Ryoko Asakura (朝倉 涼子) | |
Age | 3-4, 15-16 physically |
Gender | Female |
Height | 160 cm (5' 4") |
Occupation | Student (grade 10), Data Overmind humanoid interface, Yuki Nagato's backup unit |
Introduced In | The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya |
Last Appearance | The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya |
Voiced by | Natsuko Kuwatani (JP) Bridget Hoffman (EN) Eva Padoan (IT) Yang Jeong Hwa (KR) Elena Lukinyh (RU) |
"I'm getting bored and just fed up watching something that doesn't seem to be changing at all. That's why…I'm going to kill you and see how Miss Suzumiya reacts."
―Ryoko Asakura to Kyon
Ryoko Asakura (朝倉 涼子 Asakura Ryōko) is a Data Overmind Humanoid Interface, much like Yuki Nagato, and serves as Yuki's "backup unit". She initially held the identity of a highly social high school student and the class president for Haruhi Suzumiya's homeroom class, but after Yuki defeated and removed her from the physical world to protect Kyon, a cover story was created that she moved to Canada, having Ryoko's "father" call the school to say that she had moved, without leaving any contact information.
Natsuko Kuwatani voices Ryoko in the Japanese dub and Bridget Hoffman voices her in the English dub.
Appearance[]
Ryoko is a beautiful girl with long navy blue hair that has a part of which is tied in a ponytail with a red hairclip, blue eyes and thick eyebrows.
Biography[]
As Yuki Nagato's backup, Ryoko is a Data Overmind humanoid interface. Prior to attending North High, Ryoko (supposedly) attended junior high school in a suburb far from North High, but had purchased a condo unit (unit 505) with a lump sum of cash at a condominium near North High. She gave the building manager candy when she first appeared. She shares the same block of flats as Yuki, who is somewhat her superior.
In her first year at North High, Ryoko appears as a very popular, outgoing, kind, bubbly, and hard-working high school girl. Taniguchi (one of Kyon's friends) places her in the top three first-year girls in the school with a grade of AA+: indicative of her pleasant personality, beauty, and athleticism. Her enormous popularity made her the unanimous choice for class president of Kyon's homeroom. She also showed particular concern about how Haruhi Suzumiya had distanced herself from the rest of the class, hoping to start up a friendship with her in order to observe her more closely. Ryoko seemed to hang out with her classmates Kotone Kenmochi, Kaori Seno, Yui Nishijima. Yamane seemed to have a crush on her.
In contrast with Yuki, she is unable to empathize with humans, but can parrot human mannerisms and possesses exceptional social skills. She supports Kyon's reaching out to Haruhi, encouraging him to "open her up to the class," making Haruhi easier to observe. Being unable to empathize with humans, she is disinterested in Haruhi's emotional changes and yearns to see a dramatic use of her data creation powers instead. She grows bored when this doesn't happen, and tries to kill Kyon with a combat knife in the hopes of catalyzing an observable reaction from Haruhi. Her efforts are thwarted; Yuki defeats and removes her from the physical world. Her cheerful personality doesn't falter, even at the moment of her defeat. Afterward, Yuki fabricates a cover story that she moved to Canada, having Ryoko's "father" call the school to say that she had moved, without leaving any contact information. Her mysterious "transfer" was of immediate interest to Haruhi, who investigated it with Kyon.
The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya[]
In the β timeline of The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, she is summoned by Emiri Kimidori to protect Kyon, and tries to kill Kuyoh Suou against her orders. Ryoko makes a show of thanking Kyon for her being returned to the real world and acting hurt by his dislike for her, but she insists on holding a knife against his throat for most of the battle and wonders aloud how Kuyoh would react if Kyon died, hinting she still feels some desire to kill him. Ryoko and Kuyoh fight to a standstill, then Ryoko captures Kuyoh with a "data attack", transforming her knife into a set of hexagons which begin to cover Kuyoh. However, Kuyoh escapes.
Kimidori warns her that she will be dissolved if she does anything unexpected. Ryoko can only be summoned during an emergency. She expresses a continuing desire to go beyond the Data Overmind's orders and instigate something, but agrees to follow Kimidori's orders for the moment.
Ryoko appears briefly with the other two interfaces in closed space shortly after the timelines merge.
Powers[]
Like Yuki Nagato and Emiri Kimidori, Ryoko is an Data Overmind humanoid interface.
"Expanding data control range. Deploying offensive data. Shifting to Termination Mode. Requesting authorization for localized combat simulation within limited space for the purpose of analyzing specified target."—Ryoko's requests for combat power.
She has demonstrated superhuman strength and reflexes: Ryoko could throw a knife with considerable force, then use her quick reflexes to catch one flying at her. Ryoko appeared to value her knife, asking for it back when Emiri Kimidori caught it. Ryoko could leap incredible distances (once leaping 5 meters when surprised).
Data jurisdiction enables Ryoko to "cut off" a portion of reality into a "bubble dimension", enabling her to engage in combat without revealing her presence to anyone outside the field. Ryoko could request permission from the Data Overmind to expand the field. In a data jurisdiction space, Ryoko can create "icicles" or metal rods from the surrounding structure. This ability requires vocalization, although it appears that Asakura only needs to vocalize to change their properties, rather than continuously doing so. Other abilities in data jurisdiction include telekinetically moving or "hurling" objects and freezing a human in place; these abilities do not require vocalization.
Asakura can transform her arms into large blades. In the manga adaption, Ryoko turned her fingernails into long metal claws that later extend into razor-sharp whips. These were strong enough to cut apart Yuki in one swipe.
By holding onto another being, Ryoko could generate a field of geometric shapes which would capture them. To use this ability, Ryoko chanted "Initiating offensive data assault." The ground was affected, and her knife dissolved as she did so.
Other versions[]
Alternate Ryoko Asakura[]
An alternate version of Ryoko appears in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, in the altered reality. She sits behind Kyon, where Haruhi once sat, and cares for Yuki, ostensibly as "a friendship fostered by living in the same apartment block". In actuality, when Yuki altered the world she programmed Ryoko to protect her from any harm. Because Yuki has difficulty keeping herself active, Ryoko brings her food every day and helps her with minor things.
Ryoko was among the few North High students in the alternate reality who avoided getting the cold that had rapidly spread around the school, and informed the class this before entering. Ryoko's presence in the alternate reality startled Kyon, who asked why she put her bag on Haruhi's desk, but Ryoko said she didn't know anyone named Haruhi, which was Kyon's first indication of nobody other than him in class that day remembering Haruhi in this reality. Ryoko expressed concern for Kyon, and after he asks if she's thought about killing him recently, she advises him to go to the hospital before it's too late. Ryoko later meets Kyon at Yuki's apartment after she brings over some food which they eat. Ryoko and Kyon have a conversation in an elevator after leaving the apartment, during which Ryoko asks Kyon if he has a crush on Yuki and says that she wouldn't forgive him if he hurt Yuki.
When Ryoko sees Kyon aiming a gun at Yuki, she comes after him with a knife again though this time succeeds in stabbing him, which fatally wounds him. After a Yuki from the near future comes and saves Kyon, she reverts the world to normal, ceasing Ryoko's existence from his world once again.
Chibi[]
Ryoko also appeared as a chibi in The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya and Nyoron Churuya-san named Ryoko Achakura, who is usually stuck at Yuki's apartment doing chores. Whenever she gets uppity and is about to rebel, Yuki uses various non-violent methods to keep her in line. In Nyoron Churuya-san she appears to have a crush on Kyon and gets jealous when he pays attention to Churuya.
The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan[]
As a normal human, she is a major character in The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan manga and anime series. She is Yuki's best friend and willing to help her when necessary, but also hopes Yuki will become more assertive. She supports Yuki and Kyon's developing relationship despite her fear that both of them will become more distant from her in the process, and vehemently opposes Kyon's romantic interactions with Haruhi. Despite this, Haruhi and Ryoko are also very close friends.
Music[]
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 5 Ryoko Asakura, is a CD featuring the character songs for Ryoko. Ryoko has received her own version of the 'Hare Hare Yukai', along with two other character songs, 'COOL EDITION' and 'Koyubi de Gyu'.
Ryoko Asakura – Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu Character Song Series 'in Love' case.2, is a CD featuring Ryoko's character songs for the The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan. Except from her own 'Fure Fure Mirai' version she got two more songs, 'LOVE EDITION' and 'Shiawase wa Nichijou no Naka de'.
Etymology[]
- The name Ryoko means "cool, refreshing" (涼) (ryo) and "child" (子) (ko).
- Ryoko's surname Asakura means "morning" (朝) (asa) and "warehouse, storehouse, barn, treasury, granary, cellar, magazine, godown, depository, elevator, storage place, repository, supply shed, grain elevator, stockpile, arsenal" (倉) (kura).
Trivia[]
- Ryoko is a member of the Radical faction of the Data Overmind.
- Ryoko had a ponytail in her initial character design, but it was later removed.
- In the spin-off series The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan, Ryoko's hair is shorter than her original design.
Gallery[]
- Main article: Ryoko Asakura/Gallery