The narrative excludes explicit LGBTQ+ characters or queer subtext, relying on traditional heteronormative bonds. Romantic and familial relationships remain strictly cis-heterosexual, with no depiction of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy.

Female warriors like Shinobu Kocho serve primarily as emotional anchors or victims, often suffering 'fridging' to motivate male protagonists. Masculinity is portrayed through stoic, traditional lenses without critiquing toxic traits or challenging male leadership dominance.

The film offers authentic Taisho-era Japanese aesthetics and features a person of color as the protagonist. However, this cultural specificity lacks intersectional depth or cross-cultural blending, focusing on internal cultural norms rather than broader racial dynamics.

Traditional Japanese values of duty and honor are portrayed as absolute moral goods, reinforcing binary distinctions between good and evil. The narrative rejects moral relativism or systemic critique, presenting villains as inherently evil rather than misunderstood victims.

Characters with physical or mental struggles use trauma as plot devices to highlight resilience, often overcoming limitations through supernatural willpower. This approach frames disability as an obstacle to conquer rather than a lived identity, lacking nuanced representation.