Nakoruru

Nakoruru (Japanese: ナコルル) is a character in the Samurai Shodown series of fighting games.

She is a young girl dressed in clothing that looks like Ainu traditional clothes. The basic colors of her clothes are white and red. She fights with a kodachi named Chichiushi and a hawk named Mamahaha assists her in her Slash version. She also has a wolf named Shikuru who also assists her when in Bust and Rera versions. The original idea of her came from the indigenous Ainu people of Hokkaidō, Japan, who are analogous in Japan to the Native Americans in the United States. As the Japanese perceive the Ainu as living closer to nature, Nakoruru's role in the game is of a defender of Mother Nature; in some material Nakoruru has been referred to as a priestess of the Ainu religion.

Aside from the main series, Nakoruru also has several figurines made in her image from various game appearances and is a featured character in several of the series' drama CDs. She stars in her own character image CD and is also a member in SNK's character image band, Band of Fighters. She is also a common mascot for SNK's social action programs for children and nature awareness campaigns, sometimes being paired with Terry Bogard for such events.

Story
Nakoruru was born in October 11, 1771, in a place called Ainu Moshiri Kamui Kotan (Meaning "Ainu Territory Kamui Village" in Ainu), located somewhere in Hokkaidō. She lived in there alongside her grandparent Sanoku, her grandmother Monashiri and her little sister Rimururu.

Samurai Shodown
In Summer of 1788, Plagues of unknown origin, strange phenomena and repeated outbreaks of war disturbed the flow of Nature. Trying to find the cause of all this, Nakoruru, as a Kamui warrior, set out with Mamahaha. After finding out the culprit, she fought alongside Haohmaru and helped him defeat Shiro Tokisada Amakusa.

Samurai Shodown II
During the late winter of 1789, she could not hear the voices of nature and this worried her. She found out then that the spirits of nature were sucked in the Makai (demon world) and she set out to bring nature to balance. She then fought on alongside Haohmaru again and defeated Mizuki but, even after his defeat, nature's balance was still not achieved. She died in the end of 1789 at the age of 18, while giving away her life to bring balance to nature. She then became a Spirit of Nature and the new Kamui of Kamui Kotan.

Samurai Shodown III
During Fall of 1788, Nakoruru felt the twisted energy of a man and thought of going to find him so she could save him. She could not do it as Shizumaru killed him before she had found him.



Samurai Shodown V
Some day in 1786, when she was 15, she and Rimururu were playing in the forest when Mahaha flew in, holding her father's sword. Sensing her father was in trouble, she apologized to Rimururu and ran off (though, Rimururu did not hear her, as she was busy playing with Konrill). Upon reaching Hinowa, Nakoruru tells Gaoh that his war is hurting the planet but Gaoh tells her that he will build a new country and that he has to kill her. Upon defeating Gaoh, Kamui, the Spirit of Nature, appeared to her, asking Nakoruru to be her successor. Kamui also told her that her father was the last Ainu fighter and that he gave his life to her. Nakoruru, devastated by the news of her father, asked what would happen if she declined and Kamui told her she would ask another maiden to be her successor. Nakoruru then accepted and became the new Kamui warrior of Kamui Kotan.

Samurai Shodown 64
During 1790, Nakoruru, as the new Kamui of Kamui Kotan, was resting peacefully. She was awakened when she felt a new evil in the world and had to take human form to fight the demons sent by Yuga. Then, alongside with Rimururu and Haohmaru, they destroyed Yuga's physical body, although, Nakoruru could not save Kamui Kotan. She went then into a long sleep again in order to restore Kamui Kotan.

Samurai Shodown Warriors Rage


Wanting to be even closer to nature, Nakoruru transcends even further and becomes one with the sprits of nature, melding her own soul with Gaia to become a Divine Spirit in nature's service. Now as The holy spirit who transcends time, she travels across space and time to prevent the disasters of the world from occurring. However, she is stopped in her quest by a magical spell cast by Jigen Taishi in Ritenkyo. This leaves Nakoruru unable to assume her original form, and she can only battle evil through the strength of her fellow forest sprits.

Now weakened, she knows she must stop Oboro's evil plan, but cannot without the Maiden of Light Rimururu, who has been sealed by Oboro. She sets out on a quest to free her sister and together combine their powers to defeat evil.

Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny
Rimururu, fearing that Nature's voice had abandoned her, runs away from Kamui Kotan. She follows the runaway Rimururu, hoping to protect her younger sister from the danger that she sensed. She also left her home to tell Rimururu the reason why she is in her current predicament.

Personality
Nakoruru is calm and gentle. She seems to be shy toward people. She is also maternal, chiding her sister as she would a child. She believes that Nature can be protected without killing others and often vies for non-violent solutions if she thinks it's possible.

Powers

 * Energy Slash: Nakoruru's weapon can be fueled with ki energy.
 * Reflector - With the power of her cloak, Nakoruru can reflect a projectile back to its sender.
 * Healing: With the power of nature, Nakoruru can heal wounds.

Fighting Style
She fights with the fighting arts of the Ainu people. She fights with a kodachi, and, depending on the form, a hawk named Mamahaha (in Slash) or a wolf named Shikuru (in Bust form and later Rera). To compensate for her short weapon range, players must rely on her speed to punish her opponents' mistakes. She can also recover from her moves a little quicker than other characters, making it easier for her to hit-and-run during fights. To balance her out with the rest of the cast, her attack strength is slightly weaker than most fighters. Her move set usually incorporates slightly longer ranged attacks that project her or her animal companions to her foes so her attack range isn't limited to her sword. She can also reflect projectiles with the move, Kamui Ryusei.

Music

 * Shizen no Utage (Nature Party) - Samurai Shodown, V, Warriors Rage
 * Shizen no Utage -Haru- - Samurai Shodown II
 * Shizen no Ibuki - Samurai Shodown III
 * Sizen no Utage -So no ni - Samurai Shodown IV
 * Banquet Invitation - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
 * Koe o Kikasaete... - Neo Geo DJ Station Image Song
 * Four Seasons - Samurai Shodown 64
 * Wind - Samurai Shodown 64-2
 * Forest Spirit - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Banquet of Nature - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Purification - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Kokoro wo Tsunaide - Duet Image Song with Rimururu
 * Summer is Gone, Winter is Here - Samurai Remix VA

Game Appearances



 * Capcom vs SNK
 * Capcom vs SNK Pro
 * Capcom vs SNK 2
 * SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
 * SNK Gals' Fighters
 * Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara no Okurimono
 * Nakoruru Pocket Game - Pocket Station game that came with Warriors Rage
 * Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
 * The King of Fighters 2000 - As a Striker for Yuri
 * Samurai Shodown
 * Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden
 * Samurai Shodown II
 * Samurai Shodown III
 * Samurai Shodown IV
 * Samurai Shodown V
 * Samurai Shodown V Special
 * Samurai Shodown VI
 * Samurai Shodown 64
 * Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage
 * Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage - as unplayable story character
 * Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny

Anime Appearances

 * Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture
 * Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture
 * Nakoruru ~Ano hito kara no okurimono~ (OVA)
 * Samurai Spirits 2: Asura-Zanmaden (OVA)

Similar Characters

 * Rera