This is a question about Sol's ethnicity. While he is a born and raised American, since he designed Zessen so that it can only be activated and wielded by those of Japanese blood, could this possibly mean that he is part-Japanese as well? Or was that a fail-safe feature created to prevent letting just anyone use it should it be stolen?
You bring up an interesting question, though it has little to do with Frederickās ethnic origins.
The Zessen, while still considered a part of the OutRage as a whole, was built around the concept of forming Dimensional Barriers and is able to manipulate Wind and Sound.
Anji Mito has been seen using it to enhance Mizuhaās Kotodama (or spirit āvoiceā, a voice generating Ki energy).
The Japanese have a strong connection with Ki based on their bloodlines aloneā¦ but the reason Zessen is āactivatedā via that bloodline is currently a mystery.
Sol has not explicitly stated the reason he allowed the Zessen to fall in to the hands of the Japaneseā¦ and it might very well be that the ābloodline restrictionā was added later by someone else (possibly the Conclave).
But one thing is certainā¦ the Japanese appear to have a strong connection to the Backyard, because of their Ki-based bloodlinesā¦ it was for that reason that āThat Manā targeted Japan and used Justice to destroy it, in order to sever the connection.
The Zessen itself was later used to form a ābarrierā around the Japanese Colony to prevent contact from the outside worldā¦
Considering the āthreatā that the Japanese pose as a potential āconduitā of the Universal Willā¦ that might be a possible reason the Zessen was so specially designed to function in this way, as an Anti-Backyard device.
So you could say that the Zessen was āprogrammedā to activate and form a barrier in the presence of Japanese bloodlines as a failsafe to prevent contact with the Backyard. Ā A failsafe that Frederick might have designed with consideration to the events that occurred during the Dawn of Revival and the destruction of Japan. Ā Of course, thatās speculation.
No one actually considered the idea of using the Zessen as a weapon except Anji Mito! Ā Fans are rather unorthodox weapons, as you may know. Ā Of course, while Anji Mito is accused of āstealingā the OutRageā¦ in reality it was entrusted to him by the elder of the shrine who had kept the Zessen when it was ālostā during the Crusades.
Currently itās unclear if the Colony still has any sort of barrier around it in place of the Zessenā¦ but likely that is the case, since Johnny makes a remark in GGXrd to the effect that those who enter the Colony cannot technically leave without some means or token.
Dr. Faust warns Johnny to keep May away from the Colony at all costs due to āsomethingā that may be happening there in the near future.
As for Anji Mitoās whereaboutsā¦ only time will tell what heās been up to the past 6 years since he began his journey with Baiken to observe āThat Manāsā activities.
Chances are good Sol will be looking for Anji to recover the Zessen from him in the future, since heās already obtained the Flashing Fang from the Conclave (and still possesses the Firesealed Sword).
