Kikunojo

Kikunojo
Statistics
Japanese Name:	お菊
Romanized Name:	O-Kiku
Official English Name:	Okiku
Debut:	Chapter 913
Affiliations:	Kozuki Family; Nine Red Scabbards
Occupations:	Samurai; Retainer of the Kozuki Family; Tea House Poster Girl
Residence:	Kuri, Wano Country
Alias:	Kikunojo (菊の丞, Kikunojō?)
Status:	Alive

For the member of the Kuja Tribe, see Kiku (Kuja).

O-Kiku is a samurai from Wano Country and a retainer for the Kozuki Family. While hiding her true identity, she worked as a tea house poster girl in the region of Kuri. She is also one of the Nine Red Scabbards.

Appearance

Kiku is a young woman with long dark hair that falls into her back. She wears sandals and a kimono with chrysanthemum floral patterns. She is a very tall woman, easily towering over Luffy, Zoro, and Tsuru.

When she prepares for combat, she ties her hair into a ponytail with a ribbon.

Gallery

File:Kiku's Hair Ribbon.png

Kiku with a ponytail.

File:Kiku Samurai Outfit.png

Kiku's samurai outfit.

Personality

Kiku is a friendly and polite woman, but is also firm, as shown when she turned down Urashima's proposal. To her friends, she is helpful and nurturing, as seen when she treated Zoro's injuries and tended to Tama when she was being healed of her poisoning. She is also very courageous, as she quickly went to rescue Tama after the latter was captured by the Beasts Pirates.

She does not put up with people who degrade others, and is not afraid to make that known, even to people of a higher social standing than her. However, she appears to be somewhat absent-minded and prone to not fully thinking things through, as seen after her attack on Urashima. She was even surprised by her own actions and she became frightened when facing Urashima's wrath. She can also be indecisive, needing Zoro to tell her to fight back against their attackers at Bakura Town.

She refers to herself with sessha (拙者 or せっしゃ^?), an archaic form of "I" used by male samurai.

Relationships

Friends

Tsuru

As an employee under Tsuru, Kiku listens to her orders. Kiku already knew Tsuru twenty years ago as Kin'emon's wife, but Tsuru failed to recognize her after Kiku came forward through time.

Tama

Kiku seems to know Tama, and was worried for the girl when she drank out of the contaminated river water. When Tama was kidnapped, Kiku swiftly pursued the kidnappers.

Straw Hat Pirates

Kiku befriended Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro when they came to the tea shop with Tsuru and Tama. She tended to Zoro's wounds, while Zoro in return scared Urashima away for harassing Kiku. The three of them later infiltrated Bakura Town to rescue Tama, where Kiku was impressed by Luffy's usage of Haoshoku Haki, and she in turn impressed them with her swordsmanship. However, she did find Luffy's casual greeting with Kozuki Momonosuke (referring him as "Momo") as offensive. Upon meeting her, Sanji was smitten by Kiku and started flirting with her.

Kin'emon

Kiku respectfully refers to him as Kin-Sama. After a long period of separation, she was so overjoyed at seeing him again that she tightly hugged him on sight and blushing in his presence.

Shinobu

Kiku fondly calls Shinobu as Shino-chan, a term usually refers to someone younger as she was an apprentice of Kin'emon 20 years ago.

Other

Urashima

Urashima is a nationally famous and arrogant sumo wrestler who is smitten by Kiku. While she remained polite with him, Kiku declined his constant proposals firmly and clearly, to which Urashima could not comprehend nor accept. When the wrestler later snarled at the spectators for their lowly status in front of Kiku, the female samurai expressed her disgust with Urashima and avoided his attempt to embrace her, instead cutting off his chonmage. Filled with rage, Urashima then tried to kill Kiku, but he was stopped by Luffy.

Ashura Doji

Kiku and Ashura Doji once fought alongside with many other retainers, serving under Kozuki Oden. Unlike Kiku, however, Ashura only respected Oden, not the rest of the Kozuki family, hence his refusal to answer Momonosuke's call. Kiku expressed her disappointment at Ashura's perceived disloyalty, to which he replied that it has always been like that, and that he was disappointed that Kiku and her fellow time travelers had abandoned Wano for two decades.

Abilities and Powers

Swordsmanship

As a samurai and a member of the Nine Red Scabbards, Kiku is a extremely skilled swordswoman. Her strength was acknowledge by Orochi himself. She wields a katana with expert precision, as she was capable of cutting off Urashima's topknot and fight against several Gifters and samurai effortlessly.

History

Past

Twenty years ago, after Kozuki Oden was executed in the Flower Capital by the shogun, Kiku, Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi escaped the execution site and fled to Oden Castle, but Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were captured by the shogun's forces and were left behind. By the time Kiku's group reached Oden Castle, it was set ablazed by Kaido. The retainers went inside the castle and found Momonosuke as well as his sister and mother. Toki then sent her son, Kiku, and the retainers 20 years into the future.

After arriving at the future, they went around Wano and discovered how much it changed over the years. However, they discovered allies they could still count on and began forming a plan to take back Wano. While Momonosuke, Kin'emon, Kanjuro, and Raizo traveled to Zou, Kiku remained in Wano to gather intel.

Wano Country Arc

Kiku was working in the tea house when Urashima, a sumo wrestler from the capital, tried courting her to become his wife. She brushed him off and told him to place an order or leave, but Urashima simply continued bragging about his status. The situation was interrupted when Tsuru arrived with Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, and the ill Tama. Tsuru told Kiku to boil medicinal herbs for Tama, which she rushed to do. Before leaving, Urashima told Kiku about an upcoming sumo wrestling tournament at Bakura Town.

As Tsuru healed Tama, Kiku bandaged Zoro's wounds. Kiku then sat next to Tama while she was sleeping. She was alarmed when the gifter Batman attacked Tsuru. Another gifter Gazelleman abducted Tama during the confusion. After grabbing a sword and jumping on Komachiyo, Kiku then pursued Gazelleman along with Luffy and Zoro and head for Bakura Town.

Kiku cuts off Urashima's topknot.

At the town's gates, Kiku tried to stop Luffy from causing a scene when he was yelling for Tama. The group was then confronted by some swordsmen, but Luffy knocked them out with Haoshoku Haki. While traveling through the town, Kiku told Luffy and Zoro about the town's history. A defeated sumo wrestler was suddenly hurled at them, but Luffy caught him with one hand. They then came across the tournament that Urashima mentioned and when Urashima spotted Kiku, he ordered his men to bring Kiku to him. After hearing about how Urashima looked down on commoners, Kiku sliced off his top-knot with her sword.

As Urashima was filled with rage, Kiku was even surprised by her own actions. Urashima tried to attack her, but he was intercepted by Luffy. Kiku then watched Luffy's sumo match with Urashima and was amazed when Luffy sent his opponent flying. As the group was confronted by more enemies, Kiku was unsure of what to do until Zoro told her to fight back. Holdem later arrived at the scene while holding Tama hostage.

As Holdem accused the group of being part of a group of thieves, Kiku warned Luffy not to anger Holdem carelessly. She also informed Luffy and Zoro that Jack was the ruler of the Kuri region and attacking Holdem would have serious repercussions. When the headliner Speed arrived with a wagon of food, Holdem ordered his subordinates to capture Kiku so he could execute her. However, Luffy quickly attacked Holdem and grabbed Tama while Zoro struck down the Beasts Pirates escorting the wagon. Komachiyo then grabbed Kiku and began running with the food wagon. With Holdem defeated and Tama rescued, they fled Bakura Town and grabbed Law along the way. They then brought the food cart to Okobore Town.

After giving the food to the citizens and parting ways with Tama, Kiku rode on Komachiyo along with Luffy, Law, and Zoro as they traveled to the ruins of Oden Castle. Before reaching the castle, Kiku cried and ran off. When Luffy met Kin'emon, Kiku arrived and hugged the latter. Once Momonosuke and the group that sailed to Wano Country with Luffy arrived as well, they went into the castle to talk. There, Kiku listened as Kin'emon explained to Luffy's group about the story of Oden, the rumor about Toki, what Kin'emon's group did after traveling 20 years from the past, and a plan to attack Onigashima, the island where Kaido resided.

Kiku then helped Kin'emon explain about the Fire Festival and how the decisive battle would play out. When Kin'emon pointed out to Sanji that he was already married, Kiku mentioned that Tsuru was doing fine and Kin'emon was shocked to hear that she met her. After Kin'emon gave Luffy's group new clothes and tasks to do and summoned Shinobu to guide them, Law alerted the group to Kaido's sudden arrival at Kuri.

The group was surprised to see Kaido and Kiku was shocked to see Momonosuke in his dragon form. Kiku then followed Kin'emon to Okobore Town as he rushed to rescue Tsuru. After Kaido destroyed Oden Castle, Kiku rushed back there and was relieved to find the group safe before telling them what happened to Luffy.

At Mt. Mt. Atama, Kiku witnessed Shutenmaru's clash with Inuarashi. After Kin'emon broke up the fight, Kiku expressed her disappointment in Shutenmaru.

Kiku, Tama, Chopper, and Momonosuke later went to Kuri Beach, where they encountered an amnesiac Big Mom. On the following morning, Kiku's group took Big Mom to Okobore Town. After Tsuru fed her, the group planned to take her to Udon.

The group then traveled to Udon, with Big Mom having tamed a Wanizame to carry them there. Tenguyama Hitetsu spoke to the group through a Smart Den Den Mushi, telling them to return to Amigasa Village. Kiku told him to inform everyone else on the situation before hanging up. On the way to Udon, Kiku informed Linlin that Udon was far away and showed her a map of Wano Country. While practicing swordsmanship, Momonosuke used a certain shout that he learned from Zoro. Kiku was alarmed and she advised him not to use it. After night fell, the group eventually arrived at Udon.

On the next day, Kiku's group entered the Prisoner Mines after Big Mom broke through the front gate. Kiku told Momonosuke and Tama to hide and informed Chopper that Queen was in charge of the prison before telling him to proceed with caution. As Kiku and Chopper were sneaking in, they witnessed Big Mom attacking Queen. Kiku and Chopper were amazed to see Big Mom overpowering Queen. They then became worried for Luffy when he invoked Big Mom's wrath by admitting he ate the oshiruko that Big Mom was looking for.

Major Battles

• Kiku, Monkey D. Luffy, and Roronoa Zoro vs. Beasts Pirates and enemy samurai

Trivia

• Kiku (菊^?) is Japanese for "chrysanthemum".