TV-Series
Description
Honne Onna is one of the primary companions to the series' titular character. She is a yokai, a supernatural being whose true form is that of a skeleton, but she almost always appears as a strikingly beautiful woman in her human guise. Her name, Hone Onna, directly translates to "bone woman," a reference to her skeletal nature. In her human form, she has long black hair usually tied up in a traditional style and is known for her revealing, elegant kimonos, often with floral patterns. Directly referencing her appearance in the second series, her typical attire includes a white kimono with dark blue borders and sparse floral designs.
Before becoming a servant of Hell Girl, Hone Onna was a human woman named Tsuyu. Her past is a tragic tale of betrayal that serves as the foundation for her motivations and personality. Tsuyu was a servant in a merchant's home who fell in love with the master's son. He deceived her by promising to run away with her, but instead sold her to a brothel to settle his debts. While working as a prostitute, she formed a close bond with a younger woman named Kiyo, whom she treated like a sister. Tsuyu made plans for herself and Kiyo to escape, but Kiyo, driven by jealousy, betrayed her to the brothel's owner. The owner and her lover then murdered Tsuyu, throwing her body into a river. Tsuyu's spirit, filled with resentment, was joined by the souls of other betrayed women at the riverbank, and together they transformed her into the vengeful yokai, Hone Onna.
Her personality is marked by a complex blend of outward charm, deep-seated loyalty, and a capacity for empathy born from her own suffering. On the surface, she is flirtatious and sociable, often using her seductive demeanor to gather information or manipulate men during their investigations. She is skilled at infiltration, taking on various disguises such as a nurse, an office worker, or a school gym teacher under the alias "Sone Anna". Despite her playful and sometimes teasing nature, she possesses a more serious and compassionate side than her fellow companions. She frequently expresses sympathy for the human clients, especially women, as their plights often resonate with her own tragic history. This is evident in an episode from the Two Mirrors season, where she feels a connection to a pregnant woman's despair, and when she asks Hell Girl to eventually save the spirit of her own betrayer, Kiyo, acknowledging their shared pain. Her loyalty to her master, Ai Enma, is absolute, and she has declared that she will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who becomes an obstacle to Ai. A minor but recurring personality trait is her vanity; she is highly sensitive about her age, becoming noticeably annoyed when characters like her young colleague Kikuri call her an "old lady" or "auntie".
Within the story, Hone Onna's primary role is that of an investigator and spy. While Hell Girl executes the final judgment, Hone Onna, along with her companions Ichimoku Ren and Wanyuudou, is responsible for gathering information on both the client and the target. She excels at going undercover, integrating into human society to confirm the authenticity of a grudge and the nature of the person to be condemned. Her key relationships are with her fellow servants of Hell Girl. She is intensely loyal to Ai Enma, who found her when she was a lonely monster scaring humans and offered her a purpose. She considers Ai and the other two servants her companions, forming a tight-knit, if unconventional, family unit. She shares a strong sense of camaraderie with Ichimoku Ren and Wanyuudou, working seamlessly with them for centuries. Her relationship with the childlike spirit Kikuri is more contentious, marked by bickering often instigated by Kikuri's teasing about Hone Onna's age. In the Two Mirrors season, the audience learns the full depth of her tragic history, giving context to her empathetic actions, such as her intervention to stop a cycle of suicide stemming from the vengeful spirit of Kiyo.
Hone Onna's development in Two Mirrors is primarily retrospective, as her backstory is explored in depth, though her experiences in the present continue to shape her. Confronting the spirit of Kiyo, the woman who betrayed her in life, showcases a significant emotional evolution. Rather than seeking revenge on Kiyo's spirit, she displays a profound level of forgiveness and understanding, asking Ai to save her "friend" from eternal suffering. This act demonstrates that while she is a yokai born of vengeance, she is not defined by it, showing a character who has grown beyond her initial all-consuming resentment.
As a yokai, Hone Onna possesses numerous supernatural abilities. Her most defining power is the ability to transform her body, either partially or completely, into a skeleton to terrify her targets. She is also a skilled combatant, proficient in throwing knives that are often enveloped in ghostly blue flames. Like her companions, she can travel freely between the human world and the twilight realm where Hell Girl resides. She can magically change her clothes and can manipulate memories to create illusions, making others believe they have known her for a long time. When summoned by Ai, she transforms into a red straw doll with a red string tied around its neck. She is also shown to be a contortionist, able to squeeze into tight spaces, though humorously, she has difficulty getting out of them.
Before becoming a servant of Hell Girl, Hone Onna was a human woman named Tsuyu. Her past is a tragic tale of betrayal that serves as the foundation for her motivations and personality. Tsuyu was a servant in a merchant's home who fell in love with the master's son. He deceived her by promising to run away with her, but instead sold her to a brothel to settle his debts. While working as a prostitute, she formed a close bond with a younger woman named Kiyo, whom she treated like a sister. Tsuyu made plans for herself and Kiyo to escape, but Kiyo, driven by jealousy, betrayed her to the brothel's owner. The owner and her lover then murdered Tsuyu, throwing her body into a river. Tsuyu's spirit, filled with resentment, was joined by the souls of other betrayed women at the riverbank, and together they transformed her into the vengeful yokai, Hone Onna.
Her personality is marked by a complex blend of outward charm, deep-seated loyalty, and a capacity for empathy born from her own suffering. On the surface, she is flirtatious and sociable, often using her seductive demeanor to gather information or manipulate men during their investigations. She is skilled at infiltration, taking on various disguises such as a nurse, an office worker, or a school gym teacher under the alias "Sone Anna". Despite her playful and sometimes teasing nature, she possesses a more serious and compassionate side than her fellow companions. She frequently expresses sympathy for the human clients, especially women, as their plights often resonate with her own tragic history. This is evident in an episode from the Two Mirrors season, where she feels a connection to a pregnant woman's despair, and when she asks Hell Girl to eventually save the spirit of her own betrayer, Kiyo, acknowledging their shared pain. Her loyalty to her master, Ai Enma, is absolute, and she has declared that she will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who becomes an obstacle to Ai. A minor but recurring personality trait is her vanity; she is highly sensitive about her age, becoming noticeably annoyed when characters like her young colleague Kikuri call her an "old lady" or "auntie".
Within the story, Hone Onna's primary role is that of an investigator and spy. While Hell Girl executes the final judgment, Hone Onna, along with her companions Ichimoku Ren and Wanyuudou, is responsible for gathering information on both the client and the target. She excels at going undercover, integrating into human society to confirm the authenticity of a grudge and the nature of the person to be condemned. Her key relationships are with her fellow servants of Hell Girl. She is intensely loyal to Ai Enma, who found her when she was a lonely monster scaring humans and offered her a purpose. She considers Ai and the other two servants her companions, forming a tight-knit, if unconventional, family unit. She shares a strong sense of camaraderie with Ichimoku Ren and Wanyuudou, working seamlessly with them for centuries. Her relationship with the childlike spirit Kikuri is more contentious, marked by bickering often instigated by Kikuri's teasing about Hone Onna's age. In the Two Mirrors season, the audience learns the full depth of her tragic history, giving context to her empathetic actions, such as her intervention to stop a cycle of suicide stemming from the vengeful spirit of Kiyo.
Hone Onna's development in Two Mirrors is primarily retrospective, as her backstory is explored in depth, though her experiences in the present continue to shape her. Confronting the spirit of Kiyo, the woman who betrayed her in life, showcases a significant emotional evolution. Rather than seeking revenge on Kiyo's spirit, she displays a profound level of forgiveness and understanding, asking Ai to save her "friend" from eternal suffering. This act demonstrates that while she is a yokai born of vengeance, she is not defined by it, showing a character who has grown beyond her initial all-consuming resentment.
As a yokai, Hone Onna possesses numerous supernatural abilities. Her most defining power is the ability to transform her body, either partially or completely, into a skeleton to terrify her targets. She is also a skilled combatant, proficient in throwing knives that are often enveloped in ghostly blue flames. Like her companions, she can travel freely between the human world and the twilight realm where Hell Girl resides. She can magically change her clothes and can manipulate memories to create illusions, making others believe they have known her for a long time. When summoned by Ai, she transforms into a red straw doll with a red string tied around its neck. She is also shown to be a contortionist, able to squeeze into tight spaces, though humorously, she has difficulty getting out of them.