New KnY Databook: Kanae and Sanemi friendship
I saw people confused by what Himejima thinks of Sanemi.
It always makes me sad that in KnY no relationship between the pillars is well developed in the manga (friendship, companionship, brotherhood, etc.) . And that you only find out about their friendship and their ties through the extras.
One of the most wasted and with potential friendships in the manga is that of Sanemi and Kanae.
Kanae and Sanemi in the Manga
The only scenes that are in the Manga of them come out in chapter 168, and if one has not read the extras and the light novel it is difficult to know that the scenes where Kanae appears have more context than it seems.
Kanae and Sanemi in the light novel
If someone reads the light novel can better understand why Kanae’s concern throughout the entire chapter of the Manga, why she grabs his arm and why it was she who calmed Sanemi down.
The whole novel tells you about the bond and emotions that come with being the older brother and having lost your parents because of a Demon. And the feeling of guilt in not being able to care for or protect a younger brother.
The novel focuses is on Masachika and Sanemi’s bond. But also prove Kanae as the person who could have seen the most and understood that brootherhood bond between them.
The novel tell you that every time Sanemi was badly injured from the missions, Masachika sent him to the Butterfly mansion so that Kanae would heal and scold him so Kanae is the only pillar who has known Senemi since before he became a pillar.
Sanemi in the light novel seems to have a complicated bond with Kanae:
He respects her and feels familiarity because they are both the same age, they are the older brother/sister, they lost their parents at a young age to a demon, etc. that kind of similar life experience and Kanae being so kind when she heals him, it makes Sanemi feel comfortable with her and like her presence, but at the same time he does not understand her and feels that they are very different. From her side you can see that she cares for him and that she can see through his bad boy cover, Kanae tells him “you are a very nice person” he does not understand her words or why she tells him that, but she says it because she sees how he cares about people.
And at the end of the Novel, it is understood that Sanemi only trained to be stronger and kill demons but he never wanted to be a pillar. But Sanemi and Masachika go together on a mission and are seriously injured, they are taken to the butterfly mansion but only Sanemi survives and Masashika dies, Sanemi only became a pillar, for Masachika’s death, to meet Oyakata and claim him.
As I said before, they were taken to the butterfly mansion and Kanae was the one in charge of curing Sanemi and Masashika, so most likely she also saw him die or was the first person after Sanemi to find out about Masashika’s death. Most likely, Kanae has also seen how Masachika’s death affected Sanemi, that’s why she knew where Sanemi’s anger was coming from and that’s why she’s the one who calms him down in the manga.
if someone wants read the light novel, can do it here: Signpost of the Wind
Kanae and Sanemi in gakuen and Taisho Secrets
in the Taisho Secrets The pillars scolds Sanemi and they find the attitude he had towards Oyakata is rude, because they don’t know him well. But only Kanae feels disappointed and it’s because she knows how he really is and she knows that deep down he is a good and gentle person, that’s why his rude behavior towards Oyakata hurts her.
In gakuen Kanae is supposed to be one of the most beautiful and loved girls in school, that’s why Sanemi generates so much jealousy in the boys.
Kanae and Sanemi in new official KnY Databook / FanBook
there are some pages of what each pillar thinks of the other pillars and it becomes clearer that after Sanemi became a pillar, they possibly did become more united:
Because Himejima noticed that Sanemi liked Kanae (Himejima’s opinion is important because he saved the Koucho sisters from the deminio who killed their parents, took care of them and recommended ex-pillars to train them so he has been one of the most important people in the lives of Kanae and Shinobu)
The reason that Sanemi talks to Shinobu is because she is Kanae’s sister (Sanemi knew Shinobu in the light novel but they never interacted, and the fact that Kanae let Shinobu become a demon slayer was something Sanemi never understood and that was what made Sanemi feel that he was different from Kanae because he would never let Genya become a demon Slayer. I think a part of him also wants to take care of Shinobu as a memory to the friendship he had with Kanae but at the same time he wanted to respect Shinobu as a pillar and demon slayer like her sister did, that’s why he stayed distant)
I’m excluding the furiganas in my writing but not in my reading to translate what they say.
What Sanemi says about Shinobu is:
ちょいちょい 声 を かける (カナエ の 妹 な ので ) 。
that it can be translated as:
I talk to her sometimes (Because she’s Kane’s sister)
What Himejima says about Sanemi is:
せい精神の持ち主 。 根は素直 。恥ずかし がり。 カナエ が 好きらしい 。
that it can be translated as:
The owner of a strong spirit. The roots are straightforward. shy . He seems to like Kanae.
