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KASANE: The titular character and protagonist of the series is a tragically ugly woman with an impressive talent for acting. Kasane’s late mother, Sukeyo Fuchi, was a famous and beautiful actress and Kasane wishes to emulate her. But because of her appearance, she’s thrown away that dream. It’s interesting to note that while Kasane is certainly self-conscious about her face, she feels seething hatred not only towards herself but the world that treats her as lesser. Kasane knows that as an ugly woman, no matter how smart or talented or kind or courageous she is she will never be seen as anything but an eyesore. Kasane also resents those who are beautiful. She’s incredibly jealous of course, but she’s angry they will never have to understand her suffering. Often, when beautiful characters are kind to Kasane, she assumes they are pitying her and that fuels her rage even more. This further reveals Kasane’s own self-loathing, which as the series continues she tries to cover up. So when Kasane finds out that the lipstick her mother left her gives her the ability to swap faces with whoever she chooses, it’s not surprising that Kasane uses it to finally step into the world of theater. Kasane’s ambitious, obsessed, and incredibly stubborn. These characteristics create someone who will stop at nothing to get what they want, for better or for worse. And as Kasane creates new identities using beautiful faces to propel her into the spotlight, she begins to lose her own identity. At first, Kasane thinks this is a good thing. She needs to kill Kasane, that ugly woman, to truly live the life she believes she deserves. But as the manga reaches its climax it becomes clear that everything she’s done to get as far as she has taken a toll on Kasane. She’s spiraling, she’s crumbling, and she’s determined to not follow her mother’s tragic end while sprinting down Sukeyo’s path. And when the dust settles, and Kasane is on her own again after the play, she still feels such immense hatred for herself. There’s guilt, there’s resentment at the world, and there’s a whole lot of shame. Kasane crumbles when she realizes that no matter what, she will always be an ugly woman. The fame won’t matter, the face won’t matter, and at the end of the day she is, and always will be, Kasane.

NOGIKU: Nogiku is another central character in Kasane. She is Kasane’s half-sister whose life has been ruined by Kasane’s mother stealing Nogiku’s mother’s face. But unlike Kasane, Nogiku is extremely beautiful. But being a beautiful woman has proved to be no good for her, as she has suffered immensely at the hands of many men, including her father. Nogiku has been taught that she’s only good for her body, and while she resents that message, she has internalized it. When she finds out Kasane is using the lipstick to swap faces, and how far she has already gone, Nogiku becomes consumed with revenge. She vows to make Kasane pay. She will be the cause of her downfall. Nogiku and Kasane are quite similar. They share a strong drive, self-hatred, and resentment for the world. The two mirror each other. Near the end of the manga, Nogiku makes a comment that both beauty and ugliness are equally grotesque. She and Kasane both have negative experiences tied to their appearance, and have developed complicated relationships with their own faces. Nogiku is even willing to live as ugly, likely because she believes men won’t give her a second glance. As Kasane is a story about beauty, it cannot help but be a story about gender as well.

HABUTA: Another example of how Kasane is about gender is Habuta. Habuta is a man of mediocre looks, honestly probably on the ugly side. He has buck teeth and looks like a hamster. However, he isn’t treated the same as Kasane because he is a man. Physical appearance doesn’t dictate a man’s life the same way it does a woman's. Habuta is just as trapped in a cycle of obsession as Kasane and Nogiku. He was in love with Sukeyo and had given his life to being her slave. She never returned the love, but Habuta didn’t care. So when Sukeyo died, it was Habuta who brought Kasane into the spotlight. At first, he was determined to create Kasane as a mirror image of Sukeyo. He lost Sukeyo, so he was determined to save Kasane. However, he ends up sort of pushing his own agenda onto Kasane. Kasane wants to surpass her mother, who met her tragic end after playing Lady Macbeth. Kasane takes that role, and this propels her further into the spotlight. Though with some setbacks, Kasane ultimately shines just as, or even brighter, than her mother. But as desperation and depression start to cause Kasane’s spiral, Habuta is terrified that she will end up the same as her mother.

And she does. The most tragic thing about Kasane is that she ends up falling in a similar fashion to her mother. The story is cyclic. Habuta couldn’t change anything. The manga’s ending makes you think of a play: Kasane was destined for tragedy from the very beginning. This could also be a greater allegory for beauty standards and how they affect people’s lives. If you are not one of the lucky to be born beautiful, nothing you do to change will ever give you satisfaction. An ugly woman remains an ugly woman even when she has a new face. It’s inescapable, as inescapable as Kasane’s fate.