Haruka Kanade

Haruka Kanade
Japanese Name	奏遥香
Voiced by	Japanese: Eriko Matsui

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Haruka Kanade (奏遥香, Kanade Haruka) is one of the main characters in Puella Magi Suzune Magica.

General Info

Physical Features
Age	15
Eye colour	Yellow
Hair colour	Blonde
Height	161.5 cm
Weight	50.2 kg
Blood type	O
Magic
Soul Gem	Yellow hexagonal gem (neck)
Weapon	Dual-bladed sabre; Can split into two separate sabres
Witch Form	Odette
Powers and Abilities	Fascination (attract the other party's attention)
Wish	“I want my sister to disappear!”
Other
Japanese pronoun	Watashi (私)
Known relatives	Unnamed parents, Kanata Kanade (older sister; erased)
Origins	Hohzuki City
School	Akanegasaki Middle School, 9th grade

Personality

The leader of the Hohzuki magical girls, and a respectable, well-behaved student yet this can be interpreted as a facade as she feels the pressure of being a perfectionist. Haruka was once resentful and easily jealous of her sister who was praised for everything she did. Haruka may feel inferior to others because of this and puts up a cheerful and smiling image to try to live up to the sister she once had. Haruka feels guilt over how childish she used to be and what her hidden hatred led her to wish for. One could say she is secretly emotionally unstable.

Story

Backstory

Haruka once held a large animosity towards her older sister, Kanata, who was loved and praised by everyone while Haruka was overlooked. This led to her making a wish to erase Kanata from existence.

Haruka during Suzune Magica

Haruka Kanade, a senior on the school council, is performing morning greeting exercise. Haruka explains that it's a way of making sure of everyone's attendance, and tells Arisa to be sure not to arrive late. Arisa, Chisato, Matsuri and Haruka then depart for classes, with Arisa and Chisato continuing onto maths class, and Matsuri to P.E. After school , Haruka telepathically summons the Hohzuki quartet to a meeting on the school roof to discuss the Ripper rumors and the serial murders that started occurring in a neighboring city a month ago. While Haruka discusses details unknown to the public, namely that the victims are teenage girls who have been stabbed by something larger than a knife, the other girls mention the possiblity of a witch being the culprit. Haruka urges caution as they transform and head out to patrol the city.

As the patrol the city, Haruka is apprehensive that neither Chisato or Arisa have been responding for some time. Haruka and Matsuri come across Suzune after she's already killed Chisato and beaten up Arisa. Haruka uses her charm ability to keep Suzune focused on her so Matsuri can grab Arisa and escape. After discussing the situation in the park with Matsuri as Arisa recovers, Haruka is shocked to discover Suzune is a girl from their school. Kyubey appears and apologizes for not warning the girls sooner. At school, Haruka runs into Suzune and demands to know why she is killing magical girls but Suzune refuses to give her an answer.

Haruka attends Chisato's funeral and has an argument with Arisa, with Arisa furious at Haruka and Matsuri for having abandoned Chisato in the alley and only rescuing her. Haruka argues that Chisato was already dead and all of them would have been killed by Suzune had they remained behind. Arisa calls her perfect and able to do anything she wants to, which is everything Chisato admired about her, before stomping off. This causes Haruka to cry out in grief.

At school, Haruka is visibly distracted as noticed by her classmates. As she leaves school, she is too distracted to notice she has walked into a witch's barrier. Her soul gem is already heavily corrupted as she transforms into a magical girl to take on the witch. However, the witch attacks her with a liquid of some kind which causes Haruka to recall painful memories of her past and her older sister who she wished would disappear. As Haruka finally defeats the witch, she regrets the wish she made and declares she only fights witches because she can't bear the guilt and not for the sake of the people she saves. Suzune appears and is about to kill her when Arisa and Matsuri appear, having used Matsuri's ability to track her down. Arisa apologiez to Haruka, only to have Haruka apologize as well and blame herself for everything. Haruka's soul gem hatches into a grief seed and light bursts forth, revealing Haruka's witch form.

As Arisa asks where Haruka went, Suzune nods towards the witch informing them that that is Haruka. Shocked, Arisa calls Suzune dumb, stating that creature is clearly a witch, the creatures they are always fighting. Suzune agrees, and tells them to go kill the witch like they always do but in doing so they will be killing their fellow magical girls with their own hands. Matsuri questions if Haruka really did turn into a witch but Suzune doesn't care if they believe her or not as long as they stay out of her way. Haruka's witch form attempts to blast energy beams at Suzune, who dodges most of them but not before an energy beam scorchers her shoulder. Holding her sword, she summons swords of flame that shoot out, destroying the disco balls that shot the energy beams. As Suzune races in to finish the witch off before it can recover, Haruka's witch form screams and casts its charm magic on Suzune, causing her to freeze on the spot. The witch charges up an even greater energy beam from its giant eye to kill Suzune with, but more flame swords rain down on it, stabbing it in the eye and causing the witch to scream in pain. Suzune rushes forward once more and pierces the witch with her sword, shattering its eye and unleashing a blast of light from which Arisa and Matsuri catch a momentary glimpse of Haruka in human form before the barrier and witch disappear.

Magia Record

See Haruka Kanade in Magia Record.

Powers and Abilities

Haruka uses a dual-bladed spear as her weapon. The spear can be split into two separate spears.

She specializes in charm magic; however, the only charm she has been seen using is a charm to call an opponent's attention to herself, which makes them freeze when the spell is released. This charm likely comes from how Haruka wanted attention from others, but was overshadowed by Kanata.

Observations

Haruka shares several traits with Mami: a yellow colour scheme; a leadership role, being a well-respected third-year senior at school; a wish for herself that she heavily regrets; being a "princess"-like character; having styled hair of some sort (Mami has her drills, whereas Haruka has a small plait on the side and has tied her hair at the end); wearing tights in both her normal and magical outfits and a hat with her magical girl outfit.
Haruka has an eye on her hat. Interestingly, the witch that torments her with memories of her past has a distinct eye motif.

Etymology

Haruka's first name is spelled with the kanji for "distant fragrance".
- "Haruka" can be alternatively read as "distant", which matches with Kanata.
Her last name, Kanade, means "to play music".

Trivia

According to a tweet by GAN:
- Haruka was designed because GAN wanted to draw a "blonde princess"-like character.
- Her costume became more revealing over time as it was designed.^[1]

Gallery

Official Art

From 「twitterまとめ」 by GAN
Comic featuring a lonely Haruka, from GAN's twitter.
From GAN's twitter.
Art of Haruka in a swimsuit from GAN's twitter.
Art of Haruka in a summer outfit GAN's twitter.

Manga pages

Haruka's character profile.
Haruka in her magical girl form.
Haruka's charm magic. The spells seem to involve voice commands (used both times) and hand gestures (used once).
Haruka's spear.
Haruka attacking.
Haruka attacking.
Suzune attacking Haruka.
Haruka in her school uniform.
Haruka's outfit at Chisato's funeral.
Young Haruka.
The drawing of her family that Haruka creates.
Haruka transforms into a witch.
Haruka's Grief Seed
Haruka's witch, Odette