OVA
Description
Hanabi Kitaoji is a young woman of Japanese and French heritage who serves as a member of the Paris Combat Revue’s Fleur Division. Born on May 22, 1908, she is three-quarters Japanese and one-quarter French through her maternal grandmother. She was raised in France from the age of three, and as the heiress of the Kitaoji baronial family, she received a noble upbringing. Because the Kitaoji and Bleumer families share a long-standing acquaintance, Hanabi became the boarding school roommate and close friend of Glycine Bleumer. Having spent most of her life in France, she developed a strong interest in Japan and became well-versed in traditional Japanese manners and arts, though her knowledge is largely derived from books and formal study rather than direct experience. This education led her to embody the ideal of the traditional Japanese woman, known as a Yamato Nadeshiko, characterized by reserve, refinement, and grace.
Her life was marked by a profound tragedy. On the day of her arranged marriage to her fiancé, Philippe de Maleblanche, he perished in a shipwreck at sea. This traumatic event left Hanabi with deep emotional scars, including post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression, during which she briefly contemplated suicide to be reunited with Philippe. She developed aquaphobia, an intense fear of water, stemming directly from the accident. In mourning for her lost fiancé, she adopted a black dress as her permanent attire and frequently visits Philippe’s grave. Her quiet and shy demeanor is a natural extension of her reserved personality, and she is known for being responsible, sensible, and respectful of others’ feelings. Within the Fleur Division, she often serves as the calm and rational member of the group, balancing the more eccentric personalities of her teammates.
In the story of Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris, Hanabi is recruited into the Paris Kagekidan and performs at the theater Le Chattes Noires under the stage name Tatamize Jeune, which roughly translates to traditional Japanese girl. Her role involves both theatrical performance and defending the city from supernatural threats while piloting a steam-powered mecha known as a Koubu. Her initial motivations are colored by grief, as she possesses a weak will to live. However, through her interactions with the commander Ichiro Ogami and the camaraderie of her fellow team members including Glycine, Erica Fontaine, Lobelia Carlini, and Coquelicot, she slowly begins to re-engage with life. She learns that she is not alone, and her will to protect others gradually brightens her spirit. A significant part of her development involves confronting her aquaphobia; with encouragement, she eventually conquers her fear of water, symbolized by her choosing her own swimsuit and courageously diving into a pool. This marks her emotional recovery and newfound determination.
Notable abilities include her mastery of kyūdō, the Japanese martial art of archery. In combat, she pilots a black Koubu equipped with a built-in semi-automatic crossbow as well as a bow and arrows, allowing her to engage enemies with precise and calculated long-range strikes. Her fighting style reflects the discipline and accuracy of traditional archery. During lighter moments, her traditional upbringing also surfaces in practical skills, such as her knowledge of Japanese calligraphy, which she once taught to Ogami.
Her life was marked by a profound tragedy. On the day of her arranged marriage to her fiancé, Philippe de Maleblanche, he perished in a shipwreck at sea. This traumatic event left Hanabi with deep emotional scars, including post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression, during which she briefly contemplated suicide to be reunited with Philippe. She developed aquaphobia, an intense fear of water, stemming directly from the accident. In mourning for her lost fiancé, she adopted a black dress as her permanent attire and frequently visits Philippe’s grave. Her quiet and shy demeanor is a natural extension of her reserved personality, and she is known for being responsible, sensible, and respectful of others’ feelings. Within the Fleur Division, she often serves as the calm and rational member of the group, balancing the more eccentric personalities of her teammates.
In the story of Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris, Hanabi is recruited into the Paris Kagekidan and performs at the theater Le Chattes Noires under the stage name Tatamize Jeune, which roughly translates to traditional Japanese girl. Her role involves both theatrical performance and defending the city from supernatural threats while piloting a steam-powered mecha known as a Koubu. Her initial motivations are colored by grief, as she possesses a weak will to live. However, through her interactions with the commander Ichiro Ogami and the camaraderie of her fellow team members including Glycine, Erica Fontaine, Lobelia Carlini, and Coquelicot, she slowly begins to re-engage with life. She learns that she is not alone, and her will to protect others gradually brightens her spirit. A significant part of her development involves confronting her aquaphobia; with encouragement, she eventually conquers her fear of water, symbolized by her choosing her own swimsuit and courageously diving into a pool. This marks her emotional recovery and newfound determination.
Notable abilities include her mastery of kyūdō, the Japanese martial art of archery. In combat, she pilots a black Koubu equipped with a built-in semi-automatic crossbow as well as a bow and arrows, allowing her to engage enemies with precise and calculated long-range strikes. Her fighting style reflects the discipline and accuracy of traditional archery. During lighter moments, her traditional upbringing also surfaces in practical skills, such as her knowledge of Japanese calligraphy, which she once taught to Ogami.