Akane Shinoa

Akane Shinoa ( 赤根 シノア Akane Shinoa) is a second year student at Kamome Academy's High School Division and the school's Student Council Treasurer. She is also the younger sister of Mahiru Akane, and the twice removed cousin of Aoi. She is part of the Akane family, they are that kind of family with children who are offered to God (specifically because of their coveted bloodline), and was confirmed to have been born to become a kannagi.

Appearance
Shinoa is a beautiful, petite girl of short stature. She has long lavender hair similar to Aoi's, bright scarlet-red eyes, and pale skin. Her bangs are loosely covering her right eye, and short sidelocks that fall past her chest. The large bow on the back of her head is a dark shade of magenta, which is at the end of a twisted braid.

She wears the regular Kamome Academy uniform. Shinoa also wears a red-and-white Student Council armband on her left arm, like Akane.

Work Clothes
When working as the funeral director or warden of the Firefly Forest, her outfit exhibits some similarities to Hanako's. She usually wears a traditional red shirt with a mandarin collar, a black coat with a darker collar and sleeve cuffs, and black shorts with gold accents. Along with long rectangular coattails, and golden brooches attached underneath her coat's collar and waist. She wears a pair of mid-calf length white socks, red straps with plum blossoms wrapped around the cuffs, along with low-heeled black dress shoes. She wears a black porkpie hat emblazoned with a wooden talisman, adorned with a red plum blossom branch in bloom, along with an indigo tassel tied in a looped knot. Her hair is styled into two high twintails.

Possessed Appearance
While possessed by Shikama Dōji, Shinoa retains virtually the same appearance. However, her eyes become a pale yellow, with thinner irises and pupils as well as purple marks also appearing around her body.

Personality
Shinoa posseses a sarcastic, apathetic attitude, not putting much emotions into her words. She loves teasing other and is quite dry-humored. Shinoa generally tends to smirk before teasing or performing her antics towards others, delighting in placing them in uncomfortable situations. She can be proud and facetious but has a nice, joyful and cheery part of her. With the possibility raised upfront, Shinoa does not shy away from displaying a manipulative side. Teru enjoys her sense of humor, finding it irritating but interesting.

On the other hand, when handling funerals, last rites, and wandering lost spirits, she becomes more solemn and constantly reminds her colleagues to avoid deviating from the client's request as much as possible. Due to the importance and traditions of the parlor's duties, she expresses a distaste towards people who disrespect the deceased or supernatural. As the true funeral director and warden of the Firefly Forest, she keeps her friends and clients away at an arm's length. Showing surprisingly little emotion when discussing her sister's death, suggesting an emotional detachment to people she knows.

Shinoa takes a calm and strategic approach to situations. Heavily supporting team work with a focus on maintaining formation, Shinoa encourages, mostly Teru, to stick with it. Effective at directing others in explaining the scenario at hand, and what they need to do, Shinoa also guides Kou to take the lead in a sustained effort to empower others. In conflict she issues warnings about a foes capabilities, and strategizes on what their best response to a threat should be. Moving to defend others from attacks, Shinoa also shows a willingness to work with other teams not of her own.

Her personality while fighting is steady and momentum is used to keep her scythe actively swinging around defensively, and into foes. She developed feelings for Teru, in which she is uncertain of. This is shown more when Shinoa later speaks with Shikama Dōji. Shinoa keeps her developing emotions for Teru in reserve, as she says she wants to keep her feelings "professional". Practically, this is done to not indulge her demon with desires that could result in her possession. Her carefree side serves as a mask for matters she keeps to herself. She greatly respects Nene's resolve and feelings toward Hanako so acts to help her.

Despite her negative impressions, Shinoa is knowledgeable about supernaturals and buisness. As she has led her team to many victories thanks to her exceptional skill in making strategies during battles. She takes most of her actions as a joke, and, although they are very well-thought plans, she does not credit herself for most of what she has done. She is very self deprecating, and feels joy in being Tiara's first lady in waiting. Shinoa accpets death as a natural part of life and encourages others to enjoy their short lives.

Possessed
After being possessed by Shikama Dōji, her personality changes drastically. Shinoa becomes violent and ruthless, attacking anyone who might pose a threat to her (under Shikama Dōji's influence). This is largely shown when she defends herself from Hanako by cutting him apart in multiple areas, then viciously attacking Teru. It reaches the point where Hanako has to breathlessly advise others to run from her. In this state, Shinoa also located Nene, Kou, Akane and Aoi with the belief that there was a plot they were discussing, where she wanted to join in. She has also developed the power to cut off one's head with her fingertips or hands which she appeared eager to do immediately without any warning or hesitation.

Physical Prowess and Supernatural Resistance
As a child, Shinoa was naturally and highly skilled at martial arts, and also skilful in using spiritual energy. Using her sturdy build and physical strength, Shinoa proves to have the physical abilities to take down multiple supernaturals at once. Even before acquiring her scythe at six-years-old, Shinoa's martial arts skills was more than enough to kick and take down supernaturals and humans possessed by spirits. Minus using her legs, she additionally was shown being able to wield her scythe extremely well despite her young age. Shinoa is also shown to have a strong range in battle, she can jump very far and sprint very fast. She has good strength in her arms, and legs for tough kicking skills. Her arm muscles are used for punching, as well as carrying and using her scythe.

As a member of the Akane Family, where she was experimented on, Shinoa proves herself qualified to handle a weapon of high caliber where she is unfazed from Tiara's lightning engulfing the room. Shikama Dōji has said that Shinoa is the perfect product of the experiments, and that she is able to resist any supernatural that she comes in contact with. This is due to the fact that she doesn't have a lot of desires in her heart. As of eight years later, Shikama Dōji stated that in hundreds of years of possessing the Akane family, there has never been a vessel of her caliber, noting that there would be no need for him possessing Sumire any longer once he starts possessing Shinoa. Which the latter succeeds in doing so. After he leaves her body (whom she was possessed for a while), Shinoa experienced aches but otherwise recovered normally without any harm to her body.

Shikama Dōji
Shinoa takes out a pen-length black rod and spins it, which then transforms into a black massive scythe that is far larger than herself. Rather than having grips to handle it, the curved snath is held. This ends in a large piercing spike at the other end. Opposite a warped structure, the scythe's chine is the largest aspect of the weapon, and much more so in comparison to the thinner parts of the apparatus. The curved blade is almost ovular in shape in between the toe and heel of the scythe, and is the only part that is lighter in coloration than rest of the implement. Supernatural in nature, the scythe often materializes with a thick, black aura enveloping it. The scythe appears to be made of a metallic like substance in its entirety, and the shadowy like generation may assist in its capabilities of being able to break into structures and enemies. Shinoa can call the demon (which she fondly addresses as "Shi") inhabiting it out of the weapon to attack an enemy nearby or at a range. Appearing as a black mass, it has arm like appendages, and a prominent eye like structure, with spectral flames spread about. It is strongest at mid-range, and this manifestation can be directed to targets with complete accuracy, where the force of its impact can knock a foe off their feet to some distance away.

Other Abilities
Shinoa is seen to be skilled with talismans, using them during her funeral ceremonies and against Teru. She is also capable of maintaining a boundary, as she is the unofficial representative of the Firefly Forest. Where she deals with lost souls who haven't passed on to the afterlife and misbehaving supernaturals.

Trivia

 * Her favorite snack is takoyaki.
 * She plays Hanafuda card games with Hanako and Mokke.
 * Her recent concern is whether she will be able to continue to keep Shikama Dōji at bay
 * She can't cook. But she is currently being taught by Kou how to cook simple dishes.
 * In an extra illustration, Shinoa and her sister Mahiru were born as part-supernaturals.
 * Shinoa's best subject is Math and she does not have any weak subjects. In the previous round of examinations, she was ranked 20th among 231 students in her year. It was mentioned how she could've gotten first if she actually put effort into her exams.
 * She goes to maintain the Firefly Forest at night, and working on funeral affairs after school, forcing her to only be able to rest during school or in her boundary.
 * She prefers the left direction.
 * She thinks lighting is reassuring to witness, as death is needed as much as possible for the sake of the parlor's success. It also reminds her of the Minamoto siblings.