Nazuna Hiwatashi

Nazuna Hiwatashi (日渡なずな, Hiwatashi Nazuna) is one of the main characters in the BNA: Brand New Animal series. She was formerly a high school student and the best friend of Michiru Kagemori. She is currently guru Death Rube of the Silver Wolf Order.

Appearance
Originally, Nazuna was a human girl with fair skin, red eyes, and long orange hair with a red bang down her forehead. She wore a school uniform consisting of a knee-length navy skirt, white collared shirt with a light blue bow tie, white socks, and black loafers.

Following her accident, Nazuna transforms into a Kitsune Beastman. Her hair turns pink, she grows long ears of the same color, and her red bang turns a dark pink. Above her nose her skin turns pink, and below it, it turns white.

While acting as Death Rube, Nazuna uses her shapeshifting powers to appear as a Silver Wolf Beastman. In this form, her hair is white with pink accents. Her skin is a pale teal and her snout is longer compared to her kitsune form. Her cult outfit consists of a white-and-teal cloak patterened with four-pointed stars, elbow-length white gloves, and tall white boots. Her tail is pink and concealed by the cloak.

Nazuna's human form has changed post-transformation. Her hair is now white and her bang pink. She wears a gray hoodie, a pair of slim black sweatpants, and pink leg warmers when not acting as Death Rube.

Personality
Before her transformation, Nazuna is dedicated to Michiru and passionate about her dream of becoming an idol. She is a kind and positive character. Once she becomes a Beastman, she retains her sweet exterior, but her loyalties now lie with the Silver Wolf Order. She desires power, whether it comes from being an singing celebrity or a religious figurehead, and is willing to sacrifice her relationship with Michiru to get it.

Nazuna doesn't seem to have a moral problem with impersonating a god. She has completely rationalized the cult's mentality, and believes that providing Anima City with false hope is the right thing to do.

Post-transformation, Nazuna has little regard for Michiru's feelings. She very clinically accuses Michiru of pitying others to stoke her own ego, and doesn't seem hurt when Michiru claims to have no friend by the name of Death Rube. Nazuna's time in the cult seems to have detacted her from her own feelings.

Background
Nazuna and Michiru often hung out at the park and share bluetooth earbuds to listen to music together. One of their favorite tunes is Night Running.

Around a year before the events of the series, Nazuna and Michiru were both injured in a bicycle accident. They were operated on in the same hospital and made a full recovery. However, one day at school, as Michiru was congratulating Nazuna for getting the audition, Nazuna transformed into a Beastman. She was taken away by men in black.

Nazuna feared for her life. She was taken to a research facility, but soon rescued by Boris Cliff. He helped her hone her shapeshifting abilities and inducted her into the Silver Wolf Order. Boris instated Nazuna as a guru and helped her create the persona of Death Rube, the Silver Wolf Maiden.

Episode 6/Fox Waltz
Nazuna and Michiru finally meet. Michiru takes Nazuna back to Gem's home, where Nazuna retells what happened following the abduction a year ago. Michiru then shares her story as Nazuna flips through her photo album. Michiru asks Nazuna to leave the cult so they can be back together and search for a cure. Shirou comes back and forbids Nazuna from staying at the home.

Barbara Rose
N/A

Michiru Kagemori
N/A

Shirou Oogami
N/A

Boris Cliff
N/A

Abilities
Shapeshifting: Nazuna is capable of convincingly shapeshifting into other animals. She honed this ability by training with Boris Cliff, and uses it to appear as a silver wolf Beastman to the Silver Wolf Order and impersonate the legendary Ginrou.

Quotes

 * ""When something happens right before your eyes, you jump into it without a second thought. That part of you hasn't changed at all. Jumping in based on assumptions...deciding to pity someone all by yourself...and thinking about saving someone just like that...isn't that to just stroke your ego?""

- Nazuna to Michiru


 * ""I decided to do anything to achieve my dreams. I'm not Nazuna right now. I'm the Silver Wolf Maiden, Death Rube!""

- Nazuna to Michiru

Etymology

 * Nazuna (なずな) is a springtime white flower/herb consumed to ward away evil birds (that carry disease) and sickness.
 * The herb is among the seven herbs of springtime, which are consumed in the Seven-Herb Porridge.
 * The etymology implies it derives from natsu (summer) + na (to go away) because the flower dies in the summer.

Japanese Folklore

 * Kitsune are mischievous, shapeshifting tricksters.
 * Tanuki are closely related to kitsune and share many similarities, but the two animals are bitter rivals.
 * The common enemy between tanuki and kitsune is the dog.
 * Fights between tanuki and kitsune devolve into a showmanship of transformation skills. Kitsune are superior in magical strength but tanuki win through cleverness and trickery.