This is a list of the absurdly awesome characters that make up the equally awesome series Hayate Cross Blade, by Hayashiya Shizuru.Please note that names have been listed with family names first.
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Sword Bearers
Kurogane Hayate
The titular protagonist, a simple-minded and reckless idiot. One of the most notable things about her fighting style is her incredible speed, and she claims to be a 3-dan in kendo. Many a Fan Nickname in the series actually started from, or are nicknames she gives to other characters. Has a heroic(?) alter ego(?) known as Famima Kamen.Voiced by Kurumi Mamiya.
Magnetic Hero: There is no character in the series better at making friends.
Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Hayate is this to Ayana, though the latter seems to be only vaguely aware.
New Transfer Student: This is useful in that the reader learns more about hoshitori together with her during exposition.
The Nicknamer: In most cases, anyone Hayate spends more than a panel with receives a nickname. Ayana is the only one she routinely calls by her actual name.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Maybe. Her schemes work much too often for it to be chance, so it's either that or author fiat.
Oblivious to Love: Does not seem to realize the extent of Chiharu's fondness for her.
Or My Name Isn't...: Backfires spectacularly because shouting out your name when you're pretending to be someone else is generally a bad idea.
Paper-Thin Disguise: She seems to excel at these, although, somewhat subverted when Yuho didnt recognize her in her duck outfit.
Plucky Girl: Most conflicts Hayate comes across are resolved by her absolute refusal to give up. Nagi's arrival is the only time her spirits are significantly dampened, and within the next two chapters she's regained her enthusiasm in spades.
Too Dumb to Fool: The A-Team tries to threaten her into leaving the school. This fails because of the assumption that Hayate understands how blackmail works well enough to respond "properly" to it.
Too Fast to Stop: Especially in early chapters, many attempts at spectacular feats of agility are thwarted by Hayate crashing into things. Such as the ground.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: A few of the characters, most notably Akira and Sae, have problems that can't be solved perfectly just by swinging swords around. Hayate wholeheartedly believes that they'll be fixed anyway.
Mudou Ayana
Though seemingly unparalleled in ability, Ayana starts out unwilling to take part in hoshitori battles due to guilt from having caused her previous partner injury out of her own conceit. After entering the partnership with Hayate, however, she still spends a good part of her appearances playing video games (usually dating sims) and beating up people that annoy her.
Berserk Button: She does not approve of some of Hayate and Jun's... antics.
Blind Without 'Em: Subverted, when it is revealed that her glasses are her Power Limiter. This could also be seen as an inversion as she can see pretty well without her glasses, but she's almost blind with them.
Megaton Punch: Ayana is not thrilled at the idea of partnering up with Hayate and often reminds her in rather violent ways. As their partnership progresses, she becomes more accepting, but still hits as hard.
Pet the Dog: When Nagi reminds Hayate that she's just a placeholder and tells her that all her stars as well as her partner now belong to her, Hayate understandably feels rather down so Ayana delivers a nice Get A Hold Of Yourself Man suplex.
Tsundere: Idiots worthy of thorough beatings or not, Ayana does, on occasion, display genuine affection for Jun and Hayate.
Unknown Rival: Only those that have some kind of special looks, or hang around her long enough, stay in Ayana's memory◊. She might even remember their name properly someday.
Ayana's roommate who acts like a extremely lecherous Cool Big Sis, and often gets beat up by Ayana for it (the lechery). Yet they are also very close, and she seems to know quite a bit about Ayana's past. Self-proclaimed oniwaban to Yuho, her Protectorate.She becomes the hoshitori's only one-woman team after she and Yuno fight Ayana and Hayate, bearing Yuno's Heaven sword as well as her own Earth sword.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: One of the more clearly nuts characters of the series. Also the only one participating in the hoshitori without a present partner. And winning.
Lovable Sex Maniac: Despite being a walking sexual harassment case, Jun is shown to be on friendly terms with quite a few characters, and pretty much whipped when it comes to Yuho.
Porn Stash: Presumably so large that she even forgot about the portion left in Yuho's room.
Yuri Fan: Jun spends an awful lot of time teasing Ayana when Hayate insists on pairing up with her in volume 1.
Shizuma Yuho
Having a weak constitution, Yuho was sickly to the point of being in and out of hospitalization for a large part of her childhood, even up to a year for a stretch. Despite that, she is skillful enough to have come up with her own style, and has the odd behavioral tic of doing thumbs-downs when thumbs-ups are expected.
Berserk Button: Calling her "princess" is asking to be responded with violence. Only one person does it, anyway.
Dance Battler: In a flashback she mentions that her invented technique is a mixture of Aikido and Nichibu dancing.
Definitely Just a Cold: Yuho tries to downplay her illness as much as possible around Jun. It's a bit of a hard sell when Jun's visiting her in the hospital.
Handicapped Badass: Yuho might be very sick, but she's the first person to beat Hayate in a fight.
Ill Girl: Partly subverted in that she's willing to head into action, despite the protests of her family.
Rebellious Princess: She doesn't have the patience to put up with acting as The Ojou her family treats her as.
Tsundere: See the example above, and note that her screen time with Jun is split roughly between hitting her, verbal abuse, and Crowning Moment of Heartwarming multiple times.
Weak, but Skilled: Makes up for her frail body by using martial arts-based techniques to flip her opponents around with a minimum of exertion on her part.
Hayate's Hot Blooded roommate in the same year and the embodiment of what happens when a Childhood Marriage Promise goes into lololand. Having entered Tenchi expecting to be shinyuu with Riona, she challenges Ouka with the intention of breaking them up, only to, as Hitsugi put it, win the battle but lose the war. She ends up with Isuzu, whom she calls "Wanko", instead. They later form a Four Girl Ensemble with Kiji and Michi, a group affectionately known to fans as the Momotaro-gumi.
Badass Normal: She has to be this to balance out her occult-powered partner.
The Berserker: Her "style" is to keep on swinging until she hits something.
First shown as a Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl who creeps the heck out of Momoka and those who see or hear about her because of her powerful supernatural abilities, which run in the family. Their eventual teamup comes with a forced makeover that shows her as being Beautiful All Along. She retains that interest in the occult though.
Insult Backfire: What it invariably looks like to others whenever Momoka talks about her, since Momoka is very blunt about how creepy and horrifying her partner's powers are. Wanko, however, takes this as high praise.
And that's just something we love about her, oddly.
Shrinking Violet: Before she and Momoka become partners, she has no friends and rarely speaks to anyone.
Strange Girl: Even after befriending her, no one in the main cast is quite sure how to react to some of the disturbing things that come out of her mouth.
Kijimiya Otoha
Isuzu's classmate who comes from a long line of shamans. A prideful person who stands out due to her often arrogant behavior. Drawn to Isuzu because of their similar backgrounds, she dissolved her pact with Michi to team up with Isuzu instead. They make up in a rather Slap-Slap-Kiss fashion.
Animal Theme Naming: The "pheasant" of the Momotaro-gumi. Sometimes used for insulting nicknames by Momoka.
Defeat Means Friendship: The story behind why her team and Kibi-Inugami sit together at mealtimes.
Dowsing Device: She attempted to use one to locate Hayate's lost orphan. It was dismissed as not being especially useful.
I Have the High Ground: She envisions an idealized version of this...before her fear of heights is revealed.
Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Granted, this only happened once, but it was enough to make Ayana remember Michi as "the girl who threw her sword".
Takami Sou
An upperclassman who is a good friend of Hayate's and, in modeling terms, on the same scale as the short protagonist. Her family has financial difficulties that she pays off with hoshitori earnings. Though she grudgingly took part in Mizuchi's schemes, she is still decent at heart.
Baguette Beatdown: Funnily enough, she and her partner both provide public services in this fashion—on different occasions.
An admirer of Ayana whose offers of partnership were repeatedly rejected, embittering her so much she turned against Ayana instead. In a convenient plot twist, she also happens to be the daughter of Smiley Finance's boss, ie. the company Hayate's orphanage owes money to. After trying and failing to sabotage Hayate's money-making efforts, she undergoes a Heel Face Turn and helps them out instead.
Disproportionate Retribution: Ayana doesn't want to be her partner. Ayana also doesn't know her name. Both are considered serious transgressions worthy of revenge.
Former shinyuu of Ayana, who dissolved their pact after a watershed duel left Yukari severely wounded by her own partner. Shown rising up the ranks in earlier volumes with her new partner Maki, she is eventually promoted to A-rank. Although almost always snarky and cold towards Ayana when interacting with her, signs point to Yukari still caring. Probably.
The Atoner: Having failed to protect Ayana before, she got the chance to be placed in the same situation again when challenging Meiko and Ensuu after being promoted.
Yukari's current shinyuu and head of the art club. Called a genius because of her capability to paint and fight with the same hand, she was however torn between the two, unable to reach her full capacity in either. After the battle against Ensuu and Meiko, she has started to hold her sword in her left hand.
Badass Bookworm: Or more accurately, badass artist. One art club member notes that her talent is the reason why she could be club president at her age.
Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant: Hints of this are dropped during the school festival, with her fatalistic view of what would happen during the duel against Ensuu and Meiko. Later chapters give us even more instances...
Nancy: (taunting) You'd look good covered in wounds!
Maki: (smile) I'd like to see that. Even if I [lists off a range of violent injuries]
Nancy: (flustered) Shut up already!
Satellite Character: At first, her claim to fame is being the partner of Ayana's ex-partner.
Spirited Competitor: The sheer joy◊ and◊ excitement◊ she shows at being able to fight the student council without having to fulfill any preset requirement says it all.
Ju Ensuu
The main reason behind Ayana and Yukari splitting up in the past. Has little qualms about causing major injury to her opponents, and even her own partner admits to being afraid of her sometimes. Her speech is usually rendered in either surprisingly grammatically accurate Mandarin, acknowledged by Hayashiya to have been translated by a colleague of her editor's friend; or, as is more often in recent appearances, in differently-outlined speech bubbles.
Beast: Ensuu has been called this plenty of times. It's like her title.
The Berserker: The most violent hoshitori participant.
Blood Knight: She's not in it for prestige or ranking, and is so obsessed with fighting her "same kind" Ayana that she throws all restrictions out the window when finally seeing the latter after a long wait.
Lightning Bruiser: Very, very fast, and more than capable of packing some heat.
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Her preferred method of fighting; if she gets serious, don't expect to walk out of the battle with only minor injuries.
Slasher Smile: She's very happy about getting to fight Ayana again.
Spell My Name with an S: Even the official translation seems a bit unsure of how to display her name.
Himuro Meiko
Ensuu's partner, who, like her, doesn't care for rank, money or Hitsugi's title. When given the opportunity to return to the student council, she turns it down, choosing to fight comers with Ensuu at their current rank. Claims to enjoy observing people.
Bilingual Backfire: Her musing (in Japanese) after the fight against the Someya/Kamijou pair is picked up by Ensuu, who responds to it in Mandarin. Meiko even asks aloud, "You understood that?"
First making an appearance (in person) during the events of Volume 8, the older Nagi has been the subject of Twin Switch with her sister on occasion. After being in rehabilitation for an unknown condition, she later enrolls as a student holding the Sword Scholarship as well.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Starting to look like this. In her first real chapter with extensive dialogue, she was nice and more or less out-going to Hayate and her friends, right up until she told Hayate that because the latter was only meant to be a stand-in, that she would be taking her rank, all of her stars, and her partner.
New Transfer Student: Hayate gets her new roommate to show her around, Nagi gets Shizuku. When one considers that Momoka was asked by Shizuku to accompany Hayate, Nagi probably got a better deal.
Scarf of Asskicking: Nagi might not be participating in the hoshitori just yet, but that hasn't stopped her from shredding through quite a few opponents. Always with her scarf looking awesome.
Shonen Hair: The easiest way to tell her apart from her twin is to look at how spiky their hair is.
Sibling Yin-Yang: It is not that difficult to tell the twins apart, actually.
Takarada Riona
A budding comedian and victim of Domestic Abuse. Recent appearances have associated her with little else aside those two traits, which is either hilarious or sad, depending on who you ask. This is accentuated with the contrast between that and the way she was introduced, which made her seem more of an Onee-sama with elements of Distressed Damsel.
Riona's partner who smacks her around at least as violently as Ayana does to Hayate, a sign that there is a Double Standard and that All Girls Want Bad Boys, if only for (Riona's perceived) comedic purposes.
Beleaguered Assistant: Her forced assistance with some of Riona's comedy routines can almost make you feel sorry for her.
Jerkass: Her first scene is the first moment in the series where an injury is not played for laughs.
Kick the Dog: She slaps her partner, she goes for making Momoka bleed instead of taking her star...
She got a bit more grateful when she realized Riona enjoyed the abuse, though.
Student Council
Amachi Hitsugi
The person behind the concept and implementation of hoshitori, and almost certainly the most powerful person in Tenchi Gakuen, both combat-wise and authority-wise. Has a strong fondness for the things that interest her. Her voice can become loud enough to make mics squeal horribly.Also, is completely insane.
Big Damn Heroes: During the sword bearers' hike in the woods, she steps in several times to play knight in shining armor to a few of the victims of unfortunate match-ups.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Everyone at Tenchi has their quirks, but Hitsugi stands as representative of the school's absolute pinnacle of eccentricities and talent.
Insane Troll Logic: "Basis? I've never once in my life bothered making decisions with any kind of basis!" (bonus points for shouting it all at the conclusion of a hammy moment, extra bonus points because it was a serious issue, extra extra bonus points because it was plot relevant.)
It Amused Me: The driving force behind most of her actions.
Hitsugi: Now then... Hoshikawa-san... Let us dance!
Screwy Squirrel: There are various instances of her messing with students for her own enjoyment, or sniggering to herself when watching others on camera.
Something about a Rose: Invoked with her usual dramatic flair when she visits Akira in the infirmary.
Student Council President: Coupled with her other positions, Hitsugi is placed at the pinnacle of the school hierarchy.
Hitsugi's shinyuu, and thus the one standing beside her in the shared position of that above all in Tenchi. She is the one responsible for ringing the bell that signals the start and end of hoshitori battles. An extreme Determinator who has trained beyond the realms of common sense.
Bare-Handed Blade Block: Unlike Hayate, Shizuku can catch someone's sword without doing herself harm.
Determinator: Her response when she gets sick is to lambast herself for the lack of effort that led to an immune system failure—her solution is to push herself so hard physically that her temperature goes up several degrees.
Dual Wielding: She is shown using Hitsugi's sheath as a weapon in their official duels.
Later on, readers also get to see her using two swords on the hike.
Hachimaki: Only seen without one when school isn't in session.
Hot Blooded: Sadly, the more cynical Tatewaki and Akira just think she's taking it too far.
Lightning Bruiser: Just as fast as Hayate, and strong enough to easily ring the hoshitori bell with her fist. Tatewaki's attempt to do the same left her with a sprained wrist.
Ojou of the reputable Mikado family, with a fixation on defeating Hitsugi. Because of complicated and not-really-elaborated-on reasons, if/when she defeats Hitsugi, Tenchi will "become hers" and the hoshitori system will be abolished.
Actor Allusion: Some think of this because Akira is voiced by Minagawa Junko, otherwise well-known for her role as Akira.
Aloof Ally: She only answers to Hayate's calls of "teacher" 3 volumes later.
Badass: Even with broken ribs, sparring with Akane doesn't cause her much difficulty. And she's one of the few students capable of fighting on the same level as Hitsugi.
Forgotten First Meeting: She thinks she met Sae at her family's annual foundation party. She's wrong.
Heir Club for Men: Her father dismisses her worth because she's a girl.
Heroes Love Dogs: Right after she decides not to turn Tenchi over to her father, she is shown to have a dog.
Hidden Eyes: Near the end of her confrontation with her father
Hope Spot: During her fight with Hitsugi. Sae has left the battlefield with Ryouichi, and both sides are pretty well drained. Akira has Hitsugi on her knees and strikes the final blow—but then, at the start of the next chapter, just as Akira's starting to appreciate her victory, her uniform turns black.
Iaijutsu Practitioner: Her sword-drawing is the most distinctive feature of her fighting style.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Akira might be one of the grouchiest characters in the whole series, but she still goes out of her way to help Hayate within a minute of meeting her.
Self-Made Man: Akira's family might be well off, but she's never seen the benefits of it, and everything she's credited with in the series was earned through her own efforts.
The Unfavorite: Her father refuses to acknowledge her because she's a girl.
“Well Done Son” Guy: She wants to conquer Tenchi largely for her father's approval. After her duel with Hitsugi, she realizes that he's not worth it.
Inori Sae
Akira's childhood friend and shinyuu, who apparently will be getting married to Akira's cousin Ryouichi after graduating from high school. A sharp character who calmly takes in and sees through the various intriguing affairs around the school.
Arranged Marriage: With Ryouichi. She's not too enthralled with the idea.
Hyper Awareness: Akira's introduction highlights her draw speed. Sae's highlights her ability to follow it. Very few things escape her eyes.
Hyperspace Mallet: Though not as huge as those commonly associated with the trope, a hammer in her hand is a hammer not to be messed with. Just ask Akira, who would have been severely damaged if the hammer in question had really come into contact with her (broken ribs).
Impossibly Cool Weapon: That sword of hers is hardly practical, but no one can deny its coolness.
Say It with Hearts: Hearts pop up in her speech bubbles more often than typical, and they are nearly always poking fun at whoever she happens to be speaking to at the time.
A former S-ranker who had wanted to take Hitsugi's place, and is said to have bribed her shinyuu Minori with food. Brilliant, but Lazy, she lives to oppose things like hard work and determination, preferring to prepare far in advance and master essentials instead.
Aloof Ally: Especially after volume 5's council battle.
Brains and Brawn: The brains of the Hoshikawa/Tsukishima duo. Not that it helped. At all.
Hard Work Hardly Works: She became part of the student council mostly because of her modified weapons and Minori, rather than any particular effort.
I Broke a Nail: Earlier appearances looked like they were paving the way for this trope to be invoked, as she is shown paying much attention to her nails, and was the one behind her class operating a nail salon in the school festival. Surprise! In the mountain hike arc, she is hardly troubled by her nails becoming dirty and ragged from roughing it out.
A kentaisei whose small size belies her great physical strength. Simple-minded and has difficulty when it comes to thinking about complex matters. She aims to build a campus made of candy after rising to the top.
Balloon Belly: She and Hayate both have a tendency to eat too much; putting them near each other during a barbeque was bound to end this way.
Sweet Tooth: All Minori seems to want out of the hoshitori is fun. And candy. Lots and lots of candy.
Shidou "Sid" Misako
Promoted to S-rank after the position was turned down by Ensuu and Meiko. A self-proclaimed punk that sees the Sex Pistols as her role models and whose English vocabulary seems to consist of slang, swear words and nothing else. Resents Akira for some inexplicable reason, though some theorize that it has to do with the latter's sorta-punkish image and their shared affinity for music.
Shout Out: The nickname "Nancy" comes from Nancy Sprungen.
Others
Kotake Rina
Leader of the hoshitori judges.
Badass Normal: She might not participate in duels, but she has no problem seeing exactly what's going on and twisting the arm of anyone who tries to interfere in a match.
Badass Normal: To an almost pitiful degree; Tatewaki is one of the few characters actually capable of following Hitsugi's impossibly fast movements... but she can't swordfight at all so there isn't much use she can put it to.
