Hinao

**Hinao** (ヒナオ) is one of the characters in Kagurabachi manga series. She is young woman who owns Cafe Haru Haru, which serves as both a cafe and a way for Hinao to connect sorcerers with the leaders of yakuza or big corporations who require their services. Shiba has frequented her service in the past, and now she helps him and Chihiro inquire for information on Hishaku and the enchanted blades.

## Appearance

Hinao has fairly large, dark-colored eyes. Her hair features two different colors, although the specific colors have not been disclosed yet. Her dark-colored hair is styled into two messy buns, with several untamed strands protruding, and she has a straight and evenly cut light-colored fringe with two chin-length side bangs that frame her face.

Her usual attire consists of a long-sleeved polo shirt worn underneath with necktie, complemented by a varsity jacket above. She pairs this with a short pleated skirt that falls above the knee and completes the look with high boots.

## Personality

Hinao is depicted as a knowledgeable individual who is currently explaining Japan's system regarding the ownership of katanas. She emphasizes the legality of possessing katanas for self-defense purposes and highlights the misuse of these weapons by some individuals, which attracts the attention of criminal organizations like the Yakuza. Additionally, Hinao is linked to sorcerers known as the Hishaku and has a poster in her shop related to them, as per request from Shiba.

Three years ago, Shiba visited Hinao's shop where she informed him about job opportunities, indicating a proactive and helpful nature. During this visit, Shiba shared information about a tragic incident involving Kunishige Rokuhira, implicating the Hishaku in the death and theft of enchanted blades. It was also during this time that Hinao first met Chihiro, who had a visible scar on his face.

In the current situation, Hinao works at Cafe Haru Haru, where Shiba and Chihiro are present due to her contact regarding a young girl who claims to have witnessed something related to enchanted blades. Hinao interacts with the child, who expresses an interest in hiring a sorcerer for protection but lacks the means to pay for it. Hinao becomes suspicious that the child's pursuer might possess one of the enchanted blades.

Hinao's role in the story involves facilitating the meeting between the child, Shiba, and Chihiro at the cafe. She also plays a part in understanding the potential threat posed by the enchanted blade mentioned by Char.

## Plot

### Background

Three years ago, Shiba visited Hinao at her shop, where she informed him about job opportunities, but Shiba came for a different reason. He informed Hinao about the tragic incident involving Kunishige Rokuhira and claimed that the Hishaku were responsible for Kunishige's death and the theft of his enchanted blades. This meeting marked the first day Hinao met Chihiro, who had a visible scar on his face.

Currently, Shiba and Chihiro are at Cafe Haru Haru, where Hinao works, because she contacted them regarding a witness who claimed to have seen something related to enchanted blades. The witness is a young girl named Char, and she expressed an interest in hiring a sorcerer for protection. She mentioned that someone is pursuing her, possibly with a formidable sword, which Shiba and Chihiro initially doubted.

## Relationships

### Non-familial

**Shiba:** Three years ago, Shiba visited Hinao's shop, where she informed him about job opportunities. However, Shiba came for a different reason, which is related to a tragic incident involving Kunishige Rokuhira. Shiba claimed that the Hishaku, a group of sorcerers, were responsible for Kunishige's death and the theft of his enchanted blades. Shiba's visit to Hinao's shop three years ago was also the first time Hinao met Chihiro, who had a visible scar on his face. Despite her willingness to help, nothing significant transpired during that initial encounter.

**Chihiro:** Hinao met Chihiro for the first time three years ago when Shiba visited her shop. Chihiro had a visible scar on his face. Despite Hinao's willingness to help, nothing significant transpired during that initial encounter. Currently, Hinao, Shiba, and Chihiro are involved in a situation related to a witness who came forward regarding enchanted blades. Hinao was the one who initially contacted Shiba and Chihiro regarding in this matter.

## Etymology

* The name **"ヒナオ" (Hinao)** is not inherently clear from the characters themselves, as it's a modern Japanese name. However, Japanese names often have meanings or associations based on the kanji characters they can be represented with. If were to assign kanji characters to the name "ヒナオ," it could be written as "雛央." Here's a breakdown of the possible meanings of these characters:
	+ **雛 (Hina):** This kanji character typically means "chick" or "young bird," but it can also be associated with "doll" or "ornament." In some contexts, it might symbolize something small and delicate.
	+ **央 (Ao):** This kanji character means "center" or "middle." It's often used in names to convey a sense of centrality or balance.