Nazuna Hiwatashi

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

Appearance
Before her Beastman transformation, she had long, orange hair with a red bang covering her forehead, tan skin, and red eyes. She wears a school uniform consisting of a dark blue skirt, white shirt and a light blue bowtie.

In the present day, her human form has changed slightly. She has white hair now and the lone bang covering her face is now pink in color. She wears a grey hoodie and a pair of slim black sweatpants when not acting as Death Rube.

In her Beastman form, she has a teal-white skin-tone, long flappy ears with pink accents, droopy eyelids, and pink colored eyes and hair. She wears her cult clothing which consist a white and teal cloak embellished with star shapes, long white gloves, and long white boots. Her tail is pink and concealed by the cloak. Her forms are different due to her shapeshifting. When she's with the cult and acting as Death Rube, she's in her wolf form. And when she's outside the cult, she's in her fox form. Her muzzle is broader in her wolf form compared to being point in her kitsune form.

Personality
Nazuna is best described as cunning, manipulative, coy, soft spoken, and frank.

Background
Nazuna and Michiru would often hang out at the park and share bluetooth earbuds to listen to music together. One of their favorite tunes is Night Running, a song they would always listen together.

Around a year before the events of the series, Nazuna and Michiru get injured in a bicycle accident. They both are operated on in the hospital and make a full recovery. However, one day at school, as Michiru is congratulating Nazuna for getting the audition, Nazuna transforms into a Beastman. Suddenly a black van pulls over and men in black abduct her. She gets taken into the van which speeds off.

Nazuna is frightened initially and panicking at the realization she's now a Beastman and the possibility of being hurt or even killed by her captors. She was taken to a research facility where she was rescued by Boris Cliff. He knew she had shape-shifting abilities and had her train the powers then join the Silver Wolf Order. Boris instated Nazuna as a guru and remained as a trainer by her side.

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.

Abilities
Shapeshifting: Nazuna is highly adept at transforming her appearance and is even able to shapeshift into an entirely different animal and impersonate the legendary Ginrou. It is unknown what the extent of her powers are but she has trained her shapeshifting ability in the past.

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.