Hotarubi (Basilisk)

Hotarubi (japanese: 蛍火, hiragana: ほたるび, rōmaji: "Hotarubi") a character featured in the Japanese anime "Basilisk Kouga Ninpou Chou" (known in English as the "Kouga Ninja Scrolls"). Hotarubi was chosen by her leader Ogen to be one of ten elite ninja who would represent their clan of Iga Tsubagakure against the chosen ten of the rival Koga Manjidani clan.

Character Overview

A petite and slender young woman with straight dark hair that drapes to just below her shoulders; Hotarubi is reminiscent of the traditional Japanese beauty whereas Oboro is the large-eyed innocent, Okoi the sassy tomboy, and Akeginu and Kagerou (and even Ogen during her youth) representing the concept of the sensual femme-fatale. Although she shares her clan's hatred for the Kouga, Hotarubi's prime concern is for her lover Yashamaru, another member of the Iga ten. Her devotion to him is so great that even the suggestion that he's come to harm is enough to send her into a feral rage. After learning of Yashamaru's murder, Hotarubi devotes herself to the war between Iga and Kouga completely, seeking the chance for revenge at any cost.

Like most of the Iga, Hotarubi considers Oboro to be completely useless despite her position as the clan's next leader, and defers to Yakushiji Tenzen's orders. In the anime, this may be tied to slight jealousy, since Yashamaru once teased her for not being sweet and feminine like Oboro and Hotarubi almost threw a childish tantrum at him.

In combat, Hotarubi summons swarms of glowing pink butterflies that overwhelm and distract her opponents, allowing her to either strike a lethal blow through their dropped defenses with her tantō or escape to safety. She also maintains a spiritual link with her pet viper who acts as her bodyguard and scout. In the anime, Hotarubi summons and controls her butterflies through a barely audible chant that varies depending on the situation.

In the Japanese original anime, Hotarubi is voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro.

Manga

In the manga, Hotarubi's personality and background are relatively the same (the anime depicts her as being somewhat more childish outside of the battlefield, though), but her powers are changed. Her butterfly swarms don't glow and appear to be comprised of several different species. She's also capable of summoning other types of insects as proved by the trail she left following her and Nenki's sneak attack at the inn where the remaining Koga ten were staying.

Alternate information

Played by Erika Sawajiri, Hotarubi appeared in the live action movie "" with some differences, such as not being romantically involved with Yashamaru and lacking her viper. As she played a role similar to the one Akeginu had in the original manga and anime, Hotarubi was overly protective of her leader Oboro whom she stated was the most precious thing to her, even going so far as sacrificing her own life by acting as a human shield when the Kouga Koshirou ambushed them.

Within the novel, Hotarubi's abilities far outshine those in the manga and anime as she is able to commune with any insects and reptiles surrounding her. Additionally, her snake rests on top of her head rather than coiling around her neck. Also, when Saemon infiltrates Tsubagakure, their small meeting never happens so the snake bite never occurred. Upon seeing Okoi near death in the salt shed, Saemon yawns and sits down for a bit, claiming that he was tired from his run from Sunpu while he comforts his sister in her final moments. When he is again disguised, this time as Nenki, Hotarubi is able to see through his disguise because, unlike Nenki, Saemon's arms weren't hairy. Her death is the same however. She is also described to be a classical beauty.

References

*Fumitoro Kizaki (Director). Basilisk-Koga Ninpocho [TV-Series] GONZO/Kodansha/Japan Digital Concepts: Japan. 2005
*Masaki Segawa (Manga-Ka). Basilisk-Koga Ninpocho [Manga] Kodansha: Japan. 2003-2004
*Futaro Yamada (Author). Koga Ninpocho [novel] Japan. 1958
*Ten Shimoyama (Director) Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (DVD) Japan. 2005