Mahiru Hīragi

Mahiru Hīragi 「柊 真昼, Hīragi Mahiru」 is the love interest and demon weapon of Guren Ichinose. She is also the main female character and plays an important role in the Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen light novel series.

Mahiru was the next successor of the Hīragi Family. She stole Krul's brother, Asura, from her and used him as her own demon weapon. She would eventually turn herself into a demon and was sealed within Guren's weapon, becoming a cursed gear called Mahiru-no-Yo.

Appearance
Mahiru has long ashen (blueish-gray) hair with fringe and amber eyes; after becoming a vampire, she has red eyes and fangs. Unlike her younger sister, Shinoa Hīragi, she has a taller, well-developed figure.
 * Anime: Her hair has more of a lavender color.

She is usually seen with the First Shibuya High School uniform, a sailor fuku, which consists of a blouse with red trim around the collar with a grayish blue sailor-style collar which also has red trim and a similarly colored skirt with a belt. The red uniform ribbon which is thinner than normal sailor fuku, is attached to the bottom right end of the collar. The school's emblem is located on the right breast. She wears thigh length grayish blue stockings and dark blue dress shoes along with it.

Human
Mahiru is a very popular member of the Hīragi Family, and she is famous for treating the other clans with kindness and equality. When she is five years old, she rebels against her family and makes contact with Guren Ichinose, who she soon falls in love with. Her great intelligence and skill make her father favor her, but she hates the Hīragi Family.

She saves Sayuri when Seishirō severely beats her and begins to strip her at school, and she is the one who visits Guren in the nurse's office after he becomes injured.

She has many expectations on her and does battle with the demon born inside her. In her desperation to save Shinoa, who also has a demon inside her, she takes Shinoa's demon and sacrifices the rest of her humanity.

When she is with Guren, she can rarely break free and warn him. She also cries without hesitation when she sees Guren injured.

Namanari
Mahiru is in this state for most of the Catastrophe light novels. The demonic side of her gradually takes more and more time in control of her body. The demonic side twists her love for Guren by starting his transgression into demonhood as well. Her need for power to protect and be with Guren warps into a desire to either rule or destroy the world.

Mahiru-no-Yo laughs often and loves to mock Kureto and the other characters. She has no sympathy for anyone.

She betrays anyone and everyone without the slightest hesitation.

She is absolutely delighted when Guren shows his strength or touches her. However, she has no sympathy or compassion for anyone, including Guren, unless her original human personality breaks through.

Since the human and demonic personalities are in flux, they can be seen arguing and fighting for control when Mahiru-no-Yo puts Guren in danger.

Vampire
Mahiru appears to have the same demonic personality as before, but now she is consumed by lust for blood, especially Guren's. The two personalities no longer appear to be fighting for control.

Demon
The human personality of Mahiru has completely been consumed by Mahiru-no-Yo. The fact that she became a possession-type demon suggests she is particularly violent. The demon helps Guren grow into a namanari and possesses him as needed to make Guren's demonic side take control.

History
Mahiru along with her younger sister, Shinoa, were conceived through artificial insemination using the seed of Tenri Hīragi in a demon-possessed woman.

Mahiru was in love with Guren since they were children; but Guren was not welcomed by her family, so they were forcefully separated at a very young age.

When he was ten years old, Shinya had been selected by the Hīragi family to be the potential mate for Mahiru, and he was adopted into their family to this end. This was a plan by the Hīragi to keep their bloodline strong. However, when Shinya and Mahiru first met she told him she wouldn't fall in love with him as she already had someone. Had she openly stated to her family she didn't want Shinya, they would have disposed of him; and she wasn't allowed to be with Guren, whom she loved. For these reasons, they both agreed Shinya would be her cover-up fiancé until she could be with the person she loved.

Growing up, she saw visions of the future and even prophesied the end of the world on Christmas Day 2012 as God's punishment against human ambition for meddling with the taboo. The trumpets of the Apocalypse would sound, and the Seraph would descend.

Later on, her research on demons eventually turned her into one until Guren killed her. She became the demon within his Cursed Gear and part of the Black Demon Series.

Book 1
In the prologue, Mahiru asks Guren if they can get married when they are older. Guren says they cannot because she is from the head clan while he is from a minor clan. Their stations are too different. People come looking for Lady Mahiru and beat up Guren before dragging her away. Guren yearns for power. A decade goes by.

They meet each other again at First Shibuya High when she visits him in the nurse’s office after a fight with Shinya, but he treats her coldly.

During the qualification exams, she saves Sayuri when Seishirō severely beats her and begins to strip her. Sometime later, the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights attacks and kills many students and teachers. Guren and Shinya fight Saitō and learn that Mahiru betrayed the Hīragi Family. Guren and Mahiru fight, and she cuts his sword, Kujakumaru, in half.

Book 2
During their investigation of Ueno Zoo, Guren Squad battle a chimera made with genes from the Four Horsemen of John. Mahiru lends Guren cursed gear, which takes him one step away from humanity and causes a demon to sprout inside him. Ferid Bathory out-matches them without any effort and takes half of the chimera with him.

Book 3
In the prologue, Mahiru meets her victorious fiancé candidate, Shinya Hīragi, for the first time. She informs him that she will never love him because she already loves Guren, but he will have a fake relationship with her in order to protect Guren. However, Shinya says he does not plan to lose to Guren. They fight briefly, and Mahiru tricks him with an illusion before putting an exploding tag onto his back.

In the present day, Kureto pretends to torture Shinoa while interrogating Guren. Mahiru sends Kureto a message telling him to do as he pleases, and tears briefly form in Shinoa’s eyes. Kureto sends the IP address to Guren, and Guren sends a message to Mahiru. Mahiru calls Guren, and Guren puts the phone on speaker. Guren, Shinoa, and Kureto all speak to her. Shinoa says everything went as Mahiru predicted. Mahiru twists the conversation and repeatedly states that all of the events occurring since the first Catastrophe volume are his doing. She reveals the special ops he sent after her just now are already dead. A student rushes in and reveals that this entire conversation was just broadcasted over the whole school. After Kureto releases Guren and Shinoa, Mahiru calls him again. She says she only wants to hear his voice and says the demon was in control before. They establish a rendezvous at 5:30 p.m. in apartment 501 located fifteen minutes from Ikejiri-Ohashi Station.

Guren reads about the demon experiments ongoing in Mahiru and Shinoa. The research notes reveal Mahiru and Shinoa’s origin and how the demon’s will drastically increased when Mahiru hit puberty. To prevent Shinoa from suffering the same fate, Mahiru joined the Thousand Nights and used herself as a test subject.

Mahiru does not arrive until 7 p.m.

Although she tells Guren he cannot save her, he insists he can, and they have sex that evening. She tells Guren that he wants to protect his own comrades rather than her. Mahiru reveals she now has both her demon and Shinoa’s demon inside her body, which has sped up the rate of her degeneration. She shared part of the demon with Guren before in order to remove all of the demon from Shinoa, so he will eventually become a demon as well. When he asks to fight by her side, she tells him there is not enough time and reveals the Apocalypse occurring that Christmas.

The vampire who chased Guren and Shinya the previous night enters through the balcony and greets Mahiru, but Mahiru calls upon Asuramaru and quickly kills her.

Mahiru reveals she fabricated information to set the Hīragi House and Thousand Nights against each other. Guren says he refuses to let her give up her humanity. Mahiru jumps out the window.

When Guren learns that the Thousand Nights is attacking the school and leaves shortly afterward, he comes across a running motorcycle and a demonic sword waiting for him in an alley that were presumably left behind for him by Mahiru.

Book 4
Mahiru has an illusion over the whole school and is responsible for instigating the conflict between the Hiragi and the Thousand Nights.

Mito, Shinya, and Goshi play video games at Guren’s apartment until Mahiru shows up. Guren attacks her, and they fall from the twenty-fifth floor. Mahiru stops her fall by using her sword. Guren is badly injured but recovers.

Book 5
Mahiru visits Yuichiro Hyakuya, who is being experimented on and abused by the Hyakuya Sect. She asks him about his reason to live and if he has no right to live if he is a demon. Yu does not know how to answer. Since his mind has not broken from his experiences, she tells him he will find an answer one day. A researcher says he will erase all memory of this conversation from Yu’s mind. She asks about receiving one of the Hyakuya orphans to experiment on with cursed gear.

Kureto calls Mahiru and tells her in explicit detail about how he will torture Guren, but she only laughs and says she is going to Kyoto.

Mahiru visits one of the Hyakuya Orphanages with the pseudonym Miyuki Yamada. She chats with Akane Hyakuya and realizes she has a crush on Mikaela Hyakuya, one of the subjects with a body well-suited to experimentation. She “adopts” a child named Juni before taking him to a van on the opposite side of the street, killing the driver, and knocking Juni unconscious. She enters the freeway but is attacked by vampires. She fights them, but they cause a large car pile-up. The vampires capture Mahiru and take her to Kyoto.

Mahiru is tied to a cross deep within Sanguinem and is being tortured. Krul Tepes asks her if she is ready to talk and reveals the date is already December 20th. Mahiru summons Shikama Doji and breaks free. Krul asks Mahiru about Asura Tepes, but Mahiru only laughs.

Book 6
The prologue shows Guren and Mahiru’s first meeting when they were five years old. Guren is training late and night and jumps into a river to cool off. Mahiru appears and claims to be a forest fairy, but Guren points out that they are in the mountains. She reveals that the Ichinose are the reason her mother died.

On December 2nd, Mahiru leaves Sanguinem as a vampire sired by Krul. Saito gives her a ring to protect her from sunlight, but she attacks him with Shikama Dōji. Mahiru knocks out a human woman and drinks her blood, noting that it tastes different depending on the age and sex of the human. The blood turns bad once the human dies. Mahiru returns to Tokyo.

On December 10th, Kureto sends in Guren and his gang to take care of students that have become possessed by demons at the school. Guren arrives first and knocks out one demon-possessed boy. Mahiru, now a vampire, appears and applauds Guren’s strength. She admits this was her doing and asks about the experimentation on Asuramaru. She says a human must be modified in order to use a Black Demon, but the current success rate is less than 20%. Guren says he wants to protect both her and his friends and asks that she surrender, so he can extract the demon from her. She throws down Shikama Dōji and instructs him to give it to Shinoa in order to protect her. The rest of the group arrive and attack Mahiru, but she escapes.

Guren calls Mahiru and says he will betray the Hīragi and join her. She laughs.

Story: Vampire Reign
Although she is present as Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose's weapon from the moment Guren appears in the manga, readers first see her human appearance at the beginning of chapter 17 within his mind. She wants him to seek more power. When he addresses her, she says she's glad that he came as she wanted to meet with him.

Post-Shinjuku Arc
In the following chapter, Guren reveals her form during a fight with Yu. After hearing Guren summon his demon by calling out her name, Shinoa holds her scythe at Guren's neck. She reveals that her weapon specializes in long-range combat and consequently stands no chance against a melee fighter like Guren at that range. Guren calmly says he would let Shinoa kill him. Shinoa asks him if that is his way to atone for killing her sister, Mahiru. She asks if she is in his sword since she heard him call her name. Guren says that Mahiru is already gone since she turned into a demon and saved the world by completing Cursed Gear. Shinoa laughs, stating that Mahiru was never one to care about the world because she loved him. She longed to be with him since they could never be together and became obsessed with demons.

After discussing the events of eight years ago, Shinoa says that if Mahiru hadn't completed the development of Cursed Gear, humanity would have perished. Her sister, who was just a girl in love became something like a Messiah. But then she was killed when she became obsessed with her research and became a demon. She continues saying, the one who killed Mahiru was the person who used to be her lover, him, Guren.

Shinoa asks him if Mahiru is together with him inside his sword, stating that he is being possessed by her. Guren asks her if they ever got along. She explains that she was not close with her sister because Hīragis are raised without knowing familial love.

Shinoa asks if making use of Yu was one of Mahiru's orders and asks if her sister or the demon for lack of a better word inside his sword is ordering him. She then asks him to stop what he is doing if his goal does not benefit Yu.

Guren tells her that Mahiru is dead and isn't coming back. He says that the demon inside his sword is under control so he isn't being possessed by her. But Shinoa doesn't believe him.

Nagoya Arc
In chapter 23, she appears and whispers to Guren in order to make sure he follows her rather than Lieutenant General Kureto Hīragi.

She appears again in chapter 38. She possesses Guren and kills the noble beating him. She uses Guren's body to point a sword at Krul Tepes and states that Krul will help her conduct an experiment on the Seraph of the End at Nagoya Airport.

Natural Abilities
In Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen, upon losing her humanity right after transforming into a vampire, Mahiru noted to herself that she has finally managed to obtain strength, which is equal to a third progenitor like Krul Tepes.

Whereas a vampire's power is dependent upon both age and lineage, it's unknown if Mahiru was really as powerful as she believed to be. This was because of Mahiru's was still young behing in her late teen, in comparison to Krul, who has lived for a really long time.

Unlike Mikaela, who also became a true noble vampire by Krul, however Mahiru didn't seem to have a first-class vampire weapon in possession, but still used the demon weapon, Shikama Dōji with its forms and abilities instead.

Upon discarding it, Mahiru can truly unleash her potential power as a true noble vampire, which is greater than that of a demon she originally became before the events of Seraph of the End occurred. Even so, despite the tremendous power she has greatly attained from Krul, it was still not far from enough to lift a scratch against the second progenitor, Saitō and defeat him.
 * Demon's Thrall: Mahiru-no-Yo may enter her host's mind and consume him with illusions in an attempt to break his will. If she wins, she gains control over his body.


 * Basic Form: Mahiru-no-Yo appears as a black katana with a red streak down the middle. Merely drawing her increases her bearer's physical abilities significantly and calling upon her name increases them tremendously.
 * Namanari: A human one step from becoming a demon. Mahiru-no-Yo has managed to turn Guren into one of these. In this form, Guren and Mahiru cooperate and have tremendous power. However, Guren's personality changes to a more demonic, heartless, and demanding one. It is unclear whether this is the demonic side of Guren that Mahiru began to create the summer before the Apocalypse when they were both human or if Mahiru is the one in control of Guren's body.

Cursed Gear
Asuramaru 「阿修羅丸, Ashūramaru, lit. "Perfect Asura"」: Asuramaru is a possession-type demon weapon of the Black Demon Series. It resides inside a black sword that Mahiru once used. Whilst in use, the blade developed a thick green aura. She could call upon Asuramaru to fully use its power to attack opponents.

Shikama Dōji 「四鎌童子, lit. Four-Scythe Child」: A manifestation-type demon weapon from an unknown series. It is strongest at mid-range. Her primary ability is to detect anything that comes within the attack radius of her scythe.

Trivia

 * Mahiru 「真昼」 means "midday."
 * Hīragi 「柊」 means "Holly."
 * Her demon name Mahiru-no-Yo 「真昼ノ夜」 means "midday's night."
 * Mahiru is the only character known so far to be a demon who is possessed by another demon. It is almost as if the demon itself replaced Mahiru completely, besides her appearance.
 * Both Mahiru's demons; Asuramaru and Shikama Dōji are currently in possession by the male and female lead or the manga series.
 * According to the light novel, she and her younger sister Shinoa were born with demons inside of them.
 * In the popularity poll, Mahiru earned 8th place at 957 points.
 * According to the official 8.5 fan book:
 * Interests/Likes: Guren's future, ambition, lust, the "Seraph of the End" experiment
 * Favorite food: Human hearts/minds, demons
 * Crush: Guren

Book 1

 * "When we get older… do you think the two of us could get married? We could be together, forever, just like we are now."—Prologue, Page 13
 * "You shouldn’t have pulled your bandages off like that."—Chapter 4, Page 74
 * "I’ve changed too, Guren. I decide who I see now, and what I do.  It’s a Hiragi’s duty to look after the clans under our command."—Chapter 4, Page 75
 * "You were more rough-and-tumble as a child. When did you learn to say such flattering things?  I don’t care if it’s flattery.  I’m just happy to hear you call me beautiful."—To Guren, Chapter 4, Page 76
 * "…do whatever I want? I don’t have any interest in making father happy and I never have."—Chapter 6, Page 125
 * "I don’t want you to apologize to me. Especially not this weak you, who can’t protect the girls in his life."—To Guren, Chapter 6, Page 125
 * "Impressive! You really have become strong, haven’t you, Guren?  Was it all for my sake?"—Chapter 7, Page 153
 * "I see… All I ever wanted was to be with you again, Guren.  That’s why I grew stronger."—Chapter 7, Page 153
 * "Ahaha. Once I began acquiring power, I enjoyed the feeling.  You understand, don’t you, Guren?  You’ve grown so strong, but you’re still flesh and blood.  You must feel the seductive pull of power…  There’s a limit to flesh and blood, though, isn’t there?  To become truly powerful, you have to be willing to transcend to the next level."—Chapter 7, Page 154
 * "You look surprised. Amazing, isn’t it?  A cursed weapon.  It’s a combination of Hiragi and Thousand Nights magic.  We learned how to make contracts with high-ranking demons that were formerly out of reach, and to bind them into weaponry…"—Chapter 7, Page 154
 * "It’s not quite perfected…but I think we’re close. Just think of it, Guren.  With a weapon like this, what is there left to fear?  The Hiragis are powerless ants in comparison.  Even vampires would be no threat.  They think of humans as no more than mere cattle, but with a weapon like this we could kill them.  It just needs to be perfected.  Look at it.  It’s so beautiful—"—Chapter 7, Page 155-157
 * "Since when did you become so high-minded? You act as if you’ve never sacrificed anything.  But I have a feeling you’ve given up more than your share to gain the strength you have now.  It’s a lesson we learned together, Guren.  That day, on the grass, when the sky was so blue.  Without strength, you can’t protect anyone.  Not the ones you love, and not the things that are most precious.  All that matters is power.  I know that, now.  And so do you, Guren…  Come with me.  I can give you power, Guren.  We can perfect this strength together.  We…we can—S-Stay away, Guren!  It’s too late.  Too late…  The demon, it’s already possessed me.  The cursed gear…our experiment…  W-We failed…  This isn’t me.  I…I…  Shut up!  Shut up!  No one is possessed!  I just need power…more power…"—Chapter 7, Page 157
 * "You spared me earlier, so I guess that makes this a draw. Not that getting stabbed in the heart would actually kill me…"—To Guren, Chapter 7, Page 158
 * "…I want to tell you something important, Guren. The truth is, this year at Christmas, the world will come to an end.  The trumpets of the apocalypse will sound, and a virus will spread.  When that time comes, a new world will arise.  One that, more so than ever, requires power.  When that time comes, I know you’ll need me once more…  We’ll meet again, Guren, when the world comes to an end."—Chapter 7, pages 159-160
 * "I love you, Guren. That much is true.  A day will come when you need me again…  Until then, I’ll be waiting."—Chapter 7, Page 160

Book 2

 * "Don’t try to resist, Shinya. You wouldn’t want me to slip and accidentally kill you."—Chapter 7, Page 303
 * "My loyalties lie in the same place as yours do, Guren. Wherever there is power.  Enough power that no one can ever interfere again.  Enough power so that no one can keep us from the people we love, so that no one can take our freedoms away from us again."—Chapter 7, Page 305
 * "My loyalties lie deep in the heart, where madness and depravity live. As do yours.  Don’t they, Guren?  But it’s not enough.  You need to sink to the same depths as I have.  Why didn’t you kill that girl from the Jujo Clan a moment ago?  Or that fool from the Goji Clan?  It’s what you should have done.  You need more hate, more madness.  Let it rush through your body, Guren, let it consume.  Demons thrive on the hopes of man.  In order for a demon to choose you—"—Chapter 7, Page 305
 * "Everyone’s path is the same. In the end, we all die.  Humans are weak.  'What is the point of living?'  'Are we here for a reason?'  Time passes before we know it.  Too fast for us to waste it asking such foolish questions.  So, how do we live during that brief span?  What path do we choose?  We’re going to die either way.  Do you really think taking the long way there changes anything?  Ha."—Chapter 7, Page 305
 * "You’ve got it wrong. I’m not trying to pull your strings, Guren.  The decision is yours to make.  But you won’t resist it.  You thirst for power.  You need it.  You’re just like me.  You’ve already fallen.  You’ve fallen deep, and there’s no climbing back out."—Chapter 7, Page 306
 * "Ahaha! In the end, it looks like you really don’t have a choice.  That creature is a chimera.  It’s been altered using the genetic material of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  If you don’t draw the black sword from the ground, you’ll never be able to defeat it.  You’ll die.  And all your little friends, lying unconscious on the ground here, will die along with you."—Chapter 7, Page 307
 * "That’s it. Take the power that’s offered to you.  Give up your humani…  S-Stop, Guren, don’t!  If you do it, you’ll never be able to return…  Shut up!  SHUT UP!  He almost did it.  You…  I…  Shut up!"—Chapter 7, Page 307
 * "Ha! Amazing, just as I expected!  Ah…hahaha…  I bet you want to kill me too.  You can’t control it, can you, the impulse to destroy?  You want to kill your friends here too, don’t you?  You want to string the boys up by their innards, don’t you?  Rape the girls and then twist their heads off their shoulders?  That’s the one problem with that sword…  The demon ends up possessing the wielder, turning his soul murderous and dark.  Don’t worry, Guren.  Killing these five should temporarily quench the sword’s thirst for blood.  Afterward, we can search for a way to control the cursed gear together.  If we work together, I’m sure the two of us will be able to perfect this power.   No one will be able to stand against us.  No one will ever get in our way again.  For now, all you have to worry about is killing them.  Take the next step forward, Guren.  Claim your power."—Chapter 7, Page 310
 * "W-We have to be quick… If the demon’s regenerative ability is still inside you, the arm might reattach…  No, no, why isn’t it attaching yet?   At least the nerves…please…  What were you thinking?!"—To Guren, Chapter 7, Page 313
 * "You’re lying! You’re lying!  It’s all lies, don’t try to make me feel better…"—To Guren, Chapter 7, Page 314
 * "If you want to protect me… If you really want to protect me…then come with me, Guren.  Kill your followers, kill your friends, and come with—"—Chapter 7, Page 314
 * "Heh… You always were dashing, Guren.  I wish I was the kind of girl who could be swept off her feet like that.  I wish I really could just go with you.  I know I’d be so happy if I did."—Chapter 7, Page 314
 * "Ha! Pretty words.  But are words all you’ve got to persuade me?  What about strength?  Why don’t you just knock the sword out of my hands, grab me in your arms, and make me listen to you?  That’s right.  Because you can’t yet, can you?  I’m so much stronger than you that it’s almost heartbreaking.  I guess that’s what makes me the hare.  Hurtling headlong toward destruction.  I’m still waiting for my tortoise prince, Guren.  Try and save me if you like, before it’s too late."—Chapter 7, Page 315
 * "In the end, you’ll fall. Your heart will grow black and twisted, just like mine.  Do you see, Guren?  We just can’t stay apart.  We’ll keep each other company on the road to hell."—Chapter 7, Page 316

Quotes: Vampire Reign

 * "Demand it! Ask for it! Seek out more power!!"--The demon Mahiru Hīragi to Guren, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "Oh, Guren! You came. I was just thinking I'd like to see you."--The demon Mahiru to Guren, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "No, Guren. You won't. You'll follow me, right?"--The demon Mahiru to Guren when Kureto tries to lure Guren to his side, Chapter 23, "Ambition in the Demon Army"