Yuzuru Nishimiya

Yuzuru Nishimiya is a major character in the Koe no Katachi series. She is the younger sister of Shōko Nishimiya and a third-year junior high school student (9th grade), but rarely attends, instead taking photos with her camera around town. She is also the second daughter of Yaeko Nishimiya and granddaughter of Ito Nishimiya. Yuzuru is a rather short girl for her age, having a small build and fair skin. She keeps her jet black hair cut short of which the longest part ends at the nape of her neck and then goes back up to the front locks that end on the bridge of her nose. Her androgynous appearance causes her to be mistaken for a boy, a trait she uses to trick Shōya into believing that she is Shōko's boyfriend. On the surface, Yuzuru appears to be rather abrasive, brash, and cold towards people she dislikes or is suspicious of. However, her behavior is actually a defense mechanism to both protect her older sister and hide the more vulnerable and uncertain parts of herself. It’s implied through several interactions that Yuzuru struggles with friendly encounters, finding it hard to open up to people she is unfamiliar with. However, after Shōya begins earning her trust, Yuzuru reveals herself to be a kind and sweet girl who cares deeply about the people close to her. When Yuzuru opens up, she shows a lot of compassion and empathy that fuels her desire to protect her loved ones. Initially, her compassionate nature was exclusive to Shōko, but appears to have extended to Shōya as their bond began to grow over time. Yuzuru struggles with understanding herself, choosing to invest her time into her sister rather than herself. However, the end of the series shows Yuzuru finally beginning to become her own person and allowing her sister to explore who she wants to be.