The ghosts struggle just like you do, you'd need to weaken them first.
Aaand there's a credit card explaining everything, including the point of healing them, since holding both buttons at the same time would be uncomfortable, (which is absolutely on purpose) ^.^ Thx. I think your health plays a role, though. Also, how do I feed the ghosts? Is there a hint for that too?
Honestly, for a "pathetic" protagonist, you did a good job making him competent. What's pathetic is how a fetish game has deeper mechanics than slop like Stellar Blade. And now that players are less rewarded for failing and more rewarded for being competent (including only letting Japes get eaten when he has a in universe safety net for it), you have successfully pulled the other 50% of the game out of being a glorified gallery. I wouldn't be surprised if someone on the team 1cc'd an arcade game at this point. Even so, may I suggest a meter for the ghosts? Not that it matters, but it would be nice to know exactly how much health I can eat a ghost with.