Rimururu

Rimururu is a Samurai Shodown series character who has since become one of the most popular characters in the series. She appears in many of the series's merchandise, and even has her own character image CD.

Development
Her prototype design in Samurai Shodown II was formerly a scrapped concept for one of the heroines from another SNK game, Robo Army.

Story
Referred to as a priestess of the Ainu religion, she greatly admires her older sister Nakoruru, and like her, strives to protect nature. In her ending to Samurai Shodown V, it is revealed to players that Nakoruru adopts her at a young age. Although she is still training and not as adept as her sister at fighting, she repels evil from the forest for her elder sister. When her sister departs, Rimururu often follows her in hopes of offering assistance. In Samurai Shodown III, she somewhat misread the evil presence in the land to be Amakusa and pursed him. Nakoruru originally forbids her younger sister's attempts to be a priestess but relents once she recognizes Rimururu's resolve.

In Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage, Rimururu is a "Maiden of Light" like her sister. She was imprisoned by Oboro twenty years ago and cannot awaken to help her sister. The players need to rescue Rimururu for Nakoruru. When the sisters unite, they seal Oboro and his weaponry after his defeat.

Her resolve as priestess is shaken in Samurai Shodown Sen as she can't hear Nature's voice anymore. Determined to not make her sister worry, Rimururu leaves her home with hopes to find the reasoning on her own.

Nakoruru ADV
Before the events of the game occur, she left her home on a year-long training journey with hopes to be stronger for her sister. When she returns, she spots Mikato and disapproves of the girl's presence. She eventually accepts Mikato to not upset her sister. Since then, Rimururu usually drags the girl along for her village pranks and other acts of mischief, and she also acts as another mentor for Mikato by pridefully informing her of various village traditions. When Mizuki attacks the village, she pleads to join her sister in defending it. However, Nakoruru tells her to remain in the village to protect their home and Rimururu reluctantly obeys. In the game's epilogue, she seems to leave on another adventure.

Personality
Rimururu idolizes her sister and wants to be like her every way possible. Just like any teenager, Rimururu is cheerful and is always seen smiling. Although she always offers to help her sister, she is often left in the dark about her sister's personal problems.

Powers

 * Ice Spirit Control - Rimururu can summon and control the ice spirit, Konril (Konru).
 * Ice Shield - Rimururu can create a shield of ice to reflect projectiles. It can also emit a spike of ice afterwards.
 * Ice Crystal - Rimururu can create crystals of ice on her weapon to increase her attack range. She can also summon multiple spikes at once to attack her foe.
 * Ice Flower - Rimururu can throw a chunk of ice, which turns into an image of a flower when it lands. She can also create a rising version of the said flower to catch jumping opponents.
 * Ice Pedestal - Rimururu can create a momentary block of ice during her jumps, giving her the ability to make a staggered double jump. The pedestal can also damage her enemies.
 * Ice Boulder - Rimururu can create a boulder of ice to throw at her opponents.
 * Ice Hammer - Rimururu can create a giant mallet of ice to smash her opponents.
 * Ice Geyser - Rimururu can materialize a large spike to shoot from the ground.

Fighting Style
With her ice spirit Konru, sometimes translated as "Konril", she has the ability to freeze her foes. Her normal attacks are similar to her sister with some modifications in execution. Unlike her sister, many of her moves are short range, giving her a narrower range of efficiency than her sister. However, this may not be a disadvantage as the swiftness in most of her moves make up for it. Like her sister, she may also reflect projectiles with proper timing. In Samurai Shodown 64-2, her Slash form relies more on Konru, making her playing style more defensive. Her Bust form, however, is more aggressive and the more close-ranged of the two.

While Konru is absent from Samurai Shodown Sen, Rimururu is still able to use her ice powers.

From Samurai Shodown V Special onwards, Rimururu, along with elder sister Nakoruru can be fatalitied which is something players could not do in previous 2D Samurai Shodown titles. This feature is also available in Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage and later titles. Of note in SSVSP, Rimururu sheds tears as she is sliced up.

Music

 * Kokoro no Kagami (Heart's Mirror) - Samurai Shodown III, V
 * Kokoro no Kagami -So no ni - Samurai Shodown IV
 * Banquet Invitation - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
 * Silken Snow - Samurai Shodown 64
 * Snow - Samurai Shodown 64-2
 * Awakening - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Purification - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Odori Mauo Yuki - Nakoruru ADV
 * Sayuki ~ Ranman no Yuki - Nakoruru ADV
 * The Light of Snow - Samurai Shodown (2019)

Image Songs

 * Afereru Omoi ~Kori no Yosei~ (Feelings Overflowing ~ Fairy of Ice) - 1996 Image Song
 * With a Smiling Face... - 1998 Image Song
 * Kokoro wo Tsunaide - Duet Image Song with Nakoruru
 * Heavy Baby's 2 - Neo Geo DJ Station shared image song

Voice Actors

 * Tomo Sakurai - Samurai Shodown III
 * Megumi Matsumoto - Samurai Shodown IV, Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
 * Kyōko Hikami - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden drama CD
 * Keiko Kamitani - 64 series, Warriors Rage, Nakoruru ~Ano hito kara no okurimono~
 * Hitomi Nabatame - Samurai Shodown V, Sen, Samurai Shodown VI (re-dub voice)
 * Rie Kugimiya - Samurai Shodown VI
 * Emiri Katō - Samurai Spirits Oni
 * Yūko Ōno - Samurai Shodown (2019), The King of Fighters: All Star

Live Action Actors

 * Megumi Matsumoto - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden commercials (image character)

Games

 * Samurai Shodown III
 * Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
 * Samurai Shodown IV
 * Samurai Shodown!
 * Samurai Shodown! 2
 * Samurai Shodown 64
 * Samurai Shodown 64-2 - players will not meet her Bust form as a CPU opponent
 * SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - as unplayable Olympic mode character
 * Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage - as unplayable story character; also appears in the game's gallery mode
 * Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara no Okurimono
 * Samurai Shodown V
 * Samurai Shodown V Special
 * Samurai Shodown V Perfect
 * Samurai Shodown VI
 * Samurai Shodown Sen
 * Samurai Spirits Oni
 * Samurai Shodown (2019) - DLC character (also in Retro 3D graphics)

Mobile

 * Days of Memories (third, seventh, eighth and ninth titles) - unplayable
 * SNK Gals Rhythm Combo Yudanshinaide!
 * SNK Gals Island Bombom Super Bara Q Jitai desu!
 * SNK Dream Battle
 * SNK High School Collection
 * KOF x Fatal Fury
 * Samurai Shodown Online
 * Kingdom Story
 * Kimi wa Hero
 * Samurai Shodown: Oborozuki Densetsu
 * Samurai Shodown Tenkadaiichi Kenkakuden
 * Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians
 * The King of Fighters: All Star
 * SNK Fighting Age
 * Puzzle & Dragons

Cameos

 * Capcom vs SNK - passing mention by Nakoruru
 * Samurai Shodown II - in Nakoruru's stage and ending
 * Maid by Iroha
 * SNK Gals' Fighters - during Nakoruru's ending
 * Samurai Spirits Gaiden: Cham Cham
 * Samurai Spirits (pachinko)
 * The King of Fighters (pachinko)
 * Nariyuki Quest
 * The King of Fighters: A New Beginning - appears as a "Samurai Spirit" in the climax
 * SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy - in Nakoruru's ending; Shermie also refers to Nakoruru as Rimururu by mistake in their prologue and boss scene
 * Samurai Shodown (2019) - in Nakoruru's ending

Anime

 * Nakoruru ~Ano hito kara no okurimono~ (OVA)
 * Samurai Spirits 2: Asura-Zanmaden (OVA)

Trivia

 * Rimururu was originally known as Rimnerel in some early English translations.
 * All of Rimururu moves are written in the Ainu language.
 * According to the creators' commentary for Samurai Shodown V, she is one of the main programmer's favorite characters.
 * In the Neo Geo Freak's 1997 Volume 8 character poll, she was voted as the twelfth favourite character with a total of 840 votes. And in Neo Geo Freak's August 1998 issue, she was ranked as the 8th best character.

Cards