Kuruizaki no Hana

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Kuruizaki no Hana


caption =
ja_name = Kuruizaki no Hana
ja_name_trans = Demon Flowers
genre = Horror, Shonen-aiInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Mizuki Hakase
publisher = flagicon|Japan
publisher_other = flagicon|United States Tokyopop
demographic = Shōjo
magazine =
first =
last = ongoing
volumes = Japanese 5, English 3

Kuruizaki no Hana (alternately known as Demon Flowers) is a horror shonen-ai manga by Hakase Mizuki.

Summary

Top assassin Ushitora is sent to kill a young Kuruizaki no Hana (Demon Flower ,the spawn of Japanese gods and humans) girl. Soon after Botan and another show up and question Ushitora who has discovered the girl had a younger brother, Masato Hiradaira. Ushitora informs Botan that he is leaving for good and takes the young boy with him. Ushitora continues on the run with the boy who in the current plot is fifteen years of age. When Masato was twelve years old, Ushitora brought home a young girl named Nao. They all live together as of the second volume.Later on in the second volume, Ushitora reveals strong feelings for Masato. Masato admits that he knew Ushitora killed his sister, but does not blame him for it.

Terminology

Kuruizaki no Hana:{As written in the first volume}"Demons devoured the gods that once guarded Japan and kept it safe. By consuming the flesh of the gods, the demons assimilated their powers. The demons have discovered that some of the gods bore human children with special powers. The demons are looking for these children...to consume them...to take their powers. They call these children 'Kuruizaki no Hana — Flowers Out Of Season'"

The Family:A name given to an organisation of assassins in which Ushitora Ishikawa was apart of before leaving and taking Masato Hiradaira. Botan and Inugama (Inugami) are also apart of this, and serve under the head, Ushitora's father, Gold. Leaving the "Family" without permisson requires punishment, which is death.

Characters

Ushitora Ishikawa: Ushitora was the Assassin of the 'Family' of demons he lived and worked with. After killing a Kuruizaki no Hana girl, he discovers her 4 year old brother and discovers that he does not want to kill the child. He takes the boy and leaves the Family, effectively being branded a betrayer.Tall, blond and handsome (described as "a beautiful person" in the first volume), Ushitora appears to excel at almost everything he does (eg. assassination, chess, cooking and even cross-dressing). He's laid-back, cocky but also quiet and contemplative. He is very direct when he speaks but has his fair share of secrets. According to him, his mother died when he was a child, has an older brother he describes as 'mellow' and a father he describes as 'trash'. He cares deeply for Nao and Masato and home schools them.

Masato Hiradaira: A Kuruizaki no Hana boy with the power to heal injuries (but not his own) and mend things such as broken glass. He was taken in by Ushitora after he assassinated his sister, but Masato does not remember this, only remembering from after he started living with Ushitora at 4 years old and has been for 11 years, making him 15 in volume 1. He has nightmares about the night his sister died.He has blond hair like Ushitora and green eyes. He is a very talented piano player, the only thing he is better at than Ushitora. He is the cheerful joker of the little family (Nao states in volume 1 that when Masato is quiet the whole house becomes quiet).

Nao Imai: A little girl that Ushitora found crying in the rain after her teacher hit her. He offered to take her away from the orphanage and she has lived with Ushitora and Masato ever since for 5 years. In volume 1 she is one week away from her 12th birthday.She has pink voluminous hair and dark pink/red eyes. She is cheeky, spunky, a bit of a tomboy but she also loves wearing pretty dresses and playing with dolls. She loves her family, Ushitora and Masato. Masato says that "though she may look tough but actually she hates to be alone and worries about things all the time."

Himeko: A round fluffy creature that strongly resembles a rabbit (or perhaps is merely an odd looking rabbit). She is 1 year and 2 months old in volume 1, likes to eat rare flowers and is the pet of the three.

The Family

Gold: Leader and commander of the "Family". He, like Ushitora, is a demon, and is the father of the two brothers. He is cruel, cold-hearted and tends to enjoy killing. His workers call him "Master Gold" and would do anything for him, including dying or suicide.

Botan: Ushitoras former subordinate. She was never going to admit it, but when Ushitora told her he was leaving the 'Family' she admitted that she loved him and broke down when he left anyway. She is very polite in her speech, always referring to Ushitora as 'Ushitora-sama'.

Inugama (Inugami in the English version): Ushitoras former subordinate. Before Ushitora leaves the 'Family' he tells him he had great respect for Ushitora because he was always kind to those of lower rank. He is in love with Botan.