To anyone looking for clues to make sense of all the conflicting data: It appears likely that Sensei drew inspiration from
Butterfly Effect (2004). One of its key plot elements is that jumping back in time to change the past is a family power (and tends to traumatically break the minds of those who use it too much, not unlike
Higurashi and the more recent
Re: Zero).
Hint hint strangely-emotionless Yotsu-nii, and very likely Mommy Dearest.
Not to mention that (for possible future reference) the power actually comes from within and just needs a emotional focus point (journals about the past, home movies, a beloved keepsake).
I've been wondering... When the brother, Mitsuha told Yotsuha that their mother died from an accident, does most of you actually take what he said at face value? I know I didn't and I kinda guess that he's the real culprit behind her death. But how, I couldn't have guess I just thought he might did so especially because he wants to protect Yotsuha and why I eliminate him from possible list of Clover true identity very early on.
Ymmv, but there's reason to believe Sensei drew inspiration from
Higurashi as well as from
Butterfly Effect (2004). It's not an uncommon trope in animanga regardless... but if you've seen all of
Higurashi, you know a few times over that good intentions to protect and love someone can get
very twisted. Much more twisted than "I've seen a future where my beloved sister died (in childbirth, practically killing herself to protect Uichi [like here], an alt-Uichi deserted her and she killed herself, etc) so I've decided I have to kill him to save her".
