Mother served as Ryūko's maternal figure within a family residing on Okinawa during the 1945 American invasion. When U.S. forces landed and triggered intense guerrilla warfare, she was forced to abandon Ryūko's grandparents. Fleeing the conflict with her two daughters—Ryūko and a younger sister—Mother attempted to escape the war-torn island. During their flight, both she and the younger sister were killed, leaving Ryūko to pursue safety alone.