Hinoe Ryūga is a character from the animated film Kitarō Tanjō: Gegege no Nazo Shinsei-ban. She is a member of the Ryūga family, a powerful and secretive clan that secretly controls much of Japan's political and economic landscape from their isolated village of Nakura. Hinoe is the second daughter of the family's patriarch, Tokisada Ryūga. Her role in the story is that of a tragic figure whose past is marked by rebellion and a failed attempt to escape the oppressive traditions of her family.

Personality wise, Hinoe is portrayed as a woman worn down by her circumstances. In her youth, she was defiant enough to elope with a man in an attempt to leave the village and the family's control. This act of rebellion, however, was met with failure, as she was forcibly brought back to the Ryūga estate. By the time the film's main story takes place, this former spark has been extinguished, replaced by a state of cynical resignation. She is frequently seen drinking heavily and living a self-indulgent, seemingly apathetic existence. Her family regards her with coldness and disdain, viewing her as a disgrace for her past actions, and she appears to have accepted this marginal role within the household hierarchy.

Within the narrative, Hinoe's primary function is to be one of the early victims of the mysterious and brutal murders that grip the Ryūga family following the death of the patriarch. Her death is particularly gruesome, serving as a key incident that deepens the atmosphere of dread and highlights the supernatural horrors lurking within the village. This act of violence is a catalyst, accelerating the investigation by the two protagonists, the man known as Mizuki and the character who will become Kitarō's father. Her murder is a piece of the larger puzzle, one of several shocking events that ultimately expose the family's dark secrets and the monstrous truths they have been concealing.

Hinoe's relationships with other characters are largely defined by her estrangement. Her bond with her father, Tokisada, is implied to be broken due to her attempted escape. Her siblings, such as her sister Otome, treat her with little respect, and she holds no real power or influence within the family's power struggles. She is an isolated figure, more a prisoner of the Ryūga estate than a member of the ruling class. Her tragic backstory and subsequent death serve to illustrate the cruel and inescapable nature of the family's dominion, showing how it destroys even its own members who try to resist. The character does not undergo significant development during the film, as her death occurs early, but her fate is a crucial element in establishing the story's central mystery and its grim, oppressive tone. Hinoe does not possess any notable supernatural or combat abilities; her significance is purely narrative and thematic.