Ikaruga (斑鳩) is a playable character in second timeline of the Senran Kagura series.
A third-year student at Hanzō National Academy, she is the class president and her peers' "big sister." Although she was born in the slums, her remarkable talents drew the attention of the wealthy Houou family organization, who adopted her, named her the heir of their shinobi lineage and granted her custody of the family sword, Hien.
Her adopted brother, Murasame, swiftly grew jealous of her skills, and challenged her to duel after duel for her place in line. Torn between her pride and her concern for his feelings, Ikaruga stood her ground, patiently defeating him again and again until he accepted both his place and hers.
Since then, he's gone on to a successful career in business, and she's been free to focus on her shinobi studies. Classically trained in both etiquette and swordplay, she carries herself with nobility, and holds her underclasswomen to the same standards of behavior.
Ikaruga looks refined with long, straight, black hair styled into a hime cut that flows down to her lower thighs. Her slanted eyes are dark blue.
Her shinobi outfit consists of a white gold-trimmed jacket with six buttons and a few golden tassels strewn across. She has a Hanzō armband pinned to her upper left arm to signify her status as the class representative. She has a short gold-trimmed white skirt along with white gloves and boots of similar colors to her jacket, accentuated by black tights underneath.
Personality[]
Ikaruga holds the responsibility of being the leader of a five girls strong shinobi team. Usually a calm individual, she can become highly agitated by Katsuragi's lecherousness. Like Katsuragi, she hides her sadness behind her cool exterior, but the love of her fellow shinobi have helped to soften the pain of her wounds. Needless to say, she works excellently in a team. She also has a knack for cooking and enjoying traditional Japanese cuisine, going so far as to make her own dishes such as the Sweet Squid Ramen Roll (a combination of futomaki sushi, ramen, squid, and sweets).
Ikaruga is performing in a hero show at the beach as a character called 'KP Kamen'. This hero punishes wicked villains who refuse to eat their vegetables. As KP Kamen reprimands these evil-doers the crowd show their appreciation with rapturous applause, but a lone voice of dissent rises up above the noise and starts an unscripted fight...
"I dance as my black hair flutters in the wind! They call me BC Mask!" -BC Mask
The intruder is Mirai, now posing as a masked heroine of light named Badwoman. Ikaruga, as KP Kamen, demands to know the reason for this intrusion. Badwoman replies that the kids want a new heroine which KP Kamen immediately disputes, saying that old things have a lot of value. Badwoman offers that anime changes its heroines every year to which KP Kamen retorts that this isn't an anime. Badwoman gets a little disgruntled and calls KP Kamen stubborn, which KP Kamen says is a compliment because stubbornness in the pursuit of justice shows sincerity and determination. Defeating the interloper, the hero KP Kamen finishes with the one-liner "Justice has no final episode!".
"BC Mask is even popular amongst girls! Let us duel, Shipmate Sisters!" -BC Mask
Two new opponents appear on stage: Murakumo and Habani in the roles of masked heroine characters Sailor Murakumoon and Sailor Kablamm. Ikaruga comments that a lot of weird characters seem to be showing up today, which Habani thinks is pretty rich coming from KP Kamen. Ikaruga angrily asks what's weird about KP Kamen. Murakumo says that everything is. As the battle starts, Sailor Murakumoon and Sailor Kablamm proclaim their virtues: the former is a wise ally of justice, the latter, after a brief pause to think, decides for now that she just punishes people with explosions. KP Kamen asks them what they want with her. Sailor Murakumoon replies that KP Kamen cannot reach the hearts of young girls because masked heroes are usually aimed at an audience of boys. Sailor Kablamm has a simpler motive: she just doesn't want to eat her vegetables so she's going to defeat KP Kamen. KP Kamen cannot stand for this and so the battle begins in earnest. Ikaruga wins, commenting that KP Kamen is plenty popular among girls too... she thinks.
"You're Yumiverine?! Another inconvenience..." -BC Mask
The intrusion of new heroines hasn't stopped yet. Next up is Yumi, surprising Ikaruga because Yumi is usually so serious. Yumi has taken on the role of a white rosette-wearing new heroine who is a product of a secret experimental research program. She is an ally of justice but her goal today is to expose KP Kamen's weak point: KP Kamen has a weak backstory that lacks detail. Ikaruga is taken aback by this. Yumi says that KP Kamen would barely work even as an old hero from the Shōwa Era in the '50s. Ikaruga hotly asks what's wrong with being traditional and Yumi says that that isn't really the point. They battle for supremacy, with KP Kamen emerging as the victor. Ikaruga haughtily reiterates that there's nothing wrong with Shōwa heroines.
"No matter how many challengers appear, justice is indestructible" -BC Mask
As night falls on the beach the wave of usurpers continues. Yomi appears as her established Cropped Bean Sprout Mask character, a glittering bastion of simple living and righteous poverty. She's brought Katsuragi and Murasaki with her this time. Katsuragi is playing as Sexual Haramen Man, a groper who wears a bowl of ramen noodles on her head. Murasaki is wearing a Bebeby half-mask and has adopted the role of Bebetan Man, an extragalatic heroine. Yomi declares that they are the new generation of heroines and that it's time for KP Kamen to leave the stage. A battle for heroic primacy follows, with KP Kamen defeating the three wannabes and saying that no matter how many challengers appear, none can defeat her.
"You've finally showed yourself, evil President Haru! Now, to eradicate eroticism!" -BC Mask
The last battle is against Haruka. She says that there have been enough petty squabbles tonight and that now it's time for KP Kamen to fight against her as President Haru. KP Kamen deduces that this new character is the mastermind behind the day's troubles. President Haru appears in her black military officer-style hat and proclaims an end to justice and the dawn of a new age of evil eroticism. Ikaruga asks what that means but Haruka just moans erotically in reply, embarrassing the straight-laced Hanzō girl. President Haru gloats that she's going to destroy the innocence of the children in the audience. KP Kamen swears that she will ever allow that to happen. She defeats President Haru and so ends her battles for the day.
To Ikaruga's surprise, President Haru gets up from the ground again saying that for the sake of eroticism she cannot allow herself to lose as the men in the crowd begin to chant her name. President Haru passionately cries out for more adulation and writhes around on the stage. The men in the crowd get even wilder. Worried that Haruka is going to steal the show, Ikaruga has the staff evacuate the children in the audience and then prepares her desperate last resort: getting almost naked on stage. This starts to win the crowd back to KP Kamen but President Haru smugly says that the real battle begins now, and strips off completely. The crowd's support begins to sway back towards Haruka. Aghast, Ikaruga realizes she has no choice and for the sake of KP Kamen's popularity she strips off entirely too. Evenly-matched again, they start to fight naked as the crowd goes wild. Ikaruga reflects that the show has turned into an erotic mess and that she's hardly any better than Haruka now.
Dual Shinobi Hearts[]
Stage Show[]
After finishing their 25-hour charity show starring their hero characters, BC Mask and Cropped Bean Sprout Mask, Ikaruga and Yomi find out that most of their audience were attracted to Minori and Murasaki's show that happens to be right next door to theirs.
She is shown alongside the other Hanzō girls attending a barbeque. During this their invitation to the Peach Beach Splash tournament suddenly strikes the grill Asuka was using.
Ikaruga wields her family's heirloom Nodachi sword called "Hien" as her prime weapon, and her Ninpos are based on the power of a phoenix. She is also incredibly fast and can close in on enemies in a heartbeat, but is fragile and can flinch to most attacks.
"Ikaruga is considered one of the fastest shinobi in the entire cast. Most of her stats are near average, with the exception of her low endurance. But her sword, Hien, has great range and can keep enemies away from her. She can also charge her Breach Art to attack long-range enemies. All of her Secret Ninja Arts only target what is in front, meaning her sides and back are unaffected. Her Ultimate Secret Ninja Art is especially hard to hit with, but deals incredible damage. The best way to use it is to knock the enemy down and create a bit of space first." -Estival Versus: Ikaruga's Battle Card
