Akane no Guilty Crown: Supplementary Material
Representative Qualities, Motifs, and References
Each individual character/group, specific Voids (not Voids in general/groups with similar weapons/accessories), and experimental monster (and that includes the Aragami, the antagonists' transformed states, and others such as the extinct animals for individual characters) represents a different quality (relating to how AnGC's experience is different unlike AnM (Akane no Mai) and Shin-YYGDM (Shin-YuYuGiDigiMoon), and even the old triad (DF-616 (Digimon Fusion Kai)/YYGDM-01 (YuYuGiDigiMoon)/XLR-8 (Digimon Accel Stream)/GCLK (Guilty Crown: The Lost Kingdoms))) of appearance and downplay repeated/carbon copy similar appearance in the story of AnGC, each different/quality appearance represents in parentheses ():
Voids: Heath & Akiko (Sakanoue no Tamuramaro and Suzuka Gozen) (Personas/Legions (Astral Chain)/Stands/Demi-Tennin (including Demi-Tennyo for Akiko)), Walter (Hunter Orthrus) (Blood Veils (Code Vein)/Orthrus/Revenants (Code Vein)), Irino (Key of Fate) (Keyblade), Yūki (Zero Tarots) (Cards/Tarot Cards), Kazama (Titan's Heart) (Kaijū/Attack Titan/Titan Shifter), Kana (Suit of Justice) (Tokusatsu), Hoshi (Aurvandil) (valkyries/stars/crossdressers/tomgirls/Buster Sword), Rika (Flight of Teratsutsuki) (hang gliders/kites/kite birds/harpies), Nanako (Amabie's Protection) (wetsuits/diving suits/swimsuits/mermaids/sirens), Ito (Tenka-Goken) (Minamoto no Yorimitsu (Raikō)/Dōjigiri), Yuko (Onmyōdō Harvest) (Abe no Seimei/Onmyōdō), Miyabi's Void combined with Ritsu's (Izanami/Shikome/Lightning Gods of Yomi), Mystery Oboroguruma (Oboroguruma/Mystery Machine), Ushiwakamaru Blade Dance (Tengus/Corvus/Minamoto no Yoshitsune), Avalon Saber (lightsaber)
Beasts of Eden: Fafnir rex (T. rex/Carcharodontosauridae/Spinosauridae/Allosauridae (due to the Giganotosaurus variant is also related to the group)), Mezuki (horses/centaurs/zebra/zorse/equine), Gozuki (bull/oxen/minotaurs/wildebeest/bovine), Yaoshikepu (spiders), Miss-danuki (wereanimals/raccoon dogs/tanuki/Bake-danuki/furries), Cryptical Nue (cryptids/Nue, gorillas/apes), Ouryu Kyōchō (Dromaeosauridae/Four Symbols/Ratite/Ornithomimidae/Terror Birds/Chocobos), Shokuin (snakes/false dragons, eastern dragon appearance), Sigrúndactyl (Proper Pterosaurs/Azhdarchidae/swans), Oni-Blade Slasher (Predator/Jason X/Shredder/beast hunters)
Maketa Ōkoku:Kamuysaurusand Yamatosaurus(Hadrosaurs), Albalophosaurusand the Siegceratops concept (Ceratopsians/Marginocephalia), Tambatitanis(Sauropods),Behemotops (Desmostylia/hippopotamus), Palaeoloxodon naumanni (elephants), Futabasaurus(Plesiosaurs), Japanese river otters (Otters/Mustelidae), Hokkaidornis (Plotopterid/seabirds/penguins/cormorants), Ainoceras (ammonite/cephalopod), Brygmophyseter and Orcinus paleorca (whales/orcas), Hokkaido wolves and Honshū wolves (wolves), Paralitherizinosaurus (Therizinosauridae), Toyotamaphimeia (alligators/crocodiles/gharial), Fukuipteryx (Avialae), Japanese sea lions (seals/sea lions), Timaeus (Behemoth/tapirs/rhinos/woolly animals/baku), Critias (Leviathan/eels/oarfish/anglerfish/sea serpent (as a template inspiration, since Critias is a fish/eel and not a reptile)), Hermocrates (Ziz/hoatzin/condors (and relations to Argentavis)/chickens/roc), Fides (catgirls/small cats/wild cats/magical girls)
Named animal characters: Regulus (lions/tigers/ligers/big cats), Yukinko (owls), Hayatarō (dogs)
Personalities, themes and motifs: Shu (knights/kings/maō/messiah), Inori (singers/Muses), Ayase (onna-musha (onna-bugeisha)/shield-maidens/virago/kickboxing/kangaroos), Heath (rōnin), Akiko (kunoichi), Yuu (wraiths/phantoms/Monad/Da'at), Spirit of Hare's white rabbit appearance (rabbits/Leporidae/Hare of Inaba), the Reigizan (Aneko/Yoshitsugu/Masaru/Subaru)'s attire elements (TMNT/turtles/tortoises/kappa), Miss Buchimaru (vigilantes/pandas/street fighters), Hifumi (AnGC)'s inspirations (Tennyo/Tengoku), Otoboshi's inspirations (Jinyo/Jigoku), Vertumnus (Mana's crystal red eyes and vines in Episode 12/Garden of Eden/carnivorous plants/Venus flytraps), the Void XIII (the Knights of the Round Table), Shinchū (butterflies/moths), the Chimaera's Conspiracy (Proper Greek Myths' Chimaera/Classical Chimera)
Transformations: Gai (real/genuine/actual dragons, western dragon appearance/wyverns/pterosaur elements), Mana (archangels/seraphs/dancers/Super Saiyans/Golden Freeza/Ascendancy/dark reprise counterpart of Shin-Io), Keido (Magician Type 0 (The House of the Dead)/archdemons/Caprinae/Baphomet/Demiurge - Saklas is another name for the being), Arisa (Jubileus the Creator (Bayonetta)/giant goddesses/Whore of Babylon/asuras/Kali Yuga/multiple arms, clothing design remind of qilin/giraffes), Segai (clowns/jesters/Slenderman), Sasaki (Ōtakemaru/Gungrave/cowboys/Justice (Afro Samurai, due to the third arm on his back)), Arima (Shuten-dōji/onis), Ryōko (Tamamo-no-Mae/foxes/kitsunes/Cerberus/multiple heads)
-Because its general individuals (and specific groups); certain concepts like the Apocalypse Virus, the term Voids in general, Endlaves (being the main battle/war mecha of the Guilty Crown franchise), popular culture cosplayers, dinosaur pictures from Haruka's science conference, cognitive crossover characters in Hifumi's dream (Chapter XIV), and Maketa Ōkoku relations (like the holograms, western zodiacs, and shop accessories) are exempt (as in they don't/do not count) in representative qualities.
-The Apocalypse Virus, Voids, and Endlaves are the main canon terminology trinity as part of the Guilty Crown worldbuilding (both canon and AnGC).
-Technically, the term 'chimera' (while the Chimaera's Conspiracy solely represents the Classical Myth version) is used in various hybrids besides the Cryptical Nue due to DNA components counting as mixing up genes internally.
Japanese Mythology References
-Basically, it starts with Heath and Akiko symbolized as Demi-Tennin/Tennyo as half-human and half-Tennin/Tennyo. Their Caucasian father is human and their Japanese mother is a Tennyo from Tengoku. Skyler and Hifumi's third wheel, Otoboshi, is symbolized as a Jinyo from Jigoku, and also loosely Jigoku tayū since appropriately Otoboshi lives in Sakai. A balance of light and dark (yin-yang) of Tennyo and Jinyo with their sole husband, and their three-way kiss fight as a force of nature. Heath and Akiko's Voids named Tamuramaro and Suzuka relate to Suzuka being a Tennyo, and Tamuramaro falling in love with Suzuka, though completely different/independent from the Jone siblings' Voids. Tamuramaro's katana with the name of Sohaya tributes the Sohayamaru sword from Nioh 2. Tennin means heavenly person. Tennyo means heavenly woman, while Jinyo means hellish woman.
-Ayase is like a human onna-musha who falls in love with a Demi-Tennin (Heath).
-The Reigizan's name means 'Spirit Turtle Mountain' and some loose references to kappas.
-Mezuki and Gozuki acting like guardians of the Leukocyte control systems are loosely related to the mythological figures being the guardians of the underworld.
-Yaoshikepu is based on a part-human-part-spider kami that haunts the town of Abuta Toyoura in Hokkaidō, Japan; and relates to the spider haunting the forest of Sayama Hills. She also has some loose references to Jorōgumos.
-Miss-danuki is an anthropomorphic tanuki and bake-danuki.
-Yukinko's name means snow child of being an offspring of a Yuki-onna.
-The Cryptical Nue (eastern variant) is loosely based on the mythological Nue, but composed of Japanese cryptids (a Hibagon, a Ningen, and a Tsuchinoko).
-Ouryu is based on the Yellow Dragon as the group center name part, while Kyōchō means Ferocious Bird/Ill-omen Birds, thus with the four based on the Four Gods and their surnames (Byakko's is Yosuzume, Genbu's is Itsumade, Suzaku's is Hinotori, and Seiryu's is Onmoraki) based on Japanese Myth birds.
-Yosuzume are night sparrows that are believed to bring bad luck. Itsumade is reptilian birds with humanoid faces that are connected to plagues and death. Hinotori means firebirds and in relation to phoenixes. Onmoraki is deathly birds.
-The Aragami's name means violent gods, so it makes sense that their transformed states are based on the three great Yōkai: Sasaki - Ōtakemaru (of why Heath and Akiko fight him due to their Void names have their conflict with the Yōkai, Sasaki's three gunblade-like katanas also reference Otakemaru's three swords in Nioh 2), Arima - Shuten-dōji (of why Ito fights him) as the ruler of the oni race, and Ryōko - Tamamo-no-Mae (of why Yuko fights them) as one of the most famous kitsunes.
-Yuko's Void named Onmyōdō Harvest is based on Abe no Seimei's legacy. Ito's Void named Tenka-Goken is based on Minamoto no Yorimitsu/Raikō's legacy.
-Hayatarō's name is based on a wild mountain dog of the Hayatarō Legend associated with Kōzen-ji, a Buddhist temple located in southern central Nagano prefecture.
-Eritategoromo's Robes is based on a Buddhist high priest's kimono that has transformed into a Yōkai worn by Sōjōbō, King of the Tengu. Mystery Oboroguruma is based on the oxcart Yōkai with a demon face. Takiyasha's Flashlight is based on the sorceress Takiyasha-hime that two sources mention her riding on a giant frog and summoning a Gashadokuro. Ōnamazu's Soundwave is based on a giant catfish.
-Spray Shout of Yama-orabi is based on mimic birds with oversized heads and mouths of sharp, pointy teeth. Jinja-hime's Comb is based on a sea-dwelling female creature and are servants of Ryūgū, the palace of the sea dragon king. Shoveling Dorotabō is based on transformed muddy ghosts of old men who toiled so hard on their rice fields, only to see them lie in waste by a neglectful owner after their death. Open Kijikui is based on big snails with speckled spiral shells. Nobusuma's Spoonful is based on large flying squirrels.
-The Pack's Voids: Nanba - Ongyo-ki's Knuckles, Ritsu - Fuu-ki's Zapper, Sudou - Kin-ki's Clacking, and Miyabi - Sui-ki's Reaping. This makes Arisa loosely play the role of Fujiwara no Chikata that she manipulates the four bullies, much like the sorcerer summons these four onis.
-Miyabi's combined Void with Ritsu that conjures eight underworld lightning bolts shaped like Yomotsu-hisame skulls is based on Izanami, the eight Lightning Gods of Yomi, and the Yomotsu-hisame (hellish hags that serve Izanami). Miyabi's scythe is loosely reminiscent of a shinigami that connects to this.
-Flight of Teratsutsuki is based on the onryō of a man that became a ghostly woodpecker. Amabie's Protection is based on merfolk with beaks that deal with illnesses.
-Repun Kamuy is based on an Ainu god of the seas that resembles a killer whale.
-Shokuin is a serpentine monster with an old man's head.
-Ushiwakamaru Blade Dance is tengu themed based on Minamoto no Yoshitsune, in which he's a student of Sōjōbō.
-Miki's codename Shinchū is based on insect gods that are shaped like moths.
-Horkew's name is based on Horkew Kamuy, a Hokkaido worshiped by the Ainu.
-Hare's white rabbit appearance in Chapter XV also loosely references the Hare of Inaba, a hare that attempts to trick crocodiles (or sharks in another source material); and told Ōnamuchi, the lowest born in the family, that he would marry Princess Yakami. The Hare's benevolence and bond with Ōnamuchi can somewhat relate Hare being close to Shu, and likewise Inori can be loosely compared to Princess Yakami.
-The 108 combatants that are part of Shu's faction reference the 108 symbolism meaning in Buddhism of Japan's New Year's Eve.
-Shu (especially as a tyrant of Tennouzu High) and Gai (revived as Adam) have elements of the maō relating to the kingships of the story, which the name means demon king that rules over the mazoku (demon) race. Gai even refers to himself as a demon king in Chapter XVII.
-One of the Paralitherizinosaurus is a male named Aosagibi, which is named from Japanese folklore about a black-crowned night heron that turned into a yōkai.
-One of the female Toyotamaphimeia is named Toyotama-hime, based on the daughter of the sea deity, Watatsumi.
-One of the Japanese river otters is named Kawauso, which was named after its Japanese name and based on folklore where otters were depicted as tricksters like foxes and tanuki.
Other Mythological/Religious/Fictional References
-In general, the references to Cocytus and Mana's slumber give loose connections between her and Lucifer's imprisonment in the Divine Comedy.
-Inori's inspiration and the Euterpe song relate to the Muses from Greek mythology. Euterpe is the muse of music, song, and lyric poetry; relating to Inori's songs.
-Part of the Fafnir rex is named after the great dragon slain by Sigurd in Nordic/Norse mythology. In this futuristic tale, Shu doubles as Sigurd slaying a great dragon.
-The first part of the Siegceratops' name was based on Siegfried, it would have been a counterpart of the Fafnir rex for Norse Mythology.
-Da'ath's name relates to Da'at, the location (the mystical state) where all ten sefirot in the Tree of Life are united as one.
-Obviously the Adam and Eve symbolism of Christianity, likewise the Norse interpretation as Ask and Embla (mentioned in Chapter X).
-In Chinese mythology, Mezuki and Gozuki are based on the Ox-Head and Horse-Face guardian duo of the Underworld. They are the first beings a dead soul encounters before entering the underworld.
-Walter's Hunter Orthrus Void name references Orthrus, the two-headed dog from Greek mythology.
-The name of Vertumnus (used for Mana's garden in Chapter X) is based on the Roman god of seasons, change and plant growth, as well as gardens and fruit trees.
-The Ouryu Kyōchō's Four God names also originated in Chinese mythology.
-The Void XIII brings some inspiration from the Knights of the Round table, with Shu being loosely reminded of King Arthur.
-Arisa turning evil and sexual manipulations relates to the Whore of Babylon and her equally evil kingdom, only that Arisa is turning against Shu's tyrannical kingdom (though the kingdom is not evil).
-Hoshi's Void named Aurvandil is based on a Norse figure of the name meaning morning star. Hoshi's sword named Nothung is another name for Gram. His reviving Kenji as an Einherji relates to the Valkyries and their Einherjar.
-Rika's Void of allowing to fly is loosely reminded of harpies from Greek mythology, while Nanako's Void brings loose elements of mermaids in various folklore and sirens from Greek mythology.
-The three Sigrúndactyls (with the first part of their names are from Sigrún the Valkyrie) have Valkyrie names from Die Walküre: Rossweisse, Waltraute, and Helmwige. It shows lesser-known Valkyrie names get the spotlight instead of overused ones like Sigrún, Skuld, and even the other two Norns.
-The Arondight Void used by Gai in Chapter XIII references Sir Lancelot's sword.
-The Bradamante's Uhlan Void is based on the fictional knight heroine in two epic poems of the Renaissance: Orlando Innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto.
-The western variant of the Cryptical Nue is composed of North American cryptids (a Loveland frog, a Hodag, and a Devil Monkey).
-The Thunderbird Endlave's name is based on the same mythological bird from Native American mythology.
-Ryōko's three-headed fox form also references Cerberus from Greek mythology and the Samdugumi (a Korean three-headed kitsune that one source mentions have draconic elements).
-The names of the Reigizan's Voids: Aneko - Vaiśravaṇa's Protection (the shield), Yoshitsugu - Virūpākṣa's Swiftness (the sword), Masaru - Dhṛtarāṣṭra's Piercer (the spear), and Subaru - Virūḍhaka's Aim (the bow and arrows) references the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism.
-Kamoshida, Shido, and Owada's combined form as the Chimaera's Conspiracy is based on the Greek mythology's Chimera (also known as Chimaera).
-The Avalon Saber Void name in Chapter XVI references a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend.
-The Ogmios Void name in Chapter XVI references the Celtic deity of eloquence.
-The name of Kriemhild's Parasol Void in Chapter XVI references another name Gudrun from Norse mythology.
-The Beasts of Eden have code names relating to the Kabbalah/Sefirot (more connections to Sephirah Genomics and Da'ath being Da'at).
-Fafnir rex - Keter - "Crown"
-Shokuin - Chokhmah - "Wisdom"
-Yaoshikepu - Binah - "Understanding"
-Cryptical Nue - Chesed - "Kindness"
-Gozuki - Gevurah - "Discipline"
-Miss-danuki - Tiferet - "Beauty"
-Sigrúndactyl - Netzach - "Victory"
-Mezuki - Hod - "Splendour"
-Ouryu Kyōchō - Yesod - "Foundation"
-Oni-Blade Slasher - Malkuth - "Kingship"
-Exalted Yuga - the name of Arisa's transformed state alongside her multiple arms references the asuras and yuga (meaning an age in time) of Hindu mythology. The reference to Kali Yuga relates to the worst of the four yugas filled with discord and relates to Arisa's evil heart.
-Saklas's Jealousy - the name of Keido's transformed state, is another name of the Demiurge (Yaldabaoth), and a fitting battle for the Phantom Remnants (especially Sophia's name of being based on the Gnosticism figure) to fight.
-The Endlave names of Iblis, Djibril, and Azrael from Chapter XVIII references the names of fallen angels.
-Yuu's transformed state is named the Monad of Da'ath, the Monad is the Supreme Being, divinity or the totality of all things, and the most primal aspect of God in Gnosticism.
-Fides is named after the goddess of trust and good faith from Roman mythology.
-The names of Timaeus, Critias, and Hermocrates came from Plato's dialogues in Atlantean culture. Their inspirations from the Behemoth, Leviathan, and Ziz are three biblical beasts.
Historical References
-The Gift of Olyndicus Void is based on a Celtiberian war chief who led a rebellion against Rome.
-The alpha male of the Kamuysaurus herd is named Chūai, based on an emperor of the Yayoi period. The alpha female of the Yamatosaurus group is named Jingū, based on an empress of the Yayoi period.
-A male Tambatitanis is named Kanmu, based on the emperor of the Nara-Heian periods.
Popular Culture/Shout-Out References
-Heath and Akiko's Voids are inspired by Personas, Stands (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure), and Legions (Astral Chain). The Voids' psychokinesis abilities are inspired by Scarlet Nexus.
-Inspirations of the Reigizan are from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Rising of the Shield Hero.
-Being an AU (alternate timeline) sequel of Persona 5 feels like a spiritual successor of Persona 3's anime AU sequel Persona -trinity soul- as both are non-canon works to the Persona franchise.
-The cloning of dinosaurs and extinct animals besides the obvious Jurassic Park/World franchise, also takes inspiration from the scientifically accurate Prehistoric Kingdom video game.
-In Chapter I, Shu using Inori's sword in slicing the Fafnir rex's head in half horizontally pays tribute to Superman uses his hands to rip apart a robotic T. rex's head in Superman: The Animated Series Season 1 Episode 5 "A Little Piece of Home", only that the Fafnir rex is a real monster, and the results are bloody gory.
-Ayase's Endlave attempting to snap the Fafnir rex's jaw with her hands in Chapter I is based on King Kong vs T. rex/Vastatosaurus rex.
-In Chapter V, Ayase's flying kick with her Void against the Yaoshikepu tributes Kamen Rider, has pitted Riders against spider monsters as their starter foes.
-Hitomi's appearance is inspired by looking like a snobbish version of Mimi in her Digimon Adventure tri. appearance.
-Having talked with my story collaborator, since this has Jurassic Park/World influence, he compares Haruka to Claire Dearing. Murphy is a nod to Tim Murphy from the first Jurassic Park film.
-In Chapters IX and XV, Hifumi's shock expressions make a grudge-like face similar to the Ju-On/Grudge franchise.
-Hoshi's appearance is inspired by Astolfo from the Fate series.
-The Aragami's name is also based on the monsters from the God Eater franchise.
-The four unnamed Roppongi High students and Hayatarō are inspired by the Shin Megami Tensei V cast and Mystery Inc (Scooby-Doo), with the Mystery Oboroguruma being the Mystery Machine. The third-year (senior) boy tribute Yuzuru (SMTV) and Fred. The second-year boy tribute Ichiro (SMTV) and Shaggy. The second-year girl tribute Tao (SMTV) and Daphne. The first-year (freshman) girl and the third-year boy's younger sister tribute Miyazu (SMTV) and Velma. Hayatarō tributes Hayataro (SMTV) and Scooby-Doo.
-The Tennouzu Civil War in general takes references to Battle Royale.
-The Void name of Éclair Yoma references the anime Claymore.
-Tiro Equilibrium Void references Tomoe Mami from Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
-Kana's Void is named the Suit of Justice. Her battle suit had the combined traits of Super Sentai, Gridman, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman.
-Kazama's Void that turned into an Attack on Titan (based on Eren's Titan form) shout-out is named the Titan's Heart.
-Yūki's Void is named the Zero Tarots, being based on Final Fantasy Type-0.
-Irino's Void is called the Key of Fate, being obviously based on Kingdom Hearts.
-Hoshi's Nothung blade is inspired by the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII.
-Segai's transformed state has some inspirations for Slenderman.
-Heath and Akiko learned to fuse with their Voids in Chapter XIV. Once again taking inspiration from Astral Chain, this ability is a fusion between a human and their legion. When combined, the merged form resembles a chimera-like humanoid with the physical features of their legion. The same logic is applied here between Heath & Tamuramaro and Akiko & Suzuka Gozen, except Heath and Akiko retain their human features.
-Ann's words to a beheaded Kamoshida before burning him saying "WELCOME TO MY WORLD, BITCH!" is taken from Freddy vs. Jason.
-Violet decapitating Rossweisse references Éowyn beheading the Witch-king's Fellbeast from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
-The kills from the Oni-Blade Slasher references Friday the 13th kills.
-The Oni-Blade Slasher is inspired by the Predator, Jason X, and Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
-Sasaki's transformed state in Chapter XVI gives inspiration for Beyond the Grave from Gungrave alongside having a third arm on his back similar to Justice from Afro Samurai.
-The Avalon Saber Void is based on a lightsaber from Star Wars.
-Keido's transformed state is based on the Magician Type 0 from The House of the Dead.
-The body structure of Gai's dragon form is shaped like a wyvern such as the dragons from Reign of Fire and Game of Thrones, alongside Mikhail from Drakengard 3. Gai as a dragon summoning portals by firing crystal swords reminds us of Gilgamesh from the Fate series.
-Mana's ascended form takes inspiration from Super Saiyans and Golden Freeza from Dragon Ball. Ayase vs. Mana (alongside showing a beam struggle) also gives inspiration for Dragon Ball Z/Super battle choreographies.
-Ayase's taunting of Mana gives a reference to Terry McGinnis taunting the Joker from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
-Makoto and Arisa's fists hitting each other many times references Asura vs. Chakravartin from Asura's Wrath.
-Inori's revival of gaining a new body is similar to the Replicas from the Kingdom Hearts franchise (especially in Kingdom Hearts III) and Lacia's revival in the final episode of Beatless.
-Fides takes cues from the magical girl genre.
-One of the Hokkaido wolves is a male cub named Ame. One of the Honshū wolves is a female cub named Yuki. Their names reference Wolf Children.
-Sougo the Fafnir rex's name is based on the main protagonist from Kamen Rider Zi-O. Kouta the Siegceratops's name is based on the main protagonist from Kamen Rider Gaim.
Reclaiming the Throne and Related Works (by GuiltyKingOumaShu) References
-The Aragami's names are based on (yet separate different characters in terms of different appearances) the OCs from GuiltyKingOumaShu's Reclaiming the Throne.
-Shu and Inori's offscreen intercourse is a loose tribute to Yours forever, a Shu/Inori lemon one-shot set in Reclaiming the Throne. Arisa's betrayal and accusing Inori also loosely reminds of Argo's betrayal to Shu and Inori in Reclaiming the Throne's chapter No queens or kings. Only man., only in completely different circumstances (such as Inori (AnGC)'s murder of the students due to being possessed by Mana, and Inori (RtT) after becoming Eve and being mistreated kill an Undertaker that led to Argo's mutiny).
-Another inspiration for Mana's ascended state relating to her six-winged seraph appearance is from GuiltyKingOumaShu's concept of a dark alternate Inori as a fallen seraph connected to the Reclaiming franchise.
-One of the inspirations of Gai's dragon form is GuiltyKingOumaShu's scrapped concept of Daryl would have become a crystal dragon serving Inori in Reclaiming the Throne, a reason that it's scrapped is the author's fears of stretching the sci-fi genre too much alongside Daryl fans would not like this idea (relating to that author not a Dargumi shipper). It's been retooled to something different that Gai is the dragon in AnGC.
-One of the inspirations of Ayase vs. Mana is from GuiltyKingOumaShu's Mind Games, where it shows a scene in Ayase's mindset after the canon anime of Ayase fighting an 'evil Inori' in some dream.
-Ouma Hanae is based on an OC daughter of Shu/Inori in GuiltyKingOumaShu's fanfics. Hanae is named with the Kanji of "flower" (Hana) and "blessing" (e).
Fanfiction References
-The mentioned names of Proailurus (for Fides), Procoptodon (for Maketa Ōkoku), Tarbosaurus (as part of the Fafnir rex's DNA components), Yutyrannus (for Haruka's science conference in Chapter VII), Austroraptor (as part of the Ouryu Kyōchō's DNA genetic traits), Ojoceratops (for Haruka's science conference in Chapter VII), Zhejiangopterus (as part of the Sigrúndactyls' DNA components), and Achillobator (as part of the Ouryu Kyōchō's DNA genetic traits) reference their appearances as spirit partners back in Guilty Crown: The Lost Kingdoms.
-Shu's training being set before the Episode 3 adaptation is similar to that formatted event back in Shackles of Guilt.
-Kazama's Void and Titan form originated from a Guilty Crown/Attack on Titan one-shot named A Titan's Heart.
-The inspirations of Mana's ascended state, Gai's dragon form, Ayase vs. Mana, Keido's transformed state, the Key of Fate, three of the cognitive crossover villains (Ragyo (Kill la Kill), Makishima (Psycho-Pass), and Oberon (Sword Art Online)) (for Chapter XIV), and the New York setting (for Chapter XVIII in New Year's Eve/Day) originated from Shinnen:New Year.
-Mido (Code Vein) being a major Big Bad in Akane no Mai appears as a one-shot crossover character manifestation of Hifumi's grief in Chapter XIV.
-The use of Saklas and Sophia's names brings a loose reference to Saklas (the early draft name of Datenshi) and Sophia (the early draft name of Shin-Io) from Persona Vein (the early draft story of Akane no Mai/Book I).
-The names of SSJ4Takeru-Cage's friends such as Max are loosely based on the D3s from Max Acorn's stories and Digimon Fusion/Fusion Kai.
Cosplays and related qualities (A selective approach in choosing which popular culture work)
Roster of past popular culture cosplays and related used in Akane no Guilty Crown:
First used in Chapter VIII's All There in the Manual A/N: Jurassic World, Dead or Alive
First used in Chapter IX: Code Geass, God Eater, Code Vein, Psycho-Pass, Jujutsu Kaisen, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Cells at Work!, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Final Fantasy VII Remake, KonoSuba, Steins;Gate, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Tiger & Bunny, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Animated Universe, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Game of Thrones, Transformers: Prime, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy; Ed, Edd n Eddy; Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Super Smash Bros., Xenoblade Chronicles 2, DuckTales (2017 TV series), Invincible, Pokémon, Rebuild of Evangelion, the Fate Series (such as Fate/Zero), Future Diary, Darling in the Franxx, No Game No Life, Kakegurui, Nioh 2, Kamen Rider, Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, Re:Creators, Dr. Stone, Vinland Saga, Overlord, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Genshin Impact, Arknights, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy XII, Sword Art Online, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Tamers, the Dragon Ball franchise, Sailor Moon, YuYu Hakusho, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Toonami, Hunter × Hunter, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, Gurren Lagann, One-Punch Man, My Hero Academia, 86 -Eighty Six-, Cross Ange, Tokyo Ghoul, Tekken, Tokyo Revengers, The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Blue Exorcist, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Noragami, The Seven Deadly Sins, Castlevania (TV series), Tales of Arise, Resident Evil, Lupin the III, Bayonetta, Seraph of the End, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Castlevania, Silent Hill, The House of the Dead, Highschool of the Dead, Chainsaw Man, Platinum End, takt op. Destiny, Moriarty the Patriot, Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, Fear Street, Spy x Family, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Shin Megami Tensei V, Black Myth: Wukong, Hell Girl, Haruhi Suzumiya (All There in the Manual A/N)
First used in Chapter XIV's All There in the Manual A/N: Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
First used in Chapter XVIII: Gargoyles, Fatal Fury/The King of Fighters, BlazBlue, Batman (1989 film), Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman: Arkham, the DC Extended Universe, The Batman (2022 Film), the Raimi Spider-Man Trilogy, the Amazing Spider-Man Duology, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Venom (2018 film), Spider-Man (Insomniac Games), X-Men: The Animated Series, Deadpool, Looney Tunes, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Freakazoid!, South Park, Megas XLR, Kill la Kill, Space Dandy, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Cobra Kai, The Matrix, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 and 2012 TV series), Accel World, Final Fantasy XIV, Super Sentai, Zatch Bell!, Invader Zim, Young Justice, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, RWBY, Hellboy, Spawn, Star Wars, Pacific Rim (mainstream film series), Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount Movie Series), Godzilla (Legendaryverse/the MonsterVerse), Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Pinhead, Leatherface, Chucky the Doll, Pennywise (It, 2017 film), Stephen King, NieR
First used in the Epilogue Chapter's All There in the Manual A/N: Devil May Cry
Allfather-Ford's words, "When I reflect on rereading Ch IX of AnGC and the AnimeJapan chapter of AnM/Book II in comparisons (and what the versions of Thieves and friends the costumes they're wearing, proving outright that both AnM and AnGC are two separate universes); it shows the waitlist of which cosplays are chosen, and which ones are sent to the cutting room in AnGC's production as quality over quantity. Because understandably and let's face it, there are too many popular culture works (like over thousands) (such as too many anime done by many industries that it's hard to keep track of every anime relating to seasonal anime releases and let's not face facts in remembering how Japanese artists/freelancer artists/animators have low paychecks of how they're sadly mistreated) I and Kanius have experienced/witnessed for decades, and having a lot mentioned in the narrative makes it overwhelming for a normal reader. Even understandably/realistically as people get older, depending on whether they have good memories or not relates to how many shows/games/movies/other works they remember worth experiencing. Not to mention since it's 2021 (instead of 2019 (time distorted) in AnM/Book II), we need some new works being mentioned in balancing the old ones."
-Anime first premiered/created in 2011 (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Steins;Gate, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Tiger & Bunny, Future Diary, Fate/Zero, Blue Exorcist) are used, coinciding with Guilty Crown's release in 2011 to better connect the 10 year anniversary (2011 - 2021).
-Code Geass (that Ren wore in AnimeJapan 2021) obviously being mentioned relates to the creators/writers of Guilty Crown involved back then in real life.
-God Eater (that Ann wore in AnimeJapan 2021) being a representative quality of monster hunting relates to Monster Hunter not being mentioned.
-Initially, Devil May Cry would have been properly chosen till Bayonetta (that Sae wore back in Halloween 2021) is already chosen as a representative quality of Kamiya Hideki (besides the action/shooter of fighting demons/angels and being a spiritual successor) and also in contrast to Devil May Cry appear in Akane no Mai/Book II's AnimeJapan chapter. Devil May Cry's presence is still somewhat loosely and spiritually felt when Smash Bros is mentioned in Ch IX (due to Dante's costume is used) and Dante is a guest character in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (that Cognitive Ren dressed up as the Demi-fiend in Ch XIV). Likewise, Castlevania (TV series) has references of Devil May Cry at one point, when the creators announce a Netflix adaptation of Devil May Cry is in production. Another reason is that since Bayonetta 3 was announced on September Nintendo Direct 2021, it felt fresh to people's minds in waiting for the game's release of the franchise being mentioned on Halloween 2021. Thankfully, and with a lot of consideration, Devil May Cry as the final popular culture revealed has finally made it to being used in the final chapter's All There in the Manual section, where Ayase/Heath/Akiko/Walter's captain cosplay as Dante himself.
-Being the final cosplay revealed (and a bookend to Haruka and Kurachi's cosplays mentioned in Chapter VIII's All There in the Manual A/N as the first cosplays, followed by the photos of AnimeJapan, Shibuya Crossing's Halloween, and New York Comic Con), somewhat supports the series fauxnale's end with a jackpot bang. Why Dante was chosen such as his red attire, besides the Divine Comedy references of Guilty Crown: it relates to the red theme of 'Akane' (both Akane no Mai and Akane no Guilty Crown) and inspired many works since the first Devil May Cry's release back in 2001 (and had the 10th anniversary in 2011 when Guilty Crown premiered in that year).
-Lupin the III (that Sojiro wore back on Halloween 2021) chosen represents the famous detective manga/anime franchise and why Case Closed is not chosen.
-Moriarty the Patriot is used in representing the historical detective-inspired work instead of Sherlock (TV Series with Benedict Cumberbatch).
-Some people wonder about Gundam cosplayers and Gunpla figures, but the story already has the Unicorn Gundam statue in Odaiba as a sole representative quality, so no cosplays of the Gundam franchise for once.
-Platinum End is used for Halloween 2021 as a representative quality of Ohba Tsugumi instead of Death Note (another contrast of its appearance in Akane no Mai/Book II's AnimeJapan of Akechi (AnM) cosplayed as Light) despite being done by the same creator due to 2021 has the anime of Platinum End promoted at that time.
-With selective fighting games (Super Smash Bros. (Ch IX), Tekken (Ch IX), Dead or Alive (Ch VIII's All There in the Manual A/N), Fatal Fury/The King of Fighters (Ch XVIII), BlazBlue (Ch XVIII)) already selected during the story's run, it's looking back on Street Fighter (even though is still somewhat loosely and spiritually felt in Smash Bros since Ryu is in it) and even Mortal Kombat are not properly chosen.
-86 -Eighty Six-, Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, and takt op. Destiny allows some underrated animes to get their moment to shine.
-The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones is being used to celebrate the anniversaries of their adaptation in 2021 (The Lord of the Rings films as the 20th anniversary, and Game of Thrones show as the 10th anniversary).
-Only five Cartoon Network shows (Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and Ed, Edd n Eddy) are chosen in AnimeJapan 2021, alongside Megas XLR appearing in New York Comic Con 2021. Samurai Jack is the sole representative quality for Genndy Tartakovsky (that's why Dexter's Laboratory, Sym-Bionic Titan, and Primal are not used). The Powerpuff Girls is the sole representative quality for Craig McCracken (that's why Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is not used).
-Only three Nickelodeon series (the Avatar franchise, Invader Zim, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 TV series)) are chosen in AnimeJapan and NYCC 2021.
-The Final Fantasy franchise: Akane no Guilty Crown specifically haven't used cosplays of the main FFVII (both original and Remake continuities) characters like Cloud, FFVI, FFVIII, and FFX in relation to their mainstream/overrated status. Jessie (as an Ensemble Darkhorse since FFVII Remake) that Futaba cosplayed, Vivi (despite being as popular, FFIX feels underrated compared to the previous two PS1 titles (FFVII and FFVIII)), FFXII with Ashe, and Strangers of Paradise are chosen in relation to the underrated setting/feeling of Guilty Crown's reboot story. One exception of FFXIV chosen in Chapter XVIII is due to the popularity rising in real life around the late 2010s-2020s.
-Only the Kingdom Key prop (alongside the Duck Hunt plush representing 'Donald & Goofy') by a Nintendo content creator is used back in Ch IX of why Kingdom Hearts cosplays/figures are not properly used, relating to the franchise being overused in too many fanfics/crossovers/mega crossovers. The Luigi and Yoshi cosplayers reference KingdomKey23's Kingdom Hearts: The Nintendo Version Remixed.
-Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai is selected relating to the author watching the anime and being a representative quality of choosing something from Dragon Quest, the main games are not chosen.
-With photos of Tokyo's Disney parks being used, it's no wonder why only DuckTales (2017 TV series) and Gargoyles are selected since Disney feels too much for various reasons (and relating to Kingdom Hearts since it's also a Disney property).
-The Godzilla statue photo in Tokyo being used, of why the MonsterVerse is used in the New York photo scenes as quality.
-The person that cosplayed the Protagonist (Shin Megami Tensei V) is a non-binary content creator named Mystic-Phantoms, based on the real-life content creator MysticDistance.
-One of SSJ4Takeru-Cage's friends back in the 2010s cosplayed as Suzumiya Haruhi in a convention SSJ4Takeru-Cage went to before she disappeared online without warning in 2018, and was sadly another victim of Lost Christmas during her Christmas vacation. She is based on the real-life user who is Kanius's friend Haruhi Suzumiya s0s.
-Pacific Rim is mentioned in Chapter XVIII, a reminder clarification that it's the mainstream film verse. Specifically Pacific Rim: The Black is not mentioned since this anime verse is set in an alternate timeline (such as the wikipedia page mentioned "Set in the same universe as the first movie and after an alternate version of events from Pacific Rim: Uprising").
-In choosing which of the two popular Netflix shows (Stranger Things and Cobra Kai) for this story, Cobra Kai is eventually chosen for Chapter XVIII.
–Another reason why Stranger Things is not added is because of the timeframe consistency of viewings/ratings since the pop culture cosplay pictures (and again to balance in quality selections) were set before Season 4's release (and viewers' reactions to it) and not wanting to shoehorn tie-in. Relating Season 1 had a great premise, yet Seasons 2 and 3 while good felt not the same as the first season, but Season 4 marks a much better improvement compared to the past seasons.
-In choosing which of the two bloody and gory superhero shows (Invincible and The Boys) for this story, Invincible is eventually chosen for Chapter IX.
-The identity of the Vegeta cosplayer is named npbringerhill, the name is based on the Bringer of Death author npberryhill.
-The Perfect Cell with the Kermit plush is based on DevilArtemis.
-The mentions of Spawn (relating to Takeru Cage), Gargoyles, South Park, Megas XLR, Spider-Man, Batman (Nolan Trilogy), X-Men, Deadpool, Venom (with VenomMillenniummon and CarnageMillenniummon back in Shinnen), Halloween icons (except Pennywise since House of Madoka was written before It (2017)), Hellboy, Godzilla, Pacific Rim, Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Yu Yu Hakusho, Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, God of War, Super Sentai (since Power Rangers was involved in Shinnen), Invader Zim (due to Zimmy), Star Wars (in also related to the Corner tie-ins back in D-Reaper's Fury chapters), Marvel Cinematic Universe (in relation to the Cornerverse activities, House of Madoka, and Shinnen), Space Dandy, and Madoka Magica easter eggs references their involvements in two Cornerverse mega crossover fanfictions: House of Madoka and Shinnen:New Year (alongside remembering the Digimon Fusion Kai: D-Reaper's Fury corner tie-ins with the TMNT) being set in New York City.
A/N: Quite a laundry list of references and motifs spread over the stories that we've worked on that relate to Akane no Guilty Crown in any way.
Anyway, as I was writing AnGC, I did feel I was writing a novel draft than amateurish fanfic, and doing a nonmulticrossover story was somewhat refreshing (even as much Persona 5 presence was in AnGC, it was minimal at best and didn't deter completely from Shu and his friends' story). As I was writing AnGC, there was a more thorough process that allowed us time to pick up on plot holes and errors.
In my view, the use of references and motifs in AnGC felt more like nods and callbacks to other series. Unlike in Shin-YYGDM and AnM, there's an obvious crossover with multiple series in those. With AnGC, it was just Person 5 and again that was a minimal crossover at best and P5 was only around for a handful of chapters and didn't take away from GC's narrative.
I was even allowed to experiment with POVs, including a few first-person POV scenes to immerse the reader and get into the characters' heads. Thankfully, the chapter lengths I wrote weren't ungodly lengths. Working on AnGC was a much less stressful experience than writing my YYGDM and Triad stories. Even compared to Shin-YuYuYuGiDigiMoon and Akane no Mai, this story was always intended to be a limited run and I'm glad for it. It was a one-and-done. It didn't overstay its welcome. Whatever else needs to be written will be updated under AnGC's Supplementary Material bible and be regarded as a 'DLC'.
Although, I did have to take a break before completing the epilogue (I won't go into detail but it was a panic attack induced by outside factors and I needed time to recover from that). Writing AnGC has helped me with what I should look out for and what things I need to make privy to while I finish my first novel draft. Now, as I'm writing this, I'm nearly done with my draft and ready to move forward. So, thank you AnGC.