When you first watch Soul Eater, Black Star is basically that one friend who refuses to turn down the volume. He’s loud. He’s obnoxious. Honestly, he’s kind of a brat. Then you have Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, who is essentially the human embodiment of a "calm" button.
Most people see them as a classic "opposites attract" gag. You’ve got the loudmouth and the long-suffering saint. But if you actually look at the Black Star and Tsubaki dynamic through the lens of the manga—especially the later chapters that the 2008 anime completely ignored—you realize they aren't just partners. They are the most functional relationship in the entire series.
The "God" and the Camellia: Why They Actually Work
It’s easy to dismiss Black Star as a narcissist. I mean, the guy literally screams his name during stealth missions. But there’s a reason Tsubaki is the only weapon who can handle him. It’s not just because she’s "nice." It’s because her soul wavelength is incredibly broad and accepting.
In the world of Soul Eater, soul resonance is everything. If your "vibes" don't match, you can't fight. Black Star has a massive, self-centered ego that would crush a normal weapon. Tsubaki, coming from a multi-form weapon clan, has a soul that acts like a vast ocean. She doesn't just tolerate his ego; she gives it room to breathe.
More than just a Shuriken
Tsubaki isn't just a "demon shadow weapon." She’s a Swiss Army knife of trauma and versatility. Think about her forms:
💡 You might also like: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
- Chain Scythe: Long-range, heavy.
- Ninja Sword: Quick, precise.
- Smoke Bomb: Utility for escapes.
- Shuriken: Standard projectile.
- Uncanny Sword (Yoto): The high-stakes mode that can literally consume the user.
Most weapons have one form. Soul is a scythe. The Thompson sisters are pistols. Tsubaki? She carries the weight of her entire family's legacy. When she absorbed her brother Masamune’s soul, she didn't just get a power-up. She took on his "darkness."
The Turning Point: The Masamune Arc
If you want to know what really happened with Black Star and Tsubaki, you have to look at their fight against the Uncanny Sword. This wasn't Black Star’s fight. It was Tsubaki’s.
Usually, the Meister is the star. Here, Black Star stays on the sidelines, literally taking a beating from a crowd of villagers just to give Tsubaki the space to face her brother alone. It’s the first time we see the real Black Star. He isn't just a loud kid; he's a guy who will bleed out in silence if it means his partner can find her own strength.
He calls her his "camellia flower." In Japanese flower language, camellias don't lose their petals one by one; the whole head falls off at once. It’s a symbol of a sudden, noble death. Black Star recognizes that Tsubaki is the one holding the real power, and he respects her enough to let her lead.
📖 Related: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
Manga vs. Anime: The Power Level Discrepancy
A lot of fans who only watched the anime think Black Star is just "pretty strong."
He’s not just strong. By the end of the manga, he is arguably the strongest "human" to ever live. Atsushi Ohkubo, the creator, even confirmed in interviews and extra pages that Black Star surpassed Death the Kid by the series' end.
Why the Anime did them dirty
The 2008 anime veered off into a completely original ending because the manga wasn't finished. Because of that, we missed out on:
- The Path of the Warrior: Black Star’s choice to remain human rather than becoming a "God" or a "Demon."
- Shadow Star Forms: These are insane. We’re talking about Black Star using Tsubaki’s darkness to create black wings and literal gravity manipulation.
- The Moon Battle: He literally caught a laser beam with his bare hands. No weapon. Just pure soul wavelength and physical training.
The Relationship: Is it Romance?
The "TsuStar" ship is huge, but is it canon? Kinda.
👉 See also: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
They live together. They share a bed because their apartment is tiny. In the Book of Eibon arc, we find out that Tsubaki is actually one of the most "lustful" characters (internally), which is hilarious given her modest exterior. Black Star, for all his bravado, is surprisingly respectful of her privacy as they get older.
They don't need a confession scene. Their souls are literally synchronized. When they perform a "Chain Resonance," they are essentially sharing a single consciousness. Honestly, that’s deeper than any high school crush.
What You Can Learn from the Star Clan's Survivor
Black Star was the son of White Star, a man so evil the entire Star Clan was wiped out by the DWMA. Black Star was the only infant spared. He grew up hated by the townspeople. Every time he acts out, every time he screams that he’s going to "surpass God," he’s trying to drown out the whispers of people who think he’s a monster.
Tsubaki saw that. She didn't see a brat; she saw a lonely kid trying to prove he wasn't his father.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Read the Manga: If you’ve only seen the anime, start at Chapter 32. That’s where the stories diverge. You haven't seen the real Black Star until you see him fight Mifune for the third time.
- Watch for the subtle cues: Re-watch the early episodes and notice how often Tsubaki is actually the one making the tactical decisions while letting Black Star take the credit.
- Respect the "Support": Tsubaki proves that being the "support" doesn't mean being weak. She is the anchor. Without her, Black Star would have turned into a Kishin (demon) in the first ten chapters.
Black Star and Tsubaki represent a perfect balance. He provides the drive; she provides the direction. He is the sun, and she is the gravity that keeps him from flying off into total madness.
If you're looking to dive deeper into their specific techniques or want to see how their power scales against the rest of the DWMA, check out the Soul Eater "Perfect Edition" manga volumes. They include updated translations that clarify just how much Black Star's ego is actually a calculated tool for his wavelength control.