Kaoru Hanayama

ℹ️️**Notice**This is a crossover character and is therefore not canon to Glad you Came

**Kaoru Hanayama** (花山 薫, *Hanayama Kaoru*) is a major character from the anime and manga series of Baki the Grappler. He is known as the strongest Yakuza in Japan, and one of the strongest characters from the series. He is the second generation boss of the Hanayama Group. He has scars from multiple wounds on his body, and his full-back tattoo looks like a jigsaw puzzle due to the many scars.

## Personality

Kaoru Hanayama is the 19-year-old leader of the Yakuza. He is a taciturn and proud fighter. His code of honor is to choose not to fall in battle even if it means his death; a family vow which has been held in the long tradition passed from generations. Even after 3 direct strikes from Katsumi Orochi, he still chose not to fall and chose to risk death. Katsumi even admitted that he lost the battle to him despite officially winning the match. Hanayama is also very silent and stoic ironically much like Yuujirou himself as he mostly only listens and only speaks what is necessary when confronting someone, especially during combat.

He is looked upon as an older brother figure to Baki Hanma, often appearing to comfort Baki and reassure him when needed. Originally seeking to fight Baki as a way to get Yuujirou's attention, and only after being beaten by him do they become good friends. This is best shown during the manga second series, wherein Hanayama ruthlessly grabs Spec by the face and forces him away from Kozue Matsumoto and Baki, who were having a nice romantic date. Despite his harsh and cold way of being, Baki is not the only person that Hanayama can show his affection and care for. During the Maximum Tournament, he met Chiharu Shiba, whom he began to respect because of his unusual style and insane fighting spirit. Not only does he start to consider him a friend, but he probably began working with him in the gangster sphere (it can be seen in the later parts of the manga). His long-time companion and diplomat is Kizaki, to whom Hanayama usually shows no emotions. However, it can be interpreted that he greatly appreciates his service as they have been accompanying each other for so many years. Kizaki has been with him since Hanayama was a child and always shows him boundless loyalty. Also, Kaoru's act of pouring a drink over Emi Akezawa's grave suggests a feeling of love, but it is not known (the scene was shown only in anime).

Hanayama loves and respects his mother very much. She was terminally diseased with cancer, making her a feeble shell of her former self. Hanayama visited her often. He revealed to Baki that she was 35 years old, but looked 90 because of the cancer, and that he was jealous that Baki's mother was still alive and well. Hanayama's attitude to his father isn't very well known since Keizou died when Kaoru was a young boy, so too many of their scenes were not shown in the manga, and Kaoru never talks about his father.

Hanayama is very intelligent, being capable of effectively leading the Yakuza despite his young age, and knows how to effectively use his strength in combat. However, he is still able to be extremely reckless. For example, in the first series, he attacked Yuujirou when he was extremely beaten up and tired after his battle with Baki. Nevertheless, he is one of the few characters whose reputation goes beyond the world of fighters, being well known inside of the national police, with almost everyone highly respecting and admiring him, demonstrated when a police officer Tsuneo Katahira glibly narrated Hanayama's fight against Spec despite his multiple injures and mortal attacks received by the convicted to death.