Dusk Maiden (黄昏乙女, Tasogare Otome) is the twelfth and last episode of the Tasogare Otome × Amnesia anime series. It was released on June 25, 2012. The episode is directed by Takashi Sakamoto, with screenplay by Katsuhiko Takayama and storyboard by Takashi Sakamoto.
The coldness of winter is complimented by the warmth of Yuuko's love to Teiichi after having reconciled with Shadow Yuuko. However, the story of the Ghost of the Old School Building reaches its inevitable end as Yuuko slowly loses her grasp on the world of the living. In a desperate attempt to bid farewell to Seikyou Academy and her love Teiichi, she sets up a date and cherishes her final moments before leaving for good.
Synopsis[]
The white, soft carpet of winter covers Seikyou Academy.
Yuuko (middle) butts in at Momoe's (right) and Teiichi's talk about the Paranormal Investigation Club room.
Momoe, stuffed inside several layers of thick clothing, runs to Teiichi and Kirie and tells the news about the Paranormal Investigation room being put off-limits due to the discovery of the remains of an unidentified girl in a secret area inside the club room.
Kirie, trying to hide her relation with the school's superintendent, explains that the girl found there is supposed to be related to the superintendent in some way. Momoe then adds that there were signs of a ceremony that took place there, and she thinks that someone might have been sacrificed that during construction of the Old School Building. (Meanwhile, Yuuko, who finds herself the topic, explains that she was actually sacrificed well after the construction of the school's oldest building.) Momoe then comments on the extent of damage the clubroom has received during one of her visits, and suspected that a poltergeist might have been responsible. (Yuuko points out that it is actually Teiichi's fault.)
Momoe then notices that Teiichi is calm despite her alarming talk, and she soon suspects that Teiichi might be familiar with the remains found in the clubroom, and she thinks that it has something to do with a certain ghost that he has been talking about recently (i.e. Yuuko). Then, she pulls out a notebook, and shows some "proof" of his contact with Yuuko in the form of their conversation a few days ago.
In response, both Yuuko and Teiichi screamed in embarrassment.
A few days later, Teiichi and Kirie arrive at Seikyou Academy, and the two are welcomed by Yuuko, who sprinkled some salt on them, since they have visited her "home" after attending a funeral. Soon, Yuuko comments on the longer-than-expected time it took to bury her remains, and Kirie thinks that the authorities might have performed an autopsy to her remains before burying her. This caused Yuuko to cry out in embarrassment.
Soon, they arrive at the Old School Building. Teiichi and Kirie find themselves at the last few pages of Yuuko's story: aside from Yuuko's remains now properly buried, the shrine located inside the secret room inside the Paranormal Investigation Club will be relocated as well; also, the grave marker that Asagi has created on Kaede Hill is now moved to the Kanoe family grave and the Paranormal Investigation Club room will soon return to becoming just another storehouse.
As Teiichi thinks about what happens after this, he is interrupted by Yuuko, who suddenly asks Teiichi to go on a date with her. Of course, since Yuuko cannot leave the school grounds, their date would happen inside Seikyou Academy, and it will involve doing "all of the things they haven't done until that day".
Before Teiichi could answer Yuuko's request, Yuuko pulls him away and Kirie could only watch them go elsewhere. Kirie suddenly thinks about what would they do during their date, and upon thinking what can they do in their date, Kirie explodes in jealousy.
Meanwhile, Yuuko and Teiichi's school date begins immediately.
Yuuko, dressed with some "borrowed" clothes from the Drama Club, poses for Teiichi.
Yuuko changes to a pink long-sleeved shirt, a dark-colored skirt and red high-heeled pumps — all "borrowed" from the school's Drama Club — and Teiichi instantly notices how the clothes appear to be too small for her, especially at the chest area. Suddenly, the buttons on her top fly out, and Teiichi goes to stop her top from falling apart, only to be slapped by a flustered Yuuko.
Yuuko goes to apologize for her reaction, but Teiichi appears to be more relieved at her response to having her breast groped by accident. He comments that it was a relief to see Yuuko's true emotions, but those will not change how he loves Yuuko.
Soon, they enjoy their intimate moments together under a tree up Kaede Hill, with Yuuko using Teiichi's lap as a pillow. This time, Yuuko is happy to have rested her head on Teiichi's lap, as it has been her lap that has been used by Teiichi as a pillow often.
Then, at lunch time, Yuuko prepares a hearty lunch for Teiichi, and she tells Teiichi to eat it immediately as they would not have enough time to do the rest of the things she had in her schedule. Although a bit pressured by Yuuko's request, he plays along. Soon, Yuuko tries to feed Teiichi the omelette she prepared for him and, for the first time, was able to succeed in doing so. This achievement overwhelms her to tears, but she becomes even happier when Teiichi decides to return the favor.
Yuuko, overjoyed by this momenrt, decides to continue with their romantic lunch together. However, she discovers that her hand is starting to lose its form... and she drops her chopsticks because of this. Yuuko tries to hide this to Teiichi, and tells Teiichi that they'll continue their lunch. Teiichi, oblivious to what's going on with Yuuko, simply complies to her request.
Soon, sunset approaches, and Yuuko and Teiichi, having filled themselves too much, decide to rest on the outdoor pool instead of skating together. The two then cherish the moment of sitting close together.
But Yuuko is again reminded of her current condition as her cat-bell bracelet slips from her wrist.
Yuuko realizes that it is "the time", and she leaves Teiichi's side. There, she thanks Teiichi before telling him that they should end their relationship.
A determined Yuuko prepares to say goodbye to Teiichi.
Teiichi is confused about what Yuuko meant, considering her closeness to him during their date, but Yuuko finally states her condition that she has been hiding from Teiichi since the very moment she and Shadow Yuuko merged...
...her days are numbered, and she is slowly fading away from the realm of the living.
Once again, Yuuko thanks Teiichi for helping her reach her goal of accepting her past, her pain and her memories. And now, as a spirit that no longer has any lingering attachments to the world of the living, Yuuko is close to leaving this world.
And Yuuko has finally accepted her fate.
However, Teiichi refuses to allow her to leave him. Despite Yuuko's determination, Teiichi stubbornly doesn't want Yuuko to throw away her memories of him. However, Yuuko points out that this exact moment when they will separate is inevitable, and it is something that all ghosts would end up experiencing at some point in time. Yuuko is prepared, and is merely waiting for that moment to come.
However, Teiichi still refuses to allow her to leave him. In desperation, Teiichi reaches out for his phone and prepares to ask help from Momoe or Kirie to keep Yuuko from moving on, and Yuuko tries to stop him, only to have Teiichi experience exactly how severe Yuuko's condition has turned out.
Yuuko then tells Teiichi that she has given up trying. It was impossible to fight against her crossing over the realm of the dead. Then, Teiichi declares that he will be there to be with her in her final moments. On every attempt of Yuuko to push away Teiichi, Teiichi only pushes closer. In the end, this was a game of resolve.
Yuuko has steeled herself for this moment because she does not want Teiichi to see her pass on, and she wanted Teiichi to keep on living... and to find and love someone else... after she leaves the world of the living.
But Teiichi declares that he cannot forget her. It was impossible.
Yuuko decides to leave behind Teiichi to avoid arguing with him about her decision, but Teiichi holds on to her hand and never lets go. Despite Yuuko's demands to let her follow her decision, Teiichi remains firm in his. And at that moment, Yuuko finally breaks down.
Teiichi and Yuuko soon return to the place where it all began, the storage room that eventually became the Paranormal Investigation Club room. There, Teiichi recalls on the very first moment when he saw Yuuko. He remembers hearing the sound of a cat bell when it happened, and Yuuko realized that Shadow Yuuko has been interested in him all this time, as she was with him, and it was Shadow Yuuko's attempt in changing Yuuko's life.
Soon, Teiichi discovers that Yuuko's voice starts to become inaudible, so Yuuko picks up a notebook and, sharing a seat, starts a conversation on pen and paper.
All as Yuuko waits for her final moment to come.
Yuuko soon says her final farewells for Teiichi, and tells Teiichi to be happy for her. It is not easy, though, as Teiichi is fighting his tears as he talks to Yuuko.
Then, Yuuko gives out her final request: for Teiichi to forget about her.
Although he knows that he cannot fulfill it immediately, Teiichi promises that he will forget about her... just give him enough time... and he lose all of his lingering attachments with her. Afterwards, he promises to look for someone else to love, and to continue living his life.
Yuuko, after seeing Teiichi give out this promise, leaves Teiichi's side.
Then, she picks up a distraught Teiichi up, then seals his promise with a kiss.
After that moment, Yuuko Kanoe finally disappears.
For the days that followed, Teiichi continues to visit the Paranormal Investigation Club room, rereading the moments he had with Yuuko, now immortalized on pen and paper.
And soon, as Spring arrives, Teiichi finally says goodbye to Yuuko.
Teiichi soon returns to his normal school life with Momoe and Kirie. Momoe brings good news about the Old School Building, as it just evaded being demolished due to having historical value. She then uses this opportunity to reopen the Paranormal Investigation Club room. Kirie, on the other hand, is contented seeing Teiichi's more positive expression.
Days after, Teiichi finally visits the Old School Building, a place where he had a lot of memories — memories which are now locked somewhere inside his mind with little chance of being exposed again as part of a promise that he made with a certain someone. Now, he enters the clubroom as a simple student of Seikyou Academy, and a member of the Real Paranormal Investigation Club.
Unlike the mess of a room it was before, the clubroom is completely refurbished by Momoe's own efforts, and everything has been fixed as it was.
Soon, he discovers a box with the label "Open me and I'll curse you" on it. Curiosity brings him to a seemingly normal notebook... and a ghost who has returned.
Teiichi is obviously shocked at the return of Yuuko, and Yuuko just says that she just realized that she couldn't go to Heaven for some reason, so she now ends up back on the living world because of a certain regret. And their last kiss ended up being the catalyst to Yuuko's unexpected return.
With Yuuko's return, the Paranormal Investigation Club returns to its usual vibrance. Yuuko's playfulness, Teiichi's bearing witness to Yuuko's antics, Momoe's vulnerability to Yuuko's pranks, and the unfortunate Kirie Kanoe, who has yet to fight another day against Yuuko for Teiichi's feelings, continue their search for mysteries that will turn up in their doorstep.
At the end of it all, the greatest ghost story in Seikyou Academy — the romantic ghost story between Teiichi Niiya and the Ghost of the Old School Building — is yet to continue!
Characters[]
By order of appearance
Adapted from[]
This episode is original to the anime series.
Trivia[]
- The opening theme song, Choir Jail, is played at the end of the episode.
- The insert song, Requiem, is played once again in this episode.
- Maybe contributes to the anime series' end card for this episode.
- The title of this episode is half of the title of the original manga series.
Cultural References[]
- Yuuko practices a Japanese superstition wherein people who attended a funeral must sprinkle salt on their bodies upon entering their house to cleanse themeslves.
Referbacks[]
- The stuffed bunny featured in this episode is the one used by Momoe when she played the "Hidden Demon" game on Episode 03.
- Teiichi's monologue about Seikyou Academy is the same monologue he said during Episode 02.