Anabuki Tomoko (穴拭智子) is a Witch of the 507th Joint Fighter Wing, formerly known as the Suomus Volunteer Independent Flying Squadron, originating from Fuso and attached to the Fuso Imperial Army.
Background[]
Back when Tomoko was a cadet, a lot of expectations were placed on her regarding her piloting and swordsmanship skills. During the Fuso Sea Incident, she was assigned to the 1st Fighter Squadron along with Kuroe Ayaka and the other two members of the "Fuso Sea Triumvirate" - Katou Takeko and Katou Keiko - under the command of Etou Toshiko. At the time, she used a bright white long scarf as her trademark. On that pure white scarf, the words "Brave Anabuki" (豪勇穴拭, Gouyuu Anabuki) were written in extremely clumsy letters by Katou Keiko.
Also known as the "Tomoe Gozen of the Fuso Sea" (扶桑海の巴御前, Fuso-kai no Tomoe Gozen), this epithet came from a newspaper that reported Tomoko's endeavours during the Fuso Sea Incident. However, she prefers to call herself "Anabuki of the White Lightning" (白色電光の穴拭, Hakushoku Denkou no Anabuki).
Tomoko starred as herself in the propaganda film "Flash of the Fuso Sea" (扶桑海の閃光, Fuso-kai no Senkou), becoming a national superstar. Having the Fuso Sea Incident as her claim to fame, the "Flash of the Fuso Sea" was produced half a year after the incident with the full cooperation of the army and navy. Neuroi were portrayed in the movie by various means like prop blimps, and Witches were employed to help with the actual filming, so the final product was quite impressive in scale. Sakomizu Haruka and Inagaki Mami saw the movie and were inspired to become Witches themselves out of admiration for the Witches of the Fuso Sea.
For the sake of filming, Tomoko went to perform in Tsuburaya's special effects studio at Setagaya, Tokyo. She's depicted here wearing a flight suit specially designed for the movie, but it's not the flight suit she uses for magical protection during actual combat. Her trademark long scarf was also changed from plain white to bright red in order to appear as a flash of lightning. Her actual flight suit for standard use is a miko garment with shortened, red hakama on her lower body. She also wears Witch-use armored bracers. These collectively compose the standard uniform of the Fuso Imperial Army's Witches.
A beautiful girl with a relaxed vibe, tsurime eyes and dignified air to her, much like a graceful Fuso doll. In Fuso, an actual line of dolls was produced modelled off of her. She's one of the most famous Witches in Fuso, and being especially popular among other girls, her doll is especially coveted among young girls.
In 1939, Flying Officer Anabuki was dispatched to the Volunteer Air Squadron in northern Suomus, where she achieved significant military gains. These events served as a driving force towards the creation of Joint Fighter Wings.
Personality[]
Strong and hard-working with a strong sense of responsibility, Tomoko's infamy has also made her proud, slightly vain and sometimes stubborn. However she has a kind heart and fights hard in defense of her squadmates.
Besides a thick layered hanten full of cotton padding, she is otherwise completely naked when sleeping.
Abilities[]
Tomoko's forte is hand-to-hand combat and her favorite combat maneuver is the "Tsubame Gaeshi" (ツバメ返し), a back-rotation with an extremely small radius. The name comes from Sasaki Kojirou's signature move. Incidentally, considering that Miyafuji Yoshika's model is called the "Miyamoto Musashi of the Sky", it's possible that Tomoko and Yoshika were originally meant to form a pair image-wise.
Equipment[]
In the novels, Tomoko's Strikers include a Nakajima Ki-27 equipped with a Ma-1B magic engine and a Nakajima Ki-44, equipped with a Ma-41 magic engine. Regarding the Ki-44, there are plans to add the formal designation Type-2 Fighter Legs and the pet-name Shouki (鍾馗, Zhong Kui). Tomoko's unit is apparently an improved prototype and, according to the old man in charge of the maintenance, most of the flaws have been solved when compared to the early prototype. Incidentally, the Nakajima's formal name is Nakajima Flight-legs Company and it boasts the largest scale among the Fuso's companies that manufacture flight-legs (Striker Unit) for the mechanized air infantry.
Tomoko's Ho-103 is a masterpiece from Liberion. It was created having the M2 Browning as a model, but it falls behind the Browning in every aspect. She loads it with high-explosive shells.
Her Fuso sword is called Bizen Osafune (備前長船). A family inheritance that was turned into a military sword, this kind of blade is considered formal equipment distinctive of the Fuso Imperial Army.
Appearances[]
Light Novels
- Strike Witches: Suomus Misfits Squadron
- A Midnight Dream in the Desert
- Strike Witches: The Witches of Africa - Kei's Report, Volume 1 chapter 7
- Strike Witches: Suomus Misfits Squadron ReBOOT!
Manga
- Strike Witches Zero:1937 Fuso Sea Incident
- Strike Witches Zero:1939 Koukaku no majo, poster in Takei Junko room
- Strike Witches: Maidens in the Sky, cameo in chapters 1 and 2
- Strike Witches: Aurora no Majo, cameo in chapter 6
Anime
- Strike Witches, figurine on Yoshika's bedside table in Episode 11
Audio Media
Video Games
Other
Trivia[]
- Her familiar is a fox named Konbei (コン平). A rarity among familiars, it can understand human language and is also capable of speaking. Refers to Tomoko as "young lady" (お嬢様, ojou-sama). There is a chance that it is one of those legendary youko whose tails increase as they age.
- Tomoko is based on Anabuki Satoshi, who called himself the "White Lightning Combat Anabuki". The epithet originates from the white lightning marking drew from the tail all the way to the rear fuselage of his personal Type-1 Hayabusa. Satoru Anabuki was, depending on the source, the second or third highest flying ace of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II, with 39 victories (51 claimed).
Gallery[]
