Mikoto Minagi
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Mikoto Minagi (美袋命 Minagi Mikoto?) is a fictional character from the My-HiME and My-Otome anime and manga series. Her name is simply Mikoto in My-Otome. She is voiced in both series by Ai Shimizu in Japanese and Caitlynne Medrek in English.
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[edit] Common characteristics
Mikoto is depicted with very short black hair with braids, along with yellow eyes. She is usually very physically strong and agile. She is always paired with Mai Tokiha as a roommate or close friend. Common running gags are Mikoto burying her face in Mai's ample chest; her catlike actions, occasionally causing her to be likened to a demon; her huge appetite, especially for Mai's food (and lack of power when hungry); and her seeming naivete.
[edit] My-HiME anime
| Mikoto Minagi | |
|---|---|
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| Character Information | |
| Age: | 14 (Beginning), 15 (End) |
| DOB: | November 4 |
| Height: | 147 cm |
| Weight: | 37 kg |
| Blood type: | B |
| B/W/H: | 68/54/74 |
Mikoto Minagi plays an important role in Mai's story, while she has her own plot as well. She is a third-grade middle school student in the same class as Nao Yuuki.[1] She loves to be with Mai, often at her side or clinging to her. She also has a problem with spicy food, and consuming it often sends her into rampages while looking for water. Mikoto is usually seen with her two-handed sword, Miroku, either in hand or in a black sword bag.
Mikoto first appears in episode 1 as a drowned girl rescued by a passing ferry and resuscitated by Mai. She fights off Natsuki Kuga, eventually cutting the ship in half and causing Mai to rescue her again. Mikoto reappears in episode 2, taken in by Mai. Mikoto tells Mai her purpose for coming to Fuka Academy is to look for her older brother.
During the next episodes, Mikoto aids Mai and Natsuki Kuga in battling the Orphans that appear while also continuing to search for her brother. Mikoto's main conflict is first hinted at in episode 12, when she realizes that she likes Mai, conflicting with her love for her missing brother. In episode 18, Mikoto's pendant glows for the first time, and her brother's command to defeat enemies is revealed in a flashback. Mikoto becomes torn between defeating enemies and protecting Mai, or obeying Mai's order to not fight the other HiME.
Under the command of her brother (revealed to be Reito Kanzaki, the Obsidian Lord), Mikoto protects Mai and fights the other HiMEs, resulting in the defeat of Akira Okuzaki, Midori Sugiura, and Shiho Munakata. The deaths of Takumi Tokiha and Yuuichi Tate resulting from the HiMEs' defeats drive Mai into depression, subsequently causing unhappiness for Mikoto.
In episode 26, Mai and Mikoto finally face each other in battle. Their battle ends when Mai openly states her love for Mikoto, breaking the Obsidian Lord's control over her. Mikoto breaks the pendant around her brother's neck, also freeing him from the Obsidian Lord's control.
[edit] Powers
Mikoto's Element is Miroku, a black two-handed sword. She is able to strike with great force and can cleave large vehicles in half. Her HiME mark is on her upper right arm.[2]
Mikoto's Child is also named Miroku, and is a large spiked giant with an equally large spiked club. It is first fully shown onscreen in episode 23, though it does appear in earlier episodes causing spikes to come out of the ground at Mikoto's command.
[edit] My-HiME manga
Mikoto plays a smaller role in the My-HiME manga as Mai's current roommate and Anti-Orphan Squad member. She lacks any family or past, being given to Mai by Mashiro to take care of. She is generally just a minor character, fighting with the rest of the Anti-Orphan Squad.
Mikoto has two chapters that focus on her. In chapter 11, which is named after her, Mikoto fights Akira Okuzaki and wins, although Mikoto is defeated in the next chapter. In chapter 20, Mikoto is shown with an Orphan as a pet, which she later is forced to fight.
Mikoto falls under the control of Shiho Munakata in chapter 30, forcing Mai to fight her. Later, Mikoto, Akira, and Nao Yuuki face off against Yang Guifei in chapter 39. The three and the QUEEN are absorbed by the HiME Star, but are freed when the HiME Star's Child is defeated.
[edit] Powers
Mikoto wields Miroku and is capable is using an attack that can split the ground. Mai states that Mikoto is the strongest of the HiMEs and can defeat the other HiMEs' Childs. Mikoto's Child and Key are not revealed.
[edit] My-Otome anime
[edit] The cat
Mikoto the cat is depicted as a fat black cat with a bell collar, a ring in its left ear, and a white x-shaped marking on its forehead. It is mostly seen lounging around Mashiro Blan de Windbloom or Arika Yumemiya. In episode 23, Mikoto the cat is called Jubei by the Cat Goddess.
Other fat black cats are shown throughout the series; one with a crescent-shaped marking appears at the end of episode 22, and one with a z-shaped marking is with the Cat Goddess in episode 23. Another cat with a ^-shaped marking is introduced in My-Otome Zwei, accompanying Juliet Nao Zhang.
Mikoto the cat first appears in episode 1 in Aoi Senoh's arms, and is named in episode 2 when it leads Aoi to Mashiro. The cat plays a minor role in the anime as a source of comedy and a guide to Mashiro and Arika Yumemiya, accompanying one of the two in their journeys. In My-Otome Zwei, Mikoto the cat is mainly seen by Arika's side, traveling with her in episode 2 to find Mashiro.
[edit] The goddess
Mikoto the Cat Goddess is a separate entity from Mikoto the cat. She appears childish, similar to her My-HiME incarnations, but shows a better knowledge of combat and technology. She wears Buddhist robes and prayer beads around her neck and carries a traditional bronze staff shaped like a cat's head. She is inseparable from her Otome, Mai Tokiha; Mai herself states that despite attempting to escape, she was never successful.[3]
Episode 23 is the first appearance of the Cat Goddess. She helps train Arika Yumemiya to utilize her Robe's powers more efficiently and in episodes 25 and 26 helps Arika and Mashiro in their battle to reclaim Windbloom.
In the first episode of My-Otome Zwei, the Black Valley has been renamed the Cat God Mountain Park in Mikoto's honor. While Mashiro is visiting Mai's ramen shop, Mikoto senses the presence of a shadow being, though she inexplicably falls asleep. After activating Mai's Robe, Mikoto is taken to the top of the Cat God Mountain Park, which disappears with Mikoto at the end of the episode.
[edit] Powers
Though unable to fly like other Otome, Mikoto the Cat Goddess is able to swing her staff powerfully and is very nimble. Mai states she has never defeated Mikoto in battle. Miyu states that Mikoto is the last person with natural materialization powers and calls her the "Crystal Princess." The Cat Goddess has a HiME mark in the same spot as her My-HiME incarnation.[4]
In the Black Valley, Mikoto has a series of cat statues which enable her to observe the world. She also had maintained a shadow version of herself to protect the Harmonium; the shadow form was defeated by Nina Wáng.[4]
Mikoto the cat is shown to be an Otome. Its "GEM," the ring in its left ear, displays "Cat No. 10" with an "Unknown" contract. It has a Coral GEM and fights in a Coral Robe, and does not appear to require contract confirmation[5] and this cat appears as an Otome in the My-Otome PS2 game.
[edit] My-Otome manga
In the My-Otome manga Mikoto is a being who can switch between human and cat forms at will[6]. She retains her catlike and curious aspects, but she is generally more malevolent.
Mikoto makes her first appearance in chapter 14, disrupting Windbloom's weapons examination. She seems to work for Schwarz in the following chapters, freeing Midori in chapter 17 and taking Arika and her companions to the Black Valley in chapter 20. When the HiME Mai Tokiha is resurrected, Mikoto reveals her true allegiance to Mai alone. Mikoto's spirit disappears with the spirit of Mai after the latter is defeated by Mashiro in chapter 42, although the cat is still shown hanging around Garderobe in chapter 44.
[edit] Powers
Mikoto, in addition to the ability to transform, is able to summon a Slave that resembles a cat form of the Child Miroku.[7] She also can summon her real Child and is a capable fighter with her claws, on par with a Meister Otome.[8] Mikoto also retains her sword Miroku, which she never fights with, and her HiME symbol is initially shown on her upper left arm.[9] The symbol is moved to her tail when the rest of the HiME are revived.[10]
[edit] Name origins
- The name Mikoto has several meanings, among them a divine being, and the word is often added to the end of the names of kami (such as Ninigi-no-Mikoto), and can also mean destiny, fate and luck alternately.
- Miroku is named after the Japanese name of Maitreya, the future Buddha.
- Jubei is named after the famous samurai Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi.
[edit] References
- ^ My-HiME anime, episode 7
- ^ My-HiME anime, episode 1
- ^ My-Otome anime DVD special 8
- ^ a b My-Otome episode 23
- ^ My-Otome anime DVD special 7
- ^ My-Otome manga, chapter 20, page 8
- ^ My-Otome manga, chapter 20, page 14
- ^ My-Otome manga, chapter 30
- ^ My-Otome manga, chapter 33, page 8
- ^ My-Otome manga, chapter 38, page 18
