Hisako

Story

The spirit we know as Hisako, or “Everlasting Child,” was initially called Chiharu, which means “one thousand springs.” She was born during the Sengoku period and raised by her father, a ronin who returned to his village after the death of his master. Due to the troubling times that they lived in, and Chiharu descending from a great female samurai, her father decided to teach her the art of fighting.

While she was taught archery and swordsmanship, Chiharu’s favorite weapon was the naginata, the same weapon wielded by her predecessors. In case someone ever attempts to kidnap her, Chiharu’s father also equipped her with the stealthy neko-te claw weapon, which can be laced with poison.

Years would go by with Chiharu constantly training and doing fieldwork until one day, an unexpected suitor suddenly approached heritor. A shogun’s son took a liking to Chiharu and gave her beads as a proposal. Instead of taking him seriously, Chiharu made fun of the guy and knocked him off a horse with a bucket.

Only a week later, he would take revenge in the most gruesome way possible. Coming back from another practice session, Chiharu saw houses ablaze and villages slaughtered. She immediately ran to her house, only to see her entire family executed with no mercy. Her sorrow quickly turned into boiling rage. Chiharu grabbed her father's naginata and rushed outside, killing one soldier after another while displaying inhuman strength and agility. 

Alas, the wounds eventually took their toll, and she was approached by the bastard she rejected not long ago. Before passing away, she managed to scratch his face with a poisoned claw and departed from this world to the sound of the coward’s pained screams. Her heroic deed inspired the remaining villagers to take up arms and fight with all their might, ultimately saving the village.

To honor their savior, villagers created a shrine dedicated to Chiharu. Her spirit seemingly became the village’s eternal guardian, creating a story about Hisako, or “Everlasting Child,” who keeps the intruders away. This legend ignited curiosity from Ultratech’s ARIA, leading Sadira, her hired assassin, to defile the sacred plot and awaken the vengeful spirit.

After much fighting, Hisako managed to slay those who dared to steal from her resting place, but after taking advice from her father’s spirit, she continues the fight in a battle against an even greater evil.

Personality

As you might expect from a disgruntled spirit who seeks revenge, Hisako is perpetually enraged. Despite appearing quite intimidating, it’s hard to call her a villain, as she targets the actual evil and goes after those who wronged her. On rare occasions, she can even team up for a greater cause, but her primary goal is always centered around protecting her village.

Playstyle

Hisako is a character that offers some excellent pressure as long as she can get in on her opponents. Her walk speed is terrible, and while her dash is excellent, it requires some commitment to use, making it a bit risky.

Once she does get in, though, Hisako has a range of pokes to harass her opponents, and she can further improve her pressure with Wraith meter. Thanks to her mixups, counter, and command grab, Hisako has every tool she needs to condition opponents and break down their attempts to block or retaliate.

Appearance

Hisako is a young woman with pale skin and black hair. The sclera of her eyes is black, while the iris is white. She wears a tattered red kimono with a flower motif, a large red bead bracelet on her left hand, and a golden neko-te claw on her right hand.