Shinya Hīragi

Shinya Hīragi (柊 深夜, Hīragi Shin'ya) is a supporting character of Owari no Seraph. He is a Major General of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army.

Appearance
Shinya is a tall, young man with short silver hair with bangs and blue eyes. He wears the standard JIDA uniform which consists of a black jacket with red details including the shoulder epaulettes with an aiguillette with a crescent moon decoration. He also wears a pair of white gloves, an armband on his left arm, and a white web belt with a gold waist-plate. He wears uniform trousers with black shoes as well.

Personality
Shinya is shown to be a very calm and somewhat gentle person, even when insulted or made fun of, especially compared to other members of the Hīragi family. He warns Yu to not take what Kureto says at face value and dislikes picking on the weak. He has been friends with Guren since their school days, and seems to enjoy picking on him, and often forcing Guren into awkward situations or simply annoying the latter.

History
Shinya was adopted by the Hīragi Family from one of their junior branch families. At a young age, he had been selected, alongside several talented children, to be the potential mate for Mahiru. This was a plan by the Hīragi to keep their bloodline strong. His childhood days were filled with training and fighting. Failure to distinguish himself among others meant death. Finally, he was singled out from the other candidates and was adopted into the family and engaged to Mahiru, with the rest of the candidates killed.

It was uncertain whether he bore any true affection towards Mahiru, though he was somewhat jealous of Guren. Despite that, he was depicted to be a true friend towards Guren. He initially initiated a collaborative effort with Guren to crush the Hīragis with him acting as a double agent. Due to the series of events with greater things at stake, that did not come to pass. Over time, he grew to respect and admire Guren and accepted the Kiju (Demon-Curse) from Kureto to save Guren.

Past (Volume 3's prologue)
Shinya was five when he was adopted into the Hīragi family. His parents received 300 million yen for this and he was chosen to be a part of a select team of children gifted with talent. Since then, all he did was competiting with other children in the same situation as him: killing each other was allowed, and he'd die if he didn't win.

All that five-years struggle in order to meet his fiancée, Mahiru Hīragi. This whole purpose was actually to gather the most talented children as fiancé candidates and therefore, provide another child with excellent and superior DNA to the Hīragi family, so they could keep their bloodine's perfection.

At age ten, the competition was over and he was the only one child left, the winner. After those 5 years of killings, he has reached his goal and was then able to meet his fiancée for the first time. When he faced Mahiru, she told him that she didn't love him and will never fall in love with him, which made Shinya wonder why he had to go through all this competition since he only survived for that reason. He has never lost before and it was the first time he did. Mahiru told him that she loved someone else and that there was definitely no chance for her to fall in love with Shinya. He assumed that this person she loved wasn't accepted by her family.

Shinya then thought he was gonna get killed since this whole purpose had no meaning anymore, but Mahiru told him that there was no need to worry since she was going to pretend she liked him. This latter then said he'll act as a cover-up until Mahiru can be with the person she loves.

Volume 1
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Second Shibuya High Arc
Shinya is first seen during a meeting among the top-ranked members of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. He contributes little to the conversation apart from trying to smooth things over between Guren and the other generals.

He arrives with Kureto and the Shibuya Main Army as reinforcements in the battle at Shinjuku in chapter 14. Shinya is the first to appear, sniping at Ferid. Unfortunately, Ferid notices his presence. Alarmed, he dodges, but he sustains a minor injury to his left shoulder.

Post-Shinjuku Arc
Shinya reappears with Kureto at the end of chapter 16 for Yūichirō's "interview."

In the next chapter, Shinya warns Yu not to trust Kureto right before Kureto cheats in their fight and beats Yu handily. Kureto orders Shinya to attack Yu. Shinya tells Kureto that unlike him, he doesn't like to pick on the weak. After Yu goads him by calling him weak, Shinya fires Byakkomaru, leaving Yu confused when nothing happens. Manifested tigers appear from Yu's left, and he strikes at them. This leaves him open, and Shinya puts his sword at Yu's neck. Shinya informs Yu that Byakkomaru is a long-range weapon, so he would stand no chance against powerful melee-range fighters. He tells Yu that he has not learned about demon "manifestation" or "possession," so this was the most that could be expected of him. Although Shinya declines to give his name, Kureto provides it, saying that Shinya was originally from a junior branch family and was despised for it. He reveals that he's under investigation from the Army due to suspicions that he may be a spy. Yu's interview continues, and Kureto surprises Shinya by asking Yu about the Hyakuya Sect.

Nagoya Arc
In chapter 24, Shinya drives to the Ebina Rest Stop to join up with the Moon Demon Company without invitation. He does this in a super-charged luxury sports car he happened to find along the way. Since it was too loud and attracted Horsemen, he had to stick sound-muffling illusion wards on it. When Guren asks him what he is doing there, Shinya asks Guren if he realizes this is a suicide mission. He says he decided to help him anyway.

Then, he and Goshi mock Guren for giving a short speech on a sports car. He is with Guren's squad at the rest stop when Yuichiro comes to receive his punishment. Once again, he and Goshi tease Guren about his calling them family. Each time, Goshi is the only one punished. They talk about their past a little. Yu says that if he and Shinya fought now, Yu is sure he would win. Shinya responds by calling him adorable.

Guren decides to test Shinoa and her squad with a match: her entire squad against Guren, Shinya, and Mito Jujo. Shinya verifies that he and Mito just got thrown into a fight against three bearers of the Black Demon Series, which alarms Mito. Shinya starts off the match by firing Byakkomaru with manifestation coming at the kids from behind, effectively distracting Yoichi and Kimizuki and making them guard their rear. Then, Guren clashes with Yu, eventually sticking an explosion ward on Yu's forehead. As predictable as ever, Yu runs at Guren. Guren joking steps aside, where Shinya is waiting with his rifle and begins firing a barrage of bullets at Yu. Yu manages to block them, but Guren breaches the kids' lines and hands them their defeat.

In Nagoya, Guren leaves Shinya above ground to take over command if something happens to him. Shinya pairs up with Yoichi and works with the Shinoa and Narumi squads to kill Fifteenth Progenitor Lucal Wesker. Shinya coaches Yoichi on sniping, getting him to calm down and relax. He tells Yoichi the details of a sniper's job, including that they must kill any allies who fail to escape in the case of a retreat. When they fire at Lucal, Lucal grabs his aide Esther and throws him in front of their bullets. Esther dies, and Lucal attacks them from the ground, whacking the tower and making them cling onto it. Shinya and Yoichi eliminate all of the normal vampires on the ground they can while the infantry battles Lucal.

Shortly afterward, Shinya and Yoichi return to the ground and distract Lucal when he charges to attack Special Private Shiho Kimizuki. They successfully exterminate the vampire noble.

The Moon Demon Company regroups, and Sergeant Aiko Aihara arrives with only seven survivors from her squads. Guren Squad, Shinoa Squad, and Narumi Squad leave to hunt Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford, Seventeenth Progenitor Chess Belle, and Horn Skuld while Aiko waits for other survivors to pass them the order to reconvene at Nagoya Airport. Shinya asks Guren if he is okay after losing so many soldiers, but Guren claims he will go home and cry later. Shinya goes with the team hunting down the three nobles.

Once at Nagoya City Hall, Shinya and Yoichi prepare to snipe Crowley Eusford. As soon as Yoichi fires Gekkōin at him, Crowley catches it's manifestation and flings it aside.

After careful planning, Guren decides that his squad will take his squad to attack Crowley while Shinoa and Narumi Squads free the hostages. He gives them five minutes to rescue as many hostages as they can and act as a proper diversion for the main force in Shinjuku. As soon as the five minutes are up everyone has orders to retreat to the Nagoya Airport immediately.

Guren and Shinya attack Crowley at the same time but he easily negates their attacks at close range. He then swings Guren into Shinya, throwing them into the wall behind them. Crowley, Chess, and Horn then step toward them. Mito notices this and moves to assist them but Goshi holds her back and tells her, she would only get in the way.

When Yu moves to rescue Guren, who is on the ground behind Crowley, Shinya stops him and orders him to abandon Guren. Shinya orders everyone to stop Yu but then notices enemy reinforcements. Shinoa says their five minutes are up and orders a retreat.

Outside, Yu breaks free of Kimizuki's grasp and complains about leaving Guren behind. Yu asks if ignoring feelings and abandoning family is acceptable as long as it is for their mission. Shinya tells him that they haven't abandoned him and remember what Guren told them: they aren't just coming home alive to protoct their family, they'll come home victorious. Shinya then thanks Goshi creating the illusion that saved them.

Cursed Gear

 * Byakkomaru 「lit. White Tiger」: A manifestation-type demon weapon from the Black Demon series. It takes the form of a rifle. Byakkomaru's specialty is long-range fighting and is not very effective in close-range combat. It's materialized form is multiple white tigers. He can also fire at something and make the tigers come from behind whatever he shot at, but he can only do this once within an unspecified amount of time.

Trivia

 * Shinya 「深夜」 means  "deep night." In the prologue of the light novel's 3rd volume, he tells Mahiru that it is written as 深い (Fukai) and 夜 (Yoru).
 * Hīragi 「柊」 literally means "holly."

LN

 * “Somehow, you really are a boring guy, you know.”-- Shinya to Guren, Volume 1, Chapter 5
 * “I’m not flattering you. You really are pretty. And to be told that I will never attain your love--even if I was uninterested until now, I’m starting to want that a little. After all, I had never lost before.” -- Shinya to Mahiru, Volume 3, Prologue
 * "At this point, by being here, I already had lost a long time ago.” -- Shinya to Mahiru, Volume 3, Prologue
 * “So. Is that so. Then, I got it. I will act as the cover-up. Until you can be with the person you love, I will act as the cover-up in his place.” -- Shinya to Mahiru, Volume 3, Prologue

Manga

 * "Byakkomaru, fire. 'Bang.'"--Shinya when he fires his weapon, multiple chapters
 * "Er, Yu? I wouldn't trust what Kureto says if I were you. It isn't wise."--Shinya to Yūichirō, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "I don't like picking on powerless kids like you do."--Shinya to Kureto, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "Aha ha! Are you planning to add my name to your list of people to punch later? I'll keep my name to myself, thank you."--Shinya to Yu when Yu asks who he is, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "Aha ha... I feel the same way. Sheesh... This place is truly... rotten."--Shinya to himself about the JIDA, Chapter 17, "Cursed Guinea Pig"
 * "Attacking vampire nobles with only 100 soldiers? That just isn't sane."--Shinya to Guren at the Ebina Rest Stop, Chapter 24, "The Moon Demon's Orders"
 * "You're still going to die. But you're going to go anyway, because you're stupid like that. So I decided to be nice and come help you. Again. Now where's your thank you?"--Shinya to Guren at the Ebina Rest Stop, Chapter 24, "The Moon Demon's Orders"
 * "Heh heh! To be honest... I can only shoot from behind like that once. Yet you panicked and focused on your backs. It was adorable."--Shinya to Shihō Kimizuki and Yoichi Saotome, Chapter 26, "Thirst Logic"
 * "This is your first sniping mission, correct? Guren asked me to walk you through it. So I'll teach you, okay? First, calm down. Take a few deep breaths. Calm your body. Slowly... take control of the space. As snipers, our job is to stay calmer than anyone and kill the enemy. We back up our allies on the ground... and if things go south and we must retreat... we must kill any of our allies who fail to escape, before they can be captured and tortured."--Shinya to Yoichi on sniping, Chapter 27, "Vampire Noble Lucal"
 * "I just want to know if you're okay. A lot of good people died today. You've never been good at handling that kind of loss."--Shinya to Guren, Chapter 29, "Who's Pulling the Strings?"