Suzuka Shinoyama

* Manga
* Anime

**Suzuka Shinoyama** (四乃山 涼火 *Shinoyama Suzuka*) is the deceased eldest granddaughter of Rozan Shinoyama and older sister to the twins Shizuki Shinoyama and Kazuki Shinoyama. Her spirit has followed the twins for the past year, born out of Suzuka's love for them and fear for their safety before her murder at Know's hands.

Suzuka's spirit is restored when the Corpse God successfully foils the imposter's murder attempt on the twins, with her memories, consciousness, and appearance while living all returning to her.

## Appearance

At the time of her death, Suzuka was a young woman with light-colored shoulder-length hair and bangs; the longer she kept pushing back with a black headband. When her memories and consciousness are fully restored to her half-formed spirit, she also regains her appearance as it was in life.

As a warped spirit, she has long white hair that covers her eyes and grames a large, keening mouth; meanwhile, her exposed arms and long, spindly hands, as well as what is visible of her face and neck, exhibit charring that may be a reflection of her murder. While the spirit appears to be wearing a dress, it is also seen cloaked in black smoke or mist, which the dress merges with, attesting to her incorporeal form.

## Personality

When alive, Suzuka loved her family and was incredibly close with her young siblings, Shizuki and Kazuki. This love and sweet thoughtfulness led her to search for Kazuki's dropped purse personally and was strong enough to cause her spirit to manifest after her murder. Her spirit has lost half of its consciousness and is defined by the feelings manifested: it fears for the twins' lives and follows them out of an overwhelming need to protect them. It seems to be aware that its ability to protect them as a spirit is limited and is often seen weeping for anyone to protect them.

According to the Corpse God, the spirit is not so far gone that something cannot trigger it to regain consciousness fully. After her murder was avenged by Corpse God, her spirit stabilized, restoring her to her former personality.

## Chronology

### Background

Two years before the story starts, at the Shinomiya Manor, Suzuka notices Kazuki and Shizuki together, with Kazuki crying. The twins explain that they had been in the garden until Kazuki noticed she had dropped her pouch. They wanted to look for it, but it had become dark outside. Suzuka offers to look for it instead since she is their big sister.

Suzuka searches through the garden and eventually finds the pouch; however, she notices some voices nearby. Peering through the bushes, she sees Gorō Shinoyama discussing with another man, Know. The duo discusses a job to burn down the estate, and Know suggests pinning the blame on Kazuki and Shizuki. Suzuka becomes shocked, but Know also realizes someone is eavesdropping.

Suzuka runs away to warn her family; however, quickly after she enters the boiler room, it bursts into flames. She feels the room getting hot and is confused by the heat. The flames eventually overwhelm her, and she dies screaming in the flames.

Despite dying, her spirit remained. Not realizing she died, Suzuka finds Kazuki and Shizuki watching the burning of the boiler room and is relieved that they are alright. She tells them to run away to the police; however, they do not hear her because she is a spirit. She tries to embrace them, but her arms go through their bodies. Unable to do anything, she repeatedly asks for somebody to save Shizuki and Kazuki. Thus, she begins to haunt the twins.

### Shinoyama Estate Arson

By the current time, Suzuka has lost half her consciousness and has a larger, monstrous form, but continues to watch over Shizuki and Kazuki. When the twins visit their uncle Polka, who has not returned home for ten days, the Corpse God notices Suzuka's possession of the twins and her request to save them. He tells her he understands and that he will protect the twins.

The next day when Corpse God visits the Shinomiya estate, Suzuka is seen over the twins as they welcome the Corpse God. After the family meal, Suzuka is seen again as the twins leave to go to their room. She says over and over that something is coming: the fire.

The twins discuss Polka in their room as Suzuka silently looks over them. Then a sudden loud sound comes, and a servant rushes into the room. He tells the twins there has been a fire and they must come with him immediately. The twins follow after him, but Suzuka reaches out to them twins yelling, “No!”

The servant leads the twins to an underground escape route, but Kazuki hesitates, stating there is no escape route here. The servant states that there is one, as he spent two years making it. He then prepares to attack the twins. Suzuka tries to interfere, but her arm goes through his body. Just as he is about to land his attack on the twins, Misaki kicks him in the face and knocks him to the ground.

Miskai tells the twins to go upstairs and escape. However, when Kazuki and Shizuki try to go up, they find their route blocked by flames. The twins crouch low to avoid breathing in the smoke. Shizuki wonders if this is their punishment for getting Suzuka killed and if she is mad at them. Kazuki tries to disagree before agreeing with him. Rubbles collapse above them as they apologize to their sister, accepting their impending deaths.

Corpse God arrives in time to shield the twins via necromancy. He tells the twins that their sister is not mad and will always love them. Even though the twins cannot feel her, Suzuka embraces her younger siblings, her form having reverted to her original appearance.

After the fire incident has been resolved, the twins and Suzuka see off the Corpse God and Misaki. Misaki asks if the Corpse God will form a pact with Suzuka. The Corpse God says he will someday, but is fine with leaving it for now, as he watches the happy three siblings.

### Shinjuku War

Later when Fire-breathing Bug and Phantom Solitaire, were observing the magic battle bettween Civil A. Sabaramond and Corpse God from the rooftops, the former expressed their determination to scorch the city of what they deemed “bugs” lest they be a threat to the world. Such action was opposed by Phantom Solitaire but before they could debate, Suzuka appeared before the two troublemakers, thanks to Corpse God’s passive magic, asking if they could postpone their judgement and wait and see what course Corpse God would take. Fire-breathing Bug was furious at her interfence demanding what right she had. The ghost then revealed that she understood too well of Fire-breathing Bug’s pain as she was also a victim of being burned and briefly revealed her ghostly burned form to the shock of the troublemakers. Fire-breathing Bug out of respect for her ordeal, then silently agreed to watch the events unfold.

## Etymology

* The name **Suzuka** means "cool fire" (涼火).
* Suzuka's surname **Shinoyama** means "four" (四) (**shi**), "from" (乃) (**no**) and "mountain, hill" (山) (**yama**).

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 15.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 13.
3. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 12.
4. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 14.
5. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 16.
6. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 18.