Sayuri Hanayori (Anime)

Sayuri Hanayori (花依 小百合) is a character in the Seraph of the End anime. She serves as a second lieutenant of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and a member of Guren's squad as part of the Moon Demon Company. In that capacity she is also an Army instructor for the training classes for cursed gear candidates.

Joining her comrades in defending Shinjuku from a vampire invasion, Sayuri uses a sword made up of spell tags to fight. She also participates in the mission targeting vampire nobles in Nagoya.

Appearance
She wears the left section of her hair up which features a braid and an x shaped bow. The right side of her long light brown hair is worn loose and reaching over her shoulder.

For clothing Sayuri wears the standard JIDA uniform which has light green details including on the shoulder epaulettes. This has a fourragère around her right side connecting to the lapel of the coat, and two rows of gold buttons on the front. 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 pantyhose and ankle-high black boots.

Personality
Friendly when greeting students, Sayuri is encouraging both in mentioning further chances to take a test and in advocating students to do their best. Enthusiastic, she also announces to get this party started as the test commences.

Sayuri is shown to be quite perceptive at times, first exercising discretion when handing Yu his paper back, it had received a zero mark yet she did not draw attention to it. Also when she observed how Yu and his friends are much stronger than she was when she was sixteen.

Not as confidant in unconventional situations, Sayuri did not intervene as Shinoa was parading Yu's test results around the class. She seemed unsure of how to resolve a fight Yu and Kimizuki were having. Sayuri was also fearful at Guren using his cursed gear and expressed concern that Yoichi may not pass his cursed gear trial.

Whilst she can be unassertive it does not stop her from being a capable fighter and trying her best against foes. Sayuri is caring and supports her team and cried when they had to leave Guren behind.

Events of 2016
Sayuri is with Shigure Yukimi and Guren as they see Yūichirō Hyakuya exit the vampire city.1

Second Shibuya High School Arc

Shinjuku Arc

Four years later she is remembered by Yu as Guren explained how the humans had not all died as the vampires said. However ninety percent of the world's population has perished and the trumpets of the apocalypse had summoned an army of bizarre looking monsters to roam the earth. She is aware Guren has plans for their organization to come out on top and gather humanity's remnants under one banner. Presently, Sayuri along with the rest of the Moon Demon Company have arrived in response to an escaped vampire. She watches as Yoichi Saotome accidentally knocks Yu unconscious. Cheerfully greeting everyone in the class she leads, Sayuri will be assessing everyone’s abilities. If the students gathered cannot show her that they are ready here then they will have to keep training and take the test at a later date. Explaining further, today she will be evaluating on how well they work together with others before telling everyone to go ahead and choose a partner. In the observation area Sayuri calls for attention since with everyone having chosen their partner it is now time to put their game faces on. She maintains her cheerful disposition as she notes negative points and comments they are not off to a very good start. Sayuri then receives an urgent message. The cursed gear puppets cease their actions and Sayuri directs Shihō Kimizuki to head to the hospital ward immediately as his sister Mirai Kimizuki has taken a turn for the worse. At the head of the class she asks for them to pay attention, she has already finished grading the student’s written exams. She will just be handing them out and calling it a day then explains the score is crucial to the overall cursed gear ranking. The way they perform in class is just as crucial as their training and Sayuri says she expects those of them with less than passing grades to put extra effort into their studies from now on. She does not intervene as Shinoa Hīragi takes Yu’s test and runs around the class with it as Yu chases her. When Kimizuki and Yu are fighting she apprehensively remarks by the way she has not actually dismissed them from class yet before turning to see Guren enter. Blushing slightly as she welcomes him back, Sayuri says she hopes everything went well. With Yu and Kimizuki desiring cursed gear weapons, she is questioned by Guren whether this class can resist the demon’s temptation. Sayuri ponders that there is always room for improvement however those two were much stronger than she was at sixteen and she thinks they could do it. Regarding others there are a few contenders but Yoichi Saotome takes the cake, noting that he has a surprisingly high stability against demons. Showing mild panic at Guren motioning for his sword, Sayuri protests that he cannot do that in the classroom. She holds a glimmering spell tag in response to the darkness of Guren’s weapon, Mahiru-no-Yo, whose dark energies have flooded the room. The demonic power results in most of the class falling unconscious from its crushing effects. Walking with the candidates who have passed, Sayuri speaks to Guren that she knows she should expect unconventional testing tactics from him but Sayuri is not exactly sure letting Yoichi try out for the black demon series is a good idea. Not saying that she has a problem with Guren’s decision, she is just sure if he has enough strength to accept the demon. Everyone else aside from Shinoa agrees with her but Sayuri only listens as Yoichi says he wants to stay. She unlocks the electronic controlled double doors to the elevator down to the ceremony room. Whilst she travels down with them it is only to deliver them to a large room filled with large demonic face themed structures. Guren calls it the edge of hell and Sayuri smiles and waves as they depart and she remains in the elevator. As Shinjuku is under heavy attack from a vampire invasion, Sayuri is present with Guren atop a building and approaches him to comment that he does not appear too concerned about this fight. She is rescued from a vampire who has found them by Mito Jūjō and with the squad gathered with Shigure and Norito Goshi's arrival they are ready to head for the vampire commander. After an attack clears a squadron of vampires, Sayuri stands behind Guren with the commander, seventh progenitor Ferid Bathory, with Mikaela Hyakuya near him. She is a part of the contingent force of soldiers facing the vampires opposite them which includes Lacus Welt and René Simm as commanders. With the battle underway, Sayuri uses a sword made up of spell tags to slice into foes. Back to back with Guren, she says Mito and her can hold off the vampires whilst Guren goes for the commander. Throughout the fight Sayuri delivers on her plan as she assails the vampires. She then comes to engage Lacus in combat. Sayuri is then startled at Guren being sent crashing after his fight against Mika, and then Ferid. Seeing Guren take out a packet of cursed gear stimulant pills, Sayuri remains blocking Lacus’ sword as she calls for the Lieutenant Colonel not to risk it. With Mito getting Lacus away from her, she calls for Guren to please put the pills away. Vampire nobles Crowley Eusford, Chess Belle and Horn Skuld have joined Ferid and Mika so the plan has changed from having them die with Yu taken to having the Moon Demon Company captured. After Guren orders a retreat, Sayuri finds her retreat hampered by Lacus. She expresses concern at Guren being kicked into a pillar by Ferid. She is kicked aside by Lacus when he gives chase to Mito running past. With Mito subdued by the ranged power emitted from Lacus’s sword, spell tags appear to dispel the dust and Sayuri checks if Mito is okay. She remains by her, unable to assist in anyone’s retreat as she is essentially a captive herself. Sayuri reacts to the tremendous power coming from the strike Yu delivers whilst he has a branch like wing from his shoulder. She is standing and armed with a spell tag when freed with the arrival of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army under the direction of Kureto Hīragi and Shinya Hīragi. After the vampire attack has been repelled from Shinjuku, Sayuri is at a diner she is seated beside Shigure and feeding Mito opposite her with Goshi at the same table as well. She joins Guren and the rest of the squad for Kureto’s assigned mission to have one hundred members of the Moon Demon Company assassinate ten vampires nobles in Nagoya as part of a wider campaign to drive the vampires out of Japan.

Nagoya Arc
At Ebina rest stop she steps out with Shigure and Guren. In response to Goshi being unable to get her to wear a bikini, Sayuri blushes saying she guesses she would have to wear one if Guren ordered her to. She sighs as Goshi informs Mito that Guren says he wants to see what she looks like under her uniform. Before the one hundred soldiers gathered, Sayuri stands on the platform with Guren and listens as he rallies them with a declaration that they are all family and the goal is not to come back alive but victorious. She is within the abandoned derelict mall awaiting Shigure to bring Yu to Guren. After the practice battle of Guren, Mito and Shinya against Shinoa, Yu, Yoichi, Kimizuki and Mitsuba, Sayuri stands by as Shinoa squad is combined with Makoto Narumi's squad. With the mission to eliminate vampire nobles underway in Nagoya, after Guren defeats Mel Stefano, Sayuri runs over concerned. Joined by Eita Kusunoki, Sayuri heads to him after it is evident he is seriously injured. She listens as he tells Guren that nineteen out of forty five soldiers have been killed in the attack on city hall but the rest have been taken hostage. After Kusunoki succumbs to his injuries, they are to rejoin Narumi and Hīragi squad and then target thirteenth progenitor, Crowley Eusford. Emerging from underground to where Narumi squad and Shinoa squad have gathered, with soldiers led by Aiko Aihara as well, as a part of Guren squad they cannot wait for others to arrive and have to head into their next mission. Twenty-five soldiers have been taken hostage from the failed attack on three nobles at city hall. The new objective is to kill the three nobles. Sayuri and her squad along with Shinoa’s and Narumi’s are on the roof of a building in preparation for the mission on Nagoya city hall. She is a part of Guren’s new plan that they along with Shinya will attack Crowley Eusford and his comrades while Shinoa and Narumi’s team will free the hostages. As Shinya observes their enemies are most likely waiting for them, Sayuri is opposite Shigure preparing spell tags.When Guren offers the chance for any last words, Sayuri’s are that he can count on them. Demonstrating that when the rescue commences, Sayuri uses spell tags to materialize them into a sword that cut apart vampires that come near her. She runs with Guren as they reach the hostages and calls his name in panic when he and Shinya are swung into the city hall itself by Crowley. With Guren captured, Sayuri is in the vicinity of Crowley, Chess and Horn. Whether she too is affected by Goshi’s illusionary spell that has the nobles finding themselves in a fiery magma cave, Sayuri crawls through the imaginary flowing lava then runs to Guren. She is defended by Goshi when she comes under attack after being noticed by Crowley. Sayuri is knocked into the imaginary river of fire from the force of Crowley’s strike. Told to get out of here now by Guren, she replies not without him and attempts to make her way to Guren then whimpers at seeing him kicked by Crowley. With it done again she shouts he is killing him and Sayuri is held back by Goshi. Having escaped to safety, Sayuri is crying and covers her face entirely as Yu speaks of the point of living in a world where they have to leave behind the ones they care about. She looks over at the commotion around Shinoa squad. Yu has taken two additional cursed gear stimulants when he has already had two that day. Unable to help as a large volume of blood pouts from his mouth, Sayuri follows Shinya’s order to meet with Narumi squad as he deals with the situation. She is part of the mass retreat to the rendezvous point before the incoming vampire reinforcements in the large number of helicopters can arrive. Sayuri stands her ground with the squad in the face of a single vampire running through the Moon Demon Company soldiers. Having a spell tag sword ready, after Mika cuts through Goshi’s illusion power Sayuri announces she will stop him. Leaping into the air to reach Mika, she strikes his sword with hers and although the spell tag blade breaks apart it allows Shigure to launch a follow up attack with her kunai. Having made it to the deserted airport Sayuri stands beside Shigure and listens as Narumi voices discontent to Shinya on a mission where they have lost several of their comrades. This includes members of his squad, Yayoi Endō and Tarō Kagiyama, and their commander in Guren who is missing as well, yet they have kept following orders. She listens as Shinya explains the final mission was to escape in the chopper and lead the vampires to a trap in Shinjuku, only Guren was not the one who planned this. After witnessing Narumi shove Shinya against the fence when it is revealed that Lieutenant General Kureto Hīragi is the one behind this mission, Sayuri agrees with Shigure in abandoning the mission and joining Narumi who is heading back for Guren. She lists Goshi, Mito and Shinya’s names as she bids her other friends goodbye. Sayuri appears happy hearing that Shinya means for them to ignore the orders from high command and have the goal of the Demon Company to rescue Guren. Once the demon army aircraft that have approached land nearby, Sayuri sees Aoi Sangū and then Kureto himself disembark. After a crate is unloaded and raised, the surviving members of the Moon Demon Company come under attack from long connected rods that are spiked at the end. Sayuri has her spell tag sword ready and appears shocked after Narumi cries in anguish over the death of his squad members Rika Inoue and Shūsaku Iwasaki. The vampire fleet then arrives where troops are directed to attack by a masked noble. Sayuri is with the other three members of Guren squad near to Shinoa Squad now with Narumi and Mika as well where they mean to provide them with plenty of cover. The container the chains are coming from explodes and Sayuri sees a white shining orb with outer colors of purple and gold. Mirai Kimizuki as a seraph blows a long golden horn to have jagged rocks erupt from the surface with the sky overhead darkened. A black mass has emerged from Mirai’s back and formed into a gargantuan winged monster called Abaddon. Having three darts thrown into it has created globules that break off and form into Four Horseman of John that attack vampires and humans. With Shigure and Mito, she asks what is going on as the Horsemen of the Apocalypse have stopped attacking them. She holds her spell tag sword as the second trumpet, the King of Salt, as a part of Yu destroys Abaddon and restores the environment to what it was. Sayuri is ready to help Shinoa squad with Mika and Narumi escape from the army and vampires.

Spells
Sayuri makes effective use of spell tags for both defensive and offensive purposes. One by itself could be used to help endure against the powers of Mahiru-no-Yo. Multiple spell tags could also be combined to form a sword strong enough to block against vampire swords and cut through the vampires themselves.

Quotes

 * Hi everyone! Listen up students, in preparation for next week's cursed gear aptitude test I will be assessing all of your abilities. If you can't show me you're ready here then you'll have to keep training and take the test at a later date, so do your best, okay?" - Encouraging students in the gymnasium where cursed mannequins will be released.4
 * Your attention, please! Now that everyone has chosen a partner it's time to put your game faces on. Let's get this party started!" - Enthusiastically directing the activity from an observation deck.4
 * "Kimizuki, go to the hospital ward immediately. Your sister Mirai has taken a turn for the worse." - Cancelling the test to relay urgent news to Kimizuki.4
 * "Well there's always room for improvement. But those two are much stronger than I was at sixteen. I think they could do it." There are some who Sayuri feels could resist the demon's temptation, asked if there are others: "There are a few contenders, but Yoichi Saotome takes the cake. He has a surprisingly high stability against demons." and recommends Yoichi as well.5
 * "No! You can't do that in the classroom!" - Telling her superior officer that he cannot unleash his demonic power on a class full of kids.
 * "So, uh, Lieutenant Colonel Guren? I know I should expect unconventional tests and tactics from you. But I'm not entirely sure letting Yoichi try out for the Black Demon series is a good idea." - Nearing the ceremony hall, Sayuri voices doubt after all stemming from concern regarding Yoichi taking part. Regarding whether Sayuri has a problem with Guren's decision: "No sir, that's not what I'm saying. It's just I'm not sure he has enough strength to accept a demon into-" - Hearing that if Yoichi does not have the strength he dies, Sayuri speaks again causing Guren to question Yoichi himself whether he wants to press ahead.
 * “Um, lieutenant colonel Guren? You don’t seem to be too concerned about this fight.” - Sayuri's observations on her squad leader at the battle of Shinjuku.
 * “Mito and I can keep them occupied while you go after the commander.” - Tactically arranging for the means to have Guren fight the vampire leadership.10
 * “I guess I’d have to wear one, if the lieutenant colonel ordered me to, that is.” - Blushing, Sayuri supposes she must wear a bikini should Guren give the order.16
 * “He’s killing him!” - Her observation on Crowley continuing to kick Guren.20
 * “I’ll stop him!” - Initiating combat with Mika and covering Goshi after his illusion power is cut through and ended. 21
 * “Goshi. Mito. Shinya. Goodbye.” - With Narumi intending to return to Nagoya city hall and rescue Guren, Sayuri agrees with Shigure that they should go too. If it were not Guren’s mission there is no point sticking to it, and so Sayuri bids goodbye to her other friends.

Trivia

 * The name Sayuri means "small" (小) (sa) and "lily" (百合) (yuri).
 * Sayuri's surname Hanayori means "flower" (花) (hana) and "rely on, be dependent upon" (依) (yori).