ancient Japanese martial art of archery that originated during the samurai era and has grown over time to become a discipline of self-improvement and mindfulness.
Kyudo, also known as the "way of the bow" and "Standing Zen," goes beyond the mere act of shooting arrows due to its meditative and mindful nature.
It represents a person's profound spiritual, philosophical, and physical discipline to attain a state of truth, goodness, and beauty, also known as "shin-zen-bi."
So, Is Makoto a Kyudoka in Tsukimichi?
Yes, Makoto Misumi is a kyudoka, as revealed in the final episode of Tsukimichi season 2.
Kyudo differs from Western archery, which Makoto eventually used to adapt to Sofia Bulga's Japanese sword attacks.
In the final episode of season 2, Sofia Bulga leads Makoto into the Prison of Swords, where the latter shows that he is not built like a magician or a warrior.
Instead, Makoto reveals to Sofia that he is a kyudoka, and his weapon is known as Asuza.
He named his weapon after the ancient Azusa Yumi, a sacred bow used in certain Shinto rituals in Japan to purify spaces and exorcise evil spirits.
Makoto also used mildly dangerous whistling arrows to exorcise and destroy the swords inside the prison, resulting in Sofia Bulga’s desperate attempt to use Lancer’s secret weapon.
However, Makoto switches from kyudo to archery since the fight’s pacing has rapidly changed.
After all, kyudo is not designed for fast-paced conflicts, as Sofia might instantly hurt him with her Japanese sword before he can fire his arrow.
Later on, Makoto used Azusa Yumi again when he destroyed Fort Stella from a long distance. He expanded his kai to its maximum size and focused on determining the topography and situation to hit it with his arrow.
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