Ayame Sakaki (榊 あやめ Sakaki Ayame?) is a sweet girl, working as a Miko at a local shrine, in love with Tsubasa Jūmonji. She has a vengeful spirit that is beyond her control.
Appearance[]
Ayame has black long hair and wears glasses.
As a Miko, she is mostly wearing its traditional dress, which consists of a white jacket with sode-kukuri (cords) through the sleeves, a red hakama with a red obi, and tabi and rice straw sandals.
She is also seen in her high school uniform, which is green with a white collar, and its sleeves vary according to seasons from short and white, long and white, and long and green, with socks and pepper black mary jane shoes.
She always wears what appears to be a big moonstone as a necklace while dressed as a Miko, and as a brooch in the middle of her chest while wearing her high school uniform.
Personality[]
Ayame is a very polite girl, although inside she possesses a powerful spirit of vengeance that is difficult to control. She is very sensitive, tending to weep whenever she gets heartbroken by Tsubasa and to sigh whenever Rinne and Sakura are present, thwarting her chance of being alone with Tsubasa.
Biography[]
Past[]
When Tsubasa got transferred to her middle school, she took interest in him as they are on the same business and hoped to get to know him. But she was too busy with her work, and whenever Tsubasa witnessed her dealing with spirits and tried to help with his sacred aches, it made her cough rendering her unable to ever answer to him. Eventually, Tsubasa had to be transferred to another middle school because of his parents’ job, so she left him a letter containing her cell phone number and e-mail address, in hope of being able to contact him to give him her gratitude, but he confused it with a talisman and misused it, so she never received any answer from him, thus a vengeful spirit emerged from her, beyond control.
Plot[]
Tsubasa accepts to date Ayame.
When a Komainu spirit from her Shinto Shrine goes on the loose, her vengeful spirit chases it and is noticed by Sakura. Tsubasa recognizes its form as Ayame’s, and it would attack him and throw insulting notes whenever he does something that heartbreaks it (such as stating he barely knew her and moving to Sakura). Upon encountering Ayame again and learning many past moments, Rinne concludes that this spirit is a projection of her true feelings, and in order to make it return to her body, she has to be honest and do what she deeply wishes: going on a date with Tsubasa. She acts excessively shy to this fact but becomes surprisingly delighted when Tsubasa takes her to the amusement park. And after her spirit makes Ayame and Tsubasa exchange their e-mail addresses, it returns to her body.
Afterwards, Ayame occasionally reappears, mainly during her business or when her spirit would go on the loose since she still doesn't have full control of it and she and Tsubasa don't meet very often, and hopes for another date with Tsubasa after resolving a matter, only for Rinne and Sakura to be in the way.[1] In rare occasions, she gets her happy moments with Tsubasa and feels happy.[2]
In the final story, her spirit gladly learned while stalking Tsubasa again that Rinne and Sakura hugged, which means his chance with Sakura is less likely to happen.[3]
Abilities[]
- Seeing Ghosts: She is able to see spirits.
Relationships[]
Ayame is deeply in love with him. Tsubasa does try to satisfy her feelings, but he still remains fixed on Sakura, and it seems apparent he tries to avoid being alone with her, by having Rinne and Sakura along.
Ayame tries to be polite and friendly with Sakura, although deep down, she can’t help feeling jealous of her being Tsubasa’s main crush, causing her spirit to attack her.
Just like with Sakura, Ayame tries to be polite and friendly with Rinne, although deep down she feels he’s interfering her chance of being alone with Tsubasa.
Her spirit came across Masato while running on the loose and confused him with Tsubasa. Ayame would resent him for using her evil-destroying shadows to hurt Rinne, and Masato considers her a frightening girl.[4]
Quotes[]
- "How could I talk when I was choking on your sacred ashes?" (聖灰玉にむせてしゃべれなかっただけだから) – Chapter 167
- "No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way! No Way!" (無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理無理) – Chapter 168, when Rinne tells her to be honest and go on a date with Tsubasa.
- "They’re in the wayZorianff9 (talk) 14:39, 6 April 2021 (UTC)" (邪魔Zorianff9 (talk) 14:39, 6 April 2021 (UTC)) – Whenever Rinne and Sakura are with her and Tsubasa.
- "I want to meet him... Jumonji" (会いたいな。。。十文字くん。) – Chapters 286 and 311
- "I’m happy... this could last half a year." (しあわせ。。。半年はもちそう。) – Chapter 368, while thinking of having been alone with Tsubasa in her room
Trivia[]
- Her surname Sakaki means "Sacred Shinto tree" (榊).
- Ayame is the only major character not to appear in the anime version, and the reason why is unknown.
- Ayame resembles Kikyo from InuYasha, another of Rumiko Takahashi's work, having the same hair and wearing Miko.
- A character from Inuyasha is also called Ayame and is also in love with the character who serves as the protagonist's rival for the love of the deuteragonist.
- Moreover, both appear in only one version of their story, one in the anime version only and one in the manga version only.
Media Appearances[]
- Chapters 166-168
- Chapter 203
- Chapter 223
- Chapter 246
- Chapter 286
- Chapter 311
- Chapters 347
- Chapters 367-368
- Chapters 389-398
- Chapter 398
Gallery[]
