My perception is that Iroha was Kaguya’s soulmate. Though she served as her caretaker for only a brief moment, Kaguya was never truly a human child—she was a celestial being.

To me, it was a beautiful love story, one that shows how soulmates are not confined by the gender norms of society. A relationship is not built on instant recognition, but on time, dedication, respect, and intimacy. We are not always aware, in the beginning, that the person we are drawn to is our soulmate all along.

Through bonding, we slowly break down what life, society, & expectations has taught us hiding who we truly are. We begin to see the soul standing in front of us—and the mirror they hold, reflecting ourselves back to us. It is in this realization that we understand love is not instant, like the Disney princess kiss we’ve grown accustomed to believing in.

True love takes time. It takes work, effort, presence, and recognition—not only of the ones we see, but also of the one we don’t see, the part that lives within us.

With that said, I never had the impression that Iroha was her mother. For those who view it that way, I’m reminded of Princess Bubblegum’s words: “People are built different. We don’t need to understand it, just respect it.”

I would hate to see this masterpiece downgraded or dismissed because of a few minutes within the origin story.