Nakoruru

Nakoruru in The King of Fighters XIV

Profile

Full name

Nakoruru

Birthdate

October 11, 1771

Birthplace

Ainu Moshiri, Kamui Kotan, Ezochi, Japan

Height

154.5 cm (5'1")

Weight

Not telling

Blood type

AB

Family/Relatives

Rimururu (sister), Sanouku (grandfather), Monashiri (grandmother), Mamahaha & Shikuru (pets), Rera ("dark side")

Job/Occupation

Ainu priestess

Likes

The natural surroundings of Kamui Kotan

Dislikes

Those who cannot respect nature with the highest esteem; villains who pollute nature (SS)

Hobbies

Spending time among trees

Favorite food

Simmered dishes; boiled eggs (SS); shaved ice (especially the green tea flavor kind with syruped red beans) (Days of Memories)

Forte in sports

"Sports? I like things that include running."

Special skill

Hearing the voice of Nature; Making Lateshikepu and hearing everyone say that it's delicious (SS)

Most unpleasant

"...I can't reveal that."

Favorite music

Folk tales sung by her grandmother

Measurements (bust, waist, hip)

73cm, 50cm, 82cm

Weapon

Her treasured sword, Chichi-ushi (Father Bull)

Fighting style

Dancing Sword Arts of the Shikanna-Kamui

Nakoruru (ナコルル, Nakoruru) is a character in the Samurai Shodown series of fighting games. She is also a common mascot for SNK's social action programs for children and nature awareness campaigns, sometimes being paired with Terry Bogard for such events.

Although she has no particular model for her character, Hilda from The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun and The Dagger of Kamui helped her conception process. Also developers admit that her famous "This is nature's punishment" quote is based on Sailor Moon's "In the name of moon, I punish you" line. Her character is based upon the Ainu people of Hokkaido, Japan, who are analogous in Japan to the Native Americans in the United States. As the Japanese perceive the Ainu as living closer to nature, Nakoruru's role in the game is of a defender of Mother Nature; in some material Nakoruru has been referred to as a priestess.

Aside from the main series, Nakoruru also has several figurines made in her image from various game appearances and is a featured character in several of the series's drama CDs. She stars in her own character image CD and is also a member in SNK's character image band, Band of Fighters.

In the character popularity poll on Neo Geo Freak's website, she was voted as the seventh favorite character with a total of 1,252 votes.

Story

Samurai Shodown

Nakoruru-bust — Bust Nakoruru who eventually becomes Rera.

At 15, she and Rimururu are playing in the forest when Mamahaha flies in holding her father's sword. Sensing her father was in danger, she apologized to Rimururu and leaves. Upon reaching Hinowa, Nakoruru tells Gaoh that his war is hurting the planet. Gaoh proclaims he will build a new country and will destroy any who would stand in his way. At his defeat, Kamui appears before her, asking Nakoruru to follow her father's footsteps as he was killed. Nakoruru asks what would happen if she declined and is told another maiden would be asked to be the successor. Not wanting Rimururu to be put at risk, Nakoruru accepts to become the new Kamui warrior of Kamui Kotan.

She continues to fulfill this role throughout the series protecting nature and defeating villains often alongside Haohmaru. However, after overthrowing Mizuki Rashojin, she sacrifices herself to restore nature's balance and becomes one with the spirit of Nature. In Samurai Shodown 64, her apparent death is retconned. Instead of sacrificing herself, she slept within Kamui Kotan's forests and was protected by the spirits of nature. At nature's beckoning, she awakens to fight the disturbing presence caused by Yuga the Destroyer. Sometime after Yuga's second defeat, she eventually returns to her slumber.

Later in Warriors Rage, she transcends even further and melds her soul with Gaia to become a Divine Spirit in nature's service. As one of the "Maidens of Light", she travels across space and time to prevent the disasters of the world from occurring. However, she is stopped in her quest by a magical spell cast by Jigen Taishi in Ritenkyo. This leaves Nakoruru unable to assume her original form, and she can only battle evil through the strength of her fellow forest sprits. Weakened, she knows she must stop Oboro's evil plan, but cannot without the Maiden of Light Rimururu, who has been sealed by Oboro. She sets out on a quest to free her sister and together combine their powers to defeat evil.

In Sen, she follows the runaway Rimururu, hoping to protect her younger sister from the danger that she sensed. She also left her home to tell Rimururu the reason why she is in her current predicament.

Nakoruru ADV

In this game, Nakoruru is living peacefully at her home as the village's priestess. At the behest of the village's elder, she adopts a protege named Mikato and teaches the young girl about Kamui and her society's culture. However, Nakoruru remains distant due to her other half, Rera, who constantly warns her about an incoming evil. Wanting to continue her life of serenity, Nakoruru doesn't talk about this to anyone. She is also afraid of losing her own identity if she accepts Rera completely.

When Mikato discovers the truth about her reluctant nature, the priestess has already lost her powers due to her selfish nature. Despite this, she takes action once her home is attacked by demons and sets out alone to somehow deal with the threat peacefully. Eventually, Nakoruru accepts Rera and fights Mizuki. Unfortunately, while protecting Mikato from being hurt, she is badly injured. She succeeds in dealing a mighty blow against Mizuki but succumbs to her wounds and dies. Mikato, who was destined to carry out the priestess' prophecy, uses Nakoruru's sword to avenge her. It's implied that Nakoruru is happily reunited with Yantamu in the afterlife.

The King of Fighters

Sometime after her ascension as a spirit of Nature, Nakoruru sensed terrible malice coming from a crack in spacetime. To prevent the disaster of its potential release and to find its source, Nakoruru traveled to The King of Fighters universe and enters the tournament in The King of Fighters XIV with Mui Mui and Love Heart.

After Verse's defeat, Nakoruru senses that it may one day return. She decides that she and her comrades should stay in this universe, declaring her wishes to visit present day Hokkaido and China.

Personality

Nakoruru is calm and gentle. She seems to be shy toward people. Yet, to others, her mannerisms and appearance make her seem rather "doll-like", a term that she somewhat displeases. She is also maternal, chiding her sister as she would a child. She believes that Nature can be protected without killing others and often vies for non-violent solutions if she thinks it's possible and, thus, has a will to protect the weak, fearful, and innocent. She also knows that true power must not be misused. Although she is dedicated in her mission, she also desires to be a normal girl with selfish desires, which sometimes sets her apart from her friends and peers.

Powers

Listening to Nature: Nakoruru can hear and sense nature's voice. In other media, this power also includes sensing the spirits of people or nature.
Energy Slash: Nakoruru's weapon can be fueled with ki energy.
Reflector: With the power of her cloak, Nakoruru can reflect a projectile back to its sender.
Healing: With the power of nature, Nakoruru can heal wounds.

Fighting Style

Nakoruru fights with a kodachi, and, depending on the form, a hawk named Mamahaha (in "Shura/Slash") or a wolf named Shikuru (in "Rasetsu/Bust" form and later Rera). To compensate for her short weapon range, players must rely on her speed to punish her opponents' mistakes. She can also recover from her moves a little quicker than other characters, making it easier for her to hit-and-run during fights. To balance her out with the rest of the cast, her attack strength is slightly weaker than most fighters. Her move set usually incorporates slightly longer ranged attacks that project her or her animal companions to her foes so her attack range isn't limited to her sword. She can also reflect projectiles with the move, Kamui Ryusei.

The names of her moves are in the Ainu language.

From Samurai Shodown V Special and beyond, fatality-styled attacks can be done on Nakoruru, a feature that was previously not possible in earlier titles.

Music

Shizen no Utage (Nature Party) - Samurai Shodown, Warriors Rage, SNK Gals' Fighters, SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
Shizen no Utage -Haru- (Nature Party -Spring-) - Samurai Shodown II
Shizen no Ibuki (Breath of Nature) - Samurai Shodown III
Shizen no Utage -So no ni (Nature Party -Lighthearted) - Samurai Shodown IV, V
Banquet Invitation - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
Four Seasons - Samurai Shodown 64
Wind - Samurai Shodown 64-2
Forest Spirit - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
Banquet of Nature - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
Purification - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
Shizen no Uta ~ Jiai no Kaze (Song of Nature ~ Wind of Kindness) - Nakoruru ADV
Summer is Gone, Winter is Here - Samurai Remix VA
Nakoruru - Samurai Spirits 2: Asura-Zanmaden (OVA)
Shizen no Uta (Song of Nature) - 100 Mega Shock!
Banquet of Nature ROF version - THE RHYTHM OF FIGHTERS
Magical Sky - The King of Fighters XIV

Image Songs

Koko ni Oide - Brand-New Spirits song; performed by Reiko Chiba; also collected in Neo Geo Gals Vocal Collection
Koe o Kikasaete... - Neo Geo DJ Station Image Song
Kokoro wo Tsunaide - Neo Geo DJ Station Duet Image Song with Rimururu
Heavy Baby's 1, 2, 3 - Neo Geo DJ Station shared image song
Miko no Densho Uta - Nakoruru ADV song
Ashita no Hate - Nakoruru ADV Duet Image Song with Manari

Voice Actors

Harumi Ikoma - until Samurai Shodown V Special/Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
Mikako Takahashi - Samurai Shodown VI
Reiko Chiba - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture, Koko ni Oide image song
Mai Nakahara - Samurai Spirits Oni, Samurai Spirits Kengou, The King of Fighters XIV
Carol Amerson - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture (English voice)
Mariko Kouda - Samurai Shodown Dengeki drama CD series