Kozuki Hiyori

Kozuki Hiyori
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Japanese Name:	光月日和
Romanized Name:	Kozuki Hiyori
Official English Name:	Kozuki Hiyori
Debut:	Chapter 909
Affiliations:	Kozuki Family
Occupations:	Oiran
Alias:	"Komurasaki" (小紫, Komurasaki?)
Status:	Alive
Age:	26

Kozuki Hiyori is the daughter of the samurai and daimyo Kozuki Oden and Kozuki Toki, and the sister of Kozuki Momonosuke. She was initially his younger sister, but became older than him after he traveled forward in time.

To the people of Wano Country where she lives, she is known as Komurasaki and formerly worked as an oiran, being a tayū (太夫, tayū^?), the highest ranked of all of them. However, she lost this status after angering the shogun Kurozumi Orochi and being presumed to have been murdered by Kyoshiro.

Appearance

Hiyori is a slim woman of average height. She has long teal hair that reaches her waist and red-violet eyes that are distinctively slanted at an upward angle. She wears light pink lipstick on her prominent lips.

As Komurasaki, she wore geta to make her look very tall. Her hair was extremely adorned, with multiple flowers and pins attached to it. She wore an extremely opulent red furisode kimono that sparkles in the sunlight, with the sleeve adorned with a peacock and flowers on it. Her appearance was considered by many to be amazingly beautiful to the point where men are blinded or pass out by trying to gaze at her.

After leaving the Flower Capital, Hiyori left most of her hair down with her bangs covering her forehead. She took out many of its adornments except for a rose-shaped one with a dangler on each side of her head and some of her hair is held up by pins in an elaborate bun behind her head. She also stopped wearing her outer garment, wearing a dark furisode kimono with flower designs along the sleeves and the bottom.

A flashback of twenty years ago only showed her in silhouette. She had a bob cut when she was six.

File:Hiyori as a Child.png

Hiyori as a child.

File:Hiyori with Kitsune Mask.png

Hiyori wearing her kitsune mask.

File:Hiyori's Manga Color Scheme.png

Hiyori's color scheme in the manga.

Full body view of Hiyori as "Komurasaki".

Personality

— Hiyori's pride.

Hiyori refuses to cry for joy at the thought of reuniting with her brother.

Hiyori is a very proud woman, unwilling to back down or show vulnerability in front of others. She claims that this is due to being a daughter of a samurai. This is true even if the face of authority, being unafraid of standing up to and even attacking the shogun Kurozumi Orochi despite the heavy consequences. She sees nothing appealing about becoming his wife, and would rather be killed than live a submissive life. She is kind to those she is close to, such as her kamuro Toko, and she was appalled when Orochi attempted to attack her, given that she is a child.

However, Hiyori was infamous for actions she has apparently committed in private as Komurasaki. She appeared to be a greedy and materialistic woman, as well as a good manipulator. After successfully swindling her victims, she treated them very coldly without any compassion or remorse, saying that she despises the poor. However, it is revealed that those guys are actually bad people that this indicate that she is more noble than she seems.

While being chased by Kamazo, Hiyori let go of her selfish attitude, pleading for Zoro to help her and Toko. She is very gracious, as she was extremely grateful to Zoro for saving her and made good on her offer to feed him in return. She can be rather careless and timid.

Relationships

Family

Parents

Hiyori is deeply respectful towards her father Kozuki Oden as a samurai. Hiyori believed that as his daughter, she must not shame her father so she refused to live a submissive life. Even when threatened with death, Hiyori strongly refused to bow to Orochi, her father's archenemy and murderer.

Momonosuke

As siblings, Hiyori cares deeply for her elder brother, Momonosuke as she was searching for him for 20 years. While Momonosuke suspects that Hiyori is alive, he said that he could not meet her until after Orochi is overthrown or Hiyori could become a target. Hiyori was very excited to hear from Zoro that Momonosuke is still alive and learns that he kept the promise she doubted years ago. Hiyori even excitedly questioned how he was doing.

Allies

Toko

While Hiyori was the oiran Komurasaki, Toko served as her kamuro. Hiyori is very affectionate with her, as she was worried when the latter went off to try Sanji's famous soba without informing her. She tried to defend Toko from Orochi when the shogun tried to kill her for laughing at him. This led to Komurasaki getting "killed" by Kyoshiro. Hiyori tried to protect Toko again when Orochi sent an assassin after her and fled the Flower Capital with her. Toko is also the only person who knows the truth about Hiyori and her lineage. Her cheerful and bright personality helped Hiyori to push forward.

Kawamatsu

One of her father's retainers, Kawamatsu became Hiyori's guardian after her parents's death. Kawamatsu did everything he could to raise Hiyori and make her happy after she was deeply traumatized  including dancing and telling jokes to cheer her up. Hiyori has deep respect and gratitude towards Kawamatsu, and had wished to reunite with him again.

Roronoa Zoro

After Zoro saved her from Kamazo, Hiyori healed his injuries and thanked him, speaking to him in a grateful manner. She even trusts him enough to reveal her own identity to him. In turn, Zoro reveals to her that her brother is alive, indicating that he believes her.

Others

Men

As Komurasaki, Hiyori has claimed to despise men, whom she insultingly referred to as dogs whose only worth is giving her money. Thus, she had no problem cheating certain men such as Bingo of their entire wealth, manipulating them into selling off their assets and even their own families to fund her lavish lifestyle, and after they are finally reduced to poverty, she would sarcastically thank them while revealing that she had squandered all of the money they gave her, much to their despair. When her victims attempted revenge, she would cruelly mock them for their poverty, stating without any remorse that they are worthless to her now.

However, she was subservient towards powerful men who held great political authority in Wano such as Kyoshiro and the shogun Kurozumi Orochi. When serving Orochi in his banquet, she meekly reciprocated the latter's enthusiasm and sat next to Orochi, even allowing him to hug her. However, when Orochi attempted to attack Toko, Komurasaki slapped him.

Flower Capital Citizens

Due to her great beauty, refined charisma, and mannerism as the highest ranking courtesan of Wano, Komurasaki was immensely popular among the citizens who live in the Flower Capital. She has been described by a fellow courtesan as the dream of all men and perfection of all women in Wano. While proceeding to Orochi's palace, many men and women gathered to see and cheer for Komurasaki while captivated by her beauty. They respectfully referred to her as "Komurasaki-sama". After she was presumably killed by Kyoshiro, all the citizens were extremely sorrowful and mourned her death.

Kyoshiro

The two of them were heavily associated as Kyoshiro was the one who raised her into the oiran she was as Komurasaki. When she defied Orochi and refused to apologize, Kyoshiro struck her down, which she acknowledged as the consequence of her choice and accepted without resistance. By his own admittance, he was granting her a samurai's mercy.

Abilities and Powers

Hiyori seems to have great balance and leg strength to walk with extremely tall geta sandals without any strain. She also owned a fair amount of arm strength, as she slapped the extremely large Orochi with enough force to leave a mark.

Hiyori has shown to be an extremely crafty manipulator, using her beauty in conjunction with superior acting skills to deceive men into giving her all their wealth. She is also an extremely talented musician in playing the shamisen, as she could play an enchanting song that deeply captivated the Orochi, his guests, and her fellow courtesans.

She possesses some degree of medical skill, as she was able to treat Zoro's large shoulder wound.

History

Past

20 years before the present day, Hiyori's father Oden was brought to the Flower Capital and executed by the shogun Kurozumi Orochi after illegally leaving Wano Country. Hiyori was in Oden Castle with her mother Toki and brother Momonosuke when Kaido, who was working with Orochi, set it ablaze. Toki used her Devil Fruit powers to send Momonosuke and their retainers 20 years forward in time, leaving Hiyori remaining with her. Kawamatsu then helped Hiyori escape Oden Castle and took care of her until they were separated when Hiyori was 13.

Hiyori was raised by Kyoshiro to become an oiran, and she adopted the name Komurasaki. During her career, Hiyori courted several men, claiming to want her freedom purchased before the shogun Orochi took her and agreeing to go with each man if they managed to do this. The men gave up everything they had to raise the money, which they put in her possession. However, she spent the money and cast the men aside after they had contributed the amount she requested, leaving them without anything.

Wano Country Arc

Komurasaki was chosen by Orochi to perform her services at his banquet. She made her way through the streets of the Flower Capital as the citizens gazed at her in awe, and she was joined by her kamuro Toko who had come late to the procession. She was then confronted by some men whom she had swindled, but her guard defeated them. As the men cried in anguish, she mocked and degraded them as she walked away from them. She later made it to Orochi's palace. At the banquet hall, she sat next to Orochi.

Kyoshiro strikes down "Komurasaki".

During the banquet, Komurasaki played some music before returning to Orochi's side. Orochi then talked about the impending return of Kozuki Oden's Nine Red Scabbards and son Momonosuke, and she was shocked when Toko laughed at him. She pleaded with Orochi not to attack her kamuro, but he did not listen, forcing her to slap him. She refused to prostrate herself in apology, and Orochi angrily transformed into the Yamata no Orochi. After she once again refused to apologize, Orochi attacked her and wrested her into one of his mouths. However, she was dislodged from Orochi's grip when the ceiling crashed onto the shogun's head. She then faced Kyoshiro, and accepted his mercy as he struck her down with his sword.

"Komurasaki" was considered dead by everyone, but Hiyori somehow managed to survive. She reunited with Toko and they fled the Flower Capital as Toko was pursued by Orochi's assassin Kamazo. They were chased to Ringo, and as they came to Oihagi Bridge, Hiyori pleaded for the swordsman Roronoa Zoro and the samurai Gyukimaru to help. She agreed to Zoro's request for food and alcohol in return, and watched as he battled Kamazo. She was shocked when Kamazo pierced Zoro through the shoulder, but Zoro then managed to strike down the assassin.

Zoro then fell unconscious from his wound, and Hiyori took him to a house in the Northern Cemetery to treat it. When Zoro woke up, he attempted to leave immediately, and Hiyori held him back, accidentally aggravating his wound. Hiyori then gave Zoro his food and alcohol, and told him about Gyukimaru as well as what had happened to her and Toko. She then revealed her own identity and that she was looking for her brother Momonosuke.

After Zoro was shocked to learn that she is Momonosuke's younger sister, Hiyori expressed joy in learning that her brother is alive. After receiving confirmation that Zoro was an ally, Hiyori told him of her past including how Kawamatsu rescued her from the destruction of Oden Castle and raised her until she was 13 and how Toko is an important friend to her. Hiyori and Zoro proceeded to talk about the current status of the alliance including the whereabouts of each of the Nine Red Scabbards. After their conversation, Hiyori wondered if she should meet her brother.

Trivia

• The name Hiyori means "weather".
• The name Komurasaki translates to "small purple" and is the Japanese name for the purple beautyberry.
  • It may also be derived from Miura-ya Komurasaki, a real life Oiran from the Edo period with a tragic love story that is immortalized in Kitagawa Utamaro's painting The Lovers Miura-ya Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi. In that story, Shirai Gonpachi also committed crimes to buy her freedom. But the Komurasaki of the story truly loved him and committed suicide when his actions resulted in his death.
• An oiran is a high-ranking courtesan in Japan, whose occupation arose in the Edo period and was largely replaced by geisha by the late 19th century.
• Hiyori has appeared at the beginning and closing of the Wano Country Arc acts, playing the shamisen.