Do you think Isshin/Souichirou ever told Ryuuko when her actual birthday was (or if her supposed birth date was real)? I figure he'd change it to prevent any paper trail that would link her to being a Kiryuuin, birth certificates would have been destroyed in the fire, and there's no proof Aikuro or Tsumugu would know where he stored documents like that if he did. I actually don't think he even celebrated Ryuuko's birthday, if her greatest desire showed her celebrating it (albeit with Ragyou).
âŚthis ask is breaking my heart right nowâŚ
But as for the question: I donât think Isshin/Soichiro would change Ryukoâs birthday, though he had to have fabricated a birth certificate. It seems doubtful Ryuko even had a real birth certificate in the first place when she wasnât even named, and judging by her âdeathâ scene, it doesnât look like she gets a death certificate, either.
So, the birth date could certainly be changed to be extra safeâand Isshin/Soichiro is definitely the kind of person to go overboard in that department (breaking your back and completely altering your face for a disguise?)âbut in a lot of ways, a fake birthday is probably even more unnecessary than an elaborate, fake disguise. Itâs doubtful Ragyo would even remember when Ryuko was born, and Ryukoâs entire existence before being Ryuko is probably not documented anywhere, thereby eliminating any paper trail.
But personally? The thought of Isshin/Soichiro robbing Ryuko of her birthday feels⌠really cruel. He lied about so much, and the thought of lying about even thatâŚ
I mean, heck, Mother Gothel in Tangled even told Rapunzel her real birthdayâwhich actually was super troublesome for her evil, selfish goals!
And if you consider character designer/animator Sushioâs drawing of Isshin and Ryuko celebrating Christmas together as more canon than âjust for funâ animator art, Iâd like to imagine that Isshin would celebrate Ryukoâs birthday, too⌠at least, before he sends her away.
If thereâs one sequence from Kill la Kill that never fails to mess me up, itâs when Ryuko recounts her past in episode 8. When she describes being sent away to boarding school as a child, little Ryuko is shown in flashback, crying out for Isshin, and itâs abundantly clear that Ryuko desperately doesnât want to be separated and left alone⌠but her father leaves her behind and doesnât even look back. Ryuko is completely and utterly devastated.
And this moment is a sign that Ryukoâvery potentiallyâwas a securely-attached child. No matter her claim that she and her father ânever got along,â the fact that she is so distressed here indicates separation anxiety, which, in infants and small children, can be representative of a very strong, secure bond with a guardian figure.
But regardless of the nitty-gritty psychology behind this moment, itâs clear that this is a girl who sincerely wants her father in her life and is horrified of being taken away from him. I think this is the moment that really hurts Ryuko more than anything: she was separated from the only family she knew.
In Ryukoâs fantasy, it doesnât seem sheâs sent off to boarding schoolâin fact, a lot of emphasis is placed on Ryukoâs âmotherâ being involved in her schooling. Thatâs what Ryuko wanted from Isshin, and if you look at the candles on the dream cake, there are six or seven, indicating that Ryukoâs âmotherâ had an active role in her life even when she became old enough for school. In my eyes, the fantasy and all the background information suggests that Isshin did celebrate Ryukoâs birthday once, but he stopped after he sent her away⌠and that breaks her apart. Itâs just one more indication that he doesnât love her and doesnât want her.
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