Yotsuba Nakano Theory - On The Subject of Ribbons and Lies

REMAS
TERED2NDED
.
NI
COSAREA
YOTSUBA NAKANO THEORY:
ON THE SUBJECT OF RIBBONS AND LIES
YOTSUBA NAKANO THEORY: ON THE SUBJECT OF RIBBONS AND LIES

(REMASTERED SECOND EDITION)
NICOSAREA (NICOLLO ABE)
©2021 All rights reserved.
Self-published/uploaded in 2019 by Nicosarea in Reddit; within subreddit
r/5ToubunNoHanayome at https://www.reddit.com/r/5ToubunNoHanayome/
First edition uploaded on April 2019 and updated on March 2020 through the
following updates:
1. First subreddit upload, titled “My Yotsuba Theory: On the Subject of Ribbons
and Lies (9,000+ words, download link), plus my fanart!” posted on April 2019,
https://www.reddit.com/r/5ToubunNoHanayome/comments/bev4p7/
2. Second subreddit upload, titled “[REMASTERED] Yotsuba Nakano Theory: On

the Subject of Ribbons and Lies is now updated with over 14000 words and
includes my final prediction for the series,” posted on March 2020,
https://www.reddit.com/r/5ToubunNoHanayome/comments/f3mkyo/
Second edition uploaded on November 16th, 2020.
Cover and interior design by Nicosarea.

Images and examples taken from various chapters found in Quintessential
Quintuplets. Mark-ups by Nicosarea.
TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION
Portions of this essay may be reproduced and transmitted in any form or by
any means. Feel free to share this theory with the world!
This essay is free to access via Google Drive at

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o8JbWk5SalcNZqAPXQdIfwfG7G3pgzQS/view.
The latest version of this essay will always be uploaded under this URL. Please
report individuals who are selling and profiting from this document.
DISCLAIMER
This essay/theory is a non-profit project created out of love and as a tribute to
Quintessential Quintuplets (Go-toubun no Hanayome) as a whole.
Quintessential Quintuplets is written and illustrated by Negi Haruba; and is
published by Kodansha through the Weekly Shonen Magazine. Please support
the official release. This project falls under fair use.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1
A Word of Caution ................................................................................................ 1
Spoiler Warning .................................................................................................... 1
THE BRIDE ..................................................................................................... 2
The Fourth Sister .................................................................................................. 2
Overlooked Togetherness ...................................................................................... 7
On the Topic of Marriage ..................................................................................... 10
The Legend that Binds ......................................................................................... 13
THE YOUNG NAKANO .................................................................................. 16
Relative Distance ................................................................................................ 16
Craving for Attention ........................................................................................... 17
Photographs and Peace Symbols .......................................................................... 18
THE DISGUISED RENA .................................................................................. 20
The Stalker in the Woods ..................................................................................... 20
First Encounter ................................................................................................... 23
Second Encounter ............................................................................................... 26
Awful Liar ........................................................................................................... 27
THE BELL KISSER .......................................................................................... 33
Five Points of a Pentagram................................................................................... 33
The Orchestrator ................................................................................................ 35
Inconsistent Feelings ........................................................................................... 38
Genuine Love ..................................................................................................... 40
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................... 43
Predictions ......................................................................................................... 47
My Fan-Made Panel, completed March 19, 2019 ................................................... 48
Updated Fan-Made Panel, completed February 02, 2020 ........................................ 49
AFTERWORD ............................................................................................... 50
The Young Nakano, the Disguised Rena, and the Stalker in the Woods................... 50
The Bride and the Bell Kisser ................................................................................ 52
The Disguised Bride ............................................................................................. 58
Addressing my Edits ............................................................................................ 60
Aftermath and Memes ........................................................................................ 60
Final Thoughts .................................................................................................... 63
INDEX .......................................................................................................... 64
CHANGELOG AND UPDATES ........................................................................ 65
AUTHOR’S NOTE .......................................................................................... 66
INTRODUCTION
After reading the latest chapter (chapter 81 as of today), I realized that Yotsuba plays a monumental role in the
series as a mediator. In most instances, she had a supportive hand in resolving issues between her sisters and
Fuutarou. This unique role is usually reserved for level-minded individuals… Yet, Fuutarou recognized her as an
irresponsible airhead the moment he first saw her in the first chapter. Looking back at the previous chapters… I
surely would have expected that the other sisters fit the role more appropriately. Seeing Yotsuba have be the
mediator of the group raised a flag that stood out like the tall ribbon sitting atop her head.
This made me look back on the past 80 chapters to see if I can draw out any clues of foreshadowing – and I’ve
uncovered the bed of lies that the author has prepared since the very beginning of the series. This theory
hopefully brings light to the mystery of the Bride, the Young Nakano, the Disguised Rena, the Bell Kisser, and
the Disguised Bride.
A Word of Caution
This is a theory that will explore the relationship between Yotsuba and Fuutarou only. I’ll try to predict
scenarios based on visual and text-based clues within the manga only—and I’ll jump between chapters and
pages to properly draw a conclusion. I love drawing out speculations for series such as this one! However, I’m
also fully aware of my own inaccuracies in interpreting elements of foreshadowing and/or symbolism—so I
hope you take this theory with a grain of salt. I’ve completed this theory to the best of my knowledge of the
manga so there are possibilities that I missed out on other things regarding Fuutarou and Yotsuba’s
relationship!
Spoiler Warning
This theory explores content from the manga from which the anime has not yet dwelled upon. This is a word of
caution towards anime-only fans of the Quintessential Quintuplets series. You have been warned!
Live picture of me going on a conspiratorial ran t. ヽ ( ￣～￣ )ノ
INTRODUCTION | A Word of Caution | 1 of 66

THE BRIDE
The Fourth Sister
The foreshadowing starts at the very beginning; where we get a glimpse of the bride in Chapter 1. It’s
impossible to recognize the identity of the bride if we rely solely on visual analysis alone (they’re quintuplets
after all)—so I draw my attention towards the dialogues instead.
Chapter 1.
※ “That was when you met us, right Fuutarou? Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki. That
was the time you realized we were quintuplets.” —The Bride
My first instinct was to identify the sister who calls our protagonist as “Fuutarou”. Miku and Ichika
automatically become prime candidates for the Bride since they call him by this name, effectively eliminating
Yotsuba since she calls him by “Uesugi-san.” To my disappointment, I continued to look for clues to link this
back to Yotsuba somehow—and who knew the next clue would swing by so early:
Chapter 2.
※ “From here, we have Itsuki, Me, Miku, Nino, and finally Ichika.” —Yotsuba
Now where have I read something similar…? Ah! In chapter 1, where the bride says “Ichika, Nino, Miku,
Yotsuba, Itsuki”. Isn’t it interesting that the bride herself uses her own full name in the list? This can be easily
dismissed as a technique used by the author to intentionally misguide us and to hide who the real bride is.
THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 2 of 66

What’s the point of a mystery manga if she says something like “Ichika, Nino, Miku, I, and Itsuki”? However,
the panel within chapter 2 in particular shows us the first instance where one of the five sisters verbally listed
out everyone’s names—excluding herself, of course.
Although the sequence of the listing is in reverse—going from “Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki” to
“Itsuki, Me, Miku, Nino, and Ichika”—this can be credited to the way these two entered the hallway, starting
with Itsuki’s room on the far right. If they were to begin from the staircase, then the sequence would be the
same; starting from Ichika’s bedroom to Itsuki’s bedroom.
Note: It baffles me as to why they would start all the way at the far-end, because it would only be natural
to begin at the room closest from the staircase… unless if the author wanted to portray a clear view of all
the rooms in one panel. But still, that could have been achieved from another angle from the lower floor.
Perhaps this was an obvious ploy of misdirection to avoid foreshadowing? But I digress…
The sequence between the siblings is important. It would only be natural for the Bride to list everyone in
chronological order. Although this ‘order’ is a complete mystery to us at the moment—I’ll assume the
sequence is by age, starting from youngest to oldest. We know the sequence of order based on the markings
on the doors themselves; starting with Ichika with one vertical line, Nino with two vertical lines, and so on.
From this, we can identify Yotsuba as the fourth sister with four vertical lines. If this is correct, then the Bride—
knowingly or unknowingly—verbally listed herself as the fourth one within the family order, that being Yotsuba
herself.
Chapter 14.5.
This character introduction page confirms that Yotsuba is indeed the fourth daughter. There’s evidence in
many chapters that the author is sensitive to this sequence—and thus, he ensures that this sequence is
maintained visually and even linguistically. And speaking of sequences, the visual arrangement in which the
quintuplets (and, coincidentally, the Bride) are placed on the following cover is quite interesting:

Chapter 15, (C over).
Seeing Yotsuba placed at the dead-center of the page is a little bit off-putting—and I ask myself, why? It is
because this visual arrangement breaks the order in which they have been established by the author. From
right to left, it should be Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, then Itsuki (or vice-versa). But Yotsuba placed at the
center? This kind of arrangement must be deliberate, especially considering that the author has been quite
consistent with their arrangement throughout the series. And in addition, the silhouette of the Bride directly
placed right behind her? This makes a direct visual connection between the two. The suddenness of her
placement—along with the looming figure of the Bride in the background—are contributing factors towards
this foreshadowing; that Yotsuba is possibly the one who marries Fuutarou.

Note: I’m also aware that Itsuki tends to be placed at the center as well; breaking this chain that the author
established. Again, I believe this is done deliberately as well. For what reason though? Perhaps it is to
allude that these two are conspiring behind the scenes and are symbolically breaking the natural
balance/order in the family. This is explored later in the Young Nakano section and Disguised Rena section.
Chapter 13. Chapter 24.
※ “We’re still missing one. Eh? Ichika, Miku, Itsuki, Nino, and…
…Aah, Yotsuba! That’s me!” —Yotsuba
※ “Too bad. It’s Miku” —Nino
Another visual foreshadowing I’ve come upon is within this particular scene in chapter 13 where Fuutarou is
retrieving everyone’s email addresses. The last sister whose email hasn’t been retrieved yet is Yotsuba herself.
The chronology of the listing doesn’t matter as much this time, but what matters is the way she holds up her
fingers. Now I haven’t met anyone in real life who counts with their fingers the way Yotsuba did in this panel;
she intentionally missed her ring finger! Perhaps this is her own funky way of remembering her place within the
family order—and as Fuutarou suggested, she is ‘dumb’ after all. But out of all the fingers to stand out, it had
to be the ring finger? This is an obvious visual hint towards her being the Bride. The character introduction
page from chapter 14.5, the ‘Quintuplets Game’ confirms that Yotsuba is indeed the fourth daughter. They
start counting from the thumb, beginning with Ichika, then Nino for the index finger, Miku for the middle
finger, Yotsuba for the ring finger, and finally Itsuki for the pinky finger.
Note: We explore the subject of Yotsuba’s ‘dumbness’ in the Bell Kisser section—but for now, I digress.
The chronology of the list, as stated by Yotsuba, is actually the order in which Fuutarou retrieved the email
addresses in the manga; starting with Ichika, then Miku, then Itsuki, then Nino, and finally ending with
Yotsuba—who says her own first name out loud. I am really banking on the fact that Yotsuba is among the first
of her sisters who linguistically list themselves like this, and she is the only one who lists herself within the third
person perspective. It would only be natural for a strange habit like this to carry on, as portrayed by the Bride
when she finds herself doing and saying the same thing, “Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Ichika.”

Chapter 32.
Speaking of ring fingers, chapter 32 contains a particular scene that caught my attention. By observing
carefully, this scene depicts Yotsuba holding Fuutarou’s left ring finger (to be explored later in The Legend that
Binds subsection).

※ “As long as you’re here, there is no need to worry about that, right?” —Yotsuba
※ “Hmm… I remember now. The fourth option has the highest chance of being right in
a question of five choices.” —Yotsuba
And let’s not forget about these scenes, it’s quite self-explanatory. Taking into account everything I’ve
analyzed, Yotsuba is basically spelling out to us that she has the highest chance of being the Bride out of the

five choices—with her being the fourth sister. This is further solidified with the visual cues of the four-leaf
clover used in earlier chapters, which appears to be unique only to Yotsuba.
Overlooked Togetherness
Chapter 2. Chapter 21. Chapte r 29.

※ “How about holding his hand…?” —Yotsuba
I return to chapter 2 and looked for additional visual ques that hint towards Yotsuba being the Bride. We return
to the first scene that we analyzed, with Yotsuba and Fuutarou identifying the different rooms in the Nakano
residence. My eyes follow the handrail that run horizontally along the panel, with my sights are naturally drawn
towards their hands—which appear to overlap one another.
We know for a fact that the author places careful attention towards the whole ‘handholding’ ordeal; as
evidenced in chapter 21 when Itsuki completely rejects Yotsuba’s suggestion of holding his hand. I can only
imagine that this is indeed a sensitive territory to tread upon since it can potentially foreshadow who the Bride
is. But later in chapter 29, we see Fuutarou and Yotsuba holding BOTH hands in such a carefree fashion—and
we hear Yotsuba again suggesting this business of handholding. This small physical interaction is eventually
something that the sisters secretly seek with Fuutarou—especially Miku and Nino—and yet, we see Yotsuba
suggesting it outright.
Although this appears inconsequential, these slight small visual hints of holding hands foreshadows his deeper
relationship with Yotsuba. And this is the point where I realized that these two share the same iconic
features—which is the recognizable bunny ears that stick out from the top of their heads.
THE BRIDE | Overlooked Togetherness | 7 of 66

Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 20. Chapter 4. Chapter 15.

Chapter 21. Chapter 22. Chapt er 33. Chapter 81.
The speech bubbles don’t matter as much in the examples listed above (but it’s hilarious nonetheless). When
you start viewing them together like this, they kind of start to blur together; making it difficult to differentiate
between the two (especially if you just look at their silhouettes).
The iconic bunny ears are physical features that is shared among these two characters only—symbolizing their
magnetic attraction towards one another—although they don’t realize it themselves. In scenarios where
Fuutarou isn’t present—or at least his iconic bedhead feature isn’t present—the bunny ears motif could be
found in Yotsuba’s mouth instead; as evidenced in chapter 22 and chapter 81. Although it could be argued that
it is her ribbon that’s being presented in these cases, I would argue that it is no more coincidence that it only
occurs whenever Fuutarou’s isn’t present. This, I believe, is one of the subtlest visual connection the manga
offers, even though it’s offered in plain sight. This constitutes towards their Overlooked Togetherness.

Note: Speaking of which they happen to hop into one another too frequently, but that’s another subject to
be explored within the Disguised Rena section.
Chapter 8.
※ “Ahaha… Whenever I look at Raiha-chan, I just get
this strange urge to give her presents” —Yotsuba
Speaking of symbolism, the rabbit itself deals primarily with abundance, comfort, and vulnerability—while also
embracing gifts of fertility, sentiment, desire, and procreation. Perhaps this explains Yotsuba’s “strange” urge
to give presents to Fuutarou’s little sister? Or her inexplicit desire to offer support for Fuutarou?

Chapter 37.
※ “I like the view you can see when you swing with all you’ve got. This doesn’t quite compare to the night view
of Hong Kong. But when I think about how there’s a home… a family behing each and every light… I feel
warm and fuzzy inside.” —Yotsuba
※ “I’ve already gotten what I wanted.” —Yotsuba
And speaking of gifts, she actually received one from Fuutarou himself (albeit it was originally for his little
sister). Yotsuba gratefully accepts the gift. Both of them harbour the symbol of the rabbit after all, so it makes
sense for Yotsuba to say that she feels “warm and fuzzy inside.” This perhaps strikes a new, yet familiar, beat
in Fuutarou’s heart. In this beautiful chapter, we capture a glimpse of Yotsuba’s true intentions; to ensure that
all of her sisters are happy, while alluding to having a family of her own as well. Yotsuba even goes out of her
way to suggest making Fuutarou’s little sister as her own through the suggestion of marriage:
On the Topic of Marriage
Chapter 8.
※ “Wait a minute, if I get married to Uesugi-san, then, legally speaking,
she would…” —Yotsuba
This panel is the first instance we see the suggestion of marriage with Fuutarou.
THE BRIDE | On the Topic of Marriage | 10 of 66

Note: He naturally looks displeased at the idea, but that’s because he’s focused on academics at the time.
In the later chapters, we see him develop into a better person and he begins re-establishing his thoughts;
his feelings “can no longer be ignored.” In chapter 81, Fuutarou states “when you choose something, it
means not choosing something else. The time will come when a decision needs to be made. There’s no
avoiding it.” He’s referencing that he will eventually decide to choose one among the five sisters as a
potential love interest. For now—I digress.
Although this suggestion could be seen as a simple joke, exploring the next few chapters suggest the opposite:
Chapter 16.
※ “It says I was scouted and became an actress” —Ichika
※ “I’m broke even in the game…” —Fuutarou
※ “Uesugi-san~ I got married! Wedding gift please!” —Yotsuba
This is the second instance where we see the suggestion of marriage in the series—which is spewing out of
Yotsuba’s mouth once again. Interestingly enough, the author decided to use ‘The Game of Life’ as the
boardgame they play during their break-time. It becomes horrifyingly relatable to the characters when Ichika
says “… I was scouted and became an actress,” and Uesugi realizing that he’s “broke even in the game.” The
boardgame itself acts like a sort of mystic ball—one that is capable of predicting the future—which is also
suitable for a game that relies solely on the spinning the wheel of fortune. And with that in mind, it can’t be a
mere coincidence that Yotsuba is directly asking Fuutarou for a wedding gift; she got married after all, in the
boardgame at least. There’s a possibility that ‘The Game of Life’ foreshadows the end-game of the series where
Yotsuba is wed to Fuutarou while facing the challenges of debt.

My focus shifts towards a flash-forward scene of the wedding ceremony (on the 2000th day, I believe). I draw
my attention towards these two panels in particular (from chapter 32 and chapter 56) since they both share a
key visual technique with the portrayal of the eyes.
There must be a reason as to why the author avoids showing Fuutarou’s eyes in panels relating to the wedding
ceremony. And I believe the twist is with the reveal of Fuutarou’s full face with his eyes reflecting the image of
the Bride. But the reflection isn’t of the current Bride, but the image of her past self during that “dream-like
day”—a visual effect that is similar to what’s being shown on chapter 56. In this case, Fuutarou’s face is
reflected on the surface of Yotsuba’s eyes, and what makes this really unique is because this is a visual
technique that hasn’t been used anywhere else in the series before. Eyes are windows to the soul; they reveal
the truth, no matter what face we put on in any situation… and perhaps that is why the author decided to
refrain from showing Fuutarou’s eyes—to prepare for the big reveal of Yotsuba’s true identity.
Note: There’s another fun and interesting fact I’d like to share about the portrayal of the eyes in this series.
Yotsuba’s eyes are unique; not only because they’re the only eyes that reflect Fuutarou’s face, but her eyes have
a ‘glimmer’ effect to it that’s constant. This is shown in covers and also in manga panels, and it’s a visual
characteristic that is unique to Yotsuba. This is an important trait that identifies her as the Bride, which will be
explored soon.
Speaking of visual queues, look at how intimately close their feet are from one another (from chapter 56), as if
suggesting that either one of them is leaning in for a kiss—or perhaps alluding to an intimate dance between
destined couples:

The Legend that Binds

※ “It’s said that you’ll be bound by fate for life to the partner you dance with at the finale of the bonfire dance
that takes place on the last day.” —Yotsuba
※ “In the legend that binds, it is said that the two who hold hands at the bonfire’s finale will be bound together
for life by fate” —Unknown Narrator (possibly the Bride)
Yotsuba herself introduced the whole ordeal of the urban legend, which later becomes a huge deal later when
all five sisters hold Fuutarou’s fingers. But pay attention to the dialogue at hand, where both parties describe
the urban legend.
Originally, it is said that couples are bound together for life if they dance at the finale of the bonfire—an
emphasis on the act of ‘dancing’ with a significant other. Whereas, in contrast, apparently all you need is to
simply ‘hold hands’ with a significant other. Isn’t it odd that it moved from the business of dancing to the
business of holding hands? My attention is drawn towards the silhouettes of the two figures with their hands
fully occupied with one another—now where have I seen this before…? Right, in chapter 29 when Fuutarou and
Yotsuba are ‘imagined’ to be holding both hands together at the ski slopes. We can surmise that these
silhouettes are of Yotsuba’s, imagining herself with this mysterious individual shrouded in darkness. This makes
sense, as at the time Yotsuba herself is unsure of her own feelings and her emotions are shrouded in
uncertainties (more on that in the Bell Kisser section).
Additionally, I find it really intriguing that the dialogue that appears in chapter 32 coincides with the exact
moment the Bride enters the scene and is walking down the aisle. That’s why I credited the dialogue to an
THE BRIDE | The Legend that Binds | 13 of 66

unknown speaker, because I believe whoever is speaking on this panel is the Bride herself. And it would only be
natural for her to recall such an important moment as she walks down the cathedral aisle—which is a dialogue
most appropriate with Yotsuba since she is the one who introduced the legend after all.
Note: I believe it isn’t Fuutarou speaking during chapter 32, since his dialogue and thoughts were mostly
constituted within the square and round speech bubbles. The sudden shift of speech-bubble style would be
unnecessary, and it would have been fine to continue using square-shaped speech bubbles… unless if the
dialogue itself isn’t Fuutarou’s—but the Bride’s.

※ “The reason I can have these bittersweet memories and this happiness is probably because they were there.
Maybe now I’ll be able to say what I couldn’t say back then… Thank you for being by my side.” —Fuutarou
※ “Even you might find someone you love in the future, Uesugi-san, and when that happens, no matter who
you love, no matter how you come to love them, I’ll always be on your side.” —Yotsuba
The ‘Legend that Binds’ ends with Fuutarou thanking the Bride for “being by [his] side.” This is a phrase that
hasn’t been repeated until 40 chapters later where Yotsuba exclaims that she will “always be on your side.”
And look at the visuals on these two panels from chapter 32:
1. Starting with Fuutarou asleep with the quintuplets holding each of his fingers. Pay attention to the
familiar sequence in how they hold his fingers—beginning with Ichika at the thumb and ending with
Itsuki at the pinky finger. Isn’t that exactly the ‘Quintuplets Game’ they were playing earlier in chapter
24? That means Yotsuba is holding his left ring finger. And I emphasize Fuutarou’s left hand and finger
because it is believed that this finger had a vein that ran directly to the heart called the Vena Amoris

or the Vein of Love, according to ancient traditional beliefs. With this simple action, Yotsuba has made
a personal and direct connection with Fuutarou.
2. Look at how Fuutarou is standing and completely basking in the sunlight in front of him. He is
reminiscing upon the same light that shined upon him while he was sick. We don’t see it on this panel,
but he is actually looking towards the Bride standing in front of him, who is also basking in the sunlight
before him. And why is this play on light significant? It is because a similar light shines upon Yotsuba in
chapter 72 as she confesses that she will always be by Fuutarou’s side. I believe this is the same light
that is reflected back on Yotsuba’s eyes, producing the ‘glimmer’ effect that we are so familiar with.
While Fuutarou’s eyes remain dark, it is because he has yet to see the same glimmer that Yotsuba sees
with her own eyes.
For now, I will allow you to draw your own conclusions as to what these connections entail—as I hastily move
on to the subject of the Young Nakano.

THE YOUNG NAKANO

Relative Distance
We return to chapter 3 where we see the quintuplets distancing themselves from Fuutarou. The reason being is
that they simply can not trust him yet as their personal tutor. This is accompanied with their own personal
reasons, such as Nino being over-protective of her siblings. But in light of reviewing earlier chapters, I’ve come
to realize that Yotsuba tends to be the closest sister among the rest—as evidenced by the panel in chapter 3:
Chapter 3. Chapter 19. Chapte r 16. Chapter 17. Chapter 20. Chapter 21.
There’s a horizontal line that defines the “emotional distance” between the sisters and Fuutarou; but notice
how Yotsuba is the one closest to him? This makes sense as she’s the first individual who willingly and
aggressively sought out Fuutarou’s help with her education—however, this trend of being close to one another
continues on. This inclination is especially noticeable when one compares the physical nearness between
Fuutarou and Yotsuba in the next following chapters. She tends to stick to him like glue, with panels ensuring
THE YOUNG NAKANO | Relative Distance | 16 of 66

that both individuals are within always within view. And yet, Yotsuba herself doesn’t appear to be disturbed by
the fact that she’s constantly right beside him, with no hints towards harbouring intimate feelings towards him.
But perhaps that is what she wants you to believe:
Craving for Attention
Chapter 2. Chapter 15. Chapte r 23. Chapter 31.

※ “Mm… w-well, what do you think, Uesugi-san…” —Yotsuba
※ “Uesugi-san, pop quiz! What’s different about me today~?” —Yotsuba
※ “Uesugi-san! Even though you’re excited for tomorrow, do make sure you
get enough sleep!” —Yotsuba
※ “Uesugi-san! Let’s make some awesome memories!” —Yotsuba
※ “I’m going to ask Uesugi-san! It’ll be fine if I just sneak in!” —Yotsuba
The panels above are early examples of Yotsuba seeking out Fuutarou’s attention—maybe in hopes of
developing a positive opinion of her. Although appearing playful, this is certainly quite a mischievous approach
when viewed at a different angle. Her constant closeness—plus her aggressive yet suggestive behaviour
towards Fuutarou—are all methods for ‘testing the water’. Basically, seeing if he would react differently
towards her—which is especially important once we consider the potential that she could be the Young
Nakano from his prized photograph, and this could be her way of establishing a new leaf. In this case, Fuutarou
THE YOUNG NAKANO | Craving for Attention | 17 of 66

thinks of her as a pure and kind-hearted idiot, very similar to her sisters to the core; which saddens her since
her goal was to establish herself as unique among her sisters.
Realizing that Fuutarou behaves indifferently towards her, Yotsuba takes this as an opportunity to disguise
herself as Rena—but how could she possibly be the Disguised Rena? And what are her connections to the
Young Nakano? There are visual connections at play between the two panels (astonishingly 66 chapters apart
from one another causing me to almost miss this clue):
Photographs and Peace Symbols

※ “Five years ago, huh… the colour’s faded a bit.” —Fuutarou
※ “We’ve changed quite a lot, haven’t we…?” —Itsuki
※ “A photo of just us is a rare treat.” —Yotsuba
We return once again onto the subject of fingers—but this time, pay attention to which arms are raised in the
‘old photograph’ from chapter 14. There are two sisters with their right hands raised, while the other three
raises it with their left. Moving on to chapter 80, we see a similar scenario – but this time with only four sisters,
and Nino taking the photograph. Yotsuba is seen raising her right hand, while the others hold up their left hand.
THE YOUNG NAKANO | Photographs and Peace Symbols | 18 of 66

In turn, we can deduce that Nino is the other sister who raises her right hand—based on the assumption of the
‘old photograph.’
And if we make visual correlations between these two panels, we can see Yotsuba doing the exact pose as the
one shown on Fuutarou’s photograph; where similar arms are raised in the same fashion with the mouth wide
open (as per usual Yotsuba behaviour). With this visual connection at hand, we’re dealing with a character who
has been the Young Nakano since the very beginning—and incentivizing further her reasoning for disguising
herself as Rena and to confront Fuutarou directly. Plans are set in motion now as the first encounter of this
mysterious Disguised Rena is unveiled:
THE YOUNG NAKANO | Photographs and Peace Symbols | 19 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA

The Disguised Rena is a really interesting topic to dwell upon, since we’re dealing with a character that’s the
symbol of Fuutarou’s past. Her visual appearance makes it so that she resembles the Young Nakano of the
past, yet her name—revealed later by Fuutarou—is borrowed from their late mother (for reasons that are still
unknown to us). Nevertheless, her physical appearance in the series marks a defining and critical moment in
the development between the husband and bride; as well as the development between them and the other
sisters.
The Stalker in the Woods
Chapter 41.
※ “It felt like someone was there just now” —Fuutarou
※ “I happened to meet Yotsuba yesterday by chance, so I had her bring
them for me” —Itsuki
This particular scene raises a lot of eyebrows. Who was the person behind the trees and why was he/she
stalking both Fuutarou and Itsuki late at night? For reference, Fuutarou was in the middle of explaining to Itsuki
his role as the ‘father’ of the quintuplet— an excellent exposition from Fuutarou himself that makes him such a
great character… but I digress. What matters at hand is that the person was definitely caught off-guard by what
Fuutarou said earlier, prompting for a quick escape. But who might this person be? It was never revealed, so I
went and dug around a few panels of chapter 41 in search for clues.
THE DISGUISED RENA | The Stalker in the Woods | 20 of 66

Chapter 38. Chapter 41. Chapt er 42.

※ “I’m sorry! But I’m helping out the track-and-field club today!” —Yotsuba
Eventually, I found that Yotsuba is indeed this mysterious ‘Stalker in the Woods’ because of the following
evidence I procured:
1. At the beginning of chapter 38, Yotsuba apologizes and says that she’s “helping out with the track-
and-field club.” Later in chapter 42, Fuutarou ‘bumps’ into Yotsuba right after losing track of the
Disguised Rena.
2. Observe the background on chapter 41 and chapter 42—the setting is exactly the same. This is
evidenced by the wooden fencing that runs along the shoreline.
3. Itsuki in chapter 41 (after the midnight conversation with Fuutarou) reveals that she “happened to
meet up with Yotsuba yesterday by chance.”

With these three evidences at hand, we can make assumptions about Yotsuba as the ‘Stalker in the Woods.’
Chapter 42 reveals that she has been taking this route with the track-and-field team for quite some time now.
So, her familiarity with the area would be beneficial in her efforts to stalk the two at night. But you may ask,
how did she know that both Fuutarou and Itsuki will be there at night?
The key dialogue here is Itsuki saying that she has “happened to meet up with Yotsuba yesterday by chance.”
Hold on a second, “yesterday by chance?” Wasn’t yesterday the same night Fuutarou and Itsuki had that
conversation under the moon? The conclusion I can draw from this strange exchange of words is that Fuutarou
went ahead to return home, while Itsuki remained under the comfort of the moon. I can imagine Yotsuba
taking this as an opportunity to come out of the shadows and have a brief exchange of words with Itsuki. And
when Itsuki asks why she’s running out so late, Yotsuba’s perfect excuse is that she’s simply practicing for the
track-and-field team. Plus, her hard-working personality supports the premonition that Yotsuba can be
naturally seen practicing late at night to ‘support’ the team.
And speaking of ‘support’, she’s most likely candidate to be the Disguised Rena because of the guilt that runs
down her blood. The very reason the quintuplets are in this situation is because of her failing and getting kicked
out of a prestigious school (revealed in chapter 56, pages 55-56), and—presumably—her other sisters followed
after her to ensure that they remain together. On one hand, Yotsuba appreciates that her sisters are willing to
give up everything just for the sake of remaining together as family—but on the other hand, Yotsuba is being
driven by the guilt that forces her to play as the ‘mediator’ of the group to maintain everyone’s happiness.
Chapter 40.
※ “It’s been a while since this place so empty” —Miku
Now they’re in the position where all five of them are separated. Miku said so herself, their home now feels
like an empty shell—and I’m sure Yotsuba has felt the same way as well. But in her case, she feels totally
helpless with her inner guilt driving her to the edge of insanity. I can imagine that she’s having quite a personal
dilemma that’s being shown off-screen; and she’s also in the same spot as Fuutarou who is struggling to find
the cure to this separation.

Now the following paragraph is going to be all speculation from me. And this is going on the assumption that
she is indeed Young Nakano from Fuutarou’s childhood picture:
“Eureka!”, shouted Yotsuba as her ribbons straighten themselves towards the sky. She knows for a fact that
she can’t solve the problem on her own, and she knows full-well that Fuutarou is the only one capable of
providing the cure. But she is also aware that Fuutarou himself is also in a tight pickle and is at the verge of
throwing the towel in. However, all he needs is a little push. What could this push be, you may ask? “Chi, chi,
chi,” she cackles to herself. She returns to the same spot where she last saw Fuutarou and Itsuki under
yesterday’s moon; within the dark confinements of the woods. She waits patiently until Fuutarou makes an
appearance. Once again, she takes this opportunity to come out of the shadows—but this time, appearing as
the Disguised Rena.
First Encounter

※ “I’m releived to see you’re also doing well, Fuutarou-kun. I was surprised by your
new look though. Fresh start for high school?” —Disguised Rena
※ “I heard all about it. Ever since that time, you’ve worked hard and studied to the
point of becoming number one in your grade. That’s incredible, you know”
—Disguised Rena
THE DISGUISED RENA | First Encounter | 23 of 66

Before we first catch a glimpse of the Disguised Rena, my attention is drawn towards where we last saw
Yotsuba —who appears to be running off in a hurry. Of course, her excuse is to attend the track-and-field daily
practice. Yotsuba flees and outruns Fuutarou (thanks to her athletic capabilities). Fuutarou, now at a loss of
what to do, returns to the place from last night in order to collect his thoughts. This is where the Disguised
Rena makes her first appearance—slowly approaching Fuutarou in a bold yet friendly manner. He bolts up and
decides to flee—but she catches up with him quickly, showing absolutely no hint of exhaustion. And
remember, Disguised Rena is also wearing heels at the time—and I can only imagine how difficult it would
have been to stop Fuutarou while wearing high heels. I can only name a single person who is able to make this
feat among the quintuplets, and that is Yotsuba.
Chapter 42.
※ “The fourth sister is a muscle-brained idiot. She’s dependable in the sense that she’s motivated, but she
worries me the most. And plus… No, I’m just overthinking things. In any case, she’s an idiot.” —Fuutarou
※ “You’re really facing them earnestly, aren’t you! I’m sure that you’ve become someone who’s necessary
to them!” —Disguised Rena
※ “Itsuki… said the same thing to me too…” —Fuutarou
The particular dialogue from Fuutarou troubles me the most. This is taken from the panel where he describes
every single sister in the family with such confidence—yet this confidence is broken when he tries to describe
Yotsuba. His intention was to add more to his description, “And plus….”, but then quickly retracts his
statement by believing that he’s simply “overthinking things.” This is a single piece of dialogue that I have
trouble with analyzing—what could possibly be on Fuutarou’s mind that he’s forced to conclude that he’s
overthinking it? For now, I digress.
We move along to the next dialogue, where Disguised Rena says that Fuutarou has “become someone who’s
necessary to them,” with Fuutarou replying with “Itsuki… she said the same thing to me too.” This is an
obvious big hint towards Itsuki being the Disguised Rena—but we’re also forgetting the person who was
eavesdropping on them during the night… and we have established Yotsuba as the ‘stalker in the woods.’ This
dialogue is a huge misguidance towards foreshadowing Disguised Rena’s true identity. And don’t get me
started on the ribbon she’s wearing on her hat—it’s quite an uncanny resemblance to Yotsuba’s ribbon!

Note: Here’s my chance to talk about how Disguised Rena is addressing our protagonist as “Uesegi
Fuutarou-kun.” It’s difficult to decipher her identity from this dialogue alone since the quintuplets’
address/call Fuutarou differently. And it was a smart move on her part for addressing him in his full name,
making it difficult for him as well to uncover the truth.
Chapter 42.
※ “Goodbye.” —Disguised Rena
※ “Y-Yotsuba...” —Fuutarou
If we bring to light her personality again, she’s the kind of person who can’t say no to people who need help.
Isn’t it strange that she doesn’t stop to take care of Fuutarou who’s drenched in water? Instead, she falls under
peer-pressure and treads on—which is quite unlike of her character. Surely, the track-and-field team can go
ahead while Yotsuba takes care of a good friend and tutor—like she has done several times in the past? This
quick turn of events is so odd and out of place, that it makes you reconsider… how does Yotsuba keep on
bumping into Fuutarou?
Considering the evidence at ‘hand,’ it’s possible that Yotsuba actually attended the track-and-field practice but
has decided to go on ahead. In fact, she decided to run further ahead—giving her enough time to disguise
herself as Rena and have an insightful conversation with Fuutarou (she is the ‘mediator’ of the group after all).

Yotsuba’s plan of escape was to simply run away—knowingly or unknowingly hoping that Fuutarou would fall
into the river and/or that she can outrun him—giving her enough time to put on her track-and-field uniform. By
doing so, she has created the perfect alibi for herself; by showing Fuutarou that she was ‘occupied’ with
running practice.
And I emphasized the ‘hand’ earlier because take note of how Fuutarou reaches out with his wet and soaking
hands towards the fleeing Yotsuba. That’s an action that was supposed to be reserved for the Disguised Rena
from two panels before (right before he fell into the lake/pond), yet we see this action take place after his
encounter with Yotsuba. Nevertheless, in both instances we see Fuutarou attempting to grasp on to something
he can’t fully comprehend.
Second Encounter
Chapter 79.
※ “We see each other all the time without you having to do
this, no?” —Fuutarou
The second encounter isn’t quite as whimsical as the first one—and that’s because the Disguised Rena this
time is actually Itsuki (as evidenced later in page 17). Fuutarou is completely unphased by her second
appearance, asking her “why have you shown up again?” He understood that his previous encounter was his
last—yet Rena has decided to appear once again. And perhaps at this point he’s realized the inconsistencies
between the disguises; notice how this one doesn’t have the fur around the neck anymore? Recall that time
THE DISGUISED RENA | Second Encounter | 26 of 66

when I’ve associated both Fuutarou and Yotsuba as individuals who harboured the rabbit symbol? This would
make the fur a symbolic reference of the rabbit, so seeing it gone in this chapter is quite unnerving—and this is
further establishing the notion that there are indeed two different Disguised Rena’s in this series. For now,
we’ve recognised both Yotsuba and Itsuki as the prime suspects—due to their frequent interaction with one
another, and also based on the evidence we’ve procured so far—so I’ll address them as with their first names
to avoid confusion.
Notice the seating arrangement between Fuutarou and Yotsuba, versus Fuutarou and Itsuki. In the first scene,
we see Fuutarou seated on the right-side of the bench, then on the left-side of the bench during the encounter
with Itsuki. I believe this change of seating arrangement is intentionally done in the author’s best interest to
avoid making Yotsuba’s plot-twist appear so obvious. Because if you review this in another way, a reader could
easily say “oh wow! Rena appeared again AND she’s sitting on the same spot as Yotsuba! Yotsuba is
confirmed as Disguised Rena?!” No—that would make the foreshadowing too easy. This blatant
disarrangement is a ploy to misdirect you—to make readers believe there is only one Disguised Rena; which is
later to be revealed, in the same chapter, to be Itsuki. While it is, in fact, Itsuki and Yotsuba both disguising
themselves as Rena to play with Fuutarou. At this moment, Fuutarou and I are asking the same question, “why
have you shown up again?”
Awful Liar
Chapter 79.
※ “Sounds like you’re going to Kyoto for your school trip. How nostalgic!”
—Disguised Rena
※ “I thought you weren’t going to appear before me anymore? Why have you shown up
again?” —Fuutarou
To answer the previous question, we must tackle, finally, the subject of lies. Disguised Rena at this point is like
an angel of guidance during times of misdirection. Her second appearance must deal with the trip to Kyoto
since, after all, she mentions it out of concern. I surmise that this deals with the ‘old photograph’ revealed
from chapter 18 and chapter 80, that deals directly with Yotsuba (as established previously in the Photographs
and Peace Symbols subsection). So, it’s quite interesting that Itsuki is acting on her own volition in an attempt
to jog Fuutarou’s memories. But why is that the case? We must uncover the motives behind this upbringing;
THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 27 of 66

what exactly pushed her to come this far? I believe it is because she’s one of the first who is able to see
through the veil of lies that Yotsuba constituted since the very beginning:
Chapter 21.
※ “Just lie to them or something!” —Fuutarou
In chapter 21 we observe the first instance of Yotsuba’s incapability to lie towards her sisters—yet they fall for
her lies despite her showing such silly and nervous faces. Fuutarou’s the only one who can tear apart the lies in
her words. This is a true testament towards their relationship with one another; they absolutely trust each
other! But to an outsider like Fuutarou, this is kind of trust is completely foolish and easy to decipher. But
remember, this is Yotsuba lying towards her sisters—and we haven’t seen and/or observed her lie towards
Fuutarou directly. We return to chapter 1 to discover that, in fact, Yotsuba has been lying to Fuutarou since the
very beginning:

Chapter 1.
※ “Eeeh? Uesugi-san is a stalker?” —Yotsuba
We begin with this particular panel from chapter 1, where Yotsuba questions the legitimacy of Fuutarou being
a stalker. My, my, how the tables have turned! We’ve established that Yotsuba was the one who is actually the
stalker, the Stalker in the Woods! So, it’s quite ironic in hindsight that she is calling Fuutarou a stalker way back
when. And isn’t it interesting that Yotsuba’s the first one to call Fuutarou by his full name?

Chapter 1.
※ “How do you know my name?” —Fuutarou
※ “When did I…. what’s her angle…?” —Fuutarou
It’s very out-of-character for Fuutarou to have irresponsibly drop or misplace his test paper. Remember, this is
Yotsuba’s first encounter with Fuutarou, but she’s ‘acting’ as if she’s known him for quite some time—and I can
only imagine that it would be very difficult to identify the owner by name alone. How could she have possibly
known that the test belonged to this loner? Perhaps Itsuki has told her? But even then, Itsuki herself hasn’t
asked for his name…
…unless?

Chapter 1.
※ “What’s your score? Let’s see… Uesugi Fuutarou-kun received… 100 points!” —Itsuki
Aha, there it was. Itsuki was the last one who held Fuutarou’s test—and she must have brought it home with
her where Yotsuba was able to grab a hold of it. In this chapter, only Itsuki and Yotsuba has called Fuutarou by
his name—meaning that they were the only ones at the time who has seen his full name on the test. Yet, it’s
interesting to me that the other sisters haven’t addressed him by his name yet, raising my suspicion that
Yotsuba took the test away from Itsuki’s hands without her acknowledgement. And I can only raise
assumptions towards how Yotsuba was able to recognize Fuutarou as the owner of the test without having met
him before… or has she? I invite you to draw the conclusion for yourselves. But I strongly believe she has
undoubtedly met him in the past.

※ “…since it’s a date!” —Yotsuba
※ “sure feels like a date!” —Yotsuba
And this begs the question, is Yotsuba really lying when she suggests that she’s on a date with Fuutarou? It
happened at least in two separate occasions, Fuutarou himself surely doesn’t dismiss it as such. And this is the
root problem of the series, the web of lies that Yotsuba procurred since the very beginning.

The aftermath of her behaviour has not only affected her but also her sisters; especially Itsuki. To the point that
she’s going out of her way to disguise herself as Rena in an attempt to unravel the truth that Yotsuba
desperately tried to hide since the very beginning.
Yotsuba’s conniving behaviour can also be seen from the way she dodges Fuutarou’s question in chapter 1:
“how do you know my name,” prompting her to abruptly change the subject in a playful manner. In response,
Fuutarou thinks, “what’s her angle?” Yes, what is indeed Yotsuba’s angle? We explore that in the next section
of the Bell Kisser:

THE BELL KISSER
Chapter 56.
※ “As expected of Uesugi-san. You’re always right… Everyone followed after me.
Without so much as batting an eye.” —Yotsuba
Yotsuba has been characterized as the ‘dumbest’ sister in the family because, unmistakeably, she has the
lowest grades among the quintuplets who inevitably caused the demise of her siblings. She said it herself,
“everyone followed after me, without so much as batting an eye.” With guilt at hand, Yotsuba seeks to
redeem herself in order to pay back the debt she believes she has owed her sisters.
In turn, she’s grown to become a person who’s uncertain of her own feelings and one who continues to help
others, but she has also grown to become quite deceptive. And her ‘dumbness’ is a mere ‘disguise’ of her true
self—and her true identity as the Bell Kisser.
Five Points of a Pentagram

So far, we have identified Yotsuba as the most devious and conspiratorial sibling amongst the quintuplets. But
why is that the case? My attention is drawn towards the time they all lit the fireworks together:
THE BELL KISSER | Five Points of a Pentagram | 33 of 66

Chapter 12.
※ “All of them would be split between us because we’re five parts of a whole.” —Nino
This is the scene that immediately caught my eye as their formation in lighting the fireworks resembled that of
the pentagram. The pentagram has represented many diverse meanings over the centuries. Since at least the
Renaissance, one of its associations is with the five elements. Traditionally, there is a hierarchy among the
elements ranging from the most spiritual and rarefied to the least spiritual and most material. This hierarchy
determines the placement of elements around the pentagram. Starting with spirit, the highest element, we
descend to fire, then follow the lines of the pentagram over to air, across to water, and down to earth, the
lowest and most material of the elements. The final line between earth and spirit completes the geometric
shape (see attached image above).
With that in mind, the positioning between the sisters is important; with Yotsuba at the head representing
Spirit, Itsuki representing Water, Miku representing Fire, Ichika representing Earth, and Nino representing Air.
This pentagram symbolism could explain why Yotsuba is somehow involved in all of the quintuplet’s
shenanigans—because she’s the head of the family, the one who provides balance for all elements to exist, the
‘mediator’ of the group. The Spirit represents the prime element present in all things, providing space,
connection and balance for all elements to exist. Additionally, the Spirit represents the sense of joy and union,
transcendence, transformation, change, everywhere and nowhere, within and without, immanence.
I believe this is her ‘angle’ in the series; by becoming the Spirit of the family, she can ensure a perfect balance
of happiness between them. This would explain her meddlesome yet caring attitude throughout the series. In
fact, it has come to the point where she’s able to orchestrate the plot of the series with her very presence as an
‘orchestrator.’
Sources: h t t p s : / / w w w. t h o u g h t c o . co m / e l e m e n t a l- s y m b o ls - 4 1 2 2 78 8 AND
h t t p s : / / a y e a r a n d a d a y wi cc a . w or d p r e s s . co m / 2 0 1 2/ 0 9/ 1 1/ s p ir i t - t h e - fi f t h - e l e m e n t / .
THE BELL KISSER | Five Points of a Pentagram | 34 of 66

The Orchestrator
So, with her role as the Spirit is now established, we can proceed with the shenanigans she’s been involved in
throughout the series:
Chapter 4. Chapter 3. Chapter 8. Chapter 11. Chapter 12.

※ “Oh, it’s just you, Yotsuba. You’re always popping out from nowhere.” —Fuutarou
Yotsuba’s role as the ‘mediator’ and the Soul of the group is represented in chapter 22, where we see her
observing a busy colony of ants with a concerned gaze. This imagery and strange angle can be interpreted in a
symbolic way; where the ants represent the people Yotsuba cares about, ensuring their safe travels along the
path they all chose to follow. The angle here is of the worm’s-eye view—a view as seen from below or from a
humble position—and we see Yotsuba’s entire body almost covering the whole panel, expressing the
monumentality of Yotsuba’s presence in the series.
Moving on to chapter 3, Yotsuba has the tendency to appear out of nowhere as Fuutarou puts it bluntly
himself. This trend appears to be consistent as she does the same thing in chapter 8—and eerily whispering
“looks like you’re in a bit of a pinch.” When the group is in trouble, one can trust that Yotsuba is there to
alleviate the problem. Earlier in the fireworks/festival arc (chapter 8), Yotsuba has bought small fireworks for
Fuutarou’s little sister—wherein he angrily remarks, “that’s the one thing we don’t need today!” But little did
he know, that is exactly what they needed that day. It completely astounds me how convenient that is, perhaps
THE BELL KISSER | The Orchestrator | 35 of 66

she knew all along that the entire plan was going to go haywire and she went out of her way to buy the
fireworks as a backup plan? This clearly demonstrates her ability to think really far ahead and to prepare for
the future.
The next scene I would like to discuss is from chapter 12. I was thinking if I should have this panel prepared for
the Disguised Rena section, under the Awful Liar subsection; but I thought it was more appropriate in this
context of orchestrating. Why? This scene takes place after Fuutarou’s incident with Ichika in the warehouse.
After the incident, he confronts Yotsuba directly and scolds her to “do a proper check before [she locks] up
next time.” “What are you talking about?” Yotsuba replied as she hastily changes the subject. This raises a flag
for me. Perhaps this is her way of lying in front of Fuutarou? But this also made me reconsider that perhaps she
deviously planned the encounter?

※ “I’m moving the props for the test of courage for you (…) But I fugured this would be too much for you to
handle by yourself so I talked to my classmates about it.” —Yotsuba
※ “They got us there…” —Fuutarou
We’ve already established that Yotsuba has orchestrated the events of the first encounter with Rena, but it has
only dawned on me now that she may have orchestrated something else earlier in the series. In chapter 25,
Notice at the way Yotsuba is looking directly back at the warehouse? She definitely knows Fuutarou and Ichika
were inside there. In fact, before they were locked together, Yotsuba herself suggested that Fuutarou should
help with carrying the timber logs into the warehouse—only to disappear later. And recall in chapter 25 that
Yotsuba herself suggested that a few boxes of props would be “too much for [Fuutarou] to handle by
[himself].” And knowing that Fuutarou is incapable of moving the timber on his own, she must have suspected
that somebody else helped him carry them into the warehouse. And who would that person be? Yotsuba surely
understands that Fuutarou is a loner in school—so she determines that it has to be one of her siblings.
Whether it by luck or by fate, it had to be Ichika of all people.
Recall her role as the ‘mediator’ of the family. She knows something’s amiss between them, and perhaps this is
her own creative way of solving the problem—by forcing Fuutarou to interact with Ichika. And her constant
‘butting-in’ with her sisters has become comedically consistent with Itsuki herself:


※ “Ah! Itsuki! So that’s where you were!” and “I’ll look for Itsuki!” —Yotsuba
These two separate occasions mark the times where Yotsuba interrupts Itsuki from revealing some
conspiratorial and eye-opening claims. But of all the sisters, it had to be Yotsuba who constantly makes these
interruptions. Surely, other sisters can also perform these annoying interruptions? The simpler reason is to add
tension in the series and to brew more conspiratorial essences into the mix. But the other reason is that
Yotsuba is preventing her from revealing the truth to Fuutarou. Because we have established earlier that there
are indeed two Disguised Rena’s in the series—and Yotsuba is literally orchestrating the plot development by
consistently interrupting Itsuki.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the one who butts-in again into Itsuki in future chapters. But on this business
with consistencies, Yotsuba herself hasn’t been consistent with her own feelings throughout the series at all:

Inconsistent Feelings
Chapter 17.
※ “What type of girls do you like?” —Miku
※ “Wha- now I’m curious about it!” —Yotsuba
※ “I worked so hard and it was just Raiha-chan? That’s so sly!” —Yotsuba
The inconsistency in Yotsuba’s feelings begin in chapter 17, when Miku asks Fuutarou about his ‘ideal girl’ type.
Of course, Fuutarou simply describes her own little sister. In complete shock, Yotsuba approaches Fuutarou in a
cute fit of rage, yelling that she “worked so hard” to find out his preferences in women. Here we see a hint
towards Yotsuba’s interest in Fuutarou—appearing either playfully or seriously is up to the interpretation of
the readers.
Chapter 21.
※ “Because I like you. […] Just kidding.” —Yotsuba
THE BELL KISSER | Inconsistent Feelings | 38 of 66

And here lies the root of all inconsistencies. This is the first scene where we see one of the quintuplets flat-out
confess to Fuutarou. But what brought this on? Well, Fuutarou has a warm way with his words that touches the
hearts of each sister in a unique way. This scene begins with him reassuring Yotsuba that “[she was] the one
who changed first,” which prompts her to reply, “do you know why I’ve been helping you out?” In the end, we
realize that the reason she’s been so cooperative is because she has a debt to repay back to her sisters—but
perhaps she also some lingering romantic feelings for him as well? Recall the established connection between
her and the Young Nakano from the ‘old photograph.’ But for her to confess out of the blue is definitely a
surprise to readers—much like her tendencies to just “pop out of nowhere,” as stated by Fuutarou in earlier
chapters.
Chapter 24.
※ “Then, I take it you don’t mind sleeping next to him?” —Nino
※ “That’s… a bit… I don’t know anymore” —Yotsuba
The next inconsistency we observe is the scene in the hot baths from chapter 24. The quintuplets are faced
with the challenge of sleeping with a boy—and Nino warns them of male tendencies to pounce onto women.
Yotsuba reassures her that Fuutarou “isn’t that kind of person,” but Nino persisted and suggested the idea of
her sleeping next to him. She fumbles back into the comfort of the warm bath, completely at a loss as to what
to say as her face blushes in embarrassment. The thought of sleeping next to the person she potentially ‘likes’
drives her to a corner as she forces to reconsider her own feelings. And this is the point where Yotsuba begins
to realize that, what if, she truly harbours feelings for Fuutarou?
In the interest of finding the answer on her own—without harming her siblings—is to start preparing schemes
behind their backs. And how does she accomplish this? By exploiting Fuutarou’s weakness—his incapability to
differentiate between the quintuplets:
THE BELL KISSER | Inconsistent Feelings | 39 of 66

Genuine Love
Our first hint begins in chapter 35, where Yotsuba suggests the following:

※ “I’ll teach you something handy, our mom told us how she was able to tell us apart before… Love. As long as
you have it, you can naturally tell everyone apart.” —Yotsuba
At this point of the series, Fuutarou was trying to determine if one of the quintuplets is the Young Nakano from
his childhood (instigated by the prying of Itsuki). Yotsuba gives him a helpful tip that’s apparently from Rena
herself—and later revealing in chapter 66 that their grandfather is the one who originally passed down the
message first. But perhaps in Yotsuba’s mind, the ‘love’ she’s talking about is something that’s more ‘genuine.’
And now she’s on the road towards challenging Fuutarou’s ‘genuine love’ and to determine if Fuutarou is
capable of telling them apart. And more importantly—as established earlier—Yotsuba is ‘testing the waters’ to
see if Fuutarou sees her in a different light, taking it one small step at a time:
THE BELL KISSER | Genuine Love | 40 of 66

Chapter 1. Chapter 51. Chapte r 68.
The first step is obviously in chapter 1, where she appears suddenly—and rather quite closely—in front of
Fuutarou. This visual spectacle is the first indicator that she has an interest in the matter of kissing, or rather in
the matter of seeing into one’s soul through the eyes (a visual motif that was explored earlier in this essay).
The second step is the kiss on the check in chapter 51. From her dialogue alone, she conveys that the act was
simply a method of thanking Fuutarou for being their tutor. But in fact, this is also indirectly thanking him for all
the wonderful things he has done to keep the quintuplets together. And Yotsuba, as the Soul leader and
‘Orchestrator’ of the group, is fully aware of Fuutarou’s accomplishments, as well as recognizing the mistake
she’s made since she completely forgotten about Miku’s affection towards Fuutarou (identifying her reaction
as a form of “bloodlust”). I believe Yotsuba, at this point of the series, begins to question her inconsistent
feelings towards Fuutarou—asking herself as to why she ended up kissing him on the cheeks in the first place,
when she hasn’t ever considered doing such a thing?

Taking everything we’ve learned about Yotsuba so far into account, her conniving tendencies as the fourth
sister pushes herself to her limits and now we see her leaning in for a kiss on the lips in chapter 68. Her role as
the ‘mediator’ of the group forces her to come-to-terms with her inconsistent feelings—finalizing it with a kiss
on the lips. And in the end, we get this strange, and rather quite sad, reaction:

※ “There’s no way that’d happen.” —Yotsuba
Kissing Fuutarou at this point of the series is a VERY big deal at this point of the chapter, as we know that at
least three sisters have space in their hearts for Fuutarou to reside in. And yet, the reaction we get from the
kiss is a blush of disappointment? I can’t think that this could possibly be Nino, Miku, nor Ichika for I believe
that they yearn for this moment to come and that their reactions would totally be different after kissing
Fuutarou on the lips.
My suspicions are drawn towards Itsuki or Yotsuba—but leaning more towards the latter as this reaction makes
the most sense for Yotsuba’s character development in the series. I turn to chapter 72, where we get a similar
reaction from her upon being asked if she’s dating Fuutarou—a look of disappointment.
And I ask myself, “what is this reason for disappointment?” I believe it is because this is Yotsuba finally
throwing in the towel, setting aside her own feelings and concealing her past as the Young Nakano in the
interest of maintaining the balance and happiness between her sisters. An informal goodbye to Fuutarou as the
Disguised Rena, and a formal goodbye to Fuutarou as the Bell Kisser. But in the end, she will make a return as
his Bride… Fuutarou said it himself in chapter 68, that “it was from that moment on that I started thinking she
was special.”

CONCLUSION
Chapter 21.
You may be wondering why I used the title “On the subject of Ribbons and Lies.” It is because I believe Yotsuba
is the embodiment of lies that is wrapped up in the ribbon she wears as a guise. Her very presence in the series
is the driving force of the plot—where her guilt as the ‘dumbest’ sister of the bunch is the vehicle towards her
realizing her true feelings towards Fuutarou.
※ “Looks like we went about this wrong. Rather than trying to

clumsily spin a web of lies, this suits Yotsuba more.” —Fuutarou
CONCLUSION | Genuine Love | 43 of 66

Chapter 35.
※ “Yotsuba, confess!” —Fuutarou
※ “You’re acting as if I’m the obvious suspect!” —Yotsuba
If these visual foreshadowing and queues continue in the series, I expect the ‘ribbon’ to become a significant
symbol in the future. It is the bow that Fuutarou unties to unravel Yotsuba’s true feelings, and then ‘tie the
knot’ again to secure their bond together as the couples they are meant to be—as the bunny groom and the
bunny bride.
Chapter 56.
※ “I could see those.” —Fuutarou
※ “Aah! My head was hidden but not my ribbons!” —Yotsuba
That’s right Yotsuba, you can never hide those ribbons in front of Fuutarou!


※ “There is someone who supports me even though I lack the talent.” —Yotsuba
※ “Uesugi-san the study-alien has finally made it to the field trip, so I’m going to do
my best to support you!” —Yotsuba
※“I’ll always be on your side, supporting you with everything I’ve got!” —Yotsuba
※ “…You’re getting ahead of yourself.” —Fuutarou
Yotsuba, I believe, is the most interesting character in this romantic comedy. She is the person who brings the
brightest ‘glimmering’ light in the midst of Fuutarou’s darkest times. And she’s the person who ‘supports’
Fuutarou throughout all the struggles he faces in life. Yet she hides her deepest sorrows through her radiating
smiles.

Chapter 81.
※ “It’s natural for me to prioritize my sisters’ happiness over my own.”
—Yotsuba
※ “When you choose something, it means not choosing something else.
The time will come when a decision will have to be made. There’s no
avoiding it.” —Fuutarou
The next chapters beyond the 81st will be the hardest for both Yotsuba and Fuutarou: will she learn to prioritize
her own happiness for once? And is he capable of seeing through the veil of lies that the series is built upon?
I think the pieces are starting to align and present themselves in front of them. As Fuutarou said in chapter 81,
“there are limits... When you choose something, it means not choosing something else. The time will come
when a decision needs to be made. There’s no avoiding it.” This statement foreshadows an inevitable clash
between all parties involved.

Predictions
And if this business of using the family order continues, then I’m betting that the volume 10’s cover would be
Yotsuba as the bride (since volume 7 is Ichika, followed by Nino, then Miku in the previous covers). The
concluding volume 11 would be of Itsuki as the bride, where I’m hoping there’s a confrontation between her
and Yotsuba—on the topic of the Disguised Rena and/or the Bell Kisser. I think that would be an interesting
turn of events!

※ “What do you actually want?” —Fuutarou
※ “Just what do I want?” —Yotsuba
※ “Like, seriously, what do you want?” —Fuutarou
CONCLUSION | Predictions | 47 of 66
Then in the end, Fuutarou himself confronts Yotsuba once again. He looks at her straight in the eyes with her
ribbon grasped in his right hand. He asks her the question that has haunted her since the very beginning, “what
do you actually want?” Yotsuba falls on her knees—we see a flashback of chapter 37 where Yotsuba says “I’ve
already gotten what I wanted.” Yotsuba unravels the bow as tears begin to drop from her cheeks. “Uesugi-
san… No… Uesugi Fuutarou-kun. What I actually want is…!”
My Fan-Made Panel
I end this theory with my fanart—completed on March 19th, 2019—of Yotsuba and Fuutarou, and what I
imagine would happen at the climax of the story. I hope you enjoyed reading my theory—although, remember
that everything is just speculation based on text and visual cues! Special thanks to Haruba Negi for creating this
beautiful manga. It was an absolute delight to read and analyze these chapters!
CONCLUSION | My Fan-Made Panel | 48 of 66

Updated Fan-Made Panel (v2)
This one’s completed on February 2nd, 2020!
CONCLUSION | Updated Fan-Made Panel (v2) | 49 of 66

AFTERWORD
With only a couple of chapters remaining in the series—after the 119th—I am deeply compelled to write an
afterword (and to update this essay as a whole). Words cannot begin to describe the feelings I felt as more
chapters were produced after the 81st. In fact, some of my theories were correct, while others were false
prophecies. I would like to take this as an opportunity to reflect with you some of the matters I’ve discussed in
my essay, because the endgame is just full of wonderful throwbacks.
The Young Nakano, the Disguised Rena, and the Stalker in the Woods
We return to the matters of unraveling the mysterious Young Nakano, the woman in Fuutarou’s beloved
childhood photo. It is in chapter 86 that everything has been unravelled to us. Fuutarou meets with the
Disguised Rena for the third time and thanks her, saying that he is “grateful to [her].” He adds, “If I hadn't met
you that day, I might have ended up being alone forever. I am who I am today because of you.” It was
revealed later that it wasn’t Yotsuba who is the Disguised Rena, but it was in fact Itsuki all along—who working
under her influence. But in this third instance (similar to the second instance), Itsuki was acting on her own
volition. Fuutarou wasn’t directly thanking Itsuki, but towards the person that she represents from his past;
Young Nakano. After he takes his leave, Yotsuba comes out of the shadows. Itsuki urges her to reveal the truth
to him. “No, it’s fine like this,” she responds.
Chapter 86.
※ “But… I think it’s about time we reveal the truth. That six years ago it was you that he met.”
—Itsuki/Disguised Rena
※ “No, it’s fine like this.” —Yotsuba
I’ve mentioned before the ‘rabbit’ symbolism shared between Fuutarou and Yotsuba. Notice how every time
Itsuki disguises herself as Rena on her own volition, the fur on the coat is not present. I have established earlier
under the Second Encounter subsection that this fur differentiates the moments when Itsuki and Yotsuba are
disguising themselves as Rena. I firmly believe this part is still true and it is what symbolically differentiates the
first, second, and third meetings apart.
AFTERWORD | The Young Nakano, the Disguised Rena, and the Stalker in the Woods | 50 of 66
Chapter 119.
※ “So the sound coming from the bushes was you, Yotsuba.” —Itsuki
※ “This may not be the best time for it, but in exchange for bringing your bag, I want you to
do me a favour. I want you to put these clothes on and meet with Uesugi-san.” —Yotsuba
※ “Why do you want me to...?” —Itsuki
※ “I only learned this recently, but I just can’t lie well. If I did it, I’d get found out right
away.” —Yotsuba
It is only later in chapter 119 that the full story is revealed to us; exploring the methods in which Yotsuba
‘orchestrated’ these turns of events. Although my allegation is proven incorrect for the first encounter, I’d like
to say that the ‘rabbit’ symbolism persists through this fur coat. Yotsuba was the one who gave the fur coat to
Itsuki; and in correlation, it appears during the first encounter only. Whenever Itsuki disguises herself as Rena,
AFTERWORD | The Young Nakano, the Disguised Rena, and the Stalker in the Woods | 51 of 66
the fur disappears from the coat; establishing the lack of the ‘rabbit’ relationship between Itsuki and Fuutarou.
Fuutarou unknowingly made a deep connection with Yotsuba during that first encounter, despite the fact that
it was Itsuki behind the guise all along. As a matter of fact, the second and third meetings weren’t as impactful
because Itsuki was acting on her own volition. And we never see the fur coat make another appearance again
after the first encounter.
Chapter 119 also establishes the fact that Yotsuba was the mysterious Stalker in the Woods. Although, I have
definitely miscalculated the idea that her running capabilities allowed her time to disguise herself as Rena. In
hindsight, that is something completely unrealistic to achieve now that I’ve taken a second look at the scenario.
But overall, I feel quite accomplished and proud of myself to be able to decipher these mysteries to an extent.
The Bride and the Bell Kisser

The Sunrise Festival arc is ultimately the most important arc; despite its confusing timelines that spanned for
around 15 chapters. We have reached the point where Fuutarou deliberates on his own feelings, and then
finally realizing who it is that he truly loves. I’ve been observing the fan-base in the shadows and I must give a
round of applause for those who strived to make sense of this messy timeline.

※ “Let’s make this a school festival without even a millimeter of regret!” —Yotsuba
※ “Obviously, it’s so I can enjoy this festival as much as I can. Right up to the last minute.” —Fuutarou
In the end—after heavy consideration on Fuutarou’s part—he chooses Yotsuba as the one he cherishes the
most. However, let us break this decision down even further:
a. Reconsider the fact that Fuutarou was told that each of the five quintuplets will be waiting in their
respective rooms; he is forced to choose only one to go to and there’s no second guesses. His decision
was to go to the Infirmary, where Yotsuba was waiting. It must have been a shock for him that no one
was in the room, but he notices that Yotsuba left her cellphone. He knows that she will come back to
retrieve it; so, he waited in assumption that she will return. He was ultimately sure of his decision.
b. During Ichika’s perspective, he was told to pick a drink that represents the woman he chooses.
Fuutarou was definitely serious about this little game that Ichika procured; she even commented on
the ridiculous amount of time he took in deliberating about it. It was later revealed that he indeed
chose Orange Juice, which represents Yotsuba. Also, notice that Fuutarou has a karaage voucher in his
pocket during this reveal. This is important and we shall return to this point later.
c. Before Fuutarou goes off to the Infirmary, he notices two girls talking amongst each other at a nearby
Rest Area. They both thankful for whoever was responsible for putting the rest area up. Fuutarou
AFTERWORD | The Bride and the Bell Kisser | 52 of 66

smiles after hearing this exchange of words because it is, in fact, Yotsuba and him who set it up. He
was glad to see her efforts to be recognized and appreciated.
d. We return to the Karaage Voucher in Fuutarou’s pocket. He mentions to both Takeda and Maeda that
he has plans to purchase food but lacks the money to do so. But it is thanks to Yotsuba that Fuutarou
has such an item in the first place, and he kept it with him until the very end.
“If you’re broke, then why go to the stalls…?” asked Maeda. “Obviously, its so that I can enjoy this
festival as much as I can, right up to the last minute,” replied Fuutarou. Recall in chapter 96 that Yotsuba
tells Fuutarou, “let's make this a school festival without even a millimetre of regret!” and he shyly looks
away in response (perhaps he was realizing his feelings for Yotsuba at this very moment). This is a callback
to the very beginning of the Sunrise Festival arc where Yotsuba fills Fuutarou with words of
encouragement; which is what drives Fuutarou to work so hard during this arc. These are the same words
that ultimately led to his decision of choosing Yotsuba; for being the one who supported him with
everything she’s got; a callback to chapter 72.
Chapter 119.
※ “I just remembered my dream from when I was little… that cliché thing that everyone wanted to be…
A bride, I mean.” —Yotsuba
Chapter 119 finalizes Fuutarou’s decision with Yotsuba; however sloppy his proposal may be. And notice, again,
the business of ‘handholding’ returning one last time; a topic I will return to later in this section. But there is
something that I must bring your attention to:
Something I failed to realize and address in my theory is the symbolism with the swings and its chains. It is a
place that both Yotsuba and Fuutarou frequently return to. It’s quite fitting that the swing broke and its chains
shattered in multiple pieces; rendering the place—literally and symbolically—useless. Both Fuutarou and
Yotsuba have no need to return to the playground and deliberate on the swings anymore because, in the
fullness of time, they have both reached their goal and they’ve obtained what they wanted; true love.

Chapter 113.
※ “The duty of a student is to study, and I lived my life believing that everything else was unnecessary. But…
there was never a need to throw everything but that away. (…) I’m sure if I had stayed that way, I would be
alone even right now.” —Fuutarou
They are no longer chained down by the forces that prevent their true love from blooming; Yotsuba is no
longer chained by the feeling of indebtedness to her sisters, and it is through her overwhelming support—as
well as through the interactions of her sisters’—that Fuutarou is able to break free of the ‘loner’ mindset that
was chaining him down since chapter 1. He said so himself, “I'm sure if I had stayed that way, I would be alone
even right now.” It is thanks to their combined efforts that Fuutarou is the way he is now; with Yotsuba taking
the lead for being the one who supported him with everything she’s got, while putting aside her feelings in the
interest of preserving her relationship with her sisters.

But now, it has come to Fuutarou’s attention to unravel both their feelings; with his efforts culminating in
chapter 114. At first, Yotsuba struggles to ‘lie’ one last time in front of his face; telling herself that she “hates
Uesugi-san,” alongside flashbacks of the wish and promise they made together as children. The series
beautifully ends with them realizing their true feelings for one another; eventually verbally expressing their
‘true’ love to one another.
Chapter 42. Chapter 114. Chapter 119. C hapter 120.

The business of ‘handholding’ presents itself one last time. We’ve discussed its importance under the
Overlooked Togetherness subsection, and finally we see it literally represented in chapter 114 and symbolically
represented on chapter 119. Previously in chapter 42, we explored Fuutarou’s inability to grasp onto Disguised
Rena, who someone that is incomprehensible to him. But now that he understands the situation better, he
reaches out one last time in the sky; again, grasping something he wishes to understand. Yotsuba hesitates to
return his request; so Fuutarou tries again in chapter 119 through a proposal of love. And finally, after
everything was resolved amongst the siblings, we see the two of them holding hands together; along with the
words “please make my dream come true.” And in chapter 120, we see the both reaching out to the sky;
although apart, they know now that they are destined to be together. One sky, one destiny; followed by a
contrail.
Chapter 87. Chapter 114. Chapter 119. C hapter 120.

※ “Ah! Contrails! Did you know that seeing contrails means good things are going to happen?” —Yotsuba
The author includes the ‘contrail’ symbolism in chapter 87, chapter 114, and chapter 120. To think there would
be more symbolisms added to the series after the 81st chapter!
Yotsuba is the one who suggested that the contrails are a symbol for good luck, since apparently “good things
happen” when you see them; which is a superstition that is not commonplace. It is something that she
personally connects with good luck because of the times it is associated with the good memories she’s made
with Fuutarou, namely:
1. In chapter 87, recalling the time she first meets Fuutarou on the destined steps.
2. In chapter 114, recalling the time she meets Fuutarou again in the cafeteria.

3. In chapter 120, recalling the time they both solidified their relationship together as bride and groom.
Personally, I believe the ‘contrail’ symbolism runs deeper than that. When the panels are organized
chronologically, it creates a straight continuous—and notably skewed—lines. The two streaks it leaves behind
runs parallel no matter which direction the plane is taking, much like how the story is being piloted in ways we,
as readers, never would have imagined. These two paths represent both Fuutarou’s and Yotsuba’s journey
throughout life, always running parallel amongst each other. And now we observe them taking off into the
clear blue sky together. Who knows where the plane will take us next?

※ “This is something I’ve overheard. Apparently, on that day five years ago, they’d already…” —
Ichika/Nino/Miku/Itsuki
※ “Ever sicne that day… I’m sure it was sicne that day. It was from that moment on that I started thinking she
was special” —Fuutarou
The last subject I’d like to explore is the case of the mysterious Bell Kisser. Connections made between the
Bride and the Bell Kisser has been made explicitly clear; that Bride = Bell Kisser. A visual—and audible—
parallel is shown in chapter 68, where Fuutarou narrates, “Ever since that day… it was from that moment on,
that I started thinking she was special.” The same bell chimes can be heard for both events; and they
intimately kiss one another for the second time.
Further solidifying this connection is made on the same chapter; where one of the Nakano sisters states,
“Apparently, on that day they’ve already…” This suggests that the Bride has already stolen Fuutarou’s first

kiss—alluding back to the kiss under the bell. Additionally, chapter 121 establishes the fact that Yotsuba is
indeed the Bride, with a panel showing an invitation letter in Ichika’s possession. Perhaps the reason why the
mystery of the Bell Kisser hasn’t been made explicitly clear in the manga because the connection has already
been established in chapter 68.
If one takes a step back and review the chapters one more time, then the allusion has already been made clear;
there is no need for it to be repeated once again. But our journey isn’t over yet.
The Disguised Bride

Chapter 121 closes with the final Quintuplets Game; Fuutarou is forced to tell them apart with love, which is a
topic we have explored under the Genuine Love subsection. It will be super interesting to see how Fuutarou
would be able to tell them apart with ‘genuine love:’

※ “This is something I’ve overheard. Apparently, on that day five years ago, they’d already…” —Disguised Bride
AFTERWORD | The Disguised Bride | 58 of 66

The most challenging aspect of this game is the direct parallels it has with the very first chapter. One cannot
deny the stark visual parallels between these panels: with Fuutarou standing dumbfounded at the centre, and
the quintuplets appearing before him in the same manner. At first, I wanted to believe that the sequence goes
from left to right; Nino, Miku, Itsuki, Yotsuba, and Ichika. But we have to remember, the sequence CAN be
broken.
Maybe this final Quintuplets Game is not only directed at Fuutarou but also directed to us, the readers.
Literally, I can not visually identify them apart due to the lack of accessories and unique hairstyles. However,
we have received one crucial hint from one of the sisters, “If you have any love in you, you can tell us apart,
right?” We’ve discussed this previously under the Genuine Love subsection; and it has reappeared before us
again. Yotsuba was the first one who introduced us to the idea that one can tell them apart through ‘genuine
love.’ This leads me to believe that the quintuplet on the far right is Yotsuba since she was the one who
instilled the idea from the very beginning.
Which brings us to the next question; what about the rest?
Chapter 3.
Perhaps chapter 121 is also a throwback to chapter 3; recall the ‘emotional distance’ symbolism I’ve covered
under the Relative Distance subsection. From this panel alone, we can identify the relationship Fuutarou has
amongst the sisters—with Yotsuba being the closest to him. Notice how Yotsuba is located on the farthest right
on this panel as well? A visual parallel can be drawn between chapter 3 and chapter 121. If this is the case, then
the order is actually: Ichika, Nino, Miku, Itsuki, and Yotsuba.
This is what I imagine how the sequence of events will be played out: Fuutarou will sequentially identify the
sisters from left to right; while recalling the fondest of memories he has between each one of them. And then
finally concluding with Yotsuba. I personally hope that the final chapter will include a throwback to the
‘glimmer’ effect in her eyes and I’m crossing my fingers that the same effect will be reflected back on to
Fuutarou’s. Because—as discussed in the On the Topic of Marriage subsection—I have identified the eyes as
being windows to the soul. I believe the goal of the final Quintuplets Game is to not only figure out who the
true Bride is, but to also to be able to tell them apart as individuals. It is not only a game for Fuutarou to
decipher, it is also up to us as beloved fans of the series to be able to tell them apart with ‘love.’
AFTERWORD | The Disguised Bride | 59 of 66

Addressing my Edits
I’ve taken the liberty to make the appropriate changes to this document as I felt the formatting looked a little
out-dated for my current standards. This includes updating the images, fixing grammatical errors, and adding
more paragraphs; all in an effort to make the reading process much more enjoyable. A big change is adding a
new section titled The Young Nakano. I believe the topic deserves its own section since it’s been mentioned a
lot under The Disguised Rena section.
Additionally, the newly added edits are there, by no means, to change my stance from March of 2019. Rather,
they are there to clarify some aspects of my arguments—however wrong they may be, or have disproven by
recently released chapters beyond the 81st. I personally felt obligated to articulate my words better in some
parts of my essay. And in most cases, this was done in order to provide better flow in reading. I hope you enjoy
the First Edition: Remastered Version!
Aftermath and Memes

This has been a fantastic journey. I’ve often visited the Gotoubun-no-Hanayome Discord channel for some time
now and I’ve come to acknowledge the fact that my essay has been recognized as the “pentagram” crack
theory essay. I especially love the parodies and memes that came out of it, such as the following images below:
Source: ht tps://www.reddit.c om/r/5ToubunNoH anayome/comments/e5ry89/.

※ “Shoutout to u/Nic osarea f or the predictions” —u/Nazrael99
AFTERWORD | Addressing my Edits | 60 of 66

Source: ht tps://www.reddit.c om/r/5ToubunNoH anayome/comments/dp5ywz/.

※ “Accurate” —u/ He llw ann
Source: ht tps://discord.com/channels/40973838020 5752332 /576915694348795926/58550 3574415376385.

※ “Yotsuba's hand ges ture in the color page doesn' t imply/ means anything, dont w orry.
This page is safe too, the symbol doe sn' t me an anything, I sw ear.” —Carl#2535
AFTERWORD | Aftermath and Memes | 61 of 66

Source: ht tps://discord.com/channels/40973838020 5752332 /576915694348795926/58550 7920947576833.

※ “Pentagram eh... .I see... .it all connects now.” —Ze l-melon#2864
I’ve m ade this one myself. I hope you all like it!
※ Pentagrams and contr ails… what does it me an?!
AFTERWORD | Aftermath and Memes | 62 of 66

“I can't stop laughing whe n I hear t hat a fam ous overseas t eacher has published a 41-page paper
with 9000 characters that confirms that Y otsuba is a bride.”
※ https://twitter.com/NASAiwa/status/1121348182208737 281.
Final Thoughts
To my fellow Yotsubros, thank you for supporting me like how Yotsuba has supported Fuutarou since the very
beginning. Words cannot truly explain how satisfying this is for me, and it truly feels like my efforts has been
rewarded.
And a message to the members of other legions; your best girl may not have won the canonical battle—but
they deserve a special place in each of our hearts as well. A heartwarming place just as deserving as Yotsuba’s.
With Love,
Nicosarea
AFTERWORD | Final Thoughts | 63 of 66

INDEX
Chapter 1; page 2, 29, 30, 31, 41, 58 Chapter 35; page 40, 44
Chapter 2; page 7, 8, 17 Chapter 36; page 31, 47
Chapter 3; page 8, 16, 35, 59 Chapter 37; page 10, 47
Chapter 4; page 8, 35 Chapter 38; page 21
Chapter 11; page 35 Chapter 41; page 20, 21, 23
Chapter 12; page 34, 35 Chapter 42; page 21, 23, 24, 25, 55
Chapter 14; page 18 Chapter 56; page 12, 33, 44
Chapter 14.5; page 3 Chapter 66; page 40
Chapter 15; page 4, 8, 17 Chapter 68; page 41, 42, 47, 57
Chapter 16; page 11, 16 Chapter 72; page 14, 42, 45
Chapter 18; page 6 Chapter 79, page 26, 27, 51
Chapter 19; page 16 Chapter 80; page 18
Chapter 20; page 6, 8, 16 Chapter 81; page 8, 46
Chapter 21; page 7, 8, 16, 28, 38, 43 Chapter 86; page 50, 51
Chapter 24; page 5, 39 Chapter 113; page 52, 54
Chapter 25; page 36, 45 Chapter 114; page 55, 56
Chapter 27; page 36 Chapter 119; page 51, 53, 55, 56
Chapter 29; page 7 Chapter 120; page 55, 56
Chapter 31; page 17 Chapter 121; page 57, 58
Chapter 32; page 6, 12, 13, 14
Chapter 33; page 8
Chapter 34; page 37
INDEX | 64 of 66
CHANGELOG AND UPDATES

EDITION 1: Version 01
2019-04-19
※ Completed theory essay.
※ Added Afterword section.
※ Added a Cover page.
2020-03-07 ※ Reformatted entirety of document (including Body, Header, and Footer).
※ Updated heading and subheading styles.
※ Updated Table of Contents.
※ Fixed grammar and spelling errors.
EDITION 2
※ Added empty book-binding pages.
※ Added Half-Title page.
※ Added Copyright page.
※ Added Index section.
※ Added Changelog and Updates section.
2020-11-16
※ Reformatted Header and Footer.
※ Updated interior design.
※ Updated Table of Contents.
※ Changed font-colour of paragraphs to a softer Charcoal colour.
※ Changed font-colour of headings and sections to a softer Lime colour.
※ Fixed grammar errors.
※ Flattened images and resized them accordingly.
※ Updated border spacing.
※ Updated header and footer.
2021-02-12
※ Updated and fixed quotes.
※ Updated page numbers within Index.
※ Added “green ribbons” on page rims to indicate new sections.
※ Added grey textboxes for notes.
CHANGELOG AND UPDATES | 65 of 66

AUTHOR’S NOTE
This essay is the fruit of my labour; serving as
evidence of my love for the Quintessential
Quintuplets series. I worked on this essay in April
of 2019 during a time where my university work
involved a lot of writing (and it still does!) This
essay is my pride and joy. It will continue to
remain in the cyber archives for many to enjoy in
the future.
I had a lot of fun writing and organizing my

thoughts. People have criticized my work for
making ridiculous and bold claims; but in the
end, it is only a theory. I found joy in witnessing
how key events unfolded with every chapter
release. You have no idea how excited I was
when I found out that my “Stalker in the
Woods” prediction came true! And,
subsequently, that Yotsuba definitely
recognized Fuutarou-kun since chapter 1!
My final prediction, which involved unraveling

the “Disguised Brides,” also came close.
Although I had misplaced their physical ordering
(from left to right), I still find victory and
satisfaction in hearing the order in which
Fuutarou confronted them: Ichika, Nino, Miku,
Itsuki, then finally Yotsuba.
AUTHOR’S NOTE | 66 of 66
"hey,Is
ubscr
ibedt
othepent
ragram theor
y..
.
alt
houghthatonei
ssost
upidthatit
'sgood."
"
..
.
Yougotitr i
ghtman,youar et hetrueprophet.
Youwer eri
ght .Youweret heonl yonewho
managedt ounr avelNegi
'
sgamesandi ll
usions
bef
oreal lofus,mer emortal
s .Congrat
ulati
ons,
Negiplayeduslikeadamnvi oli
n,butyouwer e
theonewhomadet heoper agoyourway. "

Yotsuba Nakano Theory - On The Subject of Ribbons and Lies

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Yotsuba Nakano Theory - On The Subject of Ribbons and Lies

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

REMAS

YOTSUBA NAKANO THEORY: ON THE SUBJECT OF RIBBONS AND LIES

2. Second subreddit upload, titled “[REMASTERED] Yotsuba Nakano Theory: On

Second edition uploaded on November 16th, 2020.

Cover and interior design by Nicosarea.

This essay is free to access via Google Drive at

Live picture of me going on a conspiratorial ran t. ヽ ( ￣～￣ )ノ

INTRODUCTION | A Word of Caution | 1 of 66

THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 2 of 66

THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 3 of 66

Chapter 15, (C over).

THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 4 of 66

Chapter 13. Chapter 24.

THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 5 of 66

Chapter 18. Chapter 20.

THE BRIDE | The Fourth Sister | 6 of 66

Chapter 2. Chapter 21. Chapte r 29.

THE BRIDE | Overlooked Togetherness | 7 of 66

Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 20. Chapter 4. Chapter 15.

THE BRIDE | Overlooked Togetherness | 8 of 66

THE BRIDE | Overlooked Togetherness | 9 of 66

On the Topic of Marriage

THE BRIDE | On the Topic of Marriage | 10 of 66

THE BRIDE | On the Topic of Marriage | 11 of 66

Chapter 32. Chapter 56.

THE BRIDE | On the Topic of Marriage | 12 of 66

The Legend that Binds

Chapter 22. Chapter 32.

THE BRIDE | The Legend that Binds | 13 of 66

Chapter 32. Chapter 72.

THE BRIDE | The Legend that Binds | 14 of 66

THE BRIDE | The Legend that Binds | 15 of 66

THE YOUNG NAKANO

THE YOUNG NAKANO | Relative Distance | 16 of 66

Craving for Attention

Chapter 2. Chapter 15. Chapte r 23. Chapter 31.

THE YOUNG NAKANO | Craving for Attention | 17 of 66

Photographs and Peace Symbols

Chapter 14. Chapter 80.

THE YOUNG NAKANO | Photographs and Peace Symbols | 18 of 66

THE YOUNG NAKANO | Photographs and Peace Symbols | 19 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA

The Stalker in the Woods

THE DISGUISED RENA | The Stalker in the Woods | 20 of 66

Chapter 38. Chapter 41. Chapt er 42.

THE DISGUISED RENA | The Stalker in the Woods | 21 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | The Stalker in the Woods | 22 of 66

Chapter 41. Chapter 42.

THE DISGUISED RENA | First Encounter | 23 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | First Encounter | 24 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | First Encounter | 25 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Second Encounter | 26 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 27 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 28 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 29 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 30 of 66

Chapter 23. Chapter 36.

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 31 of 66

THE DISGUISED RENA | Awful Liar | 32 of 66

THE BELL KISSER

Five Points of a Pentagram

THE BELL KISSER | Five Points of a Pentagram | 33 of 66

THE BELL KISSER | Five Points of a Pentagram | 34 of 66