TV-Series
Description
Hiwou, a spirited and sometimes hot-tempered young boy, lives in a Mikawa Province village of "Machine People" who build clockwork dolls for practical tasks and festival performances. Orphaned of his mother and with his father, Masurao, away on a long journey, he resides with his siblings: older brother Sai, older sister Mayu, younger brother Tetsu, and baby brother Jyoubu, alongside friends Shishi and Machi.
Despite his father's pacifist teachings, Hiwou's energetic and mischievous nature often leads him into clashes with village elders, particularly over his willingness to use clockwork dolls defensively. He possesses a strong natural aptitude for mechanics, quickly grasping complex principles through observation. His life shatters when the isolationist Wind Gang attacks, destroying the village and capturing its people. During the chaos, Hiwou discovers how to activate Homura, a dormant ancestral clockwork float, escaping with his siblings and friends.
Forced into a journey to find Masurao and confront the Wind Gang, Hiwou repurposes Homura, transforming it into a combat-ready humanoid form – a stark violation of his community's values. This act challenges his beliefs as he traverses a war-torn landscape, encountering historical figures and events of Japan's Bakumatsu period political turmoil. His technical skills prove crucial; he upgrades Homura with a pedal device from inventor Gennai Hiraga, granting it new abilities like an extending claw and electrical discharge.
A pivotal moment arrives upon reuniting with Masurao, who is revealed to be working under duress with the Wind Gang, unaware of their atrocities. Masurao sacrifices himself to save Hiwou during a naval battle, dying in his son's arms. In his final moments, Masurao explains that Hiwou's name means "to drive away," expressing his hope that Hiwou will "drive war away" and bring peace. This loss profoundly deepens Hiwou's commitment to pacifism. Later, witnessing the assassination of ally Sakamoto Ryōma, he honors a plea to reject vengeance. Instead, he uses Homura nonviolently to disrupt battles, such as through performance, de-escalating conflicts.
By the series' conclusion, he fully embraces the meaning of his name, dedicating himself to employing clockwork technology solely for creative and peaceful purposes.
Despite his father's pacifist teachings, Hiwou's energetic and mischievous nature often leads him into clashes with village elders, particularly over his willingness to use clockwork dolls defensively. He possesses a strong natural aptitude for mechanics, quickly grasping complex principles through observation. His life shatters when the isolationist Wind Gang attacks, destroying the village and capturing its people. During the chaos, Hiwou discovers how to activate Homura, a dormant ancestral clockwork float, escaping with his siblings and friends.
Forced into a journey to find Masurao and confront the Wind Gang, Hiwou repurposes Homura, transforming it into a combat-ready humanoid form – a stark violation of his community's values. This act challenges his beliefs as he traverses a war-torn landscape, encountering historical figures and events of Japan's Bakumatsu period political turmoil. His technical skills prove crucial; he upgrades Homura with a pedal device from inventor Gennai Hiraga, granting it new abilities like an extending claw and electrical discharge.
A pivotal moment arrives upon reuniting with Masurao, who is revealed to be working under duress with the Wind Gang, unaware of their atrocities. Masurao sacrifices himself to save Hiwou during a naval battle, dying in his son's arms. In his final moments, Masurao explains that Hiwou's name means "to drive away," expressing his hope that Hiwou will "drive war away" and bring peace. This loss profoundly deepens Hiwou's commitment to pacifism. Later, witnessing the assassination of ally Sakamoto Ryōma, he honors a plea to reject vengeance. Instead, he uses Homura nonviolently to disrupt battles, such as through performance, de-escalating conflicts.
By the series' conclusion, he fully embraces the meaning of his name, dedicating himself to employing clockwork technology solely for creative and peaceful purposes.