Last time, Hinako asked Shiori about the truth about the “mermaid” blood that Ayame was talking about. After reluctantly telling the truth, Hinako seems to hate her now after being deceived. Now that Shiori asks Miko out on a date for some reason, despite not liking each other. It’s because Shori wants to tell Miko about her past up to now.
Last time, Miko tried to enjoy her time at the zoo. However, she obviously doesn’t like being around Shiori. However, we learn a bit about Shiori’s past. She is mostly alone and has no real connections, except for being close to a fishing village that often throws children down a pit to get rid of them. Given that time period, it’s probably because there is not enough food to support them. Shiori uses this opportunity to feast on the unwanted children.
However, she came across one that doesn’t seem that tasty, which is a young girl. Therefore, Shiori didn’t eat her. However, the girl appears resourceful as she manages to survive on her own and doesn’t mind being with Shiori. However, when the time came to part ways, Shiori offered her mermaid meat as a token. Of course, she didn’t take it nicely, and Shiori got thrown a bomb in her face, which ripped her into pieces. It took her time to regrow as she wandered in the ocean and survived on small fish.
People view her not as a friend but mainly as a tool for immortality or a creature humans fear. After all, Japanese mermaids are scarier than the ones depicted in Western stories. Shiori obviously longed for some companionship, but it’s clear that she wasn’t going to get one. She envies Miko because she can connect with other humans.
Even so, Hinako is really the only person she was able to connect with. When she was at her low point, Hinako found her during her beach vacation. While most people would be scared of her appearance, Hinako is the only one who decides to befriend Shiori and even feed her. Shiori felt she could have eaten Hinako, but since she is the only one who decides to befriend her, she can’t bring herself to do it.
With that, since Hinako might not see Shiori again, she decided to give a drop of her blood. Even if Shiori doesn’t see her again, she hopes that with this, Hinako can live a long life. Of course, we know what happened. When a bunch of youkai came up to Shiori with a handkerchief of Hinako’s blood as they were looking for her, Shiori senses danger, and she ends up finding and protecting Hinako.
Of course, we know what happened afterwards. Shiori found that Hinako changed for the worse after losing her parents and older brother, and has survivor’s guilt. She only managed to survive because of Shiori’s blood.
In a way, Shiori probably regrets making a fatal error that might doom her relationship with Hinako, just as the girl who bombed her. Shiori is worlds apart from those who live on land, as the sea can be an isolating place. Things are not made any better as she deceived Hinako into thinking she would eat her to help bring Hinako back to her former self and recover from her depression. Hinako, of course, doesn’t know that Shiori had no intention of ever eating Hinako. Shiori just wanted companionship, as it seems, hence saying to Hinako that she is only doing it for her own benefit.
Even with Shiori’s mistakes, Miko suggests that Shiori really needs to talk things out with Hinako. After all, Hinako isn’t really the type that will throw grenades at her to kill Shiori, knowing that she is a monster. The question is, can Shiori and Hinako make up despite Shiori possibly messing up Hinako’s life with her own blood? While Shiori messed up big time, I don’t think they went past the event horizon where their relationship becomes irreparable. Still, it’s funny to think the title is ironic, as Shiori doesn’t want to eat Hinako.
(Also known as This Monster Wants to Eat Me)
Leave a Reply