Natsuki Kuga (玖玖我 なつきKuga Natsuki?) is a fictional character of Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome anime and manga series. In the anime and manga adaptations of Mai-HiME, she is the deuteragonist.


Official Profile:

Other names: Natsuki Kruger (Mai-Otome)

Birthdate: August 15

Birthplace: Japan

Height: 160 cm (5'3")

Weight: 47 kg (103.4 lbs)

Measurements (B/W/H): 81/57/83

Eye color: Emerald Green

Hair color: Blue (anime), Black (manga)

Blood type: B

Child: Duran

Likes: Her mother, Her friend; Shizuru, Ducati sports bikes, mayonnaise, dogs, and friends she can trust, fighting Ryu (SFxMH)

Dislikes: The First District, perverts, panty-stealing Orphans, Shoryukens (specifically from those of Ken Masters; SFxMH), Satsui no Hadou (SFxMH)

Rival(s):
Street Fighter:
Akuma, Cammy (friendly), Charlie (friendly), Chun-Li (friendly), Crimson Viper, Guy (friendly), Hokuto, Ibuki (friendly), Garuda, Gill, Gouken (friendly), Ken (friendly), Nanase (friendly), Poison, Remy, Rose (friendly), Ryu (friendly), Sakura (friendly), Sagat, Shadowgeist, Sharon, Vega, Yang (friendly), Yun (friendly), Zangief (friendly)
Mai-HiME: Akane Higurashi, Nao Yuuki, Mai Tokiha (friendly), Mikoto Minagi, Saeko Kuga (mother), Shizuru Fujino (friendly), Masashi Takeda, Yuuichi Tate (friendly, manga)

Love Interest: Shizuru Fujino (Mai-HiME anime and Street Fighter X Mai-HiME)

Hobbies: Flicking her hair with her right hand

Alignment: Lawful Good

Moveset: Flash Cartridge, Chrome Cartridge, Silver Cartridge, Charged Shot, Rapid Shot, Hadoken, Shoryuken, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku/Zankukyaku, Shippu Jinraikyaku, Tenmakujinkyaku, Zanku Hadoken, Hozanto, Light of Virtue, Rising Rage Flash, Soul Spark, Soul Throw, Joudan Sokutou Geri, Nishokyaku, Tetsuzanko, Tourouzan, Kaihou, Hyakkishu, Ashura Senku, Shinku Hadoken, Shin Shoryuken, Hadou Kakusei, Shin Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Light of Justice, Supreme Rising Rage Flash, Yoroi-toshi, Crossfire Blitz, Cammy Quick Combination, Izayoi Rekkon, Soul Satellite, Soukon Dan, Gunslinger Fury, Satellite Laser, Assault Rifle, Tenshin Senkyutai, Sorai Rengeki, Raishin Mahhaken, Genei Jin, Messatsu Gou Hadou/Tenma Gou Zanku, Messatsu Gou Shouryuu, Shun Goku Satsu, Tenshou Kaireki Jin, Kongou Kokuretsu-zan, Denjin Hadoken, Metsu Shoryuken

First appearance: Mai-HiME episode 1 (anime), chapter 1 (manga)

English voice actor(s): Cheryl McMaster, Laura Bailey (Hadou Kakusei mode; SFxMH)

Japanese voice actor(s): Saeko Chiba


Bio

Appearance

Natsuki is portrayed as a young Japanese schoolgirl with blue hair, and is usually seen with a black racing suit and motorcycle helmet when riding. When at school, she wears her school uniform underneath in a parka shirt.

In Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, whenever she is seen training in Gouken's dojo, her attire is based of an aikido uniform. It consists of a white short-sleeved aikidōgi (uniform) with a "flower" print on the left shoulder and a black hakama (wide trousers). Finally, she wears a pair of instep protectors, black gloves, and a black inner shirt. In this outfit, a white martial-arts headband is tied on her head; a similar outfit used in Asuka Kazama's player 1 outfit in the Tekken games. In addition, the white headband is implied to belong to Ryu, which he wore during the Street Fighter Alpha series. In the said crossover story, she is implied to have the largest bust of all her incarnations; much more seen in the later parts of the Mai-Otome manga.

And after meeting Crimson Viper in later parts of the story, she obtains a prototype of the familiar battle suit used by the latter, with the same color scheme. Unlike Viper's original battle suit that she has to activate any of the hidden devices to attack (such as her boots with jet propulsion), the prototype suit responses to Natsuki's will, and the differences of the original and prototype suits, that the boots have electric-charged cleats underneath, allowing Natsuki to do Akuma's version of the Tatsumaki. Natsuki occasionally uses the suit whenever she is asked by Cammy and Delta Red in their mission. The suit is also part of her second Hadou Kakusei activation. Natsuki morphs with the battle suit by wearing the visors (the sunglasses seen in Viper's battle suit), in a similar way Captain Commando does seen in the first two Marvel vs. Capcom games.

Personality

Natsuki Kuga is overall a is typically portrayed as a serious, rational blue-haired female, as a foil to the lighthearted Mai Tokiha. She usually has Shizuru Fujino as a close friend. Natsuki always uses some type of gun as her weapon and she is usually associated with wolves, silver and the element ice. She also has a habit of flicking her hair with her right hand. She has a tendency to become irritated easily. In the anime, she is a strong-willed and forceful individual known for being a truant, she rides a fictional Ducati model sportsbike called Ducati DRIII. Her only friend at the start of the series is Shizuru Fujino; she prefers to work alone, but over the course of the series warms up to Mai Tokiha. Natsuki also works with Kaiji Sakomizu and Yamada to carry out her missions during the course of the anime series; while in Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, Remy, Vulcano Rosso, Cracker Jack, Yun, Yang, Guy, Ibuki, Crimson Viper, as well as Cammy take part of her missions during the course of the story.

While in the manga, she is a typical tsundere character involved in a love triangle with Mai Tokiha and Yuuichi Tate, the latter being the Key for both girls. Natsuki shows a rivalry with Mai in the first chapter, indicating the two were fighting since before Yuuichi appeared. Natsuki's inability to do housework and her fondness of mayonnaise is more emphasized in the manga than in the anime.

In Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, her personality resembles on those seen in both manga and anime. During the course of the story, she is being mentored by Ryu; whom as one of the important persons that she is emotionally attached to (the other being Shizuru). When fighting, she turns being a tsundere towards her female opponents, signifying her pleasure fighting worthy opponents (e.g., Chun-Li and/or Cammy); much more like Juri.

Natsuki, in the other hand, is one of the few characters in the story to actually swear; the others being Alex, Cody, Dan, Guile, Juri, Midori, Nao, Poison, Remy, Rolento, Rufus, Yang, and Yun. During the gang's first encounter vs. Rufus, who was actually going to challenge Ken. However, Natsuki takes the challenge in an effort to silence the latter; where she makes a foul remark towards Rufus, "I don't have time to listen to your bulls****!"; a win quote that is said by Jin Kazama after defeating Asuka in Street Fighter X Tekken, and she even gives a middle finger to Cody after the latter calls her a sadist.

In the "Natsuki's Prelude" novel and Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, she is implied to harbor a nihilistic and bitter side. It is said that after losing her mother, her father left her as well. She turns her hatred to everyone in the First District, she mentions that she wants revenge on the First District for causing the death of her mother, a researcher for the First District. Natsuki doesn't show these feelings of hatred to everyone (including Shizuru), but to everyone who shares the same problem she has; such as Remy.

However, after gaining the Satsui no Hado; like Ryu, the moment she is corrupted by it, she becomes rage-driven. And with her mother is the reason why, in later chapters after Natsuki learns of her mother working with the Searrs Foundation, with the latter insisting to join her daughter for their cause. This led to a fight between mother and daughter, feeding the Satsui no Hado within Natsuki. The mother later learns of the Satsui no Hado after she was defeated by Natsuki with the Raging Demon.


Abilities:

Natsuki's Elements are a pair of small pistols, with the spheres on the pistols providing it with unlimited ammunition. She also displays knowledge of hand-to-hand fighting techniques. Natsuki's HiME mark is located on her lower left back, an area said to be governed by Leo, her zodiac sign. In Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, her Element can also utilize rapid and charged shots; whereas she can do it by standing or crouching, in a similar nod to Sagat's Tiger Shot.

Natsuki's Child is Duran, a silver wolflike creature named after her deceased pet dog. It has a pair of cannons on its back, and in its hind legs are several different types of projectiles: Silver Cartridges create icicles; the EX version takes form of X's Goo Shaver from Mega Man X5, Chrome Cartridges are conventional explosive charges; the EX version takes form of a fireball similar Ryu's Shakunetsu Hadoken, and Flash Cartridges produce a blinding light; the EX version takes form of Rose's Soul Spark. Duran is also capable of close-combat fighting, and it can transform into a hoverbike that Natsuki can ride. Duran looks like MetalGarurumon from Digimon.

In Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, she can also gain access to conventional weapons while being assigned with Rolento and Crimson Viper's missions, from assault rifles to Javelin missiles. Natsuki's abilities to wield firearms references Chris Redfield's ability to do so seen in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, still Natsuki has anti-air attacks. This means to say, Natsuki's Element and her weapons can keep opponents away from her before following up with a close-range attacks.

Throughout the said story, ever since she started training with Ken and Ryu, she begins to gain most of their 'Shotokan' oriented attacks, like the Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki. Natsuki mentions that she made a decision to train with the Shotokan fighters to boost her hand-to-hand combat abilities. Her Hadoken works similarly with Ryu and Ken's, the EX version can freeze on contact. Her Shoryuken functions similar to both Ken and Ryu's version, it deals three hits similar to Ken's. Natsuki's Shoryuken takes form of Zero's version in Mega Man X8; though she can perform the uppercut in the upward-horizontal fashion (unlike in X8 it is vertically spiralled similar to the Shinryuken); it also freezes on contact whether will it be on the air and/or on the ground. Her Tatsumaki functions similarly to Ken's version, while the EX version takes form of the Shippu Jinrai-kyaku.

In addition to Shotokan-oriented moves to make Natsuki a balanced fighter, she also gains access to special attacks from other Street Fighter characters such as Yang's Tourouzan, Yun's Tetsuzanko, and/or even Remy's Rising Rage Flash. At the same time, Natsuki is one of the two HiMEs (the other being Shizuru) who can Dash Cancel - a tactic of cancelling out a special attack after another, or following up for an Ultra Combo. For example, after Natsuki hits a Shoryuken, she then Dash Cancels into the Shinku Hadoken or Messatsu Gou Hadou; she can even do a EX Tatsumaki (Shippu Jinraikyaku; 3rd hit) then Dash Cancel to Supreme Rising Rage Flash. Or, Natsuki can also do an EX Zanku Hadoken, EX Hadoken, dash cancel, teleport (Ashura Senku; short distance), then cancel to the Raging Demon.

On the other hand, like other HiMEs in the story can gain access to individual special attacks from many characters in the Street Fighter roster, as well as Ultra Combos. She can perform Ultra Combos by means of doing it on her own, or summon the Fighter who uses the specific combo. Both Natsuki and Duran can teleport (Ashura Senku and Kaihou respectively), Natsuki can do the Ashura Senku as an evasive maneuverability skill, as Duran can do the Kaihou to lunge enemies in quick succession. Duran has its "Golden" form in the story; its one of its transformations in the Mai-HiME manga.

Natsuki's commonly used Ultra Combos in the crossover story are the Shin Shoryuken, Shinku Hadoken, Light of Justice, and the Soul Satellite.

Most of Natsuki's attacks adopted from the Street Fighter roster take in different forms, for example the Rising Rage Flash from Remy takes form of Charlie's Flash Kick, and the Soul Throw from Rose takes form of Guy's Rolling Izuna Drop/Kaiten Izuna Otoshi.

Like Ryu, Natsuki has the Hado Kakusei in later parts of the story. For Natsuki's case, the Hado Kakusei is divided into two modes. Her voice changes vaguely sounded in a hollow tone (which makes out in the English version of Hado Kakusei Natsuki is voiced by Laura Bailey); this happens in awakening mode. During Hado Kakusei, she has the Shin Hadoken and Shin Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. In addition, in materialize mode, where she transforms with a Crimson Viper-style Battle Suit, and the spectral afterimage of a demon manifests behind her. This demon somewhat resembles Asura through his Mantra Asura transformation from Asura's Wrath. Meaning, Natsuki's rage reaches its peak and is well-focused, allowing the Satsui no Hado within her and her power as a HiME merging at its fullest extent. This specter behind her mimics her every movement; which references from those seen in Devil May Cry 4. Natsuki in this state is called as "Mantra Natsuki", which depicts the Mantra Asura specter manifesting in her.

Natsuki has three desperation (forbidden) Ultra Combos in the crossover story, based of one of Akuma's hidden Super Art in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Ryu and Gouken's 2nd Ultra Combo respectively; the Raging Demon, Kongou Kokuretsu-zan, Metsu Shoryuken, and the Denjin Hadoken respectively. And all of these three attacks are empowered by the Satsui no Hadou, to which means to say, whenever Natsuki is outnumbered, or is in the verge of defeat, she will give in to her rage and then execute any of the three said attacks.

The Kongou Kokuretsuzan's animation remains intact, and also has a chance freezing her opponent should the shockwaves come on contact, her Denjin Hadoken can electrocute and stun opponents, but also deals damage while the latter is frozen solid; as if it was a frostbite takes effect. While the Metsu Shoryuken's function remains intact from those seen in Super Street Fighter IV. The Denjin Hadoken can be usable when wearing the Crimson Viper-style Battle Suit and in Hado Kakusei.

Attacks

By Physical:

-Rapid Shot [default; Element]
-High/Low Charged Shot [default; Element]
-Hadoken [adopted from Ryu, Ken, and Sakura]
-Zanku Hadoken [adopted from Ken and Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Shoryuken [adopted from Ryu]
-Tatsumaki Senpukyaku [adopted from Ryu]
-Shippu Jinraikyaku [EX Tatsumaki]
-Hozanto [adopted from Guy]
-Joudan Sokutou-geri [adopted from Ryu]
-Soul Throw [adopted from Rose]
-Nishokyaku [adopted from Yun]
-Tourouzan [adopted from Yang]
-Rising Rage Flash [adopted from Remy]
-Tenmakujinkyaku [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma and Evil Ryu; learned after her fight with Gouken.]
-Hyakkishu [adopted by Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Ashura Senku [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma and Evil Ryu]

Via Duran:

-Silver Cartridge
-Chrome Cartridge
-Flash Cartridge
-Kaihou [adopted from Yang]
-Soul Spark [via EX Flash Cartridge; adopted from Rose]
-Light of Virtue [via Flash Cartridge; adopted from Remy]


Ultra Combos:

By Physical

-Gunslinger Fury [default; Element, gains it during the fight against Evil Ryu]
-Satellite Laser [default]
-Assault Rifle [default; adopted from Sharon]
-Shin Shoryuken [adopted from Ryu]
-Shinku Hadoken [adopted from Sakura; actually Ryu teaches her this move]
-Yoroitoshi [Ibuki]
-Cammy Quick Combination [adopted from Cammy]
-Izayoi Rekkon [adopted from Nanase]
-Crossfire Blitz [adopted from Charlie]
-Supreme Rising Rage Flash [adopted from Remy]
-Tenshin Senkyutai [adopted from Yang]
-Sorai Rengeki [adopted from Yun]
-Raishin Mahhaken [adopted from Yang]
-Soul Satellite [adopted from Rose]
-Soukon Dan [adopted from Garuda; via Soul Satellite]
-Hado Kakusei [adopted from Ryu/Evil Ryu]
-Messatsu-Goshoryu [adopted from Evil Ryu]
-Shin Tatsumaki Senpukyaku [via Hado Kauksei; adopted from Ryu]
-Messatsu Gou-Hadou [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Tenma Gou Zankuu [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma; Element]
-Raging Demon / Shun Goku Satsu [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Demon Armageddon / Tensho Kaireki-Jin [adopted from Shin Akuma; via Hado Kakusei]

Via Duran

-Genei Jin [adopted from Yun]
-Light of Justice [via Flash Cartridge; adopted from Remy]
-Messatsu Gou-Hadou [via Chrome Cartridge; adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Shin Hadoken [via Hado Kakusei and Flash Cartridge; adopted from Ryu]

Via Summoning

-Bushin Goraisenpujin [Guy]
-Bushin Muso-renge [Guy]
-Kasumi Suzaku [Ibuki]
-Siberian Blizzard [Zangief]
-Ultimate Atomic Buster [Zangief]
-Kyoujin Senshuu [Garuda]
-Machiyoi Tenkyugeki [Nanase]

Desperate Attacks

-Kongou Kokuretsu-zan [adopted from Akuma/Shin Akuma]
-Metsu Shoryuken [adopted from Ryu]
-Denjin Hadoken [adopted from Gouken; via Hado Kakusei]


Trivia:

-In Mai-Otome manga, when the HiMEs were revived, both Natsuki Kruger and Natsuki Kuga face-off.

-Soma Peries/Marie Parfacy from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 resembles Natsuki in appearance.

-Natsuki in the manga and Street Fighter X Mai-HiME is fond of mayonnaise. A similar trait from Toushirou Hijikata from Shounen Jump's Gintama.

-Natsuki and Remy are implied to share the same characteristics, they harbor the same grudges to their father(s). And experienced losing one of their family members; a mother and sister in the respective sides.

-Natsuki's aikidogi with floral patterns on the left shoulder, black hakama, and white headband outfit is based on Asuka Kazama's player one outfit in the Tekken games. And Natsuki usually wears this whenever she is training in Gouken's dojo.

-In Street Fighter X Mai-HiME, whenever Natsuki is seen with her aikidogi, few characters from the Street Fighter EX series nearly mistook her for Hokuto; namely Kairi, Nanase, and even Hokuto herself.

-And in the crossover story, Natsuki is the only character implied to have several special attacks acquired from Street Fighter characters.