It always sounds so pretentious to say that a work is only made more perfect by its imperfections. At best it seems like a meaningless sophomoric word game at worst it seems like youre trying to make whatever youre talking about immune from criticism. But I cant say why I love Kyousougiga so much without doing that so there you go. Ill at least be specific: when I say imperfections Im talking about the obscurity of how the story is laid out the slight visual inconsistency the final scenes of episode 4 for example are animated by a different person than episode 7s climax and Kotos design is quite noticeably different in each the first 5 episodes insularity and consequent lack of sense that the narrative is progressing and the way all the pertinent facts are finally revealed in one massive unwieldy monologue that suddenly telescopes the scale and is also almost too much to take in all at once. The reason I appreciate all these things so much is mainly because of the shows setting. The Mirror Capital is full of anachronisms and looks like its made of paper cutouts. We know from the outset that its a drawing come to life and it looks like it. This comes across as selfreflexive to an extent but really what I get out of it is just that the Mirror Capital was deliberately constructed by someone. Its a world made by parents for their children. Thats plainly obvious in episode 3 when Inari takes Kurama around the capital and tries to give him the means to pursue his interests. Its not an original or uncommon idea that parents will try to build a world for their children both to protect them and to foster their interests. Nor is it surprising that eventually children want to leave that world. It probably wouldnt surprise anyone to observe that Kyousougiga is about kids trying to escape a world constructed by their fathers egoism and fear. I happen to really dig that kind of thing. But Koto the little one really makes the difference for me. Her conception was itself an act of rebellion on Inaris part but she ends up being the one to resolve the consequences of his rebellion. She doesnt go totally over to the other side of course she doesnt submit to the Shrines high priest. Even though Inaris rebellious bent is behind the shows entire conflict its the reason why Koto Yakushimaru Kurama and Yase exist. And he does love them even if his love is imperfect. When they try to escape from the Mirror Capital theyre not rising to some kind of greater reality the Mirror Capital is as real as the other 12 spheres in the end. Theyre reacting to Inaris imperfections and theyll bring that with them wherever they go. Even if kids leave their parents world their perspectives can still be influenced by the contrast between their parents world and the countless other worlds out there. Inari gave all his kids specific purposes and they dont betray those purposes. But they do own them and direct them all toward their own ends. Its what lets Kurama be a great governor and inventor what lets Yase provide a home for all the bizarre monsters that live in the Mirror Capital and what lets Koto fight back against the Shrine. Its also something Yakushimaru struggles to do but he gets help from his siblings and NOT from Inari. The constant interplay of imperfections lets everyone in Kyousougiga constantly develop and embrace their lives. Even if Kotos design is more angular and exaggerated in episode 4 than episode 7 it serves the scene well even though the first episodes are insular and without momentum the way they contrast with the latter episodes speaks to how the characters lives change after the Mirror Capital is opened and even if Inaris big reveal at the end is awkward and mindboggling its easy to see it for what it is: a dropping of the scales when kids first have to really see their parents as fallible. Thats why one of my favorite scenes in the show is when a young Koto crying in the middle of the night finds out her dad can also cry. Her strength and the way her strength ultimately comes to be what Inari really needs comes not just from how he nurtured and taught her it comes from how they were able to share something in their imperfections.