Tamaki Shima

* Anime
* Manga

**Tamaki Shima** (志磨 珠樹, *Shima Tamaki*) is the heir apparent to the Shima family and the older half-brother of Tamahiko Shima.

## Appearance

Tamaki is tall with black hair and grey eyes.

## Personality

According to Tamahiko, Tamaki was sad as a child but as he got older, he became more cynical towards others and obedient to their father and his responsibility as the Shima family heir. He seemingly had little, if any, interactions with his siblings.

Although his father trusted him to keep an eye on Tamahiko while the latter was exhiled, it is hinted Tamaki felt some kind of empathy for his brother as he hide Tamahiko's letters from their father, although he also did this to not let Tamahiko trouble their father. He also suffers from self criticism, as he knew his father would never miss him if he passed away, which turned out to be true.

## Background

Tamaki is the first child and eldest son of Tamayoshi and his first wife, who passed away a few years after Tamayo was born. As the first son, Tamaki was raised to be the next head of the family, which included being taught how wealth, power, and privilege were necessities to maintain control and force others to obey him.

Growing up in a loveless household, Tamaki was often sad as a child. He interacted very little with his siblings and his father only acknowledged him for his future role as the Shima family successor. As he got older, Tamaki developed a cold, cynical attitude towards others and made his future role as head of the family his sole priority.

## Plot

### *Taisho Otome Fairy Tale*

After Tamahiko is exhiled due to his disability, Tamaki criticized Tamahiko for failing the family. Tamaki and Tamayo later receive marriage proposals. To ensure the marriages proceed and not bring shame to the Shima family, Tamayoshi has Tamahiko declared dead. Tamaki feigns grief over the ‘death’ of his brother as part of the act.

During the Great Kanto Earthquake, Tamaki is critically injured, prompting his father and Tamayo to seek his uncle, Tamasuke, to treat him. To prevent the two from causing trouble to Tamahiko, Yuzuki, and others, Tamasuke recommends another doctor and sends them away.

Tamayoshi learns from a subordinate that Tamaki had dozens of letters from Tamahiko addressed to Tamayoshi, who coldly praises Tamaki for being a loyal watchdog.

Tamayoshi starts to wonder if Tamaki will recover and truly become the next head of the family. To keep a little piece of insurance should the worst case scenario happens -if Tamaki passes away- Tamayoshi makes preparations to install Tamahiko as the new heir. Shortly after, Tamaki does pass away. His father and siblings attend his funeral and seemingly mourn him. According to Tamayoshi, losing a child is what made him understand the pain of losing someone close. However Tamahiko dreams of Tamaki hinting this was a facade, as he says "Father never changes.". This unfortunately turns out to be accurate - Tamayoshi was disappointed at his son dying and had no expectations he would recover or else he wouldn't have go through such lengths to try and bring Tamahiko back after making him a 'dead man'.

Its later revealed that Tamaki didn't die from his injuries but that he was poisoned by Tamayo whose goal is to have her father's attention all to herself and to become the Shima family successor. She is never suspected of his death, as it is attributed to his injuries.

### *Shōwa Otome Otogi Banashi*

Tamayo, in order to restore the Shima family and get rid of Tokoyo Kurosaki, decides to 'marry' the young girl to Tamaki (despite him being deceased for eight years) and have her foster son marry Tamako. However this plan falls apart due to Jintaro's interference.

While Tamayo is on trial for her crimes, she abruptly dies from tuberculosis and notes how similar her death is to Tamaki’s. Before she dies, she finally confesses to murdering Tamaki and shows no remorse.

## Relationships

### Tamayoshi Shima

Tamaki was extremely loyal towards his father and lived his life abiding his father's every command. However, he seems to long to be acknowledged as just Tamayoshi's son rather than his heir. He also felt guilty in disappointing his father had having died so young and correctly knew his father wouldn't mourn him.

### Tamayo Shima

Tamayo is Tamaki's younger sister. Their relationship is unknown but it's very likely to have been strained like her relationship with her other siblings. Even when Tamaki was injured from the earthquake, Tamayo said he should just die if he's suffering and laughed. To get closer to her father and this become the new heir, Tamayo pretended to nurse Tamaki back to health before she murdered him via poisoning.

### Tamahiko Shima

Tamaki and Tamahiko rarely interacted with each other during their childhoods. Tamahiko remembers him as a sad child who became a cold-hearted adult. Tamaki was tasked with keeping an eye on Tamahiko while he was in exhile by their father. Tamahiko prayed for Tamaki to recover from his injuries and was saddened to learn Tamaki died.

### Tamako Shima

Tamaki and Tamako rarely interacted with each other during their childhoods and didn’t care much for each other. However she respected him as the future head of the family and was saddened when he died.

## Etymology

* The name **Tamaki** means "bead, pearl, gem, jewel" (珠) (**tama**) and "tree" (樹) (**ki**).

## Trivia

* According to Tamayo, Tamaki lacked the ruthlessness in being the head of the family and, out of the three brothers, Tamahiko was more suited for the role.