Demon Pond

A Tokyo-returned writer who becomes entwined in the village's fate. He initially seeks freedom through storytelling but accepts the duty bound by the bell ritual and vows, ultimately sacrificing himself to save Yuri. He embodies a rational, protective instinct that clashes with tradition.

A woman who invites Akira to tell a story and becomes the emotional center of the village’s conflict. Her longing and tenderness drive her actions within a community ruled by ritual and fear. Her resilience and vulnerability intensify the tragedy that unfolds around the bell and the dragon’s myth.

A priest from the Honganji tradition and a professor at Tokyo University who returns to admonish the village’s adherence to outdated customs. He advocates modernization but must confront the consequences of disrupting a long-standing ritual. His presence reframes the conflict between tradition and progress.

The dragon princess of Demon Pond who is bound by a ancestral vow not to fly away. Her love for the prince of Serpent Pond motivates actions that could trigger a flood, illustrating how desire collides with duty. She is moved by Yuri’s lullaby, choosing restraint over escape to protect others.

The nurse of Princess Shirayuki who explains the ancestral vow and guards the princess’s confinement. She embodies duty and guardianship, trying to prevent ruin while recognizing the limits of her control. Her guidance anchors the dragon-human dynamic in the village.

A giant crab sent from Demon Pond by Lady Myriad to relay that there will be no rain, despite villagers’ offerings. He serves as one of the pond’s emissaries and a reminder of the otherworldly agents at play in the village’s fate.

A carp sent from Demon Pond who recounts the princess’s love and the perilous letter from the prince. He helps convey the mythic stakes driving the villagers’ decisions and the potential flood.

A catfish priest who bears a letter from the prince, fearing his own fate if discovered. He embodies the precarious trust between the dragon’s court and the human world.

A village leader who incites conflict with Akira and challenges the outsider’s influence. His actions escalate the villagers’ aggression and contribute to the climax.

A villager who admires Yuri and fights to defend her, eventually grabbing the scythe in the struggle against Denkichi. His loyalty underlines the tension between admiration and violence in the crowd.

A dying 79-year-old man who long performed the bell-ringing duties and passed the role on through a vow. His belief in the ritual’s necessity anchors the conflict between old obligations and new thinking.