Character Relationship Map: Kaidan

Characters

• Orui (played by Kumiko Aso) — protagonist

  Daughter of the wealthy man who shelters Shinkichi. He marries her despite initial reluctance. She bears a burn scar matching Toyoshiga's injury and gives birth to a pale daughter with a scar on her l...

• Toyoshiga (played by Hitomi Kuroki) — supporting

  A respected schoolteacher who marries Shinkichi but becomes consumed by jealousy and illness after a dispute. After her death, she returns as a vengeful spirit, terrorizing Shinkichi and ultimately ca...

• Shinkichi (played by Kikunosuke Onoe V) — supporting

  An orphan raised by his uncle who marries Toyoshiga. His infidelity and a violent argument lead to her fatal illness. Haunted by her ghost, he accidentally kills his mistress Ohisa, later finds work w...

• Orui's father (played by Masahiko Tsugawa) — supporting

  A wealthy man who takes in the grieving Shinkichi. He offers his daughter Orui in marriage to stabilize Shinkichi's situation, playing a minor but pivotal role in advancing the supernatural curse.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Orui's father → Orui (father)
• Orui → Toyoshiga (Meta Possible Reincarnation) — Orui functions as the supernatural continuation of Toyoshiga's presence.

  Orui bears a burn scar in the same place as Toyoshiga's scar, and the plot suggests that Toyoshiga possesses or reincarnates through her.

• Shinkichi → Orui (Family Marriage) — Shinkichi enters a second marriage shaped by fear and supernatural recognition.

  The wealthy family wants Shinkichi to marry Orui, and he eventually agrees after seeing that her burn matches Toyoshiga's scar.

• Toyoshiga → Shinkichi (Romantic Partner) — Their romance becomes the central relationship driving the tragedy.

  Toyoshiga falls in love with Shinkichi, and they decide to live together as husband and wife.

Story Analysis

A tragic supernatural cycle follows Shinkichi from forbidden love and guilt to a new marriage haunted by Toyoshiga's returning presence.

Plot Progression

1. Blood Beneath The Lake — A debt dispute leads to the murder of Toyoshiga's father and the dumping of his body in a cursed lake. Shinkichi is later left orphaned and raised by his uncle.
2. Jealousy At The School — Toyoshiga becomes a respected teacher before falling in love with Shinkichi. His flirtation with students fuels her jealousy, drives students away, and damages their relationship.
3. The Widow's Warning — Shinkichi accidentally wounds Toyoshiga, whose illness eventually kills her. After burial, her letter warns that remarriage will bring supernatural revenge.
4. The Roadside Apparition — Shinkichi elopes but becomes lost in a storm while Toyoshiga's spirit pursues the couple. His defensive strike kills his lover by mistake.
5. The Scar Returns — Shinkichi enters a wealthy household and is pressured to marry Orui. Her matching scar and her pale, scarred daughter suggest that Toyoshiga's haunting continues.