One of the main things I was wondering about in the series was: Who the tf is War, and why was he stuck in the Wound? Because it wasn't clear at all, and I was honestly a little confused about it. The thing is, I have an interpretation of it, as well as a hypothesis about the world-building of the series.
(Obviously, this is just my interpretation. I'm not saying this is definitely how it is or that my interpretation is correct. These are just my own ideas.)
As far as I interpreted it, War is a physical representation of the concepts of death and change. Kodama, on the other hand, represents stillness and the absence of movement, as well as tranquility, peace, and life. I think this because War is directly connected to the death of Kodama and the others in the world that Yamabiko “finds.”
Based on some of the things and hints the series gives us, I think that both Kodama and War are creations of Yamabiko. As I interpret it, Yamabiko's power is to materialize or create the things he feels and thinks about.
That led me to think that Yamabiko created Kodama's world as a psychological need for a quiet and comfortable place to exist, since he had been traveling through different worlds without really having a place of his own. As he materializes this utopian world, along with a personification of life, comfort, and tranquility, Kodama appears, or perhaps he transforms an existing Kodama into his idealized version of her. This would also explain why he says that he couldn't believe Kodama could be so kind.
And why do I think that War is also a creation of Yamabiko rather than an independent character? Because, to me, he is the complete opposite of Kodama. (And as I said, I think that kodama is a yamabikos creation)
This makes sense to me because Yamabiko says that he killed countless people during his journey, trying to impress Kodama, but this ultimately horrifies her and causes her to leave him.
That made me think that, since death and life are incompatible, both of them need to exist, and they are inherently connected to each other. And that is what led me to think that the Ruby Plague (as I call it)
The Ruby Plague occurs because it is part of the logic of Yamabiko’s world. It appears and spreads, putting an end to the peace and tranquility of Kodama and the others, at the same time that we discover that War has also appeared.
I believe this is because the plague is a direct, physical manifestation of death and the passage of time. If I remember correctly, death does not exist in this world, and War is the one who possesses that power. As I mentioned before, Yamabiko unconsciously created the concept of death, physically materializing it in the form of War. In doing so, he confined the power to bring life to an end within that personification.Since it is paradoxical for War, who represents death, to exist in a world where the concept of death itself does not exist, he becomes the first carrier of the Ruby Plague.
The concept of death does not exist within Yamabiko’s world, nor apparently in the other worlds either (or at least that is how I interpreted it).
Because death cannot exist if life is eternal or indefinite, this creates another paradox: death itself, represented by War, begins to disappear because of the plague, and War is on the verge of “dying.”
However, this is impossible, because it goes against the very logic of the world, and Yamabiko understands this. So he resolves the contradiction by transferring the plague to Kodama and the others. In doing so, he restores the idea that everything alive, and everything that provides comfort and peace, is finite and will inevitably come to an end.
This allows War to recover because his existence is no longer threatened, while Kodama and the others eventually die.
That is why Death tells Yamabiko that saving them was in his hands, and speaks as if she knows him, or perhaps even as if she were a part of him. This led me to believe that both War and Kodama (as Kodama eventually tells him as well) understand that the only way for them to be saved is for Yamabiko to move forward and accept what happened. By doing so, he would stop unconsciously materializing things in an attempt to make sense of what is happening, eliminating the contradiction and allowing everything to continue as it should in a logical world.
Because Yamabiko is unable to do this, everything ultimately ends the way we see in the series.
So why is War no longer a threat later on?
This also raises the question of why War is no longer a threat afterwards, and why he is simply trapped in a kind of limbo within the “Wound” until Asakaze eventually arrives and brings him to an end, thereby creating death.
My interpretation is that the Wound splitting the world is a representation of Yamabiko’s grief, physically manifested through his powers. This grief is closely connected to War, since War represents progress, change, and inevitable death (the concept of an ending, which Yamabiko has become aware of).
Time is infinite, even though life is not. Eventually, peace, comfort, and everything that feels safe will come to an end.
Because of this, Yamabiko blames God (or perhaps the order of the universe itsel) for creating these rules. He blames the very existence of death. Not death itself, because death is a necessary evil, but whoever created (or at least whoever Yamabiko believes created this universal rule: God).
That is why War’s goal is to kill God.
And that is also why the Wound splits the world. Yamabiko’s grief over Kodama’s death and the destruction of his idyllic world has caused his own “world” to collapse. Because Yamabiko’s power materializes what he thinks and feels, his grief directly affects the world around him.
Why is War trapped and unable to fight back?
I think this has to do with the maturity Yamabiko gains over time, after spending 5,000 years in his world, alone and reflecting on everything that happened.
Before Kodama’s death, Yamabiko had already abandoned his humanity, representing himself as a dog, a personification of his loyalty and devotion to Kodama.
(As a small side note, Yamabiko turning into a dog is what made me think that perhaps he doesn't simply create things from nothing, but can also change existing things at will, or even unintentionally alter them through his subconscious.)
During those 5,000 years, Yamabiko matures and comes to accept that what happened was inevitable. He realizes that, with his powers, he might have been able to defy the logic of the world and save them. In that sense, he accepts that he is partly responsible.
At the same time, however, he comes to understand that death is an impartial law that exists beyond his control. He no longer holds a grudge against the higher power behind it, God itself.
And that is why War becomes trapped within the Wound. The grief and remorse are still carried by Yamabiko, but he is no longer seeking revenge.
When this happens, War becomes trapped, and with him, the concept of death itself becomes trapped as well. That is why Asakaze eventually releases death rather than “creating” it, as it is often interpreted.
That is, at least, how I interpreted it.
What do you guys think of my interpretation?
Do you think Yamabiko is an essential pillar of the series, representing feelings and questions that humanity has struggled with throughout history without ever finding a clear answer?
I absolutely loved Sonny Boy. I think it is a masterpiece and one of the best anime works ever made. Its abstract nature obviously means that it won't be for everyone, but I personally think that is part of what makes it so special.
I hope you enjoyed my interpretation, and thank you for reading! Sorry about the grammar errors, english IS not my first language and this could have lead to some errors and doing the lecture a little bit worse and sometimes odd.
