Shizuru Fujino
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Shizuru Fujino (θ€δΉιη Fujino Shizuru) is a character in the Japanese animated series My-HiME and My-Otome. In My-Otome, her name has been changed to Shizuru Viola. In spite of the fact that her role in both series was that of a secondary character, she still has a wide range of admirers among the show's fans. In fact, she has even won a character popularity poll at SUNRISE Studio's official website twice in a row[1], besting even the actual leads.
Shizuru is voiced by Naomi Shindou in both series.
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[edit] Shizuru in My-HiME
The always-calm president of the Fuka Academy Student Council, Shizuru at first appears randomly in episodes involving important school events, or in scenes featuring the Student Council's homeroom; typically, she would be calmly sipping tea. Making an entrance as a playful, charming and slightly sarcastic individual, she takes care of significant school affairs single-handedly, even patching up for the academy director when required, but tends to leave all the "dirty work" for the executive committee.
She wears a differently colored uniform to denote her status as Student Council President, something fellow Student Council leaders Reito Kanzaki and Haruka Suzushiro also do. Her beauty and distinctive Kyoto-accent have earned her quite a few fans within the academy - And all mostly female. She occasionally lends Natsuki Kuga use of the Student Council's computer in order to look up information relating to the HiME.
From "Natsuki's Prelude" - My-HiME anime books Volume 1 and 2
In the novel entitled, "Natsuki's Prelude", some background was provided on what reasons influenced Shizuru's decision to running for the Student Council President position. She was originally just a class representative in her second year of highschool. Natsuki, a middle-schooler at the time, had heard a rumor that class representatives had a higher access level within the school's intranet than normal students. Shizuru teased Natsuki and assumed she was inquiring for the sake of altering her attendance record. Natsuki informed her that she wanted to gain access to the school's state of its administration, the director's name and personal record, and a register of the staff members and pupils plus their their personal records. Shizuru regretted to inform Natsuki that her access to the intranet was not much higher than that of a typical student. Witnessing Natsuki looking somewhat disappointed, Shizuru mentally came to a decision and entered herself as a presidential candidate.
The novel continues with the fact that elections were held rather late in the year compared to most schools but Shizuru managed to crush her opponent, Suzushiro Haruka, in a landslide victory. She had become the new Seitokaichou which enabled her high-level access on the school's intranet. Natsuki of coursed, utilized this to her advantage but never found out Shizuru's true intention for running.
In the second half of the series, Shizuru's role becomes more significant, as it is revealed that she's one of the twelve HiMEs - a person capable of materializing solid objects from photons. Unlike the other HiMEs, she acts solo, without facing either the Orphans, nor the agents of the Searrs Foundation. Instead she focuses on covertly protecting her best friend, Natsuki Kuga, who is also a HiME. It is implied that Shizuru's "HiME mark" is located on her left side, as she is seen placing her hand there on several occasions relating to the HiME before being revealed as one. Shizuru's shadow with her element is first seen in episode 20 when she intervenes and has her child, Kiyohime, block Mikoto's attack towards Natsuki, though she is not officially introduced as a HiME until later.
During the later course of the series, it becomes apparent that Shizuru has a romantic interest in Natsuki, which begins to unbalance her psychologically. After Natsuki is injured by Nao Yuuki and held for ransom Shizuru rescues her and brings her to a friend's house to allow her to heal. During Natsuki's recovery Shizuru's shadow is observed by Yukino's probes disrobing and lying down next to an unconscious Natsuki, though what actually occurred in this incident is left ambiguous. However, after both her HiME-status and her obsession-like love-interest are discovered by Natsuki herself after Haruka confronts Shizuru about her absence from the school and declares Shizuru's love for Natsuki to be "disgusting", Shizuru loses her mental balance and becomes yet another puppet playing the plan of the Obsidian Lord, killing the Childs (and by extension most important people) of Nao and Yukino as well as members of the first district for the sake of her beloved.
In a final confrontation Shizuru fights Natsuki, who having accepted her love for Shizuru now has a most important person in her and has hence regained her powers. Shizuru believes that Natsuki has rejected her feelings and entraps her before drawing her into an embrace. However, Shizuru is taken aback when Natsuki kisses her and then orders Duran to destroy both himself and Kiyohime, which results in both Natsuki and Shizuru disappearing in each other's arms.
After their resurrection by Mashiro the two seem to have maintained their close friendship and during the day of Shizuru's graduation, their relationship progressed into something much more. The official Sunrise episode guidebook entitled "Mai Hime anime book volume 2" has addressed their current relationship status. On page 25, under Shizuru's profile section, it mentions that "Once again, Natsuki spoke affectionate words to the graduating Shizuru. Before one knows, happiness will visit these two."
Shizuru's HiME Element is a multi-sectioned naginata, and her Child is named Kiyohime, which resembles a mythical Hydra-like snake, and is an allusion to the legend of Kiyo.
[edit] Shizuru in My-Otome
In the alternate-universe version and the sequel of the original series, Shizuru now appears as a Meister Otome; a powerful maiden working as headmaster Natsuki's assistant in Garderobe - a school that trains young girls to become Otomes, female virgins who serve as bodyguards and servants to powerful political figures using special nanomachines that allow them to materialize Robes and Elements. She was a Pearl when Natsuki was a Coral and is seen in a photograph from Natsuki's school days.
She now plays a rather significant role ever since the beginning, being one of the Five Columns: the strongest Otomes in the world who serve not an individual master but Garderobe itself. She materializes in the first episode to fend of a SLAVE and inspires Arika Yumemiya to become an Otome herself. Her Gem, from which the power of an Otome derives, is named The Beguiling Amethyst.
It is strongly implied during the series that her relationship with Natsuki from the original story is now adapted to an actual relationship. They live together in the academy, and are practically never apart, save while not going out for an important errand of sorts.
In combat, the Otome Shizuru wields a double-bladed katana with extensive, whip-like attacks. Her robe is based off of Kiyohime from the original series.
[edit] Manga
In the My-Otome manga Shizuru is still the first Meister Otome introduced, though her first materialization comes in chapter 12. She duels against Rad in the same chapter and Midori in chapter 18 but fails to win decisively. This Shizuru is Arika's onee-sama from the beginning unlike in the anime, where it was initially Akane and then Nao.
Since Shizuru was not a HiME in the My-HiME manga she is not present among the resurrected HiME from the manga (made evident by the presence of Haruka), but does do battle against them.
[edit] Miscellaneous
- In My-HiME manga, Shizuru isn't a HiME. Her feelings for Natsuki also remain unexplored.
- Shizuru's character song, Katakoi Enka, is presented in My-HiME character vocal album vol.2, by her seiyuu Naomi Shindou.
- It has become something of a running gag in many fanarts of Shizuru for her to be holding Scallions (green onion), because in the radio drama of My-HiME Natsuki develops a cold, prompting Midori to suggest an old folk cure of putting a leek up one's behind. Shizuru of course is immediately taken to the idea, despite Natsuki's severe objections.
- Shizuru's use of a naginata as her element as well as her noble and calm demeanor is likely a reference to Edo Period noble women, who were expected to know the art of the weapon. The naginata was also frequently used as a status symbol.
- Shizuru's birthday is December 19, making her a Sagittarius.
