Omori Characters and the Zodiac
The storyline of Omori is a powerful exploration of how people deal with grief, and how friends can find their way back to each other even after a long, painful separation. It follows both the dream world of a boy named Sunny and the real-life events that transpire during his last three days in his hometown before he has to move away.
The characters are the best thing about this game; they feel very realistic, with their own positive and negative traits that influence their development and the larger story as a whole. Many of these traits match the zodiac signs of the characters with an official birthday. Other characters don’t have an official birthday, but they show evidence of fitting a particular sign very well.
Here’s an analysis of how the Omori characters’ zodiac signs shape their personalities, for better or worse. There will be spoilers for multiple endings, so don’t read this if you haven’t already finished the game!
Aries: Kim
Kim doesn’t have a canonical birthday, but I’d bet she’s an Aries based on her personality. Despite her small stature, she’s got a presence that stands out. Outspoken and brash, Kim says what she’s feeling and is the first to take charge in group situations.
Kim is a founding member of the Hooligans and has a tendency to get into trouble, and unfortunately, she ends up involved with bullying Basil. Some Aries can fall into bullying when fueled by a crowd and take their insecurities and anger out on others.
However, she ultimately has a good heart when it comes to her loyalty to Aubrey; when an Aries befriends you, it’s for life. She is quick to rile up, but she doesn’t hold a grudge against Sunny and Kel despite fighting them, asking them to check on Aubrey, and leaving flowers for Sunny in his hospital room. Hopefully Kim and Basil are able to settle their differences after the game’s story.
Taurus: Pluto
The real planet Pluto was discovered on Basil’s birthday (February 18, 1930), but Pluto in Omori feels very much like a Taurus. Taureans have a deep drive to do things their own way, which can sometimes make them come across as stubborn. Pluto escapes from Captain Spaceboy’s planetarium because he wants the freedom to travel wherever he wants. He succeeds because he’s literally as strong as a bull.
Pluto also comes across as a Taurus because he is a loyal friend. You can always depend on Pluto to give you a ride, and he encourages Kel’s potential by teaching him how to flex. This loyalty makes it difficult when Mr. Jawsum orders him to fight the children in his expanded form. While he’s passionate about battle, he uses it as a way to help his friends grow stronger. Taurus is known for being connected to physicality, so as a powerful warrior, Pluto fits the bill.
Gemini: Aubrey (Born May 23)
Born on May 23, Aubrey is our Gemini. Between her cheerful younger version in Headspace and her angry real-life persona in Faraway Town, Aubrey feels like two different people, and we can see those two sides of her fighting for control in the Faraway route. As a child, you can also see Gemini duality in her love of pink and stuffed animals and her love of smashing enemies with a baseball bat.
Despite her difficult home life, young Aubrey is cheerful and friendly with a variety of people, bringing gentle Basil into the friend group and also being good friends with the assertive Kim. Her presence brings energy to the group and she drives many of the important decisions in Headspace, such as visiting Sweetheart’s castle and helping Captain Spaceboy with his post-breakup depression. She’s bright and quick-witted, and although she bickers with Kel as children, they ultimately are still good friends.
This makes the changes in Aubrey in the present day very jarring. If the Omori characters represent the stages of grief, Aubrey is definitely anger. She goes from one of Basil’s best friends to his worst bully and gets involved with the criminal activity of the Hooligans.
However, Aubrey is angry because she feels abandoned by her former friends, with Mari seemingly committing suicide, Hero sinking into depression, Kel trying to move on by joining the basketball team, and Sunny never leaving his house. A social sign like Gemini who thrives on spending time with their friends will suffer more when they suddenly disappear, and Aubrey’s trauma makes her lash out and adopt a newer, meaner persona.
Her home life being what it is, Aubrey never had a safe place to process her feelings, so she ended up with a group that fuels her worst impulses. Geminis are good at blending into a group but put them in the wrong group and they may be influenced in a negative way. Reconciling with her old friends is already setting Aubrey on a better track, though, and while she won’t be her old self again, she’ll be happier with them back in her life.
Cancer: Sunny (Born July 20)
Sunny was born on July 20, making him a Cancer, which makes perfect sense with his personality and story. As a Cancer, Sunny cares deeply about his family, and the story revolves around his relationship with Mari and its subsequent breakdown with her death. The emotion-driven battle system and the colorful, expansive world of Headspace also fit the sign of Cancer, since they are very emotional and have a rich inner world.
If I had to give Sunny a stage of grief, it would obviously be denial. In Headspace, Mari is still alive, Sunny’s going on adventures with his friends, and everything is happy. He is protective of Mari, not imagining her battling in Headspace because he knows about her knee injury and, subconsciously, about the injury he caused when he pushed her to her death.
Cancers are so sensitive that they may become overwhelmed by their own emotions, and his fight with Mari on the stairs was very emotionally overwhelming. They may choose not to deal with their emotions at all, and instead they retreat into their crab shell.
This is what Sunny does in the four years before the main story. He stays at home, where he’s comfortable and able to hide from the truth. It’s only through the persistence of his friends and his own persistence to face his trauma that Sunny breaks free of his grief and becomes able to tell the truth.
Emotions can also be a Cancer’s greatest strength, and Sunny’s love for Mari eclipses his pain in the end.
Leo: Sweetheart
Sweetheart lives in the spotlight the way many Leos dream they could. Surrounded by adoring Sprout Mole fans, she lives in a huge lavish castle and puts on shows for them, wearing increasingly fancy outfits.
Unfortunately, since she’s a major antagonist in the story, many of her Leo traits manifest themselves in a negative way.
The attention Sweetheart receives from the sprout moles makes her vain, and she does not reciprocate the affection of her fans. This vanity causes her to break up with her suitors in search of someone more worthy of her, and when she latches onto Hero, she refuses to believe that he could reject her.
Interestingly, you could view Sweetheart as a foil for Sunny’s view of Mari. Mari is loved by everyone, and Sunny thinks she’s perfect. Mari got angry at Sunny because he didn’t give her what she wanted: a perfect performance. Sweetheart is loved by all her fans, and thinks she is perfect. Sweetheart got angry at Omori and his friends because they didn’t let her have a perfect wedding. Plus, they both have a thing for Hero.
Although she’s funny and an iconic villain (and her boss theme is my favorite), Leos, don’t be like Sweetheart!
Virgo: Polly
Polly displays the kind and hardworking nature of the sign Virgo as the caretaker of Basil and his grandmother. Although we don’t see her too much in the story, she is very important as the person who’s been closest to present-day Basil and noticed his struggle.
Virgos are caring and pay close attention to detail, particularly when it comes to the people they are close to. Poor Polly wonders if Basil’s spiraling is her fault and feels useless because she can’t help him, particularly in the ending where Basil dies. Virgos are prone to anxiety and especially to worrying about things being their fault.
Libra: Mr. Jawsum
Mr. Jawsum relies on Libra charm to get his way and climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Although he tricks his employees into working for him, Mr. Jawsum prioritizes fairness as a boss, which is something Libras value highly.
The people he hires are carefully evaluated and put into positions that fit their skills and personalities. Neb gets to be an engineer since he loves puzzles, tough Berly is the resort’s bouncer, and Hero is allowed to show his full potential and ends up becoming his best employee.
Also, when Mr. Jawsum realizes his way of running things has some major flaws, he steps down and lets Hero take over as the boss. Ultimately, he puts a harmonious environment in the resort over his own desires.
Scorpio: Kel (Born November 11)
Kel is born on November 11, making him canonically a Scorpio. While on the surface his loud nature doesn’t seem to mesh with the typical secretive Scorpio, if you dive a little deeper, you can see that he represents the sign well.
Scorpios are in tune with the emotions of the people around them, and they can be quite determined when it comes to helping a close friend. Kel demonstrated Scorpio determination when he came to Sunny’s doorstep despite years of no contact and his own fear of rejection. He knew that what Sunny needed during his last days in Faraway Town was to spend time with his friends and come to a sense of closure over Mari’s death.
Kel may seem careless sometimes, but when it gets serious, he’s very emotionally intuitive. Kel also noticed Hero’s depression and tried his best to help his brother, even if Hero lashed out at him for it.
Scorpios have a natural tendency to be competitive, and they can be impulsive when angry. Kel’s arguments with Aubrey show this very clearly. Kel displays Scorpio intensity in his joy, his sorrow, and his anger.
However, diving deeply into your emotions can also help you process them. While Kel is quick to react, he is also one of the more emotionally well-adjusted characters in the present day. He’s made friends and pursues his own happiness by joining the basketball team. Perhaps this is why he seems better able to handle his grief over Mari, and capable of helping Sunny process his own grief. He is acceptance, the last stage of grief.
Also, funnily enough, Scorpio is ruled by the planet Pluto. And Kel and Pluto are good friends!
Sagittarius: Captain Spaceboy
Captain Spaceboy’s love of adventure makes him an excellent candidate for our Sagittarius. His crewmates respect his bravery and strong will. Like many Sagittarians, Captain Spaceboy has a thoughtful and philosophical nature, looking to find meaning and purpose in his life.
Unfortunately, this means he is prone to mood swings when Sweetheart, whom he loves deeply and views as his purpose in life, breaks up with him. During his first breakup with her, he becomes Space Ex-Boyfriend and seeks vengeance. After their divorce, he falls into despair as Space Ex-Husband. Those born under the sign of Sagittarius get deeply invested in their relationships, and understandably they become particularly fiery or emotional when they are broken up with.
Thankfully, Captain Spaceboy does show Sagittarian resilience, moving on from these losses with the help of Omori and friends. His journey to healing from his grief over losing Sweetheart mirrors the healing journey of the main cast after Mari’s death, particularly Hero. He finds purpose in himself, not in his relationship, and becomes capable of getting back up and continuing his adventures with his crew.
Capricorn: Hero (Born January 1)
Responsible and hardworking, Hero has Capricorn energy in spades. Born on New Year’s Day, he is calm and mature and works hard to become a better chef. It may be that Capricorn practicality that got him to pick up the hobby in the first place. Many Capricorns tend to find themselves as the peacemaker of their friend group, and Hero often breaks up Kel and Aubrey’s fights.
Saturn rules Capricorn, and with Saturn comes personal hardships. Hero is unsure of whether he wants to become a chef and follow his passion or follow his parents’ wishes and become a doctor. Mari encourages him to follow his dreams, but then she dies, and Hero bottles up that dream and does what his parents want him to do. Capricorns tend to value their parents’ opinions and want to please them, even if it’s at their own expense.
His reaction to Mari’s death also feels very Capricorn in nature. In the five stages of grief analogy, he is depression. Hero closes himself off rather than letting his emotions out and drowns his sorrows in his schoolwork. It takes his friends (with signs that are more emotionally open) to pull him out of it.
Hopefully at the end, he doesn’t blame Sunny and Basil too much for their actions as scared kids, and he can find closure and peace with what happened.
Aquarius: Basil (Born February 18)
Basil, born on February 18, is our representative for Aquarius. Basil is creative and intelligent, a lover of photography and gardening. Aquarius’s humanitarian focus on the greater good is the most obvious Aquarian trait that gentle Basil shows … in good situations and in bad.
Basil represents bargaining, the third stage of grief. His actions on the day of Mari’s death are a dark reflection of Aquarius’s problem-solving nature. Rather than an outcome where Sunny ends up in jail for killing his sister, Basil creates the narrative of her committing suicide by hanging herself from their treehouse. But this created more problems than it fixed.
By facing the sun like a sunflower, can you really put the darkness behind you? Does saying, “Everything will be okay” make it so?
Covering up the events of the recital day weighs heavily on Basil’s soul as well as Sunny’s. Aquarians often feel like outcasts because of their unique view on life, but Basil literally willingly became an outcast at school after the incident. He gets more and more withdrawn and depressed as he tries to suppress the truth, which goes against his strong Aquarian sense of morality. This can either lead to him killing himself or fighting with Sunny.
If Basil is alive at the end, though, and you have watered his flowers in Headspace, there is hope. His Something fades away, and he is finally ready to put the past behind him and heal.
Pisces: Mari (Born March 1)
As a Pisces who’s also an older sister, I really like Mari. Her birthday’s actually a day after mine! Mari is compassionate and loving and possesses such a strong sense of intuition that, in Headspace, she seems almost psychic.
Mari’s advice is very helpful to Sunny, and he clearly looks up to her a lot. Her Pisces dreaminess can be felt all throughout Headspace, and she’s never far away with a picnic and a smile to lift Sunny back up.
Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces, and it is associated with music and the spirit world, so it’s no surprise that Mari is an accomplished pianist, or that her ghost leaves such a strong presence in Sunny’s mind.
Mari is a perfectionist, and like many Pisceans she can be quite hard on herself. Pisces sensitivity also may have made it more likely for her to lash out at Sunny during their fight. But neither of them intended for the fight to go so far, and Mari never held her death against Sunny. On moving day she displayed the Pisces trait of forgiveness, asking him to tell his friends the truth and promising to always watch over him. Her love gives him the strength to cast out Omori and move on.
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