Irony of Takeo's Identity
Takeo believes that he is simply a nondescript boy from a quiet little village, but in reality, he is the son of the famous Kikuta assassin Kikuta Isamu. He therefore has the skills of the Tribe, special traits that heighten his abilities, which he gradually discovers through the course of the novel. Takeo thought he was no one, but he later finds out that his mere presence could be enough to turn the tide of a battle.
Irony of Kaede's Self-Perception
For most of her life, Kaede had no idea what she looked like, which is ironic considering her incredible beauty. She sees herself as a plain and unexceptional girl, like Takeo does with regard to himself, but she gradually realizes that she has a gift possessed by truly few.
Irony of Muto Kenji
Muto Kenji appears to be a harmless old man, but in reality he has abilities beyond those of almost everyone in the novel. A member of the Tribe, he can make himself appear to be in multiple places at once, turn invisible, and kill someone with basically any kind of weapon. His appearance is totally deceptive; people laugh at him and call him "grandfather," without realizing that he could kill them without even trying.
Irony of the Love Square
Lord Shigeru is in love with Lady Maruyama, and he promises to marry no woman but her. Ironically, he is engaged to be married to Shirakawa Kaede, a beautiful girl in the captivity of the Noguchi. Making this situation even more awkward, Takeo falls in love with Kaede, who reciprocates his affection. This weird polygon of love would have caused many problems if both Shigeru and Maruyama had not been killed.
Irony of the Fire Dolphins
At the beginning of the novel's second chapter, which follows Kaede instead of Takeo, it is raining heavily; the author compares the rain to a river pouring from the sky. Ironically, the dolphins placed on top of every building in the area as a protection against fire are essentially swimming in the river of rain, which is both fitting for dolphins and ironic considering the original intent of the dolphins.
