Characters / Misu Misou

Haruka Nozaki

The protagonist of the story. She moved from Tokyo to the small backwater town of Ootsuma along with the rest of her family for her father's work.

• All of the Other Reindeer: Seems to be a target for everyone's ire for no other reason than because she transferred late into class from Tokyo. Her and Mitsuru getting closer also seems to be a sour point for Taeko. As it turns out, Taeko is resentful of Haruka, not because she was spending time with Mitsuru, but because Haruka was spending less time with her. This bonding time that was cut short could have been spent getting Taeko's foot in the door for her dream as a Tokyo hair stylist, and so the bullying followed from the building resentment.
• Bully Hunter: Becomes one of the most brutal examples in manga, and seemingly without any calculated planning or strategy on her part.
• The Dog Bites Back: Once her parents are killed to arson, All the cruelty she's faced in the first act of the story is turned back on the majority of her bullies physically and fatally in the second and third act.
• Dumb Struck: Losing her parents to arson renders her mute until Mitsuru reaches out to comfort her in volume two.
• Meaningful Name: Her name is spelled with kanji that stands for "spring flower".
• Nice Girl: Starts the story as your average, friendly transfer student from the city. This doesn't last.
• Relative Button: For a teen, Haruka is quite close to her own family. Its no wonder her timid nature completely drops once her parents die to arson.

Shouko Nozaki

Haruka's little sister, a 3rd grader.

• Cheerful Child: Despite having faced her share of bullying in Tokyo, she's quite the chipper child around her sister.
• It Was a Gift: Shouko gives Haruka a pendant with a three leaf clover pressed into it. Despite Shouko feeling disappointed that she didn't find a four leaf clover, Haruka loves it all the same. This becomes a Tragic Keepsake thanks to the arson incident, and Haruka reflects upon it at different points of the story.

Michio Nozaki

Haruka and Shouko's grandfather, who becomes their legal guardian after Haruka's parents die to arson.

• Adults Are Useless: Is well aware there's very little he can do to aid Haruka and has a vague idea that there's something she's not telling him to keep him from worrying about her.

Mitsuru Aiba

Haruka's sole friend in class and love interest, who transferred to Ootsuma middle school from Sendai. He loves photography.

• Declaration of Protection: To Haruka in the second act. This takes a dark turn in the transition to act three as its said another two times while Mitsuru is physically beating the women in his life. Once in a flashback with his mother, the second towards Haruka.
• Living Emotional Crutch: Haruka admits Mitsuru's presence has kept things from becoming too drastic for her.
• Real Men Wear Pink: "What, are you laughing at a man that finds enjoyment in flowers?"
• Would Hit a Girl: An attitude learned from his father, who would beat his wife over the most petty issues. Rather than express thanks for driving his own father out of the house, Mitsuru's mother lashed out, causing him to view and adopt the wife beating as Necessarily Evil to supplement her co-dependency. He ends up using this attitude to beat the crap out of his grandmother, Rumi, and even Haruka.

Taeko Oguro

The resident Alpha Bitch in Haruka's class. She's the one who's greenlit the vast majority of Haruka and Rumi's torment.

• Alpha Bitch: Everyone in class seems to be at Taeko's beck and call, as they all grew up in Ootsuma. It's revealed Taeko is much less proud of this than she appears. See Surrounded by Idiots below.
• Easily Forgiven: Taeko certainly thought so. Haruka maintains that she knew Taeko was a good person deep down just from her seeking Haruka out for a heart to heart talk, leaving Taeko still conflicted. Once Haruka bids her farewell and asks her to keep her chin up as she lives on, Taeko tearfully throws herself to her knees begging Haruka for forgiveness.
• Even Evil Has Standards: As cruel as she is, Taeko decided not to have any involvement in the arson at the Nozaki's, dismissing all talk of it as a bluff and idle threat. Being faced with Rumi proudly taking credit for it happening causes Taeko to lash out at her violently. Taeko distances herself and even outright ignores her loyal following from that point on.
• Grass is Greener: Desperately wants out of Ootsuma against her parents wishes, with the aspirations of becoming a beautician in Tokyo.
• Heel Realization: It takes some sleepless nights for Taeko to realize the arson at Haruka's house would never have happened had she stopped planting the seeds of hate in everyone towards Haruka.
• Surrounded by Idiots: It turns out Taeko never quite had a high opinion of her circle of friends, feeling annoyed at being latched onto as some kind of leader, and only taking the role of Alpha Bitch as a way to unwind from having to grow up in Ootsuma. Once she hears of the arson, she decides to distance herself from her circle, even disregarding the rising number of missing students as none of her concern.
• We Used to Be Friends: actually hit it off pretty well with Haruka when she first transferred over, even if it was perhaps for the ulterior motive of having her help put her foot in the door once she makes the move to Tokyo.

Rumi Sayama

The designated bullying victim of Taeko and her group when Haruka isn't around.

• Beady-Eyed Loser: Drawn sanpaku eyed, with a constant anxious look about her.
• From Nobody to Nightmare: Starts the story off as one of Taeko's chew toys. She then orchestrates the arson incident at Nozaki's house, whipping up the rest of the class up into the frenzy that gets them killed by Haruka.
  • Who's Laughing Now?: Disparages Taeko and the rest of her Girl Posse as paper tigers once she works up the nerve to kill Taeko herself after her concerns over Haruka's rampage are dismissed as none of Taeko's business.
• Stockholm Syndrome: Despite all the bullying she's gone through thanks to Taeko, she's become fixated on earning her approval.

Yoshie Tachibana

One of Taeko's underlings. Her bullying is much more brazen and physical compared to the rest of the class.

• Black Eyes of Crazy: Her sclera is drawn darker and duller compared to the rest of the class in what seems to be a sinister Thousand-Yard Stare.
• Domestic Abuse: Her alcoholic parents fly into a rage if all she manages to secure at the convenience store is sparkling wine.

Risako Katou

A part of Taeko's Girl Posse, she's always accompanying Yuri and takes orders from Yoshie.

• Beta Bitch: Along with Yuri, she is at best a nervous, cowardly underling that goes along with Taeko and Yoshie's pranks and misdeeds in order to fit in.
• I Want My Mommy!: Dies pleading for her mother.
• The Stool Pigeon: Immediately rats out Kuga for his involvement in the arson once Haruka violently snaps.

Yuri Mishima

A member of Taeko's Girl Posse, she's always seen with Risako and takes orders from Yoshie.

• Beta Bitch: Along with Risako , she is at best a nervous, cowardly underling that goes along with Taeko and Yoshie's pranks and misdeeds in order to fit in.
• Dirty Coward: Immediately tries to ditch Risako to escape the garbage dump they led Haruka into once Haruka bludgeons Yoshie to death with a lead pipe.

Hidetoshi Kuga

A bully in Haruka's class, who prefers to do especially cruel pranks to do his bullying.

• All Love Is Unrequited: Was hoping to start dating Taeko, who's shown no interest ever since Haruka transferred to class.
• Delinquent Hair: Had Taeko dye his hair.

Hiroaki Mamiya

A bully who's often seen torturing animals to death with Tsutomo,

• The Straight and Arrow Path: Uses a crossbow as his weapon.
• Nothing Exciting Ever Happens Here: Discussed with Hiroaki as their reason why they do what they do to entertain themselves.

Tsutomo Ikegawa

A heavyset bully who's often seen torturing animals to death with Hiroaki.

• Abhorrent Admirer: Invoked by himself by way of labeling Haruka as unattainable goods the instant she transfers to class and deludes himself into thinking she rejected him when he never let his feelings be known in the first place.
• Nothing Exciting Ever Happens Here: Discussed with Tsutomo as their reason why they do what they do to entertain themselves.

Ms. Kyouko Minami

The homeroom teacher for Haruka's class.

• Sensei-chan: an especially dark take, as her relationship with her student is ridiculously unprofessional. Not only does she allow her students to address her by her first name, she makes no effort to maintain any authority and instead tries to present herself as a friend to some of the nastiest students in class. Absolutely no one takes her seriously.
• Stress Vomit: Anything that resembles her own traumatic time in middle school causes her to vomit. Even the sound of snickering, heckling children will set her off.