Kotori

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Itsuka Kotori (琴里)
Alias(es)	Commander; Inferno
Species/Race	Former human; Spirit of Fire
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Ratatoskr (Commander); Round Table; Wu Yan's Familiar
Occupation/Role	Commander of Ratatoskr; strategist and investigator
First Appearance	Chapter 409

Background & History

Five years before her introduction, Kotori was an ordinary human until a mosaic-covered entity later designated Phantom gave her a red Spirit Crystal. The crystal entered her body and transformed her into a Spirit amid uncontrollable flames. Her first Spirit Dress was a pink-and-white, feather-like kimono. Wu Yan later states that she remained in place throughout the incident, contradicting the belief that she killed Tobiichi Origami's parents. 1114 1117 1118

During that first transformation, Kotori encountered Wu Yan in a sea of fire. He used a white Ring of Sealing to fly through the flames and comfort her; this meeting explains her recognition of his ring and their connection despite not meeting in their current lives. 480

Kotori became Ratatoskr's commander while concealing her identity as a Spirit. She initially tries to keep her sister, Itsuka Shiori, away from the danger surrounding Spirits and Spacequakes, but recruits Wu Yan to assist Ratatoskr's sealing operations instead. 409 417

Her red Ring of Sealing becomes a persistent mystery: it seals her Spiritual Power, yet its relation to Wu Yan's System mission initially suggests that her power may not have been conventionally sealed. 422 427 1113

Appearance

Kotori is a petite red-haired girl with red eyes. Her hair is usually tied into twin tails, and her ribbon color indicates which personality is dominant. In command settings, she wears a uniform with a red-and-black coat or a formal crimson military uniform. 409 410 1137

• Hair — red twin tails, often compared to streaks of red light when moving. 423
• Eyes — red. 409
• Commander Mode — black ribbons and a more authoritative command uniform. 409 410
• Little Sister Mode — white ribbons and a softer presentation. 410
• Spirit form — manifests as Inferno, surrounded by flames. 1112
• Ring of Sealing — wears a distinctive red ring on her wrist. 422

Personality

Kotori's personality shifts with her ribbons. In Commander Mode, marked by black ribbons, she is cold, sharp-tongued, disciplined, and highly capable of directing Ratatoskr under pressure. Her authority reassures Ratatoskr's personnel, who regard her as the organization's central pillar. 410 459

In Little Sister Mode, marked by white ribbons, she is cheerful, innocent-seeming, affectionate, and more openly dependent on Wu Yan. She is nevertheless a convincing performer when she wants to conceal Ratatoskr's activities from Shiori. 414 420

Both modes share a possessive, volatile streak when Wu Yan provokes or embarrasses her. She has pursued him with a kitchen knife, threatened him with a chainsaw, and reacted violently to intrusions on her privacy. 424 426 906

Despite her temper, Kotori is deeply protective of those close to her. She prioritizes Shiori's safety, repeatedly defends Wu Yan before the Round Table, and accepts responsibility for decisions that endanger Ratatoskr's resources or personnel. 417 1137 1167

Abilities & Skills

Spirit of Fire — Inferno

Kotori is a Spirit of Fire whose Spirit form is identified as Inferno. Her transformation manifests intense flames and grants her combat capability beyond her sealed human state. 600 1112

• Can transform into Inferno when her Spiritual Power is available. 1112
• Her initial transformation engulfed her in destructive flames and generated a Spirit Dress. 1114
• Assisted Vattler in defeating Brude during the conflict on Itogami Island. 991
• Her Spiritual Power can be sealed by the Ring of Sealing, leaving her unable to intervene in battles. 474 1113
• Earlier side effects from using her Spirit powers were overcome with System items. 608

Command and Strategy

Kotori is Ratatoskr's primary field commander and an accomplished planner.

• Directs Fraxinus personnel, Spirit surveillance, and emergency combat preparations. 438 459
• Classified Kurumi Tokisaki as a key observation target after judging ordinary negotiation ineffective. 437
• Ordered Fraxinus to intervene when DEM-equipped Tobiichi Origami attacked Wu Yan. 1236
• Defied Ellen Mira Mathers's demand for surrender and prepared Ratatoskr to demonstrate its strength. 1237
• Planned Xie Ming's defeat with the Misaka Sisters, using a Return Scroll to send him into the Guardian Divine Tree's territory. 1944 1947

Investigation and Analysis

Kotori actively investigates the origins of Spirits and Phantom rather than leaving the work entirely to Ratatoskr analysts.

• Collected and organized Miku's testimony concerning Phantom and Spirit Crystals for Ratatoskr's confidential records and the Round Table. 1214
• Uses the footage from her own transformation as the only known evidence that Phantom physically appeared, hoping to identify its Spiritual Power signature. 1118
• Questioned Tobiichi Origami in detail about her contact with Phantom and recorded every part of the encounter. 1254

Equipment / Items

• Ring of Sealing — red wrist ring that seals her Spiritual Power; seals imposed by these rings cannot be removed without permission from a white Ring of Sealing. 422 461
• Fraxinus — Ratatoskr's aerial warship and command center. Wu Yan later leaves it in Kotori's Space Ring, allowing her to operate it in his absence. 409 1944
• Return Scroll — pre-set teleportation item used in the plan that sent Xie Ming to Royal Island. 1944 1947
• Hairpins — used as improvised thrown weapons against Akatsuki Kojo. 906
• Chupa Chups lollipops — a habitual accessory in her normal command routine. 409 459

Relationships

• Wu Yan / Shido — Her past rescuer and the person she commonly calls “Onii-chan.” She trusts him with her secrets, accepts his help recovering her memories, and later enters a romantic relationship with him. 480 905 1113
• Itsuka Shiori — Her older sister. Kotori tries to shield Shiori from the dangers of Spirit-related operations despite Shiori's crucial sealing ability. 414 417
• Tobiichi Origami — Initially targets Kotori over the presumed death of her parents. Their hostility later gives way to cooperation in investigating Phantom. 1112 1254
• Kurumi Tokisaki — A dangerous Spirit whom Kotori initially places under close observation; they later cooperate in high-risk plans. 437 1944
• Lord Woodman — Her superior and the Round Table's chairman. He respects her judgment but questions the scale and cost of her requests. 1137 1167
• Reine Murasame and Kannazuki Kyouhei — Ratatoskr subordinates who support her command and are accustomed to her Commander Mode. 409 410
• Misaka Sisters — Tactical partners in the ambush that eliminated Xie Ming. 1947
• Miku Izayoi — A fellow former human transformed into a Spirit; Kotori uses Miku's memories and testimony to pursue leads on Phantom. 1210 1214

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Ratatoskr Commander — Meets Wu Yan aboard Fraxinus, questions his nature, and brings him into Ratatoskr's operations after recognizing the Ring of Sealing. 409 410 417
• Spirit-Sealing Operations — Oversees Ratatoskr's responses to Tohka, Yoshino, and Kurumi while attempting to protect Shiori from direct involvement. 417 437 459
• Ring of Sealing Mystery — Her anomalous seal and prior connection to Wu Yan become central to understanding their shared past. 427 480
• Phantom Investigation — Recovers memories of her transformation, learns Phantom created other Spirits, and leads Ratatoskr's effort to trace it. 1115 1214 1254
• Conflict with DEM — Mobilizes Fraxinus against DEM's aggression, including Ellen Mira Mathers's assault and Origami's use of a DEM CR-Unit. 1236 1237
• Later Otherworld Campaigns — Continues serving as a strategist and combatant after leaving the Strike the Blood world with Wu Yan, eventually engineering Xie Ming's death through Royal Island's Guardian Divine Tree. 1002 1947

Trivia

• Kotori's ribbon is not merely decorative: black indicates Commander Mode, while white indicates Little Sister Mode. 410
• Her true behavior without any ribbon is explicitly treated as unknown. 422
• Although she is small and often treated as a younger sister, she is recognized as one of the most capable leaders among Wu Yan's companions. 784 1141