Miyafuji Yoshika

Miyafuji Yoshika (宮藤芳佳) is a witch of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, originating from Fuso. She is sometimes referred to by the pet names such as "Little child" (ちびっ子 chibikko) and "Rug rat" (豆藤 Mamefuji).

Background

The only daughter of Miyafuji Ichiro, a researcher renowned as the "Father of Striker Units". Her mother Sayaka and grandmother Akimoto Yoshiko retain a high magic power even after exceeding their 20s, which makes them an extremely uncommon family lineage. Her grandmother has served in the military and treated a critically ill patient in an instant, and was even able to treat about a hundred peoples. Her cousin Yamakawa Michiko does not have a single drop of magic power, but she is Yoshika's closest friend, and the two have been classmates since childhood.

Raised in a mountain village, Yoshika was mostly ignorant about the world's affairs. For the future, she just decided to inherit the medical clinic run by her grandmother without thinking about other alternatives at all. She hates when people get hurt and has strong feelings of wanting to protect others. The thought of inheriting the clinic also originates from this. As a country-bred, she was somewhat incapable of settling down when going to the city. Yoshika had limited knowledge about Witches and actually could not understand the admiration that other girls have towards them as well. This also stems in part from the fact that she never saw the propaganda film "Flash of the Fuso Sea", which caused many Fuso girls to admire the Witches.

Before enlisting in the 501st JFW, she was a second-year student at the Yokosuka 4th Girls-only Middle School, where her grades were average among the students. After the disband of the 501st JFW due to the liberation of Gallia, she resumed her studies and graduated from middle school.

She was personally scouted by Squadron Leader Sakamoto, who had temporarily returned to Fuso for the sake of supplies. At first, Yoshika did not hide her negative feelings towards Sakamoto for being a soldier, nor she had any intention of joining the military. But upon receiving a letter from the father she heard was dead, she went to the Yokosuka base in order to ascertain the truth, and little by little ended up embarking in the aircraft carrier Akagi that was going towards Europe. Incidentally, she didn't know anything about her father's work until being told by Sakamoto.

Despite her meager knowledge of magic and having no flight training, Yoshika successfully made her maiden flight during actual combat.

She has been helping with housework since she was on the aircraft carrier Akagi for the first time, and even after joining the 501st, she seems to have been helping if she was available at the time of boarding. Due to the friendliness and protection of Akagi, she was very popular with soldiers of the Fuso Imperial Navy, and she even received a love letter at one occasion.

The type whose body moves faster than the mind, she often acts without thinking of the consequences, especially in order to help others. Yoshika's desire to help others is strong, and she tries her best to be of use to those around her, but there are many occasions in which she is unable to read the feelings of others, mostly due to a wrong idea or wrong impression of them. Under the impression that it might be possible to reconcile with the Neuroi, she attempted to communicate with a human-type Neuroi, resulting in Major Sakamoto being shot down and being gravely injured. Due to her stubborn personality, she decided to escape from her confinement to quarters and deserted to once again attempt communication with the Neuroi. This caused the interference of Air Chief Marshal Maloney's party and began the crisis where the 501st JFW risked being dissolved. While often disregarding orders or her own safety, her intuition is usually correct, as her desertion and involvement of Marshal Maloney did lead to the eventual discovery of Maloney's redirection of the 501st's budget, and the destruction of the Warlock project.

She destroyed the large core of the Neuroi Nest that fused with the aircraft carrier "Akagi" thanks to the cleverness of running her own Striker Unit into it.

After the disband of the 501st JFW, Yoshika returned home, where she was seemingly treated as part of the military reserve force. However, although she herself was unaware of the truth, Yoshika had actually been dishonorably discharged after her meritorious war service was weighted against the series of military laws violations caused by contacting the Neuroi. Even after her retirement, she continued to supply the Yokosuka Base with things such as home-made pastries and became popular with the maintenance crew because of that.

In spite of the blank of half a year since retiring from the military, she piloted a Striker Unit and caught up with a Large-sized Type-2 that took flight from the Yokosuka Base.

At one point, the currently existing Type 0 Striker Unit became incapable of bearing her magic power, which caused it to automatically engage its limiter and go in disorder. Later, she almost perfectly mastered the Shinden - a prototype of a new model of Striker Unit whose test-flight was not even done - in its maiden flight. Then, out of anger from her friend (Warrant Officer Bishop) being hurt, she freely used a multi-shield not shown even in training to invade the interior of a super-large Neuroi, easily destroying it singlehandedly.

In the decisive battle against the Neuroi's nest that appeared in Romagna, Squadron Leader Sakamoto ended up being absorbed by a giant Neuroi's core. In order to save her, Yoshika used Sakamoto's Reppumaru to invoke a Reppuzan that had her entire magic power poured into it. As a consequence, Yoshika lost all her magic power, but she herself said that such lost didn't matter if it was for the sake of saving someone important to her.

In the Strike Witches Movie in 1945, she was sent to Europe again to study medicine in a prestigious school. Hattori Shizuka, a Fuso rookie, was assigned to protect and guide her. After the Akagi boarded in Gallia, they visited Flying Officer Clostermann, Flight Sergeant Bishop and Sergeant Planchard at Perrine's castle. During the travel, they were attacked by a large-type underground Neuroi. Yoshika regained her magic power again, described as being a result of the voices of her companions in the 501st reaching out to her, and fought the Neuroi alongside the rest of the 501st that hurried to Gallia to save her.

Personality

Her personality is pure, straightforward, earnest and always energetic, but also surprisingly stubborn. With a strong sense of duty and thoughtful of her friends, she works vigorously towards her aims without giving up and always facing forward, possessing a brashness of spirit strong in crucial moments. Due a nature that does not get timid or fearful of strangers, Yoshika has friendly relations with everyone in the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, without exceptions, in spite of being the last member to join in. Particularly, she displays an excellent combination with her close friend Lynette Bishop and with Perrine H. Clostermann, who she had many opportunities to work together with.

She has a physiological revulsion towards wars and guns that injure people, and losing the father that she loved only encouraged her hatred against war. However, that dislike is based not on knowledge but on emotions and, in the bottom of her heart, she thinks that fighting for the sake of the promise she made with her father ("Using that power for the sake of protecting many") is unavoidable.

After her enlistment in the 501st JFW, Yoshika developed a flat-chested complex. She does not actively make a move, but does brings her face and hands near towards the breasts of others with quite natural movements or sends an intense gaze to their chest areas. Whenever doing joint training or collapsing after a mission with Flight Sergeant Bishop, she always brings her face or hands near the other's breasts. In occasions like during the aquatic training, bathing and Flight Lieutenant Barkhorn started up the Jet Striker, she naturally gazed intently at someone's chest area. A smile of pure bliss surfaced when she got a hold of Flight Lieutenant Yeager's breasts, burying her face on them when she collapsed after a collision. Also, her eyes unconsciously sparkled when Flight Lieutenant Yeager and Flight Lieutenant Marseille disputed over the size of their breasts. Due not watching where she was going, she ended up grabbing Squadron Leader Sakamoto's breasts in a straightforward manner. Later, upon meeting Sakamoto in the bath, she ended up suffering from dizziness caused by a prolonged hot bath after thinking too much about the same breasts. Yoshika has been known to sleep beside Flight Sergeant Bishop from time to time, and often places her hand (or head) on her breasts whilst sleeping.

Maybe because she has no immunity to celebrities as someone comparatively more inexperienced than others, Yoshika has a tendency to desire autographs in a lowbrow-manner. During a re-supply stop at Los Angeles, she took a picture and got an autograph from Elizabeth Taylor, a well-known child actress at the time who would later become a great actress, without really knowing who she was - for no better reason than the fact that people formed a crowd. She also desired an autograph from Flight Lieutenant Marseille upon learning that she was a world-famous Witch, despite not knowing anything about her until she visited their base.

A small glutton, Yoshika is well versed in housework - especially cooking. Though only capable of preparing Fuso cuisine, she has a fixation with nattou to the point of making it herself. She actually dislikes Britannian cuisine.

Abilities

Yoshika's inherent magic is Healing Abilitiy (治癒能力, Chiyu Nōryoku). Classified as a variety of the telekinesis-lineage, it puts a living thing back to how it was by means of magic and is effective not only against external wounds but also diseases. At first, she became fatigued upon treating a single person, so consecutive use was difficult. However, she underwent a huge growth through practice and actual combat, to the point of being capable of fighting without problems even after continuously applying treatment to over 10 people.

One of her remarkable abilities is the strength and size of her shield, and it can be used for both attack and defense. Another ability of note is a multi-shield that raises the power of the magic shield, the generation of a gigantic shield and the capacity to use them properly for offense and defense. Her latent magic power and growth width are by far the greatest.

By granting her own magic power, Yoshika can increase the magic power of a targeted Witch, drastically increasing both her inherent magic and physical abilities. ^[2]

She can also invoke a Reppuzan, a type of telekinesis magic attack consisting in releasing a magic blow by pouring magic into a sword.

She seems to have a good sense of combat, such as shooting at enemy aircraft in irregular maneuvers or mimicking Sakamoto's special technique, the left twist (左捻り込み), just by having seen it. She also used the rolling scissors (roll senpu) against the Warlock without training.

She also has confidence in her health and boasts never having catch a cold before.

Equipment

Yoshika's Miyabishi Type 0 (V-139) striker that she used in 1944 was destroyed in the last battle, so when she returned in the military, she used Sakamoto's old type 0 (V-128) unit that have been replaced by a Shiden.

Her Tsukushi Shinden is a prototype that was completed based on the engine design drawings left by Dr. Miyafuji, which can withstand Yoshika enormous magic power.

Yoshika's Type 99 cannon has been remodeled from its original 20mm×101RB specifications - first into a 13.2mm×99 and later into a 12.7mm×99, the latter which is an easy-to-acquire ammunition used by the European Dispatch Corps. Some works also display her using a Schnellfeur M712 as a sidearm, which is commonly known as "Mauser Military" or "Broomhandle". She was also issued a Walther PPK upon joining the 501st, however she immediately returned it, stating a dislike for firearms.

Appearances

Anime

Strike Witches Season 1
Strike Witches Season 2
Strike Witches Movie
Brave Witches
World Witches Series: 501 Butai Hasshin Shimasu!!
Strike Witches Road to Berlin

Audio Media

Light Novels

Strike Witches Otome no Maki
Strike Witches 2
Strike Witches Short-Shorts: After the Sky
- Ichimen no Ao
- Kaze ni Tanabiku Shiroi Are
- Koganeiro no Soup
Strike Witches 2 Visual Short Story
- 500overs in Africa

Manga

Tenkū no Otome-tachi
Kimi to Tsunagaru Sora
Katayoku no Majotachi

Video Games

All of them!

Comments on Other Characters

On Minna

"Wing Commander Minna? Yes, she's a fantastic person! She's always smiling... and she feels like a very mature woman. I wish I could be more like her. She somewhat reminds me of a mother."

On Lynne

Other members of the unit? Lynne was the first friend I made after coming here to Britannia. She showed me around in the base and was very kind! That made me happy... And... that big bosom.... wah! Nothing! It's nothing!"

On Sakamoto

"Sakamoto-san? She's kind, but can be pretty strict sometimes. She told me about the work my father had done, and I'm very grateful for that. Although it surprised me when we met for the first time and she told me that “I would come to her sooner or later”!"

On Perrine

"Perrine? Yes, it feels like she's always mad at me. I wonder why...? I know I make a lot of mistakes all the time, but I still don't think she has to be that hard on me... Sakamoto-san told me being strict on someone is a way to show you have hopes for them, but I wonder..."

On Lucchini

"Lucchini always eats the things I cook with a smile on her face. Things like that makes me happy! But it feels like she's always sleeping in some odd place... is that really okay?"

On Shirley

"Shirley is a really kind person! She seems kind of slack, but I think she actually really looks after everyone. She's bighearted and broad-minded... What? I'm not talking about her breasts! But... well... they sure did feel nice..."

On Barkhorn

"It feels like Barkhorn is always mad at me too. But well, compared to her, I'm still just an inexperienced little duckling, so I guess it's only natural."

On Erica

"I don't really understand Hartmann. Everyone says she's an excellent witch, and she is amazing even in small-scaled battles, but in her everyday life she is... how should I put it... umm... sloppy?"

On Sanya

"Sanya is a really kind girl! She's a little shy and quiet, but she's good at singing, and I think it's really great how she always does her best for all of us during the nights!"

On Eila

"Eila is quite mysterious. But at least I've come to understand that she cares a lot about Sanya. Seems like she almost never has used her protective shield during battles since she can predict the enemy's attacks. According to herself, she does it without thinking, “by intuition”, but... Isn't it amazing?"