Hibaru Kokutenshi
Hibaru Kokutenshi ko̞kɯᵝtẽ̞nɕi çiβa̠ɾ̠ɯᵝ | |
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![]() Hibaru in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle | |
Character Titles | |
Cheerful Debt Collector | |
Information | |
Species | Skylark youkai |
Abilities | Making a profit |
Age | Hundreds of years |
Occupation | Debt collector |
Location | Gappori |
Music Themes | |
Appearances | |
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Hibaru Kokutenshi (旭天子 ヒバル Kokutenshi Hibaru) is a skylark-youkai that works for Gappori, a financing company, as a debt collector. They are very good at their job, but they are a bird-brain and bad at pressuring people for money. They are the fourth stage boss of Earthen Miraculous Sword, the second game of the Len'en Project.
General Information[edit | edit source]
Years ago, when there was a sun in Mugenri, Hibaru lent the sun some money. Day by day, the loan accumulated interest, swelling to huge proportions, but before Hibaru realized it the sun had disappeared from Mugenri. Hibaru has never forgotten the loan, and in order to collect the debt, they fly high up into the sky everyday, chirping towards the sun.
Despite their apparently easygoing personality, Hibaru is seemingly actually one of the strongest people in Mugenri. It is implied that they have somehow taken one eye from each of the Four Sacred Beasts as repayment for their debts, taking their power in the process[1], and that the Kirin is their next target.[2] However, they haven't gotten serious in a fight for hundreds of years, so they just forgot how to.[3]
Personality[edit | edit source]
A bird working as a debt collector, Hibaru is very professional at their job, but surprisingly, they're bad at lying and pressuring people. Perhaps due to living for a long time, Hibaru is rather old-fashioned. Also, it seems Hibaru is hated for their job and is considered to be a "rotten executive".
Abilities[edit | edit source]
- Making a profit
Background Information[edit | edit source]
Origin[edit | edit source]
Hibaru is based on several Japanese folktales involving the skylark, which all involve the skylark lending someone else, a fellow bird, the sun or the heavens, some money or food, which is never returned to them. Hibaru is largely based on the version in which the skylark lent the sun some money, which the sun never returns, so the skylark finds time to chirp at the sky every day, asking for the money back, this story is nearly identical to Hibaru's backstory shown in their EMS official profile.
The "four eyes of the sacred beasts" mentioned in Hibaru's profile are likely referring to the Four Symbols in Chinese mythology, who are the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Bird, the White Tiger and the Black Tortoise, viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions and are sometimes even treated as gods. It should be noted that the four sacred beasts of Mugenri are separate from those of the Outside World.[4]
Name[edit | edit source]
Their full name is Hibaru Kokutenshi (旭天子 ヒバル). Their given name Hibaru (ヒバル) means a "lark" or "skylark" (雲雀 Hibari, two types of birds), written in katakana. Their family name Kokutenshi (旭天子) literally means "morning sun emperor". It may be derived from koutenshi (告天子), an alternative word for skylark.
According to JynX, "Hibaru" is written as "雲雀流 (simplified: 云雀流)" in Chinese[5]. 雲雀 is Chinese for the "eurasian skylark", while 流 means "river", "class (status-wise)" or "to flow".
Design[edit | edit source]
Hibaru has neck-length brown hair and light brown eyes. They're dressed as a typical salaryperson, wearing a white dress shirt with a red tie, a navy suit jacket, beige pants, and brown loafers. Their wings have patterns of four eyes of the sacred beasts. The suitcase they carry with them is their own that they chose according to their tastes.[6] It has a logo similar to the unique bullets used in the spell cards Retribution "Build Damage", Fruit "Self-Destruct Formation" and Repayment "System Aegis", which feature a stylized version of the kanji 金 (money). In their Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle appearance, they also hold a book that reads "Money[...]" (おかね[...]た), although the full text remains obscured.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Earthen Miraculous Sword
In Earthen Miraculous Sword, Hibaru tries to advertise their company to the heroes and offers some loans, but they're rejected. They try to pressure them by challenging them, but they are defeated. In Kuroji Shitodo's scenario, Kuroji steals all of Hibaru's money.
- Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle
Hibaru returns as a possible Stage 4 Boss on the Neutral route in Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle. They went around to scout for potential customers to take a loan. Unfortunately, they encounter the playable teams and they insist to them to take loans/debts.
- The Shrine Team get attacked to be forced to sign an IOU, but they fight back in retaliation, forcing Hibaru themself to sign it instead.
- The New Emperor Team were convinced to take a debt, but Tsugumi Umatachi recognises them and challenges them to a fight as revenge for tricking them and leaving them to die long ago. The trio wins and Tsugumi declares the two of them even.
- The Preschool Team get attacked by Hibaru in hopes that fighting Tenkai Zuifeng would allow them to remember how to fight seriously, but to no avail.
- The Scoundrel Team attack Hibaru in order to take all the money they have with them. The trio defeats Hibaru, but they had no money on them that day.
- Suzumi Kuzu discusses Hibaru's past, which they could not get out of anyone's memories, when they run into Hibaru. They challenge Hibaru to a duel to take their memories, defeating the youkai and moving on.
Relationships[edit | edit source]
- Tsurubami Senri and Tenkai Zuifeng
Hibaru mentions having a connection to Senri Shrine and Tsurubami. While the details of this relationship are unknown, Tenkai says they once attempted to kill Tsurubami.
- Tsugumi Umatachi
Hibaru and Tsugumi knew each other in the past, possibly due to both of them having a connection to Senri Shrine. Tsugumi says Hibaru once tricked them and left them for dead.
Additional Information[edit | edit source]
- The eyes of the Four Sacred Beasts have apparently recently become allergic to pollen.[3]
Spell Cards[edit | edit source]
Name | Translated | Comments | Games | Stage | ||
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Total: 12 | ||||||
応報「ビルドダメージ」 | Payoff "Build Damage" | EMS | St. 4: E/N | |||
果実「自爆方陣」 | Gain "Self-Destruct Formation" | EMS | St. 4: H | |||
返済「システムイージス」 | Repayment "System Aegis" | EMS | St. 4: U | |||
受益「ピラミッドロンダー」 | Receiving Benefits "Pyramid Launder" | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: E/N St. 4: E/N | |||
利得「有限連鎖講」 | Profit "Finite Pyramid Scheme"[a] | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: H/U St. 4: H/U | |||
禊牌「マネーロンダリング」 | Purification Card "Money Laundering" | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: E/N St. 4: E/N | |||
禊牌「決死返済」 | Purification Card "Life or Death Repayment" | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: H/U St. 4: H/U | |||
包囲「取立て賛歌」 | Encirclement "Debt Collection Eulogy" | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: E/N St. 4: E/N | |||
連盟「冥府への付き人」 | Union "Members Going to Hell"[b] | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: H/U St. 4: H/U | |||
巨利「福利連鎖機構」 | Huge Profit "Welfare Chain Organization"[c] | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: E/N St. 4: E/N | |||
暴利「ビルディングマネー」 | Usury "Building Money" | EMS BPoHC |
St. 4: H/U St. 4: H/U | |||
マネービル | Money Bill | BPoHC | Upgrade |
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Although this card references the concept of a pyramid scheme, the Japanese name is slightly different. Pyramid scheme is normally written mugenrensakou, literally "infinite chain association" but here it's spelled yuugenransakou, literally "finite chain association".
- ↑ This is a reference to the members of a pyramid scheme who end up in debt over joining the pyramid.
- ↑ Another slightly different version of the name for a pyramid scheme.
Official Profiles[edit | edit source]
〇4面ボス 陽気な取立て屋 旭天子 ヒバル(こくてんし ひばる) |
〇 Stage 4 Boss — Cheerful Debt Collector Hibaru Kokutenshi |
陽気な取立て屋 旭天子 ヒバル |
Cheerful Debt Collector Hibaru Kokutenshi |
Official Sources[edit | edit source]
- 2013/11/18 Earthen Miraculous Sword - Official Profiles, Stage 4 Boss
- 2016/12/01 Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle - Official Profiles, Possible Stage 4 Boss
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Peing: February 21st, 2019
- ↑ Earthen Miraculous Sword: Music Room - Dime-a-Dozen Moneymaker
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Earthen Miraculous Sword: Official Profiles - Hibaru Kokutenshi
- ↑ Interview with JynX (2021): Hibaru, Question 215
- ↑ Trick Nostalgie website: Guidelines
- ↑ Interview with JynX (2021): Hibaru, Question 218
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