Yukino Kikukawa
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character from the anime
and manga
series My-HiME
, and also appears in the alternate universe
sequel, My-Otome
, where she is known as . In both series she is voiced by Mamiko Noto
in Japanese, and is voiced by Morgan Partridge in the English language dub.
in all incarnations (and implied to have romantic feelings towards her in Hime, though one sided on her part), and serves as an introverted and quiet foil
to Haruka's quick and passionate temperament. She is also depicted as being very intelligent and loyal to Haruka in all incarnations.
's best friend and confidant. She is in the same class as Mai Tokiha
and Yuuichi Tate
. She is frequently seen with her laptop computer and occasionally runs the communications network of the Executive Council. An introvert, Yukino frequently corrects Haruka's mispronounced or misspelled words as and attempts to calm the hot-headed Haruka down during crises. Yukino has been friends with Haruka since they were small children, and was often defended by Haruka when she was unable to defend herself from bullying. As such she feels great loyalty towards Haruka and often accompanies her during her (sometimes ill-planned) attempts to protect the school.
Yukino is revealed to be one of the 12 HiME after a vampire-like Orphan sent by the SEARRS foundation begins to attack girls on campus when she is contacted by the school's headmaster Mashiro Kazahana, who warns that Haruka may become a target if the Orphan attacks continue. Yukino then uses her CHILD, Diana, to survey the school and learn of the location of the captured Natsuki Kuga
, which she sends to Mai in an anonymous text message.
When the SEARRS foundation invades the school Yukino uses her powers for reconnaissance
to help her fellow HiME. However, she falls under a great deal of emotional stress as the rules of the HiME festival and the cost of losing are revealed and tensions between the HiME escalate. Later, believing that Haruka is in danger, she is psychologically manipulated by Ishigami the art teacher and nearly attacks Mai before stopping herself. However, Mikoto arrives and attacks Diana believing Mai to in danger until Mai herself intervenes. The relationship between the two girls is eventually reconciled as Yukino uses Diana's power of illusion to mask a battle between the HiME and tries to help locate Mai's brother Takumi Tokiha
.
Eventually, Yukino locates Student Council President Shizuru Fujino
where she is hiding with Natsuki, and observes Shizuru disrobing and lying down next to Natsuki and later stealing a kiss from the sleeping Natsuki while hiding in the bushes with Haruka, whose shocked reaction gives them away. After Haruka confronts Shizuru for her "disgusting" infatuation with Natsuki despite Yukino's attempts to calm her, Shizuru retaliates and kills Diana, and by extension Haruka, her Most Important Person. Despite this, Haruka manages to head-butt Shizuru before tossing her council badge at Yukino to reassure her and disappearing.
Yukino is reunited with Haruka when Mashiro resurrects the defeated HiME and their CHILDs, and at the end of the series Yukino is seen at the graduation with Haruka.
when fighting Orphans. Instead of Diana she now has a Child called Mirror Wall which resembles an open flower (instead of a closed one in the anime) that floats above ground. It abilities appear to be more powerful than in the anime, as are several other HiMEs Childs, as its spy camera spores are large enough to reflect Haruka's
child's laser attacks. Mirror Wall appears to be able to create more precise illusions than Diana and can erect forceshields strong enough to deflects blasts from Kagatsuchi, but in turn seems to be completely without offensive abilities.
with Haruka representing Anne and Yukino representing Diana. Yukino's HiME mark is located on her right arm slightly below the elbow; this location differs from that of medical astrology
which is generally followed with the HiME's birthmarks (the body part associated with Pisces are the feet.)
In this universe Yukino is the president of the Aries Republic, and the master of the Otome version of Haruka, who is a brigadier general
in the Aries army. She is considerably more confident than her My-HiME counterpart and appears cool under pressure. She is apparently well-respected within her country. She helps Garderobe combat the invasion by Artai forces and lends several of Aries' warships to the cause.
On an amusing note, she still corrects Haruka's mispronunciations, though this time she is armed with a megaphone
to make herself heard. She also has some of her subordinates use a rock to knock Haruka out if she become too exuberant (though in the second episode of the My-Otome Zwei
OVA they discover that they need a bigger rock). This OVA also sees Yukino's position being challenged by presidential candidate Ishigamin (the art teacher Ishigami from My-HiME) and later Tomoe Marguerite
after she (literally) knocks Ishigamin off his campaign platform and declares herself a candidate.
Though it seems that she and Haruka often disagree due to their conflicting personalities, they have a mutual understanding that they must work together to accomplish the same task despite their differences, something that Arika Yumemiya
takes to heart in consideration to her relationship with Mashiro Blan de Windbloom
. Yukino is also visibly troubled when Haruka is petrified by the as-of-yet unknown enemy, though Haruka is still alive despite her nanomachines being solidified. It is also shown that Yukino keeps a sunflower
on her desk in a vase resembling Haruka's Meister Robe, and she is shown looking at it sadly after Haruka is petrified.
, as she demonstrates when she destroys a SLAVE's control GEM in chapter 11.
The second is Yukino Kikukawa, the resurrected HiME, who like the other HiMEs has an altered personality and is much more aggressive and devious than any other incarnation. Haruka's HiME counterpart is subservient to Yukino, which is a shocking realization for Haruka Armitage. The HiME Yukino is also sexually aggressive towards Haruka, and tongues her neck in a suggestive manner in front of a shocked Armitage.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series My-HiME
My-HiME
is an anime series, created by Sunrise. Directed by Masakazu Obara and written by Hiroyuki Yoshino, the series originally premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo from September 2004 to March 2005...
, and also appears in the alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
sequel, My-Otome
My-Otome
is an anime series created by Sunrise. Directed by Masakazu Obara and written by Hiroyuki Yoshino, it is a spinoff of My-HiME anime series and as such My-Otome takes place in a new setting with new main characters....
, where she is known as . In both series she is voiced by Mamiko Noto
Mamiko Noto
is a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:...
in Japanese, and is voiced by Morgan Partridge in the English language dub.
Common Characteristics
Yukino is depicted with short red-brown hair and inverted square glasses. She is very close to HarukaHaruka Suzushiro
is a character from the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is Haruka Armitage in the My-Otome series. She is voiced in both series by Ryōka Yuzuki. In the English dubs she is played by Lori Barnes-Smith...
in all incarnations (and implied to have romantic feelings towards her in Hime, though one sided on her part), and serves as an introverted and quiet foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
to Haruka's quick and passionate temperament. She is also depicted as being very intelligent and loyal to Haruka in all incarnations.
My-HiME
Yukino appears as the secretary of the Fuuka Student Council and Haruka SuzushiroHaruka Suzushiro
is a character from the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is Haruka Armitage in the My-Otome series. She is voiced in both series by Ryōka Yuzuki. In the English dubs she is played by Lori Barnes-Smith...
's best friend and confidant. She is in the same class as Mai Tokiha
Mai Tokiha
is a character from the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. She is voiced by Mai Nakahara in Japanese and Carol-Anne Day in English.- Common characteristics :Mai is depicted with short orange hair and a rather large bust...
and Yuuichi Tate
Yuuichi Tate
is a fictional character in the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. His name is spelled Yuichi Tate in the English translation of the My-HiME anime. He is voiced by Tomokazu Seki in Japanese and Jordan Schartner in English.-My-HiME anime:...
. She is frequently seen with her laptop computer and occasionally runs the communications network of the Executive Council. An introvert, Yukino frequently corrects Haruka's mispronounced or misspelled words as and attempts to calm the hot-headed Haruka down during crises. Yukino has been friends with Haruka since they were small children, and was often defended by Haruka when she was unable to defend herself from bullying. As such she feels great loyalty towards Haruka and often accompanies her during her (sometimes ill-planned) attempts to protect the school.
Yukino is revealed to be one of the 12 HiME after a vampire-like Orphan sent by the SEARRS foundation begins to attack girls on campus when she is contacted by the school's headmaster Mashiro Kazahana, who warns that Haruka may become a target if the Orphan attacks continue. Yukino then uses her CHILD, Diana, to survey the school and learn of the location of the captured Natsuki Kuga
Natsuki Kuga
is a fictional character from the My-HiME andMy-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is in the My-Otome series. She is voiced by Saeko Chiba in Japanese and Cheryl McMaster in English.- Common characteristics :...
, which she sends to Mai in an anonymous text message.
When the SEARRS foundation invades the school Yukino uses her powers for reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
to help her fellow HiME. However, she falls under a great deal of emotional stress as the rules of the HiME festival and the cost of losing are revealed and tensions between the HiME escalate. Later, believing that Haruka is in danger, she is psychologically manipulated by Ishigami the art teacher and nearly attacks Mai before stopping herself. However, Mikoto arrives and attacks Diana believing Mai to in danger until Mai herself intervenes. The relationship between the two girls is eventually reconciled as Yukino uses Diana's power of illusion to mask a battle between the HiME and tries to help locate Mai's brother Takumi Tokiha
Takumi Tokiha
is a supporting fictional character in the anime series My-HiME and a minor character in the alternate universe sequel My-Otome. He is voiced by Yugo Takahashi in the Japanese version, Cole Howard in the English dub, and Miyuki Sawashiro in the My-HiME PS2 Game....
.
Eventually, Yukino locates Student Council President Shizuru Fujino
Shizuru Fujino
is a fictional character in the Japanese animated series My-HiME and My-Otome. In My-Otome, her name has been changed to Shizuru Viola. Though her role in both series was that of a secondary character, she has a wide range of admirers among the show's fans...
where she is hiding with Natsuki, and observes Shizuru disrobing and lying down next to Natsuki and later stealing a kiss from the sleeping Natsuki while hiding in the bushes with Haruka, whose shocked reaction gives them away. After Haruka confronts Shizuru for her "disgusting" infatuation with Natsuki despite Yukino's attempts to calm her, Shizuru retaliates and kills Diana, and by extension Haruka, her Most Important Person. Despite this, Haruka manages to head-butt Shizuru before tossing her council badge at Yukino to reassure her and disappearing.
Yukino is reunited with Haruka when Mashiro resurrects the defeated HiME and their CHILDs, and at the end of the series Yukino is seen at the graduation with Haruka.
My-HiME manga
In the manga Haruka actually is a HiME, and Yukino is a member of the Ori-HiME team along with Haruka who is her key. Together they form a tag-teamTag-Team
"Tag-Team" is the fifth episode of the first season of the 1974 American television series Land of the Lost. Written by Norman Spinrad and directed by Dennis Steinmetz, it first aired in the United States on October 5, 1974 on NBC.-Plot:...
when fighting Orphans. Instead of Diana she now has a Child called Mirror Wall which resembles an open flower (instead of a closed one in the anime) that floats above ground. It abilities appear to be more powerful than in the anime, as are several other HiMEs Childs, as its spy camera spores are large enough to reflect Haruka's
Haruka Suzushiro
is a character from the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is Haruka Armitage in the My-Otome series. She is voiced in both series by Ryōka Yuzuki. In the English dubs she is played by Lori Barnes-Smith...
child's laser attacks. Mirror Wall appears to be able to create more precise illusions than Diana and can erect forceshields strong enough to deflects blasts from Kagatsuchi, but in turn seems to be completely without offensive abilities.
Element and Child
Yukino's Element is a set of mirrors that allow her to observe different parts of the school. Her CHILD, Diana, is a plant-like creature that sends out spores that act as miniature cameras and can generate cloaking fields and illusions. Diana can also attack with its tentacles. According to the official guidebook Diana is a reference to Anne of Green GablesAnne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
with Haruka representing Anne and Yukino representing Diana. Yukino's HiME mark is located on her right arm slightly below the elbow; this location differs from that of medical astrology
Medical astrology
Medical astrology is an ancient medical system that associates various parts of the body, diseases, and drugs as under the influence of the sun, moon, and planets, along with the twelve astrological signs. Each of the astrological signs is associated with different parts of the human body...
which is generally followed with the HiME's birthmarks (the body part associated with Pisces are the feet.)
My-Otome
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the Aries army. She is considerably more confident than her My-HiME counterpart and appears cool under pressure. She is apparently well-respected within her country. She helps Garderobe combat the invasion by Artai forces and lends several of Aries' warships to the cause.
On an amusing note, she still corrects Haruka's mispronunciations, though this time she is armed with a megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
to make herself heard. She also has some of her subordinates use a rock to knock Haruka out if she become too exuberant (though in the second episode of the My-Otome Zwei
My-Otome Zwei
is a Japanese OVA anime series, created by Sunrise. Directed by Masakazu Obara and written by Hiroyuki Yoshino, it consists of four episodes, which were released across three-month intervals and is the sequel to the original My-Otome anime series...
OVA they discover that they need a bigger rock). This OVA also sees Yukino's position being challenged by presidential candidate Ishigamin (the art teacher Ishigami from My-HiME) and later Tomoe Marguerite
Tomoe Marguerite
is a secondary character in My-Otome who is the 2nd top Coral student in Windbloom. She is also Chie Hallard's room attendant and later on in the series becomes an antagonist...
after she (literally) knocks Ishigamin off his campaign platform and declares herself a candidate.
Though it seems that she and Haruka often disagree due to their conflicting personalities, they have a mutual understanding that they must work together to accomplish the same task despite their differences, something that Arika Yumemiya
Arika Yumemiya
' is a fictional character and the protagonist of the My-Otome anime and manga series. She is first introduced in the first episode where she travels through the desert to Windbloom to find out more information about her mother, whom she was told was an Otome. After seeing the power of the 3rd...
takes to heart in consideration to her relationship with Mashiro Blan de Windbloom
Mashiro Blan de Windbloom
is a character in the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is in the My-Otome series. She is voiced by Yukana in Japanese and Katie Rowan in English.- Common Characteristics :Mashiro is depicted as a small girl with lavender hair...
. Yukino is also visibly troubled when Haruka is petrified by the as-of-yet unknown enemy, though Haruka is still alive despite her nanomachines being solidified. It is also shown that Yukino keeps a sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
on her desk in a vase resembling Haruka's Meister Robe, and she is shown looking at it sadly after Haruka is petrified.
My-Otome manga
In the manga version of My-Otome there are actually two Yukinos. The first is a member of the Windbloom Police Department with Haruka as her partner. Their relationship is very similar to the My-HiME manga. Yukino is apparently skilled with a sniper rifleSniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
, as she demonstrates when she destroys a SLAVE's control GEM in chapter 11.
The second is Yukino Kikukawa, the resurrected HiME, who like the other HiMEs has an altered personality and is much more aggressive and devious than any other incarnation. Haruka's HiME counterpart is subservient to Yukino, which is a shocking realization for Haruka Armitage. The HiME Yukino is also sexually aggressive towards Haruka, and tongues her neck in a suggestive manner in front of a shocked Armitage.
Name Origins
- The kanjiKanjiKanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
of Yukino's surname in My-HiME mean chrysanthemumChrysanthemumChrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
, and this is reflected in her Otome counterpart's surname, Chrysant, which also means chrysanthemum in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
. The chrysanthemum is also the symbol of the Japanese Imperial family, and may be a reference to her position of power in My-Otome.