Shinoa Hīragi (Anime)

Shinoa Hīragi (柊 シノア) is a main character in the Seraph of the End anime. She is appointed as Yūichirō Hyakuya's supervisor during his suspension and acts as a sergeant of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. The leader of her Shinoa Squad (シノア隊) in the Moon Demon Company, Shinoa would have Yu join along with Yoichi Saotome, then Shihō Kimizuki and Mitsuba Sangū. Shinoa is the younger sister to Mahiru Hīragi and from the prestigious and rich Hīragi Family that rules the army.

Working with Guren Ichinose, she is tasked with clearing a vampire lair and freeing the humans within. After, Shinoa would take part in the defence of Shinjuku from a large scale vampire invasion. With her squad, Shinoa would be joined by Makoto Narumi and participate in the mission targeting vampire nobles in the city of Nagoya. Along with Shinya Hīragi she helped defeat Lucal Wesker. In the retreat to the airport, Shinoa helped save Mikaela Hyakuya

Appearance
She has a petite, thin figure and is physically shorter compared to other girls. Her height is an issue when it comes to seeing over the steering wheel of a truck. Shinoa's long lavender colored hair reaches over her shoulders at the front and is pinned up at the back with a magenta bow holding it in place with side braids as well.

For clothing, she is shown wearing her school uniform, a sailor fuku which consists of a grey blouse with black cuffs that have teal trim in the middle. It has a black sailor-style collar with has teal trim and a single five teal petal design in the middle. The ribbon of the uniform is also teal and is tied in the front and laced through a loop attached to the blouse. The bottom is a black skirt. She wore it with dark blue knee high socks and white shoes.

Her Japanese Imperial Demon Army uniform consists of a long-sleeved black coat with a standing collar which has a magenta bow tie around it. The coat has two rows of gold buttons on the front, light green details including the shoulder epaulets, which has a fourragère passing under and around her right side. Along with that, she wears a pair of white gloves, an armband on her left arm, and a white web belt with a gold waist-plate. She also wears the standard black skirt, dark gray thigh-high socks and knee-high black boots.

Her casual appearance does not differentiate much from her army uniform. The minor differences are that she does not have her gloves along with the bow tie on her collar and wears a white long-sleeved dress shirt with a camisole over it.

Personality
Shinoa has a merry sarcastic attitude where she loves teasing others and is quite dry-humored. She tends to smirk before performing her antics. Shinoa is quite fond of inventing joyful stories on situations, such as Yu praising her appearance to him and Mitsuba falling in love.

Encouraging, after praising Yu she told Mitsuba that the two troublemakers were the Lieutenant Colonel's favourites, and that she bets he put Mitsuba on the squad to make them better soldiers to prod her into helping resolve Yu and Kimizuki's bickering. Although whimsical and even light hearted around serious matters, Shinoa does show anger when people are endangered, raising her voice when she was discussing how complying with Guren’s order was what caused Yu to lose control.

Explaining matters depends on the circumstances, as a leader of her squad, Shinoa takes a calm and strategic approach to situations. In drastic measures, such as rescuing Guren, she directs her squad to stay quiet and follow her lead. Shinoa takes her time to explain scenarios like leaving people behind to help Yu and she understands how others may be feeling. She is sympathetic and asks Guren to not have Yu and Kimizuki attack Yoichi when he was a demon.

After losing the mock battle between her squad and Guren's three-person squad, Shinoa finally realized the fear of losing someone important to her, and even a tiny mistake or her pranks can cost her family their lives. Also, she and her squad can grow even stronger and the closer they grow, the more powerful they shall become. She could identify this in others; it was Shinoa who recognized and defended Mika from her own comrades who were attacking him as a hostile vampire. Shinoa struck away a Major General to keep Mika safe and allowed him to escape with Yu who he had come to get.

Shinoa has a vulnerable complex about her short stature when Yu and Kimizuki teased her for being too short to drive a car. She laughs drily before proceeding to materialize her Cursed Gear to physically teach them a lesson. She is also shy when it comes to her feelings concerning Yu.

History
She details how her elder sister, Mahiru died at some point. Shinoa declined a higher station in the army that her status as a Hīragi could afford her.

Cursed Gear
Shinoa wields Shikama Dōji, of which the physical weapon is a large black styled scythe. The back of the chine is black on top with the green blade edge section underneath. The tang is also black and is an asymmetrical feature, the heel is a sharpened point similar to its opposite end at the base of the weapon. The snaith is slightly longer than the huge blade itself and makes for a very thin elegant handle yet it is balanced enough in terms of weight to be wielded effortlessly, usually two handedly. A fighting style is to spin the weapon in a circular motion where the curved toe is able to break into solid ground. The cursed gear can also cut through lower ranking vampire swords completely, and deflect the ranged power of a vampire noble. It is very effective at reaping through vampires which burn away from physical contact with the scythe. Shikama Dōji can also manifest as a large volcanic like creature of a blackened upper torso with detached clawed hands over a fiery orange body. This has a molten shining eye and the being can be directed to strike other targets.

Quotes
"Start co-operating. I should also point out that your suspension will remain in effect until you successfully make a friend. You heard right. So play nice and be a good student."

- Assigned to monitor Yu, Shinoa reveals the terms and begins.

"Wait up, mind if I come along, I could really go for a cone right now. You just missed a golden opportunity to make some new friends."

- An example phrase she mentions that Yu could have used to join other students in going for ice cream after class.

"According to Lieutenant Colonel Guren, you avoid social interaction because you lost your family. You're too afraid to engage other people. You fear making connections, or letting anyone get close to you, because you're afraid you may lose them. It sounds lonely. Don't you want a girlfriend or maybe a boy-"

- Having been informed on Yu's background affected by Guren's perspective, and opining that it is lonely, before moving onto the matter of a solution to the issue.

"His friend apparently. Or lover."

- Answering Guren on who Yoichi is when he has fallen on top of Yu.

"Now that he's met your requirements, you have to keep up your end of the bargain, Lieutenant Colonel."

- With Yoichi as Yu's friend, Shinoa reminds Guren that his set criteria has been fulfilled for Yu to progress towards joining the Moon Demon Company.

"I have good news. As of today you're officially assigned to the vampire extermination unit. I almost forgot. Your enlistment was also accepted. Welcome to the army, Yoichi! The two of you made quite the impression on your comrades. You put your lives on the line and fought bravely. For people you don't even know. Gentlemen, welcome to Moon Demon Company. From now on you're one of us."

- With Yu and Yoichi joining, Shinoa praises their actions.

"My, my. I guess it's only natural for the school hero to become popular with the girls. Don't let it go to your head! In no time we'll have a trail of broken hearts to mend."

- Observing then commenting on Yu's exchange with the girl he rescued.

"That's where the Imperial Demon Army comes in. We'll gather the remnants of mankind, and breed our way to the top of the food chain once again. Come one, and come all! Get together! Make love! Yay, elicit sexual relations!"

- A show of support for what the goal is.

"Not too shabby. But fighting cursed gear with conventional weaponry won't get you far, see!"

- Demonstrating the advantages cursed gear has over a regular sword, Shinoa's scythe emits a power to tap Yu's sword away upon contact. The cursed gear can also have an energy materialize and launched towards others.

"Looks like you're becoming popular with the male students, too. I'm starting to feel left out."

- Shinoa appears rather glum at the praise Yu receives after confronting an escaped vampire.

"Of course you did. I should have guessed. The words 'class 1 restricted area' might as well be a welcome mat to you morons. There's no excuse. To be honest I don't care why you did it. I care about the punishment. And as far as the army's concerned, your friends punishment has already been decided. I'm sure he's already in custody."

- Guessing why Yūji has entered the forbidden chamber when Yamanaka and Shishido come to Yoichi and Yu for help. As for how long will he be un custody for, Shinoa replies: "Until the army decides to execute him." - Which instigated Yoichi and Yu into wanting to help where they were largely disinclined to before.

"Remember what I told you? You don't need to worry about training because its already started. It's time for us to move onto the next step. Now, if you'll follow me."

- When a student has entered a restricted area and likely been possessed by a demon, Shinoa uses that as a practical training exercise for Yu and Yoichi as well as help the student.

"Well it isn't really a shrine, we just like to call it that. Back before the virus broke out, a massive underground space was installed beneath the Shibuya part of Tokyo. It's original purpose was to prevent the river from flooding due to excess rainfall. But now, its been converted into the vampire extermination unit's training grounds. Then again the whole school has. Basically every student here is part of a secret military experiment. The demon is the key. Anyone who's unaffected by its evil energies filter into the unit."

- Aware of background information on Second Shibuya High, and the room where cursed gear weapons are kept.

"The demon, it tricked you. It had you trapped inside some intense hallucinations."

- Seeing that Yu has overcome a demon then answering where Yu had went. Whilst his physical body was nearby, Shinoa is aware of the hallucination based powers that demons can use.

"You won't have to wait much longer. Starting tomorrow you'll begin your training with the rest of the vampire extermination unit" - Impressed with Yu freeing himself from a demon's possession, and beating the Moon demon Company in rescuing another student, Shinoa says this to Yu. She then thinks to herself: "Not that I have the authority to make that decision. Guren won't be happy when he finds out."

- Where Shinoa shares her thoughts, and refers to him as Guren where she usually calls him the Lieutenant Colonel when speaking.

"We're going to be the best team in the whole class don't you agree?"

- Delighted to choose Yoichi as a partner in a group activity, before proceeding to victoriously turn and unleash her smug grin on Yu just to make sure he knows for certain that she has stolen him away.

"You can't fool me. I can tell you're nearly bursting at the seams. Don't worry about it. Lieutenant Colonel Guren may have a razor sharp tongue and a fondness for brutality. But he always keeps his promises"

- Coming across Yu in a dining area, Shinoa speaks of how excited he must be to acquire a cursed gear.

"Oh wow, would you look at this score! How impressive! You’ve really outdone yourself, they say only super humans can get a score like this! Don't you want to share it?! You should be so very proud!"

- Drawing attention to Yu's test, giggling merrily all the while.

"Oh my! Are you planning to attack? This sure got interesting fast!"

- Having been observing him, Shinoa joyfully reacts to Guren suddenly drawing his cursed gear sword in class.

"Aw don’t be that way, you know I’m the cutest thing you’ve ever seen in your life."

- When Guren comments it is a turn off that she did not even use a ward to resist the effects of his cursed gear.

"Lieutenant Colonel! These boys are going to get themselves killed! They're not ready for this! Please don't make them kill Yoichi, he's their friend!"

- Charging Guren to not have Yu and Kimizuki kill Yoichi whose body has been taken over by a demon in their trials to acquire cursed gear.

"You don’t have to say it, I know what you’re thinking. 'You look drop dead gorgeous, Shinoa!'"

- Seemingly able to read Yu's mind concerning how she looks in her uniform.

"We're from the Moon Demon Company. We have orders beyond the wall. Would you please let us out?"

- Politely interacting with guards as she heads outside the wall with Yu.

"Whatever. I won't be short forever, I'm still blossoming. My sister Mahiru was taller, and she had the kind of rack that made all the boys lust after her."

- Unbothered about being short and speaking of her older sister.

"In a completely devastated world like this, it seems everybody’s lost someone whose important to them. It’s just a way of life."

- When mentioning how her sister, Mahiru is deceased.

"Don’t worry Lieutenant Colonel I can handle Mitsu’s temper. After all I’m a mature woman, the whining of an incompetent loser doesn't affect me one bit."

- Stoking Mitsuba's wrath when Guren has her join Shinoa's squad.

"At first they were like two rams butting heads, but it wasn't long before they started to fall in love."

- A tale of Mitsuba and Yu falling in love.

"Aw come on, don’t be so shy!"

- Shinoa pounces on Mitsuba after she says not to come in when she is showering.

"Whatever the case we do this by the book. It’s important we stay in formation and watch each other’s backs."

- Ready for entering a vampire lair, defeating them and rescuing the humans within.

"They're the Lieutenant Colonel's favourites. A couple of troublemakers who are bad at team work. I bet he put you on the squad so you could whip the boys into shape and make them better soldiers."

- Sharing Guren’s views on Yu and Kimizuki which is not something he has outwardly expressed. Then Shinoa verbally prods Mitsuba to take control and settle their bickering since she was also unsure of her position on the team. Sharing knowledge of Guren's views, and empowering Mitsuba.

"After being rescued from a dangerous situation, the girl watches her knight in shining armour. Passion fills the air! These two are destined to fall in love!"

- After noticing Mitsuba watching Yu she gives her version of her thoughts.

"That was something! He's strong. Listen up! Stay in formation! He is wielding a first class weapon! No one attacks him alone!"

- After defending Yoichi from a vampire noble's ranged power, Shinoa gives her orders and can identify a first class vampire weapon.

"Yuichiro and Kimizuki should take points since they're the strongest one on one fighters. The rest of us will cover them and tag in if things start to get rough. We can't underestimate this guys abilities."

- Battle plan thoughts on how to fight Crowley when they first come across him outside the walls of Shinjuku.

"What good is it if you're the only one who can defeat a powerful vampire? I'd probably be killed while you fought. Yoichi, Mitsuba... they'd just end up dying, too."

- With Yu frustrated over his capabilities after facing vampire noble, Crowley, after Shinoa offers to teach him some curses to help him feel better, she mentions the risk to the rest of the squad if only one person improves. Whether she did not want to list another name or felt that he would not die, Shinoa did not mention Kimizuki.

"That's why we have to work together. All of us have to keep training so that we fight as a unit of equals. We're improving, I was happy to hear you ask about retreating."

- Advocating for team work to support the rest of the team as well as Yu, and praising Yu's actions since he often charged into battle before.

"This is war, so for now you’ll take a shortcut. We need every advantage over the enemy we can get."

- Presenting the cursed gear stimulants, unbeknownst to her, Yu's were further tampered with

"I guess I just like the sound of sergeant. Besides I don’t have much interest in the silly power struggle over rankings. That’s what killed my sister after all."

- Her comment to a guard that since the Hīragi family controls the entire demon army she should have a much higher rank.

"Yu, and Mika. They were family, first."

- Shinoa’s crestfallen reaction.

"Interesting. Well, you said you were sleepy and then you laid down on the battlefield."

- With Yu not remembering, Shinoa updates him on what happened at Shinjuku with a comical account of events, and withholding the truth that he really transformed into a monster and tried to kill her.

"Oh, the bandage! That’s what this is about. I’m okay now, but one of the vampires took a little sip."

- Realizing why Yu has his hand on her face, and the manner of framing having her blood drank that made her cry when it happened.

"First of all it’s pretty rare that a human is turned into a vampire. The blood suckers like to keep their ranks tight and their numbers small. More importantly within vampire society the nobles are the only ones who have the authority to turn a human."

- Aware of details of vampire society and explaining to Yu when the matter concerns Mika being transformed into a vampire.

"Ah, you’ve finally figured out my secret. I’m not just a sergeant, I’m basically royalty! Now, feel free to worship me as much as you’d like."

- When Yu notices her last name is Hīragi, the name of the family who rule the Demon Army and got Japan back on its feet after the world ended.

"What if I did?"

- Beaming, Shinoa has this answer when Kimizuki doubts she would try to manipulate a teammate.

"Whatever the case, we have to decide if we’re going to stick by Guren. If we do, we might end up traitors to the army. Even if we are just following orders."

- Heading a meeting to discuss whether Guren is using them and if they do stick with him regardless how it can put them at odds with the army that is ruled by the Hīragi family, her own.

"Let me guess, you’ve spotted some girl taking off her clothes."

- A theory as to why Yu is staring into the distance, adding why else would he be staring so intently.

"Oh, I’m glad to hear you’ve finally figured out your role in our team’s formation."

- Her response to Yu saying normally he would spend the entire fight protecting her, and continues: "You and Kimizuki, you guys are like the linemen, the strong knights of Shinoa squad. Your job is to protect the queen, and lay down your lives to ensure my safety.

"Well it sounds like we have reached a conclusion. We defend our family. In this messed up world most people are so busy trying to survive that they forget to look out for each other."

- After a meeting to discuss it the squad decide to stick with supporting Guren.

"I’m honestly not sure myself. It’s just, for the first time in my life someone needs me. And I can’t let him down when he’s counting on me."

- Answering Guren’s question on whether she has fallen for Yu, and remembering Yu's sincerity in requesting her help.

"Hey, everyone. I’m sorry about how things turned out. All of this stuff is my fault. Not just being late, we lost because I’m incompetent. I don't think I'm fit to be called the commander."

- Disheartened after her joking around resulted in her squad being late to the Ebina rest stop, and also accepting the responsibility of the practice match loss against Guren, Mito and Shinya.

"Without any deaths. No one hurt. A victorious mission with all targets executed."

- Her solemn response to defeating a vampire noble together. Although Shinoa did not appear convinced of this ideal scenario happening, she would have it fulfilled after her squad and Narumi squad defeated Lucal Wesker without any casualties.

"But lieutenant colonel, this is still a decoy mission isn’t it? If we leave the nobles alone aren’t we putting the Shibuya unit at risk?"

- Stating the deciding factor for rescuing the hostages at Nagoya city hall rather than leave them and head to the next part of the mission. The overall mission is to keep the vampires distracted to allow the main army unit to move undetected.

"Just stay quiet and follow my lead!"

- Directing her squad without explanation, only action. When Guren and Shinya were captured by nobles at Nagoya city hall, Shinoa's plan was to help rescue them by blasting a hole through the ceiling to the floor above and attack the nobles that way rather than approach at the end of a long corridor where they would be seen.

"Look at the major general. He’s known the lieutenant colonel longer than you have, but he understands our duty."

- When Yu feels bad about having to leave Guren behind, Shinoa explains Shinya’s perspective.

"No wait, hold on! That boy, I think he’s Yu’s family."

- The surviving Moon Demon Company attack Mika as a vampire and Shinoa is the only one to have an idea of who he is.

"So I guess, you have to take him and run."

- Shinoa protects Mika from both Shinya and the soldiers she is facing and means to have him escape with Yu.

"Keep both of them safe, stand guard!"

- Defending Yu and Mika from the Moon Demon Company is not just talk, and she has Shikama Doji’s power demonstrate it.

"Take him! This is your only chance. I’ll clear things up with the other troops. Join us at the airport and we’ll leave together."

- Reminding Mika to take Yu and arranging for them to rejoin. When Mika is angered at the suggestion that he join them, Shinoa has a level-headed response of: “Look, we don’t have time to argue about this, okay? I’m just going to trust that you’ll take good care of him. Don’t let me down.” - She then uses her scythe to practically help Mika take Yu away from the Moon Demon Company soldiers.

"Everyone. Stay at attention and ready to fight just in case."

- Not entirely comforted by Kureto’s very kind orders of having those gathered disarm and relax, and enjoy some much needed downtime.

"We no longer take orders from you. As of now my team’s withdrawn from the Demon Army."

- Not complying with Japanese Imperial Demon Army orders to hand over Yu.

Trivia

 * Four 「四」 can be read as "Shi" 「し」. Shi 「死, し or シ」 means "Death."
 * Hīragi 「柊」 literally means "Holly."
 * She usually calls Yūichirō by the nickname "Yu-san" (優さん) in Japanese.