Ichiyō Higuchi

Ichiyō Higuchi (樋口 一葉,) is a mafioso of the Port Mafia who works under Ryunosuke Akutagawa's orders and acts as his assistant and bodyguard.

Appearance
Higuchi is short, young woman in her 20s. Her hair is blonde and comes down to her shoulders, which she usually keeps tied up into a messy bun. Her eyes are a deep brown color. She wears a black suit that she leaves unbuttoned and is also usually seen wearing a pair of rectangular, blue sunglasses.

When attempting to deceive the Armed Detective Agency, she has a more refined appearance. Her hair is let out of its usual bun and is brushed neatly. She is also seen without her sunglasses and her jacket and shirt buttoned up properly.

Personality
As a mafioso, Higuchi proves ruthless and fearsome, not shying away from killing her targets. When confronted by the enemy, she has a distant atmosphere to herself, often strictly no-nonsense and showing little sympathy for them. Quick to act, she seldom tolerates disrespect and detests those who underestimate Port Mafia.

However, Higuchi's personality, as her boss and she herself notes, is rather unfit in the Port Mafia. Beneath her tough exterior, she is easy to upset, hesitant, and quick to question herself. She even contemplated leaving several times, despite the inevitable hardships defection foretold. As a result, her subordinates seldom show her respect, many following her orders out of fear of Akutagawa's wrath. An impulsive spirit also leads her to tend toward drastic measures, consequently going against orders.

Her biggest weakness is her intense, bordering obsessive loyalty to Ryunosuke Akutagawa, whom she obeys almost unconditionally. She often insists on filling in for Akutagawa, worried about his poor health. Unfortunately, her loyalty is met with a frustrated Akutagawa's abusive and harsh treatment, often being called "unnecessary" to him. Nonetheless, Higuchi remains loyal to him. Her instinct to tell Akutagawa everything she knows ends up a key component to luring Akutagawa to The Guild's Moby Dick. However, Higuchi makes up her weaknesses for having a strong resolve, and she refuses to turn away when allies, especially Akutagawa, are in danger.

Thankfully, her determined and honest nature earns her Black Lizard's respect. She proves reliable and incredibly brave, even if her judgment is easily clouded under pressure. Even if questioning her position in the mafia, Higuchi shoulders its burdens and responsibilities to this day, understanding its vital role in Yokohama's safety. She also makes it a point to not be unnecessarily cruel to her opponents, acting strictly professional in Akutagawa and Port Mafia's names.

Her composure can often waver. Sometimes she is cool-headed and intimidating, other times easily unsettled and stressed out. Ultimately, she seems to excel more in covert operations than the frontlines, as a tendency to panic leaves her wide open in battle.

Ability
Higuchi has an unknown ability, however she is shown to be highly proficient with firearms. She is shown wielding pistols and sub-machine guns several times, and can easily wipe out a group using her firearms only.

Background
Why Higuchi joined the mafia is unknown. As of now, all that's known of her personal life is that she lives with her younger sister.

Etymology

 * The name Ichiyō means "one" (一) (ichi) and "leaf" (葉) (yō).
 * Ichiyō's surname Higuchi means "gutter, water pipe, downspout, conduit" (樋) (hi) and "mouth, entrance" (口) (kuchi/guchi).

Namesake

 * Ichiyō Higuchi (1872-1896)
 * Best known for her short stories, Higuchi desired to create great literature (and not simply popular sellers). This led to a short yet tumultous life, gaining fame and passing from tuberculosis by the age of twenty-four. Her writings aim for realistic depictions of the world and people, eschewing neat endings and fee-good fantasy.

Trivia

 * Higuchi is the namesake of a famous writer who is one of three women to be represented on bills in Japan.
 * The real Higuchi also lived with her sister, noted for being rather "useless" and "helpless" without her sibling's assistance.
 * The real Higuchi's most well-known literary work is a short story titled "Growing Pains".