Hinako Shijo

Hinako Shijou is an original character who was first introduced as a member of the Woman Fighters Team in The King of Fighters 2000.

She is voiced by Ayako Kawasumi.

Development
She was originally modeled after manga title character, Jarinko Chie, who is a brash young woman that fights with sumo moves. After designer's protests, her character was radically changed to instead be a naive but warm-hearted high school girl in nobility. She was intended to fight barefoot, but the idea was scrapped. The tape remaining on her fingers is a tiny remnant of her original concept.

She is also a character who became less popular than expected, perhaps due to the lack of female sumo wrestlers at the time.

Story
Hinako attends in an all-girl school and grew to value sumo's techniques after watching a professional match. Hoping to practice along with her classmates, she tries to create a female sumo club at her school but the idea fails to gain support. Once she hears about the Women Team auditioning for a member, Hinako enters and succeeds in proving her worth by defeating Yuri Sakazaki in a mock match. She continues to appear for their team until The King of Fighters 2003 where she was asked to team with Athena Asamiya and Malin to form the "High School Girl" Team.

Personality
Hinako is a kind girl who wishes to prove that girls can also practice sumo. She is somewhat shy, but also a very loyal friend. Although her blond hair and facial features indicate her Russian descent, nonetheless she considers herself to be purely Japanese.

Abilities

 * Ignore Weight - For a girl of her size, she can lift, push and throw men as big and heavy as Maxima, Goro Daimon or Chang Koehan, much like Shermie.

Fighting style
Hinako fights with sumo wrestling. Her fighting style surrounds around takedowns, throws, slaps and even headbutts. All of her moves are named after real sumo moves.

Music

 * Come Up Smiling - The King of Fighters 2000
 * The Queen of Fighters - The King of Fighters 2001
 * You Feel For Me - The King of Fighters 2003
 * SHINING・BRAVE! - The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * Hinako Roulette - The King of Fighters 2

Appearances
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Mainline

 * The King of Fighters 2000
 * The King of Fighters 2001
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
 * The King of Fighters 2 - roulette

Mobile

 * SNK Gals Rhythm Combo Yudanshinaide!
 * SNK Gals Island Astro Quest Hoshi☆wa Nigashimasen!
 * The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * The King of Fighters All Star

Cameo
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 * The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise - in Data Select screen
 * The King of Fighters XI - background in Esaka stage (PS2 only)
 * The King of Fighters XIII - in Japan stage, mentioned in Team Women Fighters' story and cameo in their ending
 * The King of Fighters XIV - in Team Women Fighters ending
 * The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2 - as Lilly Kane's Normal Outfit-Variation G
 * Dead or Alive 5 Last Round - as a DLC costume for Honoka and Marie Rose

Trivia

 * Hinako makes a cameo appearance in the Data Select screen of The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise. The game was released approximately two weeks before The King of Fighters 2000, making this her very first appearance.