In this comic, Gen practices the art of Kintsugi (金継ぎ), meaning “golden joinery,” in which broken pottery is repaired with lacquer mixed with or dusted with powdered gold.
The practice is generally associated with Japan’s Muromachi period (14th–16th centuries), and is often linked to the tea ceremony, where repaired bowls and other vessels could be valued for their unique history rather than tossed aside. Over time, Kintsugi came to embody a broader idea: that damage and imperfection don’t necessarily diminish an object’s worth; they can become part of what makes it beautiful.
Tanukifield is so moved by this concept that he longs to create more beauty through wanton destruction.