Hotohori

On request of Emperor Saihitei, it is my duty to inform you that Hotohori is the most beautiful of all the Suzaku shichiseishi.
Not that you needed to be told, of course.

Profile:
Full Real Name: Seishuku Saihitei
Age and Birthdate: 18 (Although I have been told that he was 20), April 2
Birthplace: Palace area in Eiyou, the capital of Konan country
Family: 2 older and one younger brother, 2 younger sisters
Seishi name: Hotohori
Seishi Character: The kanji for "Star", appearing on the left side of his neck
Seishi Ability: Swordsmanship, possibly some telekinesis
First Appears in: Episode 2 of anime
Height: 182 cm --> 5'11"
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel

Personality:
From Tasuki no Miko's manga translations, here's what Watase Yuu had to say about Hotohori:
"It seems you don't know what he's thinking but he is really a gentle, peace loving person. Being the head of the country, he was raised among adults so it's probably only natural that he acts older than his age. A lonely person who was trained so that when he takes the throne as Emperor he becomes cool and majestic. That's why. Doesn't think he was loved by his father, the previous Emperor, or his mother. Because he's strongly captivated by Miaka's cheerfulness, he spontaneously returns to a boy when in front of her. His biggest fault or strong point would be his narcissism. Because of how he was raised he can also be ignorant of the world."

My own thoughts:
I think Hotohori is amazingly well-adjusted considering the fact that a) he doesn't believe that his parents loved him, b) being crown prince and later emperor (at the age of 14!) made for a very lonely, isolated and sheltered life -- hardly the ingredients for a healthy upbringing, and c) he's been in love for some 10 years with a girl who was lost to him almost as soon as she materialized. If only Miaka had managed to meet Hotohori first, she might have very well fallen for him instead of Tamahome, and the young Emperor's dreams would have come true. But alas, it was not meant to be. Poor Hotohori! *Mystery Freak smiles at him lovingly*

At the beginning of the series, when we first meet Hotohori, he comes across as very narcissistic. His (infamous line, "I'm so beautiful it's scary," sums up this side of him very well. Let's face it. Hotohori is beautiful no matter how you look at it. His beauty is almost feminine, though he's not effeminate. And further, he knows it. Particularly as emperor, I doubt that he's been spared the frequent compliment throughout his life. So he's a little fond of himself.

Feminine Beauty?
At times Hotohori is mistaken for a woman due to his beautiful and somewhat feminine features. He has never intentionally masqueraded as a woman for any purpose -- though he may not be up front about being male when his identity is mistaken ^_~. He seems to take it in stride as a "side-effect," if you will, of being so gorgeous. It doesn't matter to him whether you think he's a male or female, just as long as you acknowledge that he's the most beautiful person you've ever seen! However, as the series progresses and Hotohori begins to take on his role as a Suzaku shichiseishi more fully, another side of Kotei-Heika begins to surface. Hotohori reveals just how cramped and isolated he has been all his life within the palace walls. He has always longed to be able to sit and watch a sunrise, to breathe fresh mountain air, and of course, to hold the one he loves in his arms -- without the stress and tension that beeing the ruler of a nation carries. He is fortunate enough to experience some of that as he travels with Miaka and the others in their search for the remaining shichiseishi. And as he has these experiences, the narcissistic "Emperor" begins to fade away and we see a much more likeable, open Hotohori. Of course I agree with what Watase-sensei wrote about Hotohori being gentle (see above); however, I think that his gentleness betrays the fact that at some point something's gotta give. When someone or something he cares about is threatened (i.e. Miaka), Hotohori will become fearless, reckless, and downright *dangerous*. He will fight to the death for the ones he loves if necessary. And kick bootie while he's at it, might I add. Also, since he's a devoted servant of Suzaku, the god helps him achieve his goals on more than one occasion -- because when Hotohori prays for help, you know that Suzaku's going to come through for him. It's only a shame that later in the series Hotohori is forced to return to the palace and remain there in his role as the Emperor. As a result we don't get to see him as much in the second half of the series. Still, the transformation has been made and cannot be reversed. Hotohori's life was forever bettered due to his role as one of the shichiseishi of Suzaku.

In short, Hotohori is a character I very much respect out of the Suzaku Seven. Not only is he beautiful, intelligent, kind, and skilled, but he's got a very honorable personality as well. He didn't quite make it into my top 2, but it's close. And he holds a special place in my heart.

A interesting quote: "You touched Suzaku no Miko. That deserves death."

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Last updated 03/0\17/03

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