Marika Chuujou

**Marika Chuujou** (中城 茉莉華, *Chuujou Marika*) was a minor antagonist in *The Island of Giant Insects*.

## Appearance

Marika was a pale skinned young woman with shoulder length sleek black hair parted down the middle and purple eyes. She wore a black knee length dress, black stockings, and black high heels; after the plane crash, she wears a gold medallion consisting of a triangle in a circle. With her gothic style, it wouldn't be far fetched to assume the pendant has a spiritual meaning or links to sobriety.

## Personality

Seemingly stern, stone-faced, and unwavering, Marika is a woman to be respected. It's mentioned that at school, she was strict but was still willing to listen to her students.

Just like Atsushi Kamijo, being thrust into a leadership position on Little East Island has a detrimental effect on her mental health. She develops a superiority complex over her students, refusing to hear them out even if what they had to say could help everyone survive. She would panic often and jeopardize her students' safety for her own. She becomes obsessed with finding a safe place.

## Background

Not much is known about Marika’s past except that she was employed at Houshou Private High School and was the homeroom teacher of Atsushi Kamijo and Takeshi Minowa.

## Chronology

Sometime after washing up on Little East Island after the plane crash, Marika met up with Nozomi Aoyama, Kasumi Momosaki, Takeshi Minowa, Kayo Suzuki, Emiko Miyazono, and Ryou Usui and Ms. Nozawa.

The group found out about the large insects, and Marika said they had to get to a safe place to await rescue. Ms. Nozawa disagreed, claiming that if the insects couldn't find them, then neither would rescue, and said they should stay out in the open so the rescue team could find them, with Emiko and Takeshi agreeing. Nozomi sided with Marika, and Ms. Nozawa backed down; she left, saying she would be looking for food, and had Nozomi come with her. Marika followed them and saw Ms. Nozawa groping Nozomi; she pushed the art teacher off a cliff and came up with a story that she was attacked and killed by an insect. The group moved on and took shelter in a private house.

When Mutsumi Oribe’s group arrived at the house, Takeshi poked fun at Atsushi Kamijo and Marika came out to see what the commotion was about. She noticed he was tied up and demanded the others unite him and Misuzu Jinno, accusing them of bullying the pair and refusing to hear their explanation. Kasumi complains about how they still don’t have any food and Atsushi gives them the food they gathered before leaving the clinic; Marika questions why they left, implying she wants to take her group there, nut Mutsumi jumps in, saying that the stench of the bodies of the giant prothermes grandis and the giant portunus trituberculatus’ will attract carnivorous insects; Marika sternly tells her to never cut her off again but Mutsumi doesn’t back down, and Nozomi and Takeshi gang up on her over disrespecting a teacher, Marika breaks up the argument and suggests they use common sense and head for the clinic despite Mutsumi’s protests. Atsushi declares he’ll scout the path and volunteers Misuzu and Mutsumi to come with him, which they do. Marika agrees and orders Emiko and Takeshi to go with them. Chitose Naruse declares that she’s going too, and Marika twists Kasumi’s words to make her go as well; sadly, all this trip accomplishes is getting Emiko killed, as she’s dragged underground and eaten by a Giant Tiger beetle larva. Marika is disappointed in the group for failing and asks them to try again, which Atsushi protests. Nozomi offers to go instead and Mutsumi protests, once again pointing out that the dead insects will attract carnivorous insects. Marika looks to Takeshi who backs her up; she still questions why she should listen to a kid, to which Chitose and Ayumi Matsuoka say that it’s because of Mutsumi that they’re still alive. Marika questions Mutsumi directly if the place she is going really is the safest place on the island, to which she affirms; the teacher is convinced, and the two groups prepare to leave for the shrine, which is the highest point on the island.

During the walk, Mutsumi is almost raped by Ryou, but is saved in the nick of time by Chitose and Kazuhiko Kai. Mutsumi tries to speak to Marika, but Nozomi slaps her for holding them up. Chitose steps in and just as it seems like the girls will fight Marika steps in and says they need the class rep to retain group collectivity. Mutsumi explains that they need to find shelter, since the humidity has risen and the hind leg insects will start hunting. Marika points out that the brunette was the one who had them leave. Nozomi, Chitose, and Ayumi get into an argument about who to listen to, but the fight is cut short when Ryou is killed by a bunch of giant firefly larvae; the group flies into a complete panic and Marika abandons the students, fleeing with just Kayo and Nozomi.

The three run through the woods and eventually make it to a cabin where they hide; the locks are broken, so Marika instructs the girls to wedge the door and windows with twigs or small pieces of wood. Ayumi and Mami Miura make it to the cabin, but Nozomi refuses to let them in. Kayo protests this, but Marika persuades her that they need a sense of unity, and that it’s fine to abandon others to protect yourself. The couple flee, and the trio spend the night in the cabin. Sadly, Ayumi would end up dying to save Mami, and the idol blamed Marika and Nozomi. Marika refuses to accept responsibility and the group is forced to drop it and move on.

When the group comes to a crossroads, Mutsumi says they should go left, but changes her mind when she realizes the skies are clear; Nozomi mocks her and says it’s her fault so many of their classmates have died and it’s because of Marika that the only person their group lost was Ms. Nozawa. Once again, an argument breaks out in the group, but Marika puts a stop to it and cedes leadership to Mutsumi, essentially dumping her own responsibilities as a teacher and adult on the girl. They finally make it to the shrine, but Mutsumi has the group wait in the trees since she can’t sense any animals and thinks there may be a predator nearby. Takeshi is killed by a Giant Atypus karschi, proving the shrine isn’t safe. This causes Marika to break, and she walks into the open and gets captured. Mutsumi is also captured thanks to Nozomi, and the two are dragged into the spider's nest while the rest of the group flees to the shrine.

After regaining consciousness, Marika tries to get free, but her struggling causes the thread to tighten, squeezing her. Kazuhiko is able to trick the spider out into the open by playing a recording he took of the wasps buzzing. Marika continues to try to move, despite Mutsumi’s repeated warnings. When the spider stops, Kai gets Mutsumi free, but before he can free Marika the spider starts moving again. Nozomi begins playing the recording again, ignoring Mutsumi telling her not to. This causes the spider to panic, and as a result of her constant movement, Marika gets completely torn apart. A grief stricken Nozomi blames Mutsumi, and tries to kill her by putting Marika’s hand in her bag in hopes the blood would attract insects.

## Etymology

* **Marika** means "Jasmine (*Jasminum sambac*)" (茉莉) (**mari**) and "flower, petal" (華) (**ka**).
* **Chuujou** means "middle" (中) (**chuu**) and "castle" (城) (**jou**).