TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You - Ending Explained

The central and most significant spoiler in "TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You" is the truth behind Tsukasa's identity. Throughout the anime, numerous hints are dropped, but the manga provides a more explicit confirmation: Tsukasa is functionally immortal. Her story is deeply intertwined with "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." She is not Princess Kaguya, but a young girl from roughly 1400 years ago who was the daughter of a bamboo cutter. The Emperor of Japan at the time was given the Hourai Elixir (an elixir of immortality) by Princess Kaguya. Unwilling to live forever without her, the Emperor ordered it to be burned on Mount Fuji. However, Tsukasa's father, believing it could save his sickly daughter, instead had her drink it.

This act cursed her with an unending life; she cannot die and her body regenerates from any injury, as demonstrated when she shielded Nasa from the truck in the first episode. Her primary motivation for centuries has been to find a way to return to the moon, believing that reuniting with Kaguya might be the only way to become mortal again. This is why she is drawn to Nasa, whose name and ambition are linked to space. She believes he might be the one to finally help her reach the moon. This backstory re-contextualizes the entire series: their "fated" meeting was less of a coincidence and more of Tsukasa seeing a glimmer of hope in Nasa. Her love for movies and games is a way to pass the immense amount of time she has lived. Her deep sadness, which occasionally surfaces, stems from the pain of outliving everyone she has ever known, including her former guardian, Tokiko, whose death is a key event between the anime's seasons. Nasa eventually learns her secret, and instead of being afraid, he reaffirms his love and dedicates himself to helping her achieve her goal, turning their sweet romance into an epic quest to defy a 1400-year-old curse.

The primary area for alternative interpretations in "TONIKAWA" revolves around the true nature and motivations of Tsukasa. While the narrative strongly implies she is an immortal being connected to Princess Kaguya, the specifics are left ambiguous in the anime, leading to various theories.

• The Literal Kaguya Interpretation: One popular theory is that Tsukasa is not Princess Kaguya herself, but perhaps a handmaiden or another figure from the lunar capital who was granted immortality and now seeks the means to become mortal. Her deep knowledge of history and apparent agelessness support this. Her ultimate goal might be to reunite with Nasa on the moon or find a way for them to live a complete, mortal life together.
• Metaphorical Interpretation: Another reading views Tsukasa's "immortality" not as a literal supernatural quality but as a metaphor for an old soul or someone who feels emotionally detached and timeless due to past trauma. In this view, her story is about learning to live in the present and form new, meaningful connections through her marriage with Nasa, with the Kaguya tale serving as a symbolic framework rather than a literal backstory.
• The Cyclical Journey Theory: Some viewers speculate that Tsukasa is on a repeating journey. She lives through eras, forms connections, and eventually has to move on. Her relationship with Nasa might be the one that finally breaks this cycle, either by him finding a way to make her mortal or by choosing to join her in immortality. Her occasional melancholy and references to "overwriting memories" could be seen as evidence of past relationships and losses.