Horikita Manabu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Horikita Manabu (堀北学)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Advanced Nurturing High School Student Council
Occupation/Role	Student Council President
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background

Horikita Manabu is the elder brother of Horikita Suzune and the Student Council President of Advanced Nurturing High School. His reputation and commanding presence are strong enough to silence a noisy freshman assembly without him raising his voice. 3

Suzune has idolized Manabu for over a decade and measures herself against him. Manabu initially tells her to withdraw because her placement in Class D is, in his view, proof that she lacks the strength and qualifications to advance. 13

Xu Nuo later impersonates Manabu with an almost flawless disguise, using his appearance and mannerisms to obtain information from Nagumo Miyabi and deliver the Phantom Thief's notice card. The impersonation causes Suzune to mistake Xu Nuo's uncharacteristic gentleness for her real brother's behavior. 12 13 15

Appearance

Manabu is a tall, bespectacled young man with short black hair, a meticulously composed appearance, and a stern expression.

• Wears rimless glasses. 12
• Has short, carefully kept black hair. 12 33
• Projects a cold, sharp aura that makes students instinctively treat him with deference. 3 12
• His eyes are described as keen and hawk-like during the Student Council's intervention in Sudo Ken's fight. 41

Personality

Manabu is disciplined, concise, and exceptionally composed under pressure. He avoids unnecessary explanations, gives direct orders, and maintains control even when challenged by Nagumo or faced with the school-wide theft of all Private Points. 15 24

He is stern toward Suzune, prioritizing what he believes will protect her over emotional openness. His attempt to force her out of school is rooted in his belief that her current mindset would leave her unable to endure the school's environment, especially once he graduates. 33 34

Despite his severity, Manabu is not indifferent to Suzune. He agrees to Xu Nuo's costly demand for two Student Council member positions largely to prevent a recording of Suzune's humiliation from spreading. 36

Abilities & Skills

Leadership and Authority

As Student Council President, Manabu commands considerable respect from students and Council members.

• Silences the entire gymnasium through his presence before delivering the opening-ceremony speech. 3
• Student Council members immediately comply when he ends a meeting and orders confidential surveillance footage preserved. 15
• Directs the lockdown and search of the School Building following the Phantom Thief's attack on the server room. 21

Investigation and Analysis

Manabu responds methodically to Xu Nuo's impersonation and the Phantom Thief's notice.

• Reviews surveillance footage frame by frame after confirming that someone identical to him delivered the notice card. 15
• Identifies the impersonator's apparent speed as extraordinary but still physically explainable, concluding that a disguise is the most likely explanation. 15
• Deciphers the Phantom Thief's card as a declaration of action at an early-morning time and prepares an ambush at the server room. 15 21
• Reconstructs the failed operation and assigns responsibility to both himself and Nagumo rather than allowing blame to fall solely on one side. 24

Martial Arts and Restraint Techniques

Manabu possesses substantial close-quarters combat skill and reacts quickly to perceived threats.

• Launches a powerful karate hand-blade strike and side kick during his attempted interception of the Phantom Thief. 21
• Easily evades Nagumo's kick and uses a shoulder throw to incapacitate him. 21
• Uses a precise grappling maneuver to restrain the enraged Sudo Ken after Sudo injures a Student Council member. 41
• Is cautious against unknown opponents, but Xu Nuo's Poker Card Launcher forces him to halt his attack when a card grazes his forehead and embeds itself in a wall. 35

Relationships

• Horikita Suzune — Younger sister. Suzune idolizes him, while Manabu treats her with harsh severity and attempts to drive her out of school because he believes it is for her protection. 13 33 34 36
• Xu Nuo — Adversary and eventual negotiator. Xu Nuo impersonates Manabu during the Phantom Thief operation, evades his ambush, and later trades a compromising recording for two Student Council member positions. 12 15 21 35 36
• Nagumo Miyabi — Student Council Vice President and rival. Their relationship is marked by Nagumo's provocations, competition, and mutual blame after the server-room failure. 12 15 21 24
• Tachibana Akane — Student Council Secretary and trusted aide. She delivers the Phantom Thief's notice while believing she is acting under Manabu's authority, then feels guilty for her role in the resulting crisis. 14 15 24
• Sudo Ken — First-year student disciplined by Manabu after a fight with Class C students. Manabu initially informs him that expulsion is likely but agrees to investigate further. 41

Story Role / Major Arcs

Opening Ceremony

Manabu appears as the Student Council President during the freshman opening ceremony, immediately imposing order on the gymnasium and drawing an anxious reaction from Suzune. 3

Phantom Thief Incident

Xu Nuo exploits Manabu's image to question Nagumo about the server room and to deliver the Phantom Thief's notice card. Manabu discovers the impersonation through surveillance footage, deciphers the challenge, and organizes an ambush. 12 15 21

The ambush fails when Nagumo is lured to the server room, allowing the Phantom Thief to steal the school's Private Points. Manabu accepts responsibility for failing to capture the thief while holding Nagumo accountable for disrupting the operation. 21 24

Conflict with Suzune

Manabu repeatedly tells Suzune to drop out, criticizing her belief that her Class D placement must be a mistake. Suzune eventually realizes that his harsh conduct is an attempt to force her out for what he sees as her own protection. 13 33 34

When Xu Nuo records Suzune's mistaken confrontation with her real brother, Manabu negotiates for the recording's deletion. He grants Xu Nuo the right to nominate two ordinary Student Council members, subject to Manabu's interviews. 35 36

Sudo Ken Fight

Manabu leads the Student Council response to Sudo Ken's fight with Class C students, personally restraining Sudo and treating the incident as a serious disciplinary matter. 41

Favoritism Suspicion

After Suzune's information-selling plan collapses, Katsuragi Kohei notes her connection to the Student Council President. Manabu becomes the suspected figure behind Class D's information, taking blame for Xu Nuo's involvement. 45