Down by the River

*updated Jan 20th! Welcomed to listen to my music whilst reading, I think it fits the scene!*

Here comes Canon Gyjo analysis in flower/tree language in Araki's official art

I only started paying attention realizing those are not just backgrounds from their journey, from how much thought Araki put into his art, I believe they all meant something:

In Japanese flower language, sunflowers represent:

あなただけを見つめる — “I look only at you”

憧れ — admiration

光を信じる心 — belief in light / hope

It matches with Johnny's gaze to Gyro <3

Gyro here also have Sakura/Cherry blossom on his wrist, which means

fleeting beauty,

the transient nature of life,

and a pure, gentle heart

Gyro has Sakura again later on:

So his pure and gentle heart is being emphasis over and over again despite his rough/careless facade.

In Japanese flower language, roses often represent:

試練の中の美 — beauty within hardship

誇り — pride

愛と痛みの共存 — love that includes pain

I believe roses are popularly known for it's romantic association, but I love the how much the pride and pain involved as well! really tells their struggle, growth and their beautiful but short lived bond.

(Also Gyro is unbuttoned here lol)

In Japanese visual language, pale-barked forests often imply:

境界 (kyōkai) — a boundary or threshold

試練の場 — a testing ground

静かな緊張 — quiet, sustained tension

This is the cover of volume 9 - The storm is coming, where the tension was high.

The Golden Wheat / Grain:

富 (Tomi - Wealth/Abundance)

希望 (Kibō - Hope)

This is right after the fight with soundman and into sugar mountain, where Johnny has learned the golden ratio spin and saved himself and Gyro, he was all hopeless and had a big breakthrough, you could really see that he was much more confidence after that!

And this is just Araki being playful, showing two universes which you could either have Rose or heart from Gyro where they both meant LOVE!

And this comes between the fight with Wekapipo, which knowly for no plants around for Johnny to have golden ratio reference (and the famous look from Gyro to took his reference from Johnny) So therefore It's more evidence of how the plants are deliberate in Araki's art.

The Spiked Palms (Arecaceae)

勝利 (Shōri - Victory)

不変 (Fuhen - Unchanging/Steadfastness)

It could be foreshadowing their soon victory as well as their determination.

This one made me real sad, It's the last time we saw Gyro being silly, The whole chapter is literally 5 pages which is about the 7 days in a week Joke that Gyro made. It showed so much about their relationship and I often think that Gyro sometimes being silly on purpose just to cheer Johnny up!

The Barren, Leafless Trees in the picture ahead of their path:

忍耐 (Nintai - Endurance/Patience)

孤独 (Kodoku - Solitude)

The "7 Days in a Week" title reinforces a cycle of endless, repetitive day to day in life! Even though Gyro was being silly here, but I think it might have some biblical connection with how God made the world in 7 days and on the last day he rested because the work was done.

Gyro's had no regret and he thought his work was done, because of how strong Johnny has became, he knew Johnny would be fine and time will only go one direction, and the earth would keep turning.

And the barren trees are foreshadowing that soon Johnny would have to be on a path of solitude without Gyro. Which always broke my heart seeing how much Johnny was in pain :(

There are two flowers here, the purple ones are Clematis:

Japanese hanakotoba:

策略 (strategy, clever planning)

精神の美 (beauty of the mind)

This one for me, is about how Gyro foreseen what was going to happen and gave Johnny the final lesson. As well as the beauty of both their mental growth and strength.

The smaller ones are most likely Aster-type wildflowers, and it carries the meaning of:

Patience

Elegance

Faith in the journey

Symbolically, asters often represent endurance over a long path, which mirrors Gyro and Johnny's journey in the whole race and in the picture.

In Japanese visual language, tall sparse trees often imply:

間 (ma) — space, pause, breathing room

道 — “the way” or path forward

Quiet persistence rather than rooted permanence

After Gyro's death, Johnny would have to kept going....

This one I've posted before :

Endurance and Resilience

Protection

Hidden Beauty and Unconditional Love

but now I'll also attach the Japanese flower language as well as going deeper into what I think of this panel:

温かい心 (atatakai kokoro) – A warm heart

燃える心 (moeru kokoro) – A burning / passionate heart

忍耐 (nintai) – Endurance, perseverance

枯れない愛 (karenai ai) – Unwithering love (modern interpretation)

I think the Japanese ones had even more feeling into it, but all worked out well. And as a film and manga lover as well as a creator of music and art myself, I believe every panels are all intentional. So here are the subtext I'm reading into this panel:

The big full moon - It could mean their feeling of completing each other, it's also common as a subtext for desire and intimacy/sexual tension.

Hours of brushing and massaging horses - subtext for physical care/ touch.

And then the blossom flowers when mentioning they were busy at night followed by the physical care in the next panel.... just saying...

*Bonus analysis on Gyro's solo shot*

There are 3 different flowers here, and I think all of them made lots of sense!

Pink Lilies (Lily)

虚栄心 (Kyoeishin - Vanity/Pride)

純潔 (Junketsu - Purity)

威厳 (Igen - Dignity)

Orange and Yellow Roses

絆 (Kizuna - Bonds),

信頼 (Shinrai - Trust)

嫉妬 (Shitto - Jealousy)

友情 (Yūjō - Friendship)

Small Pink Cosmos / Cherry Blossoms

乙女の真心 (Otome no magokoro - Maiden's Heart/Sincerity),

調和 (Chōwa - Harmony)

精神美 (Seishin-bi - Spiritual Beauty)

優美 (Yūbi - Grace)

Gyro definitely has all above! Are you all convinced now that all plants means something especially in chapter cover art/stand alone art?

Omg found another flower uses this re-read,

Chamomile — Japanese Flower Language

逆境に耐える (gyakkyō ni taeru) Enduring adversity

苦難の中の力 (kunan no naka no chikara) Strength through hardship

親交 (shinkō) Close bonds

仲直り (nakanaori) Reconciliation

This is when Johnny finally realised what lesson 5 was about... so beautiful T..T

----------------------------------------------------

Ok that's that for now! if I saw anything new I'll be adding into this post, thank you all for reading up to hear <3

i made more refs for dethklok cuz im evilll and i hatee themmmm

TENNA DELTARUNE ISN'T WHITE !!

the sound of his words (act I)

what those words mean (act II)

the weight of his words (act III / final act)

that made me think that, maybe it was just a coincidence, but koichi was shot with a stand arrow in the neck. if i'm correct, around where the voice box is (so like at the front).