Himiko Kudo

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Himiko Kudo (工藤卑弥呼 Kudō Himiko) is a fictional character in the manga / anime series Get Backers. In the original Japanese version, she's voiced by Natsuko Kuwatani. (First appearance - manga: act 3 part 2, anime: episode 3)

[edit] Person

She once worked with Ban Mido as a thief in the pre-GetBackers days, along with her older brother Yamato (who may or may not actually be related to her by blood). When Yamato was 28 years old, he was alone with Ban in their house so that they might face his "Voodoo Child mirror" (Himiko was sent out to buy a cake.) As a Voodoo Child, if one of two halves dies, both perish. Ban realises this too late when his "Snake Bite" killed Yamato's other half. When Himiko came back with the cake, she saw Ban's hand covered with Yamato's blood. Since that day, she has held a grudge against Ban. Occasionally an enemy, but more frequently an ally, Himiko has mixed feelings for Ban, whom she sees is a good person, but cannot reconcile this with her brother's killer. On Ban's part, he treats Himiko more like a little sister (His nicknames for her are "washing board" and "landing strip girl", referring to her bust). But recently, his care for her seems to be exceeding that of an older brother.

Himiko is a feisty girl who hates to be reminded of her age or treated like a child. She and Hevn (Heaven in the anime) have the occasional bitchfests (usually about their bust sizes and intelligence). Though mature for her age, Himiko's abilities usually mean that she often needs assistance during the more dangerous jobs. But, she has done her fair share of helping, especially in the Divine Design arc, where she managed to help Ban escape during his first encounter with Lucifer.

Lately, she has thought of Ban in a more favourable manner, for Kagami has told her some facts about the Voodoo Child curse. But, with her birthday approaching, no one knows how exactly she is to become one with her "mirror" self (who will do and feel the exact opposite of what Himiko does or feels); what Kagami's true intentions are for the Voodoo Child; and what all this signifies in the inevitable confrontation with Ban - who, it turns out, is actually related to her by consanguinity through the Witch Queen.

As it turned out, the two Himikos were combined into a single body after they kissed each other. This resulting Himiko appears to have the memories of Kudo, a Star of David tattoo under each eye, and long hair. Himiko then became a witness to the subsequent battles between Raitei and the Voodoo King, as well as Ban versus Akabane.

In the final chapter, she is shown with her trademark short hair, together with the other Transporters, as they set out for their next job, which is apparently linked to Ban's mother.

[edit] Abilities

As a witch of poisons, Himiko is trained in the use of various perfumes which have a wide range of effects from causing sleep, to burning internal organs, to causing a person to revert to a more primal state, etc... Himiko and her brother Yamato had developed around 200 poison concoctions but they only carried seven with them at any one time. Some of the commonly used scents are:

• Kaenkou (Flame Perfume) - causes fire to burn the inhaler from inside out. Sometimes Himiko inhales a little of the perfume herself, and by using controlled breathing techniques, is able to exhale fire like a flame thrower

• Taikakou (Retrogression/Devolution Perfume) - turns the inhaler into a pre-historic, ape-like creature

• Jigenkou (Time Limited Perfume) - paralyzes the inhaler for a certain period of time depending on the amount of poison used

• Boukyakukou (Oblivion Perfume) - inhaler forgets all events and memories of the last 24 hours

• Tsuibikou (Trailing Perfume or Following Poison) - when used, it leaves a trace scent on who, what, or wherever it's left on. This allows Himiko to track an object's movements or to find a certain location. Ban also has the ability to smell this particular poison. Ban managed to locate Himiko when Himiko used this in the Infinite Fortress.

• Fushokukou (Corrosion Perfume) - contact with this perfume either by touch or inhalation will immediately corrode or wear away any kind of material

• Kaiminkou (Sleep Perfume) - one whiff and the inhaler falls asleep instantly. Himiko's favorite poison (along with Flame Perfume) to use on Ban when he pisses her off

• Kugutsukou (Puppet Perfume) - a perfume emitted by Himiko's own body chemistry, it allows her to control the inhaler's movements against their will. Puppet Perfume is usually used as a last resort, or if Himiko finds herself without her perfumes or clothes (which is more often than not)

• Kasokukou (Acceleration Perfume) - Himiko's most powerful and most dangerous perfume. It causes the inhaler's movements to become inhumanly faster, but three or more whiffs of the poison take a heavy toll on the user and is life threatening

• Kaidokukou (Antidote Perfume) - self-explanatory really. It neutralizes the effects of Himiko's other perfumes

It is revealed that these perfumes are 'catalysts' to evoke certain spells and magic related to the perfume. Ban once said, thinking that the perfumes are the true essence of the technique, that the Kudo siblings must carry lots of perfumes to their jobs, but Himiko retaliated, "How can perfumes only do anything to in our 'magic shows'?" Yamato explained that a man can only perform seven different spells at a given time in order not to be overloaded, hence only seven vials of perfumes are brought for each mission. It was the first clue to Yamato and Himiko's past: Ban's grandmother and Maria Noches always warned him against 'catalysts', and how they were also used by 'our greatest enemy, the Shamans'.

Himiko is also a "Voodoo Child" - a victim of a mysterious curse set to activate on her seventeenth birthday. The curse stems from the fact she is an aborted Witch resurrected by the dark arts of the Voodooists. However, due to the interference of Ban's grandmother the Witch Queen, Himiko buys time by living on as one of the three keys to unlock Babylon City, at the top of the Infinity Fortress, which the Witch Queen had sealed shut. Kagami knows this as well. Therefore, he kidnaps Himiko at the end of the Voodoo Child arc in anticipation of her 17th birthday, when her own Voodoo Child powers will awaken.

Her fighting skills are average but can be enhanced by her perfumes. One particular favourite is the Acceleration scent. But its side effects could potentially be fatal to her. However as a Voodoo Child, Himiko can be a powerful adversary. From time to time she proves herself capable of fighting enemies far stronger than herself, as in the Kiryuudo 7 arc and, more evidently, in the Voodoo Child arc. In the preliminary rounds of the Voodoo Child arc, she leaves out her perfumes altogether and defeats her enemies by using her own sheer strength, which has awaken under Dr. Jackal's promptings. In the Queen's Cup Challenge, she proceeds to defeat her opponent, a deathless being from the Beltline, by merely utilizing a 'perfume in the black bottle', supposedly the last heirloom of her deceased brother. Even Kagami, a powerful Babylon City resident, expresses his awe over her powers and potentials as a Voodoo Child.

[edit] Trivia

• She calls her brother Yamato "Aniki".

• She carries only 7 types of perfumes for every mission she undertakes. These 7 are customised according to the needs of the task.

• She has a Star of David tattoo beneath her left eye. In the anime, it was changed to a five-pointed star.

• Ban once went so far as to grope Himiko for the antidote of her Paralysis Perfume and quips how much she's "grown" (during the Platinum arc).

• After the Cards Arc, Himiko started wearing the same white gloves worn by the Witch of Poisons on the Divine Design tarot deck.

• Himiko came 9th in the results of a popularity poll that appeared in volume 14 of the manga with 283 votes.

GetBackers
Story arcs • Episode List
Characters
GetBackers: Ginji Amano + Ban Mido
Volt Kings: Kazuki Fuuchouin* | Shido Fuyuki | MakubeX | Masaki Kurusu
Transporters: Kurodou Akabane (Dr Jackal) | Himiko Kudo
Infinity Fortress Characters: Juubei Kakei* | Haruki Emishi | Sakura Kakei* | Kyoji Kagami | Toshiki Uryuu*
Crew of the Honky Tonk: Hevn | Paul Wan | Natsumi Mizuki
Other Characters: Maria Noches | Saizou Toufuuin* | Madoka Otowa | Miroku family
*Fuuga member - italics: manga only character
Other Topics
Infinity (Limitless) Fortress - Fuuga (Elegance)