Shouko Hazama

**Shouko Hazama** (羽佐間(はざま) 翔子(しょうこ), *Hazama Shōko*) is a character who is introduced in *Soukyuu no Fafner*.

She is assigned as an operator for the CDC due to her condition but is still capable of piloting a Fafner, being one of the first generation pilots, and briefly pilots the Fafner, Mark Sechs.

## Biography

### *Soukyuu no Fafner*

Shouko is visited by Maya Toomi in her house before going to school and Maya wonders if she is coming to school as well but Shouko closes her eyes in response. Shouko tells her that her mom scolded her yesterday because Maya could be late because of her. Maya tells her not to worry since she has a lot of time and is glad that Shouko is doing better than yesterday. After school, an alarm goes off and Shouko is standing outside when Maya arrives. She tells her that Coo ran off to which Maya responds that Coo probably ran to safety and that they should evacuate as well. Looking for a place to hide, they see a nearby shelter and a woman yells to them to go to Alvis. Shouko wonders what Alvis is but the woman with her family suddenly disappear by a blackhole and the two are horrified upon seeing that. After everything is safe, Maya helps Shouko to go home and they see her mother and Kouyou Kasugai waiting for them. Kouyou runs to them and wonders if they have any injuries. Instead of responding to Kouyou's question, Shouko asks where Kazuki Makabe is to which he responds that he is safe. She is glad to here that and says to Kouyou that she is going when he asks if she is going to school tomorrow. Youko goes to them and tells her it is time to go inside. They head inside with Coo joining them. The next day, Maya visits Shouko again and tells her that Kazuki and Soushi Minashiro have been going to the basement often recently. Shouko says that she wants to go with him and Maya jokingly asks with which one of the two.

Shouko is shown pictures of the field trip by Maya and she comments that she envies them, saying that she wants to get well soon to take a picture with everyone. Despite her condition, Shouko is chosen to work for Alvis but as an operator at the CDC instead due to her physical handicap. She enters the elevator along with her friends who are chosen too and wonders why they hid Alvis from them to which Yukie Kariya responds that they should concentrate on studying. They go to the CDC and Shouko is happy to see Kazuki there. They then go to the underwater observation room to take a photo there before the tour is over. Shouko gets instructions at the CDC from Yumiko Toomi on how she should operate. After some time, Solomon goes off and she wonders what that means to which the response is that an enemy is approaching the island. Shouko stands before Yukie with her friends when she exists the CDC and she asks her what is going on with Kazuki and the others. Yukie, however, doesn't respond to their questions, stating that they aren't at school. Sometime later, they hear a song and Shouko wonders who is singing.

Shouko sits with Maya and says that she is feeling fine, wanting to wait for Kazuki. She spots Soushi and asks him about Kazuki. Hearing Soushi commenting on the chalk on Maya's hands, she laughs while saying that Maya is being closily watched by Soushi. Disappointed to see Kouyou instead Kazuki, she tries to stand up but collapses. She wakes up in the medical room and sees her mother, apologizing to her. Youko leaves for the hangar while Maya and Kouyou stay with her. Shouko asks Maya for a favor, which is to invite Kazuki to her room, to play some games. After the games, Shouko rests up while Youko is peeling an apple for her and she wonders if she ever will be able pilot a Fafner or if her body will heal. Hearing the alarm, Kouyou tries to stop Shouko from going but he easily gets convinced by her and brings her to the hangar to meet Kazuki. The two talk for a bit and she promises that she will protect the island while he is away. Hugging the wall, she sees that the Tatsumiyajima is under attack by another Festum, begging it not to destroy the island.

Seeing the island under attack with nobody able to stop the enemy, Shouko makes her way to the hangar, wearing the pilot uniform, where she is spotted by her mother. She tries to stop Shouko from boarding the Fafner but Shouko is determined to protect the island for Kazuki. Before boarding the Fafner, she mentions with tears in her eyes that the children are destined to fight since they were born and that Youko isn't her real mother. She takes off and starts to fight the enemy by using three Mine Blades. However, they don't work and Mark Sechs gets impaled, causing Shouko to stop before grabbing a gun and shooting the Festum. The gun isn't effective either and she punches the Festum before using the Razing Cutter to surround Mark Sechs and the Festum with it. Soushi wonders what she is doing to which she responds that she is taking it away from the island. Unable to let go due to the assimilation phenomenon, she tells Soushi that she is going to use the Fenrir program. As the program counts down, she keeps flying higher and higher into the sky. She apologizes to her mother for saying that she isn't her real mother and wonders if she kept the promise she made with Kazuki before Mark Sechs explodes in the sky.

### *Soukyuu no Fafner Exodus*

A photo of Shouko is held by her mother during the wedding of Sakura Kaname and Kenji Kondou. Shouko is among the deceased people that appear before Kenji and Sui Kaburagi and later appears before Kouyou Kasugai with Canon Hazama in Rakuen. Shouko appears with Canon before Kouyou when he is on his way to the hangar and the duo later appear before Kazuki Makabe.

### *Soukyuu no Fafner The Beyond*

Two photos, one of Shouko and one of Canon Hazama with Chocolat, are seen on a desk in Youko's living room and Kouyou looks at them when he walks in. Kenji Kondou refers to the photos of his friends and deceased family and friends when he is talking with Soushi Minashiro about the enemy.

Shouko appears in a flashback where the then young first generation pilots are playing in the snow when the senior pilots see Soushi and the others playing in the snow. Shouko appears before Kouyou Kasugai with Canon and Chocolat who has just passed away.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 1: Paradise -The Beginning-
2. ↑ Episode 2: Confession -Life-
3. ↑ Episode 3: Labyrinth -Truth-
4. ↑ Episode 4: Escape -Departure-
5. ↑ Episode 5: Promise -Pledge-
6. ↑ Episode 6: Soaring Sky -Sacrifice-
7. ↑ Exodus Episode 19: The Oath of the Living
8. ↑ Exodus Episode 20: The Soldiers Return Home
9. ↑ Exodus Episode 24: The Third Alvis
10. ↑ The Beyond Episode 4: The Powerless Ones
11. ↑ The Beyond Episode 5: Student
12. ↑ The Beyond Episode 10: Storm, Come and Go
13. ↑ The Beyond Episode 12: Beyond the Azure