In the world of Loveless, those with kitty ears and tails represent those who have not yet reached "adulthood", such as Ritsuka, Yuiko, Yayoi, and Youji and Natsuo, as a few examples. However, Hitomi is an adult, and still has her ears, which calls into question the real significance of the "maturity" behind those who no longer have them. The earless characters, such as Soubi, Kio, Yamato, Kouya, and various adults in the story, represent adults to the cat-eared innocents, but in reality they only really represent those who have engaged in sex. For example, Yamato and Kouya are still high school students, but they bpth have lost their ears and tail (though Kouya sometimes wears a pair of fake ears to hide it).

 

The concept of the cat-eared characters representing innocence is an interesting one, making the theme of sex and all other things erotic that lurks behind the main plot one that is actually visible. But, though Soubi and Ritsuka's relationship is in some ways very erotic, Ritsuka still has his ears, showing that the sexual nature of a relationship entails more than just the physical act of sex.

 

Another aspect of the Loveless world is teams of fighters, consisting of a Sacrifice (who takes the damage inflicted by the opponents) and a Sentouki (who casts the spells and follows commands given by the Sacrifice. In most cases, a Sentouki and Sacrifice are lovers, and share a Name (such as Beloved, Loveless, Breathless, or Sleepless, for example) that binds their destinies inescapably together. The bond between a Sacrifice and their Fighter is an extremely sacred one, as many of the characters make clear.

 

However, though a Sentouki and Sacrifice are supposed to be bound for all eternity, this is not always how things play out. After Seimei's murder, though it was under Seimei's orders, Soubi becomes Ritsuka's Sentouki, therefore taking a second Sacrifice. Many other teams, most notably Ai and Midori (Breathless) are horrified and disgusted by this, and Soubi's high reputation plummets because of his partnership with Ritsuka. In another case, Soubi's mother, also a Sentouki, left her Sacrifice (Ritsu Minami, Soubi's sensei) to be with another man (Soubi's father). Though the bond between a fighting team is seen as sacred, the actions of both characters show that love is capable of going beyond mere destiny. The question of whether Soubi and Ritsuka will defy their fates and remain together is one that many fans have been asking since Loveless' release.