OVA
Description
Aya Kouda is a young civilian girl who becomes entangled in the dangerous world of the Armed Detective Agency. She is ten years old and hails from the Osaka region, which is evident from her distinct Kansai dialect. Her appearance is memorable: she has short red hair styled in a bob, often secured with hairpins on both sides. Her typical outfit consists of a tan duffle coat with off-center fastenings worn over a bright yellow pleated dress, complemented by violet tights and pink shoes.
Aya's personal history is marked by loss, having experienced the deaths of her mother and sister at a young age. Following these tragedies, she was raised by her strict father, a man who constantly compared her unfavorably to her deceased mother and sister, whom he considered paragons of womanhood. This harsh upbringing, which included enforced karate training to instill grace and discipline, created a tense family dynamic. Despite the difficulty of this relationship, Aya internalized her father's rigid, idealized sense of justice, molding herself into a self-proclaimed warrior of justice.
Her personality is spirited, stubborn, and defined by an unwavering moral code. She refuses to accept no for an answer and displays a remarkable willingness to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. This bravery is not born from a lack of fear but from a personal vow she made a decade prior to never flee from danger, a principle she holds as essential to her identity. True to her word, she practices karate daily and faces peril head-on, even when her hands tremble with fear. She is also quite bright and resourceful, able to deduce critical information and devise clever plans under extreme pressure.
Aya's role in the story unfolds in two major arcs. Her first significant encounter with the Armed Detective Agency occurs when a bomber named Shosaku Katsura tricks her into taking a suitcase filled with explosives at a train station. The agent Doppo Kunikida saves her by disposing of the bomb, but she stubbornly insists on helping him track down the culprit. During their investigation, Katsura captures Aya and straps a bomb to her, forcing Kunikida into an impossible choice between saving her or a train full of passengers. Aya bravely accepts her fate for the greater good, and though the bomb detonates, both survive thanks to the healing ability of Akiko Yosano.
Later, during a nationwide crisis that frames the Agency for a terrorist plot, Aya finds herself at an airport. There, she is identified by Saigiku Jono of the Hunting Dogs, a military unit. Instead of arresting her, Jono covertly passes her a note that leads her to witness the true mastermind, Ochi Fukuchi, murdering Jono. Aya photographs the scene but is discovered when her camera flash goes off. Using her quick thinking, she flees and hides inside a coffin, which contains the ancient vampire, Bram Stoker.
This event marks the beginning of a pivotal relationship. Aya nicknames the fearsome vampire Bram-chan and forms an alliance with him to escape Fukuchi's control. She learns that a holy sword embedded in Bram's body is what allows Fukuchi to manipulate him. In a final, daring act, Aya ties a heavy desk to the sword and jumps from a height, using her own weight as a counterbalance to pull the blade free. This act restores Bram's power, halts a global vampire outbreak, and earns her the undying loyalty of the vampire lord, who vows to serve as her knight.
Aya's key relationships are central to her development. Her dynamic with Kunikida is one of mutual respect, born from a life-or-death situation where he was forced to prioritize the many over the one, an act she forgave. She speaks to him casually and without the fear most show, often making fun of his rigid personality. Her bond with Bram Stoker is transformative; he reminds her of his own lost daughter, and her compassion reawakens his dormant empathy. Through her courage, Aya evolves from a neglected child seeking to prove herself into a linchpin in the resolution of a major conspiracy. She possesses no supernatural abilities of her own, relying instead on her karate training, sharp intellect, and extraordinary bravery to face threats that would terrify even adults.
Aya's personal history is marked by loss, having experienced the deaths of her mother and sister at a young age. Following these tragedies, she was raised by her strict father, a man who constantly compared her unfavorably to her deceased mother and sister, whom he considered paragons of womanhood. This harsh upbringing, which included enforced karate training to instill grace and discipline, created a tense family dynamic. Despite the difficulty of this relationship, Aya internalized her father's rigid, idealized sense of justice, molding herself into a self-proclaimed warrior of justice.
Her personality is spirited, stubborn, and defined by an unwavering moral code. She refuses to accept no for an answer and displays a remarkable willingness to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. This bravery is not born from a lack of fear but from a personal vow she made a decade prior to never flee from danger, a principle she holds as essential to her identity. True to her word, she practices karate daily and faces peril head-on, even when her hands tremble with fear. She is also quite bright and resourceful, able to deduce critical information and devise clever plans under extreme pressure.
Aya's role in the story unfolds in two major arcs. Her first significant encounter with the Armed Detective Agency occurs when a bomber named Shosaku Katsura tricks her into taking a suitcase filled with explosives at a train station. The agent Doppo Kunikida saves her by disposing of the bomb, but she stubbornly insists on helping him track down the culprit. During their investigation, Katsura captures Aya and straps a bomb to her, forcing Kunikida into an impossible choice between saving her or a train full of passengers. Aya bravely accepts her fate for the greater good, and though the bomb detonates, both survive thanks to the healing ability of Akiko Yosano.
Later, during a nationwide crisis that frames the Agency for a terrorist plot, Aya finds herself at an airport. There, she is identified by Saigiku Jono of the Hunting Dogs, a military unit. Instead of arresting her, Jono covertly passes her a note that leads her to witness the true mastermind, Ochi Fukuchi, murdering Jono. Aya photographs the scene but is discovered when her camera flash goes off. Using her quick thinking, she flees and hides inside a coffin, which contains the ancient vampire, Bram Stoker.
This event marks the beginning of a pivotal relationship. Aya nicknames the fearsome vampire Bram-chan and forms an alliance with him to escape Fukuchi's control. She learns that a holy sword embedded in Bram's body is what allows Fukuchi to manipulate him. In a final, daring act, Aya ties a heavy desk to the sword and jumps from a height, using her own weight as a counterbalance to pull the blade free. This act restores Bram's power, halts a global vampire outbreak, and earns her the undying loyalty of the vampire lord, who vows to serve as her knight.
Aya's key relationships are central to her development. Her dynamic with Kunikida is one of mutual respect, born from a life-or-death situation where he was forced to prioritize the many over the one, an act she forgave. She speaks to him casually and without the fear most show, often making fun of his rigid personality. Her bond with Bram Stoker is transformative; he reminds her of his own lost daughter, and her compassion reawakens his dormant empathy. Through her courage, Aya evolves from a neglected child seeking to prove herself into a linchpin in the resolution of a major conspiracy. She possesses no supernatural abilities of her own, relying instead on her karate training, sharp intellect, and extraordinary bravery to face threats that would terrify even adults.