Kurozumi Higurashi

Kurozumi Higurashi was a member of the Kurozumi Family and a major supporter of Kurozumi Orochi. She was killed by Kaidou for her interruption in his fight with Kozuki Oden.

Due of her actions and role, she was the posthumous overarching antagonist of the Wano Country Arc and Saga.

Appearance
Higurashi was an extremely old and decrepit woman with long, wild water green hair and a cleft chin. She had several missing teeth.

Over 41 years ago, during her meeting with Orochi, she wore a tattered light kimono and dark pants, and had two lit candles fastened to her forehead with a headband. 25 years ago, after Orochi became the shogun of Wano Country, her clothes seem to be well maintained. She is also shown to have blackened her teeth.

Due to her Mane Mane no Mi abilities, she could alter her physical appearance into a number of individuals, two of whom being Kozuki Sukiyaki and Oden.

Personality
Higurashi believed that those with power decided what was right and wrong, and did not view any attempt to gain power as wrong, even if it involved murder. Thus, she was sympathetic to the Kurozumi Family's first attempt to gain the shogunate, and used deceit to help Orochi take the title.

Higurashi was very cunning, and would stop at nothing to get what she wants. She was very cautious, having Orochi gather funds and weaponry well before his rise to power, knowing the benefits of those markets in the long run. When she saw Kozuki Oden humiliate himself on the street of the Flower Capital, she cackled with her family members, enjoying their successes.

In battle, she did not follow any code of honor, as she disguised herself as Kozuki Momonosuke and with the help of a Beasts Pirate member, distracted Oden with a hostage situation so Kaidou could get the upper hand. However, this came at the cost of her life, as Kaidou was intolerable of foul play in regards to his battles.

Like many other people, she possessed a unique laughter style: "Ni kyo kyo kyo kyo" (ニキョキョキョキョ).

Kurozumi Family
The plan was good!! He was ready to claim the country itself!! When a heir was born Kozuki Sukiyaki!! That hateful Sukiyaki..!! The Kurozumi family plot to take the country was exposed and your grandfather was forced to commit seppuku, our family went extinct on top of that our family was driven to extinction. The territory, the castle, the status all were taken away and the Kurozumi name was scorned, the family was rendered homeless!!! Being loyal to her family, Higurashi supported Orochi's grandfather and his attempt to seize the shogunate. Higurashi had faith in Orochi's ability to bring the Kurozumi Family to power and chose him to carry out her plot. However, Orochi seemed to care little for her despite her support, as he did not express any concern over Kaidou killing her.

Kozuki Family
Higurashi held a grudge against the Kozuki Family for preventing the Kurozumi Family's rise to power years prior, and particularly despised Sukiyaki for being born at the time Orochi's grandfather started his takeover attempt. She laughed when the Kurozumi Family successfully took power and Orochi forced Oden to make a fool of himself in public. She did not hesitate in using underhanded methods to trick Oden in battle to have him lower his guard.

Kaidou
Higurashi seemed to be acquainted with Kaidou since his Rocks Pirates days and approached him 10 years after the God Valley Incident with an offer of cooperation. She understood Kaidou's personality well and gained his approval by speaking of the survival of the fittest. After the two came to an agreement, Higurashi was an ally to Kaidou, and used her power to help him in his fight with Oden. However, Kaidou was displeased with her for interfering and killed her for it.

Abilities and Powers
Higurashi has proven herself to be an adept strategist, as she instructed Orochi to amass funding and weaponry in order for a successful coup-d'état, which Orochi eventually used the wealth and massive weapons stock to form an alliance with Emperor Kaidou. She also has knowledge of Devil Fruits, considering the isolated country of Wano's limited knowledge, as she knew the power of the one she ate while offering Orochi another.

Devil Fruit


Higurashi ate the Mane Mane no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that enabled her to perfectly replicate other people's appearances. She used this fruit to deceive the Wano administration by posing as Kozuki Oden and Sukiyaki and using their likenesses to promote Orochi. She also used this ability in the battlefield effectively, disguising herself as Momonosuke in order to distract Oden.

History
Several decades before the present, Higurashi had witnessed the Kurozumi Family head's unsuccessful attempt to become the next shogun by poisoning his fellow daimyo, and be sentenced to commit seppuku. As the Kurozumi Family lost their status and became targets for persecution, Higurashi left Wano Country for a time and according to herself, faced many hardships then. During which, she ate the Mane Mane no Mi, giving her the ability to mimic appearance of anyone she meets.

She eventually returned to Wano over 41 years ago, where she found Kurozumi Orochi, the grandson of the treasonous family leader. She explained to him what had happened with his grandfather, blaming Kozuki Sukiyaki for being born and preventing the Kurozumi Family from taking power. She instructed Orochi to gather up gold and start manufacturing weapons in order to become shogun, offering him the Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Yamata no Orochi if he obeyed.



Between 30 and 33 years ago, Higurashi posed as Kozuki Oden and took Orochi to the shogun's castle, utilizing her disguise to get Orochi a job there. 28 years ago, Higurashi posed as an ailing Sukiyaki, and she decreed that Orochi would be the temporary successor as shogun until Oden returned from his absence. Around the same time, she traveled to meet Kaidou and convinced him to ally with the Kurozumi Family in Wano Country in exchange for weapons. 25 years ago, Higurashi was with Orochi and Kurozumi Semimaru when Oden returned and unsuccessfully attempted to kill Orochi. As Orochi declared that he would remain shogun, Higurashi revealed her ability to impersonate Sukiyaki.



Twenty years ago, Higurashi accompanied Orochi and Semimaru to Kuri as Orochi told Oden of his intention to build factories there. Higurashi was present at Udon during the battle between Oden's group and the Beasts Pirates. After Oden wounded Kaidou, Higurashi disguised herself as Kozuki Momonosuke and pretended to be a hostage, distracting Oden so Kaidou could strike him down. After his retainers were defeated, Higurashi revealed her true form to Oden and laughed at his defeat. However, this action ended up being her downfall, as Kaidou killed her for interfering in his fight with Oden.

Trivia

 * Higurashi is a species of cicada, also known as evening cicada. The cicada theme is also present in the name of her family member Semimaru.
 * The two lit candles attached to Higurashi's headband may be a reference to Ushi no toki mairi, a method of placing a curse in Japanese folkore. However, traditionally the person perfoming the ritual wears three candles, not two.
 * When Higurashi first met Orochi, she was also holding an Ōnusa, a wooden staff with papers streamers, which is associated with Shinto purification rituals.
 * Teeth blackening is a custom formerly practiced in Japan, where it was known as ohaguro (お歯黒). It was done for the sake of beauty, as pitch-black objects were considered beautiful at the time.

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