What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained
Credit: Kinema Citrus

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained
Credit: Kinema Citrus

The City of the Great Pit is a lovely place to live in Made in Abyss. However, behind its beauty, the city hides a strange disease that afflicts its residents. So, what exactly is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?

At first, it was only a myth, but soon after, the mysterious disease gradually caused deaths in the city.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions in the anime. With the release of Made in Abyss Season 2, we are hoping to find answers to the strange mysteries of the Abyss.

Nanachi, Reg, and Riko will be our only keys to unlocking the secrets lurking in the Abyss, from the curse of the abyss, the netherworld, and the origins of the pit.

Related: The Best Mystery Anime You Should Watch

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained Content
expand image
Credit: Kinema Citrus

In Made in Abyss, the Birthday Disease refers to a strange illness that strikes a person on their birthday. The cause is unknown, but the person experiences extreme fatigue, fever, and other infections such as coughs and colds.

Originally, the birthday disease was just a rumor that circulated in Orth. Nat even shared it with Reg and Riko to scare them away. No one expected it to be true because it was only taken as a joke.

Kiyui began to experience fatigue and weakness as his birthday approached. However, it was tolerable, leading those around him to believe that he was simply suffering from the common cold.

Unfortunately, when Kiyui's birthday arrives, things take an unexpected turn. He is not only unable to stand and speak, but he has also lost consciousness.

Kiyui's condition is unbearable for his small body, from a high-grade fever to vomiting, loss of appetite, and difficulty breathing.

Is There a Cure for the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained -Is There a Cure for the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?
expand image
Credit: Kinema Citrus

At the time of writing, the only known cure for the birthday disease in Made in Abyss is to get the disease-ridden person away from the abyss.

In the anime, Kiyui was given all of the medicine and drugs available in the city. Nonetheless, his body rejected all of them. His pain was not relieved by the medication at all.

The good news is that Kiyui was transferred to the Caravan Fleet, which is located outside of the Abyss.

Mio, a medical pharmacist working in the Caravan Fleet, cared for the critically ill Kiyui.

Fortunately, Kiyui's condition changed in an instant! He started to feel normal, with no signs of struggle or pain at all!

This incident led the viewers to think about the Birthday Disease. If anyone is afflicted with the disease, the only means of survival is to go out of the vicinity of the abyss and let the entire day pass.

What is the Cause of the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?

What is the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss Explained -What is the Cause of the Birthday Disease in Made in Abyss?
expand image
Credit: Kinema Citrus

As of this writing, there is little to no information available about the origins of the birthday disease in Made in Abyss.

So far, we know that it is lethal and that there is no cure. Aside from that, it functions as a curse that only affects residents of the City of the Great Pit.

The Birthday Disease, however, is said to be caused by all of the 2000-year-old praying skeletons discovered in the burial tower in the first layer of the abyss.

Unfortunately, the reason for the existence of these praying skeletons is also unknown at the moment.

Beyond this information, anyone would surmise that the City of the Great Pit is just like the abyss's zeroeth layer. Just like the other layers of the abyss, it comes with a curse after breaking through the abyss's force field. In this regard, the Birthday Disease is the curse of the abyss's zeroeth layer.

In any case, it's interesting to read some fan theories about the massive deaths caused by the Birthday Disease. If one of these theories is correct, the praying skeletons will play a much larger role in Made in Abyss' premise.

After all, everything the Abyss has to offer isn't just for show. They are there to surprise the audience and keep them glued to their seats.