Summary
Born on December 1, 1983, Motoko Aoyama is a 15-year-old high school student who maintains a highly formal demeanor and is deeply dedicated to kendo. Her living quarters mirror those of a samurai, featuring a full suit of armor, reflecting her claim to be descended from a lineage of demon-slaying swordsmen. She possesses prodigious skill with the katana, capable of destroying boulders and other objects with just her wooden practice sword. Despite this prowess, she lives in fear of her sister, Tsuruko, whose abilities far surpass her own. The series also introduces an unexplained phobia of turtles that haunts her for much of the story. Initially, Motoko disapproves of Keitaro, viewing him as a pervert and a weakling, but she gradually develops a grudging respect and a hidden affection for him, a development that causes her significant chagrin. Her insecurity regarding her femininity stems partly from her sister abandoning swordsmanship to find a husband and partly from her own stature; standing at 175 cm, she is the tallest resident, towering 3 cm over Keitaro. Under Keitaro’s influence, she eventually becomes more open about her feelings, though she continues to frequently threaten or attack him with her sword regardless of her evolving emotions.
