Shizuru Fujino

Shizuru Fujino (ふじの　しずる; 藤乃静瑠 Fuji no Shizu ru) is a fictional 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, besting even the actual leads.

Shizuru is voiced by Naomi Shindou and Melanie Risdon in both series.

Shizuru in My-HiME
The always-calm president of the Fuka Academy Student Council, Shizuru at first appears in episodes involving important school events, or in scenes featuring the Student Council's homeroom, often 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.

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.

In the novel entitled, "Natsuki's Prelude", some background was provided on the reasons influencing Shizuru's decision to run 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 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 President, which enabled her high-level access on the school's intranet. Natsuki of course utilized this to her advantage, but never found out Shizuru's true motivation 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. 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, including the interrogation of Yukariko Sanada, before actually 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.

Over time it becomes apparent that Shizuru has a romantic interest in Natsuki, and the suppression of these feelings begin 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.

As the series progresses Shizuru loses her mental balance and becomes yet another puppet playing to the plan of the Obsidian Lord, killing the Childs and, by extension, the most important people of Nao (her mother) and Yukino (Haruka) as well as the entirety 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 new most important person and has hence regained her powers, along with Duran increasing drastically in size. Shizuru misunderstands Natsuki's explanation for Duran's increased size, and believes the "omoi" (literally emotion) Natsuki feels for her is hate. An emotional Shizuru believes that Natsuki has rejected her feelings and entraps her under a bell before drawing her into an embrace. However, Shizuru is taken aback when Natsuki kisses her. She tells Shizuru that she loves her despite not sharing the same feeling Shizuru has for her. Natsuki then orders Duran to destroy Kiyohime, which results in an explosive backlash that destroys them both. After their resurrection by Mashiro the two seem to have maintained their close friendship.

My-HiME manga
In the manga Shizuru is not a HiME, and her role is largely reduced. She still provides information to Natsuki, but their relationship is left largely unexplored, Natsuki having feelings towards Yuuichi rather than Shizuru.

Element and Child
Her Element is a resemblance of a Voulge with a straighter blade than the traditional weapon and more of a gap between the shaft and blade.]. It serves as a close range weapon, but she can take opponents by surprise with its long range capabilities, as the blade can extend into a chain-like extension, capable of tying someone up or crushing solid metal within its coils. She can attack long range by using the chain to slice through incoming attacks or to slash an opponent with her extended reach. She has once even used her extending blade to cut through the entire side of a cliff, causing part of it to collapse and crumble. Shizuru's use of the weapon combined with her noble and calm demeanor is likely a reference to Sengoku Period noble women, who were expected to know the art of the weapon in order to defend their families. The naginata was also frequently used as a status symbol.

Shizuru's Child is Kiyohime, a cross between a Squid and a Hydra. Its name is most likely a reference to the Japanese legend of the same name. The trapping of Natsuki under the church's bell during their fight is a direct allusion to this myth. Kiyohime's multiple snake heads allow it to attack quickly and repeatedly, and each of its heads can spray an acidic silver poison. Kiyohime is one of the larger Childs in the anime, comparibly similar in size to Mai's Kagusutchi and Mikoto's Child Miroku, and arguably, one of the strongest.

Shizuru in My-Otome
In the alternate-universe version and the sequel of the original series, Shizuru now appears as a Meister Otome and the Deputy Headmistress of Garderobe. She is one of the Five Columns (#3 in the order): the strongest Otome in the world who serve not an individual master but Garderobe itself. She materializes in the first episode to fend off a SLAVE and inspires Arika Yumemiya to become an Otome herself.

Shizuru is often idolized and referred by other students as Oneesama because of her elegant fighting style, charisma, beauty, kindness, and sincerity. Shizuru often acts as the surrogate mother/sister to Arika Yumemiya and Nina Wáng, and gives them her support and comfort whenever necessary.

In the first episode of the OVA My-Otome Zwei, Shizuru is petrified by an unknown entity while investigating a mysterious crater. In the second episode it is implied that the victims are still alive despite their nanomachines being solidified, and in the third episode her body along with the other petrified victims are at Garderobe for analysis by Yohko. She and the other victims are eventually cured in the conclusion to the fourth episode.

GEM
Her GEM, from which the power of an Otome derives, is named the Bewitching Smile Amethyst (嬌嫣の紫水晶 Kyouen no Murasakizuishou). Her Robe resembles both her Child from My-HiME as well as the traditional kimono she wore often in that series.

Her Element of choice is a double-edged sword with curved blades that extend into whip-like chains. She utilizes her natural grace and agility in her fighting prowess, making her an elegant yet deadly warrior.

My-Otome Manga
In the My-Otome manga Shizuru Viola is still the first Meister Otome introduced, though her first materialization comes in chapter 12, not as early as in the anime. She duels against Rad in the same chapter and Midori in chapter 18 but fails to win decisively. This Shizuru is Arika's oneesama from the beginning unlike in the anime, where it was initially Akane and then Nao. She was also an early target of Mashiro's infatuation.

Since Shizuru Fujino 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 Viola nevertheless does do battle against them though she still wished she had one.

Miscellaneous

 * Shizuru's character song, Katakoi Enka, is presented in My-HiME character vocal album vol.2, by her seiyuu Naomi Shindou.
 * To show that Shizuru speaks with a distinct Kyoto Accent, the English dub of the series gives her a southern accent in order to differentiate her from the other, "normal" speaking characters.
 * She is the 5th runner-up of Anime Saimoe 2005 and the 6th one is Natsuki Kuga. The only two out of all the Mai HiME series and spin-offs to gain this level of recognition.