The Kindred represent three tribes: the Son of Sillan Korea, the Zhou of ancient dynasty China, and the Kageyama of Asuka era Japan. In this time of history, all three nations had established single sovereignty yet remained close allies. The more modern day political tensions between these nations can be inferred from relationships between the Reapers.
The traditional Japanese Noh masks worn in the film represent themes of a vengeful woman scorned and the innocent; true to the counterpart of Noh theatre themes, it offers clues to future plot points in the second and third films.
The tarot cards symbolize three key themes for every character within the story; a transition, an opposition and a choice ending in various fateful results.
The Fallen Star character and chapter title hold a double meaning: a movie star that falls from grace, and the symbolic hope associated with the characters' true purpose and identity.
Kioma's apartment living room shows various stages of transition during the film, after the initial fortune reading prologue. The final scene was singled out as the perspective was filmed externally, with the audience watching in from the outside to offer a sense of the Kindred 'moving on'.