Karuizawa

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Kei Karuizawa (轻井泽) 47
Alias(es)	“Gyaru leader” 19
Gender	Female 19
Affiliation	First-year Class 1-B; the gyaru group 44 147
Occupation/Role	Student; Head Instructor of Class 1-B’s Forty-One Elite Guards 147
First Appearance	Chapter 19 19

Background / History

Past bullying and constructed persona

Karuizawa was bullied from childhood and carries severe trauma from an attack in which other girls held her down and stabbed her abdomen with a utility knife. The experience left her with nightmares, fear of attending school, and a persistent expectation that others may turn on her. 49 50

Advanced Nurturing High School represented a chance to start over. To avoid becoming a target again, she adopted the mannerisms, speech, and appearance of the intimidating girls she feared most: an assertive, fiery gyaru persona designed to make others hesitate before confronting her. 49 50

The act initially protected her only superficially. Her aggressive demeanor provoked hostility, while her lack of physical confidence meant a determined opponent could expose the weakness beneath it. 50 105

Seeking protection

Karuizawa initially approached Yosuke Hirata because his popularity, physical ability, and standing in the class made him an ideal public protector. Her request for a relationship was not driven by affection; she wanted a “boyfriend in name” whose presence would discourage bullying. 47 49 50

Bai Lan initially mistook her plea to Hirata for blackmail and intended to use a recording against her. After Hirata clarified that Karuizawa herself was the person afraid of being bullied, Bai Lan apologized and offered protection. 48 51 52

Karuizawa subsequently accepted Bai Lan’s proposal to act as his “shield” in a fake relationship arrangement. Although Bai Lan required that his shield have no romantic feelings for him, Karuizawa had already begun to associate him with safety and protection. 53

Anti-bullying training

During Golden Week, Bai Lan subjected Karuizawa to seven consecutive days of intensive morning training, supplemented by physical homework. The regimen was intended to desensitize her to intimidation while improving her ability to defend herself. 105 106

After a week, she could endure Bai Lan’s simulated bullying without collapsing emotionally, talk back to him, and attempt to fight back. Her physical condition and confidence improved substantially. 106

Yonekura incident and arbitration

Karuizawa was confronted in a women’s restroom by Yonekura Kōko, an aggressive second-year student. Though she initially froze in fear, her body shifted into the fighting stance drilled into her through training, allowing her to defeat Yonekura. 121 122

Yonekura then falsely accused Karuizawa of bullying and claimed severe injuries, resulting in Karuizawa’s suspension. Bai Lan had already documented Yonekura’s condition after the fight and used the case to investigate the person behind the attack. 123

During arbitration, Karuizawa struggled at first to speak against her accuser, but ultimately stated that Yonekura had been the bully. Evidence later proved Karuizawa innocent and Yonekura guilty. 126 133 135

Nagumo had arranged both the attempted intimidation and the framing as part of a plan to make Karuizawa dependent on him and recruit her as an informant against Bai Lan. He underestimated her ability to defeat Yonekura on her own. 132

Class instructor

Following the incident, Bai Lan appointed Karuizawa Head Instructor of Class 1-B’s Forty-One Elite Guards. Her anti-bullying lessons were intended to establish her reputation, teach practical survival methods, and give her a support network beyond Bai Lan’s protection. 147

Appearance

Karuizawa is a blonde gyaru noted for being pretty and cute, with an appearance considered competitive with the class’s most attractive girls. Her fashion and sharp demeanor give her the image of a delinquent despite her generally rule-abiding behavior. 19 127 195

• Blonde hair and a “hot girl”/gyaru presentation. 43 47
• Frequently adopts confrontational body language to reinforce her intimidating image. 44 125
• Crosses her arms when acting tough, partly to conceal trembling hands when frightened. 125
• Her classmates have ranked her highly for facial attractiveness despite finding her abrasive personality difficult to approach. 195

Personality

Karuizawa presents herself as fiery, irritable, proud, and quick to pick fights verbally. Her sharp gaze and aggressive language make her appear fearless, and she is willing to invoke “honor” to preserve her delinquent-like image. 19 46 127

Behind that façade, she is deeply insecure and highly sensitive to signs of danger or rejection. Fear can make her limbs shake, cause her to cower, and drive her to seek reassurance from people she considers reliable. 49 121 125

Her growth is defined by gradually replacing performative toughness with real confidence. After defeating Yonekura and facing her again during arbitration, she begins to stand up to bullies through her own choices rather than relying solely on a stronger person beside her. 122 126

Abilities & Skills

Gyaru Persona and Intimidation

Karuizawa is an effective performer when maintaining her public persona. Her mannerisms were modeled on the intimidating girls from her past, allowing her to conceal fear for extended periods. 49 50

• Uses a sharp gaze, aggressive speech, and a deliberately arrogant attitude to discourage challenges. 19 46
• Can maintain her intimidating act even while privately panicking. 121
• Hides visible fear by crossing her arms or controlling her posture. 125
• Her persona is vulnerable when opponents test her physical ability or see through her fear. 50 105

Self-Defense and Conditioning

Bai Lan’s training improved Karuizawa’s physical readiness and conditioned her to react under pressure rather than freeze. 105 106

• Completed intensive three-hour morning sessions for seven days during Golden Week, with additional assigned exercises. 105
• Learned to respond to threats with anger and resistance instead of total fear. 106
• Automatically shifted from a cowering posture into a fighting stance when Yonekura tried to strike her. 121
• Defeated Yonekura during the restroom confrontation, proving capable of defending herself in a real encounter. 122 126
• Her initial academic and athletic performance was below average, contributing to her earlier lack of confidence. 53 105

Emergency Procedures and Anti-Bullying Instruction

Karuizawa was trained to seek help efficiently and later taught those methods to her class. 121 147

• Uses a coded cough pattern—one cough, then two—to silently signal “Help me” to Bai Lan during a phone call. 121
• Teaches contingency planning, trusted-contact setup, repeated rescue drills, and backup plans. 147
• Draws on her own successful defense against Yonekura as practical anti-bullying experience. 126 147

Relationships

• Bai Lan — Her protector, trainer, and fake-relationship partner under a “shield” arrangement. She initially fears him, then develops dependence and affection after he apologizes for misunderstanding her and helps protect her from further bullying. 52 53 123 196
• Yosuke Hirata — Karuizawa first sought Hirata as a boyfriend in name because his popularity and reliability could deter bullies; he agreed to protect her. 47 50
• Suzune Horikita — A key defender during the Yonekura arbitration. Karuizawa entrusts her with handling parts of the case and gains respect for her efforts. 124 125 135
• Yonekura Kōko — A second-year attacker who confronted Karuizawa in the restroom, then falsely framed her for bullying after losing the fight. 121 123 135
• Nagumo — The mastermind behind Yonekura’s attack and the subsequent framing; he intended to manipulate Karuizawa into becoming his informant. 130 132
• Saya Sato and Chiaki Matsushita — Her gyaru-group friends. They recognize that her tough presentation conceals a softer nature and have noticed her fondness for plush toys and desserts. 44 195

Notable Quotes

“What are you looking at? I just don't want to drag the class down! It's about ‘honor’!” 127

“Yes! That's right. If it happened again, I would still choose to ask Bai Lan-san for help. No one else is as reliable as Bai Lan-san.” 206

Trivia

• Karuizawa does not belong to any school club. 44
• Despite her delinquent-like reputation, she was the only member of her gyaru group to receive no demerits during Disciplinary Inspection Month. 195
• She likes cute plush toys and desserts but dismisses them as “childish” or “too weak” to avoid exposing what she considers vulnerability. 195