Kacho Hui Guo Rou (カチョウ゠ホイコーロ, Kachō Hoikōro) was the Tenth Prince of the Kakin Empire and the daughter of her father's sixth wife, Seiko.[3] She was the elder twin sister of Fugetsu.[2]
Appearance[]
Kacho had shoulder-length, light hair which points up near her shoulders. She had predominant eyelashes.[3] She wore a formal dress during the celebration before the departure.[4] Later during the party with the important guests, she was seen wearing a dress with a large ribbon on the chest.[1]
Personality[]
Kacho's fake personality
As noted by Melody, Kacho is terrifying and takes on a convincing shallow, spoiled, and generally detestable persona.[1] She chooses her bodyguards due to their appearances,[5] but, unlike Tyson, she chooses ugly ones. Despite her status as a junior prince, she is shown to be cold-blooded, intending to form an alliance with Fugetsu even before the Succession War starts to murder her other siblings, promising her that when she becomes the new ruler, she will request her father to spare Fugetsu.[1]
However, Melody claims that Kacho lies to herself,[1] and that her bratty, cold façade is due to the expectations placed on her, as well as a way to make sure that, if forced to choose between saving her and her sister, her employees will save the latter.[6] In reality, she resents being dragged into a fight to the death with her own family and cares about her twin sister deeply, crying while looking at photos of the two of them spending time together.[7]
She is fond of jewellery.[3]
Background[]
When they were children, Fugetsu and Kacho would often play together in a playground called "Magic Worm".[7] One of their favorite games was pretending to travel the world, and Kacho would always let Fugetsu decide their next destination.[8]
Plot[]
Succession Contest arc[]
Kacho explains her plan to Fugetsu
Melody is hired to be her bodyguard for the Succession War.[5] She and Fugetsu attend the celebration before departure alongside the other princes. The twins are holding their hands and gleefully waving to the people, both of them are wearing similar black formal dresses. She is again seen with her sister during the party with the important guests where she is chatting with other guests. Like the rest of her family, she will reside in the 1st deck of the Black Whale.[4] The next day, she attends the 1st dinner banquet. Although she is told by her father's personal butler to leave her seat alone, she insists that Fugetsu accompany her to the connecting corridor. There, she asks Fugetsu to form an alliance, saying that once she wins the Succession War, she will ask her father to spare Fugetsu. She then leaves with her bodyguards, complaining about the perverted stares of an old man from the RG Foundation as Melody eavesdrops on her whole conversation claiming her entire self is a lie.[1]
In her quarters, she rejects a tray of food given to her and scolds the maid who prepared it and demands it be remade. Through Melody's eavesdropping, she finds that Kacho's bodyguards and maids despise her attitude.[2] Kacho agrees to send her bodyguards to learn Nen under Kurapika.[9] She sends her maids Loberry and Yuri, instead of her Royal Bodyguards.[10]
Later, she is seen reading a book while listening to music through headphones as her mother, Queen Seiko, is getting questioned by an investigator from the ship's Justice Bureau.[11] That night, she cries in bed while looking at photos of herself with her twin sister, who suddenly emerges from a magical hatch in her bed. After the initial shock, Kacho motions for Fugetsu to be quiet. Having detected a change in her heartbeat, Melody rushes to her side and insists that the prince relies on her bodyguards more; however, Kacho counters that is only their job, and that despite Melody's words, she cannot understand her, as she has never been asked to kill her own family and dragged into a death-match without her consent. Melody then offers to explain Nen in detail to her.[7]
Kacho expresses her resolve about the Succession War
The next day, she orders Melody to help her with her studies. While seemingly reprimanding her bodyguard, she uses a high-frequency device to communicate with her in Morse code, instructing her on how to find one herself.[12] Sometime later, she talks to her mother about organizing a concert for the next banquet during which Fugetsu and she will play the glass harp and Melody a flute. The Queen approves. Right before the two-part, Kacho makes a hopeful declaration that brings tears to her mother's eyes; however, when she is left alone with the detective, she professes herself disgusted that her mother is trying to appease her sense of guilt. Using the Mosquitone device, she relays her conversation with her mother to Melody and gives her further instructions. While yelling orders at her servants and bodyguards, she adds that she will ask for time to meet with her sister.[6] On Wednesday, she practices the glass harp and reads while Melody plays the flute for her mother, convincing her to broadcast their music show.[8]
The ceremony punishes escape attempts
On the eighth day of the voyage, Kacho attends the banquet with her sister and personal bodyguard Melody.[13] Despite a few schedule changes, the twins will remain the last to perform, as per their plan. When they are about to execute their plan, Kacho reassures her nervous sister, stating that she never thinks about failure. They wear their headphones, and Kacho tells the overseeing guard it is in order to rehearse their piece. While Melody's performance keeps everyone in the upper tiers in a trance, Keeney leads the twins to the lifeboats. They thank him and board one. As they approach the exit, Kacho promises her sister that they will never be apart and that all they need is each other. However, Kacho perceives a terrible feeling and ghostly hands manifest all around them as soon as they leave the Black Whale. Kacho realizes that escaping the succession contest means death and urges Fugetsu to summon her magic door to return to the ship.[14]
Kacho dies on the boat
Fugetsu makes it inside the tunnel, but Kacho remains on the other side, meeting her demise. Her Guardian Spirit Beast manifests as a copy of herself and opens the door again, reaching an unaware Fugetsu into the tunnel and going back to her room with her.[14]
In a flashback, as Theta prepares to assassinate Prince Tserriednich, it's announced that there will be a surprise performance from the royal banquet for Tier 1 and Tier 2. It's added that the performers are Melody of the Hunter Association and Princes Kacho and Fugetsu.[15]
Melody asking Kaiser about Kacho and Fugetsu
After the incident at the banquet, Melody sits in the Justice Bureau on Tier 2. The investigator checks on her, informing her of the suicide note that Keeney left saying he acted alone in the twins' escape attempt. He also tells her that a few of the Princes were so impressed by her performance that they have invited her to their quarters. As he asks her more questions, Melody realizes that she is being kept for so long to protect her from the dangerous Princes. She asks about the twins, and he says that they are also being questioned and that they said Keeney forced them onto the lifeboat. However, he has no evidence to prove or disprove that they were forced or if it was their own idea, so he will continue questioning them. Melody thanks him, and plans to use the time she has to consider her next move.[16]
After Kurapika explains the details of learning Nen to Yuri, he adds that he hopes the battle for succession has no more victims and asks her to see if Kacho and Seiko would be willing to send more people to another round of classes. Yuri quickly agrees to ask, and Kurapika thanks her.[17]
With the introduction of Camilla's curse assassins, it is learned that Mozbe is assigned to curse Kacho. Sarahell considers cursing Kacho, Fugetsu, or Marayam, asking Fukataki for her opinion. Fukataki tells her that from Room 1002, Mozbe will take ten days. During their conversation, Nukuocon informs them that Kacho and Fugetsu are being held for an escape attempt, adding that they have heard rumors of fatalities. Sarahell worries about their rooms becoming sealed, and Fukataki points out that it will take more than six months if they are in the cells.[18]
Outside Room 1010, two guards stand in front of the doors as four soldiers surround them. Inside, Seiko uses the phone and tells them to hold off on the regulations until she gets her personal belongings organized, wondering why she can't see Fugetsu when she's a Queen and her mother. She again expresses her concern for Fugetsu and tells them that until then, cordoning off the room is unacceptable. Saying to herself that she should let others think Kacho is alive as long as possible, she yells to the soldiers that she will speak to Fugetsu when the time is right and that they must go through her, hanging up the phone. She then says to herself that while Kacho dropping out so early is a heavy loss, she hated the way her daughter looked at her and spoke to her like she knew everything. She adds that she was an important shield for Fugetsu and says that while she can control the latter, she's too weak to face the succession contest on her own, hoping that she can stay under the Justice Bureau's protection for as long as possible.[19]
Melody distraught over Kacho's death
At the Justice Bureau's interrogation office, Kacho's Guardian Spirit Beast (appearing as Kacho after her death) says that she was possibly resurrected as a guardian spirit to protect Fugetsu and that even if it's her beast's ability, the fact that Fugetsu can see her means she is out of the contest. She adds that if Fugetsu's aura is being used to maintain her appearance, it must have a considerable burden on her, feeling responsible for her weakened condition and wondering if her finding out the truth will reduce the burden. Shaking and tearing up, Melody blames herself for what happened, but Kacho orders her to pull herself together and to feel bad about it when she's alone.[19]
She assures Melody that it's what she wanted and that she doesn't regret it at all, adding that it actually makes things simpler. She declares that they will make Fugetsu King and that if they can't escape, they have to fight. She explains that since everyone thinks she's dead, they can use her suddenly turning up alive to their advantage. However, she adds that they need to keep her death a secret from Fugetsu. The investigator tells Kacho that she should let Fugetsu know that the people are under the mistaken impression that she died, confident that Fugetsu will accept the explanation since she exists. He says that while he is still trying to come to grips with ghosts and Nen abilities, he was convinced by the military's reports and Melody's condition. Melody says to herself that even in such a stressful situation, he's annoyingly calm and collected. The investigator then tells Melody that her unstable state of mind will make things more difficult and that she can't disappoint a young girl who is so determined and waiting for her. Kacho asks if she is in or out, and Melody agrees to help them.[19]
Melody, Kaiser, and Kacho analyzing the situation
The investigator starts with Melody's problem and reveals that five Princes have requested to see her. He first says that the Third and Fourth Princes wish to speak with her in their quarters and to hear her performance in person. He then says that the First, Fifth, and Seventh Princes are more obvious, offering a "pardon" and requesting an "encore" of her performance. As Kacho wonders what he means by a pardon, Melody signals for him to keep quiet, and the investigator realizes that she means not to say anything about Keeney's death. He explains that the Princes have a better understanding of Nen abilities now and realize that Melody was involved in the escape attempt, revealing that they are using her performance as leverage since she could get the death penalty if she is convicted as an accomplice. Kacho realizes that the Princes want Melody to indirectly help with assassinations and nonchalantly says that it will lead to fewer Princes.[19]
Melody is taken aback by how harsh she is, and the investigator says that the higher-ranking Princes may have restrained themselves because there are still too many of them, which means there are just as many uncertainties. He adds that if they don't have a good idea of who is targeting whom, they could end up hurting themselves. Melody reveals that her ability is only intended to heal and that the loss of consciousness is a side effect, wondering if the Princes would give up if they knew that covering their ears would prevent it. The investigator points out that it's where they can use information and tactics to bargain, guessing that they will end up auctioning off "true performance time" among the higher-ranking Princes. Melody realizes that assassination and her performance go together as a set, and the investigator says that the best way to protect Fugetsu is to deceive all the Princes who have requested a performance, suggesting that they should wipe out all the higher-ranking Princes themselves.[19]
Kaiser explaining his plan and expressing his love
With Melody taken aback, the investigator says that the best way would be to pour a slow-acting poison in the mouths of the unconscious Princes, assuring her that he can prepare everything if she agrees with the plan. Melody realizes that he's willing to die if the plan fails and wonders why he would go so far for them. He replies that he thought it was already clear and tells Melody that he's in love with her, explaining that he's unable to fall asleep because he keeps thinking about her and her performance. He adds that he has never felt such a throbbing in his heart before and that it perplexes him. As Melody notes that his heartbeat is as precise as an atomic clock, the investigator says that while most see him as a workaholic, he actually yearns for love more than others, adding that it's only natural to completely prioritize the person he loves.[19]
At first worried that he's trying to trap them, Melody reminds herself that he suggested assassination and guesses that he was sent by one of the Princes. She wonders why he's going through so much trouble when he could easily get rid of the two of them at the Justice Bureau. As she says aloud that they agree to the plan, she tells herself that he must be a Manipulator posing as someone without powers and that he's manipulating himself as someone without powers and trying to use them for a hidden purpose. The investigator again says that he will get the necessary supplies and tells Melody to use the visits to get as many of the Princes as possible to attend the next banquet. Melody tells herself that assassinating the higher-ranking Princes all at once might be his real goal, wondering if the mastermind is a Prince who didn't request a meeting with her. Kacho says that she will do her part and first needs to explain to Fugetsu that everyone thinks she's dead, adding that she will convince her that the top four Princes need to be eliminated.[19]
The investigator tells Kacho to return to the interrogation room and says that he will use the door since he can't pass through walls. As Kacho begins to move through a nearby bookcase, she wonders if he should interrogate her a little, but he replies that he's more worried about Fugetsu, telling Kacho that everyone would think she remained silent anyway. He leaves with Melody and meets Kacho in the other room, escorting her out and telling himself that the VIP witness protection area is the safest on the ship and that not even the First Prince could try anything there.[19]
Kacho concerned about Fugetsu
Kacho returns to their quarters at the Justice Bureau, but Fugetsu doesn't respond when she calls for her. Kacho points out that they aren't allowed to leave their room since they're key witnesses, worried that Fugetsu used her ability to go somewhere else. She checks the bed and removes the comforter to find Fugetsu's outgoing door, explaining that if she's not with Fugetsu, it's supposed to be a one-way path where the entrance disappears once she passes through the exit. She wonders if Fugetsu is still inside the tunnel and worries that someone tried to attack her and that she used the ability to hide, considering the possibility that Kaiser, the Justice Bureau official, is their enemy. However, Fugetsu suddenly opens the door, and Kacho quickly grabs her hands and asks if she's okay. Fugetsu excitedly replies that she has made a breakthrough, revealing that while she could only use the ability once a day before, she can now use it multiple times. With heavy bags under eyes, she adds that the return door now appears even when she's alone and that even though she can only return to where she was, she can now explore on her own even when Kacho is resting.[19]
Kacho wonders if she's really okay, and Fugetsu excitedly assures her that she is, adding that she feels happy and empowered every time she uses her magic, hoping that the two of them can explore and use their magic skills to escape together. Left wondering if the ability really gets stronger with every use, Kacho grabs her sister's shoulders and tells her to take it easy since she's so pale. However, Fugetsu grabs Kacho's wrist as tears stream down her face, and she tells Kacho that it's her turn to protect her since she has been doing it for so many years. Taken aback, Kacho suggests that they rest and talk about it once they wake up. Kacho then meets with Melody and reveals that Fugetsu passed out, worried that it's not normal and saying that she can't figure out what's happening. Eager to help, Melody reminds her that she is also a key witness and won't be able to get anywhere near the two of them. She tells Kacho that she will have Kaiser arrange a time for her to meet with the other Princes and for Fugetsu to be interviewed so that they can pass each other in the hallway.[19]
Melody is eventually visited by Vantine, the private military commander for the Fourth Prince, who says that while negotiations in public have no meaning, he would like to confirm a few things, with Melody noticing the mention of "negotiations". Vantine asks if she will accept the Prince's invitation to his quarters, and she replies that while she appreciates the offer, she can't make the decision on her own. Vantine wonders if it's because she was hired as a guard by Kacho, but Melody quickly answers that she can't respond to contractual matters.[19]
Kacho's Employees[]
Royalty • Personal Guards • Hunters • Provisional Hunters • Spies • Allies • Servants
| Royal Family | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Prince | 6th Queen | |||
| Prince Kacho's Employees | ||||
| 1Q→1P | 2Q?→ | |||
| 3Q→ | 4Q→ | 5Q→ | 6Q→ | 6Q→ |
| . | ||||
| Replacements | ||||
| 1P→ | ||||
| Legend of Symbols | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Meaning | Example | Meaning |
| P | prince | 1P | The 1st Prince. |
| Q | queen | 5Q | The 5th Queen. |
| ...→ | sent by | 1Q→ | X is sent by the 1st Queen. |
| →... | sent to | →14P | X is sent to the 14th Prince. |
| ...→... | reassigned to | 2Q→14P | X is reassigned by the 2nd Queen to the 14th Prince. |
| →...→... | was assigned to one or more princes | →8P→11P | X was assigned to the 8th and 11th Princes. |
| ♰ | in charge of a prince's curse | 4P♰ | The guard is in charge of the 4th Prince's curse. |
| ♰ | formerly in charge of a prince's curse | 12P♰ | The guard is formerly in charge of the 12th Prince's curse. |
| * | Information found in Togashi's notes from "Jump Ryu! Vol. 21" interview | 1Q*→ | The guard's affiliation is revealed in the notes. |
| Servant* | The employee's position is revealed in the notes. | ||
| [name]* | The employee's name is revealed in the notes. | ||
| ? | Placeholder (might hold another position) |
Captain? | The employee might not be the captain or a personal guard. |
| ? | The employee might not be a personal guard. | ||
| 2Q?→ | The employee might have been sent by another queen. | ||
| ⇄ | Placeholder (might have initially belonged to either Prince Momoze or Prince Marayam) |
This particular issue arose when their mother Queen Sevanti sent all of Momoze's Hunters and servants to Marayam. Since we only got to see 4/5 of Momoze's Hunters and 2/3 of her servants by that time, we can't say for certain which prince the marked characters initially belonged to. | |
Equipment[]
Mosquitone Device: Kacho owns a communication device that produces high-pitched sounds, similar to the buzzing of a mosquito, that only people below a certain age can hear. It is activated with the press of one's thumb and used to send coded messages, for example through Morse code.[12]
Abilities & Powers[]
Despite being a Kakin royal family member, according to Tubeppa, Kacho has no real political influence or power.[20] She is a very capable actress who can convincingly keep up her spoiled persona for prolonged lengths of time with only the sound of her heartbeat giving her away,[1] and also while sending messages in code at the same time. She is capable of thinking ahead, which she demonstrated by acquiring a special communication device that adults cannot hear. She knows Morse code[12] and can play the glass harp.[6]
Guardian Spirit Beast[]
Like the rest of her siblings, Kacho received an egg from which a Guardian Spirit Beast, a variety of Nen beast, hatched to protect her.[3] As a parasitic-type ability, she has no control over it.[21] The Guardian Spirit Beast is subjected to two rule-like instincts: it is unable to fight other Guardian Spirit Beasts as well as to directly attack the host of one.[20]
| Kacho's Guardian Spirit Beast | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type: Unknown (Symbiotic Type)[14] | ||
| Kacho's Guardian Spirit Beast is formless. The activation of its ability, Without You (２人セゾン Season of Two), is triggered by the death of one of the twins. The Guardian Spirit Beast takes the appearance and personality of the deceased Prince and stays by the other's side, protecting her until her death. The replica is visible to the other twin and so perfect it is undistinguishable from the original.[14] Since the host of the Guardian Spirit Beast died, the Guardian Spirit Beast's ability technically makes use of post-mortem Nen. Fugetsu's nen beast ability became more powerful after - and possibly as a result of - Kacho's death, and she no longer needs Kacho to open a door for the return journey.[19] | ||
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Manga Appearances[]
| 349. Worm Toxin | Debut |
| 350. Prince | Pictured |
| 351. Battle to the Death | Absent |
| 352. Troublesome | Absent |
| 353. Cold-Blooded | Absent |
| 354. Heat | Absent |
| 355. Detonation | Absent |
| 356. Unfortunate: Part 1 | Absent |
| 357. Unfortunate: Part 2 | Absent |
| 358. Eve | Appears |
| 359. Departure | Appears |
| 360. Parasite | Absent |
| 361. Withdraw | Absent |
| 362. Resolve | Mentioned |
| 363. Nen Beast | Absent |
| 364. Speculation | Absent |
| 365. Choice | Absent |
| 366. To Each His Own | Appears |
| 367. Synchronization | Absent |
| 368. Foul Play | Absent |
| 369. Limits | Mentioned |
| 370. Observation | Absent |
| 371. Mission | Absent |
| 372. Disappearance | Appears |
| 373. Inheritance | Absent |
| 374. Ability | Appears |
| 375. Persuasion | Mentioned |
| 376. Determination | Appears |
| 377. Scheme | Appears |
| 378. Balance | Absent |
| 379. Collaboration | Absent |
| 380. Alarm | Absent |
| 381. Predation | Appears |
| 382. Awakening | Appears |
| 383. Escape | Death |
| 384. War | Absent |
| 385. Warning | Mentioned |
| 386. Hypothesis | Mentioned |
| 387. Recreation | Absent |
| 388. Reflection | Mentioned |
| 389. Curse | Mentioned |
| 390. Clash: Part 1 | Absent |
| 391. Clash: Part 2 | Absent |
| 392. Information | Absent |
| 393. Plea | Absent |
| 394. Hypothesis | Absent |
| 395. Founding: Part 1 | Absent |
| 396. Founding: Part 2 | Absent |
| 397. Founding: Part 3 | Absent |
| 398. Search | Absent |
| 399. Expulsion | Absent |
| 400. Secrecy | Clone |
Quotes[]
- (To Melody) "It's your job, so just do your best and get paid. Just wander around and pretend that you're worried about me, like you did now."[7]
- (To Seiko) "This is a holy battle to decide the glorious king of Kakin. I will fight with dignity and pride. It's nothing to be scared or sad about."[6]
- (To Fugetsu) "We'll always be together! We can make it with the two of us!"[14]
Trivia[]
- "Kachōfūgetsu" (花鳥風月) is a Japanese saying that is literally translatable as "Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon" and adapted means "The Beauty of Nature" or "Beauties of Nature". It is an invitation to behold the wonders of nature and, in doing so, learn about oneself.
Intertextuality and References[]
- The second name of her Guardian Spirit Beast's ability, "Season of Two" (Futari Saison), is a reference to the third single by the Japanese girl idol group Keyakizaka46 and the main name, "Without You", comes from the fourth track (Kimi ga Inai) from the "Masshirona Mono wa Yogoshitaku Naru" music album of the same idol group.
Translations around the World[]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
 Arabic
|
كاتشو هوي غو رو | |
 Chinese
|
花鳥·回可羅 | |
 French
|
Kachou Hoicoro | |
 Korean
|
카쵸 호이코오로 (Kacho Hoikoro) | |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 34, Chapter 359
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 35, Chapter 366
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 33, Chapter 349
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 34, Chapter 358
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 33, Chapter 350
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 36, Chapter 377
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 36, Chapter 374
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 381
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 35, Chapter 368
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 35, Chapter 369
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 36, Chapter 372
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 36, Chapter 376
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 382
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 383
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 385
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 386
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 388
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 37, Chapter 389
- ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 19.11 Hunter × Hunter, Chapter 400
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 35, Chapter 362
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 34, Chapter 360
[]
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