Anri Sonohara

Anri Sonohara (園原 杏里, Sonohara Anri) is a bespectacled girl who attends the same school as Mikado and Masaomi. She is rather quiet and timid, but seems very close towards Masaomi and Mikado. Sometimes she tends to enclose herself. She is intelligent, clever and resourceful. Her full figure and shy behavious gives her the unwanted attention of many males. Her online chat screenname is "Saika". One of the thoughts that occasionally crosses Anri's mind is the fact that she has lost a "purpose" and motive in society. She creates a barrier around her and the rest of the world, supposedly thinking that the unchanging state of life is fine. It is stated that Mika Harima gave her a reason to seek people and social interaction while in middle school. It becomes apparent that both Anri and Mika both used each other as 'foils'; when Mika disappears, Anri becomes lost of what to do, and starts to experience bullying. She sees herself burdened by the fact that she has to rely on Mika Harima, Mikado Ryugamine, and Masaomi Kida for companionship. It is later learned that she harbored deep feelings for her ex-best friend Mika, but she cannot classify it as mutual friendship or love since she can't tell the difference. She is Saika, the demon blade's 'parasite'. After episode 17 she gained control over hundreds over Saika's children created by Niekawa, effectively making her the leader of the cursed blade army. It is also revealed in episode 17 that Anri and her mother lived with an abusive father (although it is implied that he wasn't always like that) who regularly beat them severely. One day, when her father started to take things too far, Anri's mother, Sayaka, used Saika to kill him before he could kill Anri. Possibly starting to lose control, she tells Anri that she loved her before slitting her own throat with the blade. This incident was covered up and it was spread that a burglar killed Anri'sparents and that she was the only one spared. Later on, she discovers that her friend Masaomi Kida is the leader of the Yellow Scarves. When the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars clashed in episodes 20 and 21, she uses Saika's "children" to stop the Yellow Scarves from hurting the Dollars members. Eventually as seen in episode 25 she begins to show signs of having a crush on Mikado (shown when asked about the topic begins to blush as seen in Episode 25).

Anime
Anime specific spoilers about this character per episode.

Episode 02: Anri notices Takashi Nasujima looking at her.

Episode 03: Anri becomes a class representative. Later, she thinks she's found Mika Harima, but Mika's surgery makes her unrecognizable to Anri, who then apologizes and runs away.

Episode 05: Anri defends Takashi from Celty by stabbing her in the arm from behind and then slashing off her helmet.



Episode 17: Anri gains control of Saika's children, essentially becoming the Leader of Saika.

Manga
Manga specific spoilers about this character per volume/chapter.

Volume 01:

Light Novel
Light Novel specific spoilers about this character per volume/chapter.

Volume 01:

Volume 04: After the opening ceremony comes to a close, Anri and Mikado are approached by Aoba Kuronuma about giving him a tour of Ikebukuro. The two are immediately overwhelmed by Aoba's hyperactive personality and they have no choice but to accept. Having no experience in being tour guides Anri and Mikado turn to Walker and Erika for help. Walker and Erika agree to accompany them through their tour and they decide to meet them the next day. After the four of them separate, Anri sees Shingen Kishitani conversing with a tall Caucasian man. Saika resonates within Anri at the sight of her old owner and Shingen recognizes Anri as the daughter of a friend of his. Anri asks how Shingen knew her father and Shingen reveals that he was the one who sold Saika to her father in the first place. The man Shingen was conversing with introduces himself as Igor and places a comforting hand on Anri's shoulder. Despite the polite way of speech, Anri has a deep sense of dread and danger when Igor approached her. Almost without her noticing, Saika extended itself out of Anri's shoulder and pricks Igor's palm, infecting him with it's curse. Anri bids farewell to the two of them and runs home.

Anri and the others get together but Mikado is immediately accosted by a few ex-members of the Yellow Scarves looking for revenge but they are saved by Walker and Erika who pull them into their van. They notice that Mairu and Kururi are also in the van with them and Mikado asks what was happening. Kyohei apologizes to them about dragging everyone into their mess. Anri and the others are confused until they see several members of a biker gang called Toromaru barreling towards them. After several hours, they are joined by Celty (who is also being chased) and eventually come across an overpass. Celty tells Kyohei to take the kids away while she holds Toromaru off. Anri and the others are dropped near a police station while Saburo and Kyohei drove back to give Celty a hand. Anri and Mikado also ran back to try and help, with Anri calling out to any of Saika's children. She senses Igor in the bag Celty was transporting and orders him to assist her. When the two of them arrive, Ruri Hijiribe (disguised as another dullahan) has also joined in the fight and she and Igor successfully defeat the Toromaru members. After the incident blows over, Anri attends the hotpot party held at Celty and Shinra's and even helps with the cooking. The color illustrations rate the girl's cooking skills and anri ends up scoring a 30.

Volume 05 & 06: Anri and Mikado are once again approached by Aoba about touring Ikebukuro since their last outing was interrupted by Toromaru. Mikado initially turns him down so Aoba begins to subtly flirt with Anri. Anri doesn't really pick up on it but Mikado panics and states that what he had planned that day could wait. The three of them set a date to meet up the next day. Later that night, Anri answers a knock at the door only to find Vorona coming at her with a pair of garden scissors. Anri draws Saika and manages to gain the upper hand and (with some help from Celty) manages to chase Vorona and Slon away. After chasing the two Russians across the highway, for a bit, Celty returns and asks if Anri is okay. Anri is unharmed but Celty insists that She stay at her place for the night since Vorona would most likely return for a rematch. Celty drops off Anri at the apartment and introduces her to Akane and she spends the night there.

Once Anri wakes up, she gets ready to meet Mikado and Aoba. Shinra suggests that she take Akane with her since there wasn't much to do at home. Anri agrees and the two of them head off. While they are waiting, Rio Kamichika recognizes Anri and asks her if she wanted to hang out with her and her friends for today. Anri declines and watches as Rio and several of her friends head towards a near by cafe. Not long after, Anri gets a message from Aoba stating that Mikado couldn't make it after all and telling her to wait for him. On top of that, several members of the Awakusu surround her and begin talking to Akane. Anri is cautious but doesn't try anything since Akane actually appeared to know them.

Celty and Mikado suddenly rush to the scene and Anri asks him about Aoba's message. Mikado is unable to fully explain but he tells Anri not to trust Aoba. After the arrival to Toromaru, the Awakusu members tell Celty to keep Akane safe while they hold them off. Celty transforms her motorbike into a chariot and Anri, Akane, and Mikado get on and ride thorugh the city. The four of them eventually come to an underground parking lot to regroup. Mikado gets a message from the dollars message board and runs off in a hurry. Celty shows Anri the message about the kidnapping and sees Rio and her friends in the picture. She rushes after Mikado and finds him about to get beaten to death by several rogue dollars members. Anri easily incapacitates them with Saika and tends to an injured Mikado. Although bruised, Mikado has no broken bones and the duo proceed to Raira which is where the kidnappers said they were going. Vorona follows them discreetly.

When they arrive, they see the rogue dollars confronting Chikage and Kyohei. As Mikado watches, Vorona launches another attack on Anri and throws a flash bang which blinds the two of them. Although she loses her eyesight, Anri allows Saika to take control and allows it to fight for her while her eyesight recovers. She tells mikado to run as Vorona leads Anri into the large battle surrounding the Dollars and Toromaru against kidnappers. As they continue to fight, Vorona manages to knock Anri off balance and is about to make the killing blow. Rokujo Chikage blocks both of their attacks, reprimanding them for trying to kill each other. The entire battle is interrupted by the arrival of Shizuo who incapacitates all of the kidnappers. After Shizuo starts chasing after Vorona, Kyohei and the others ask Anri about her Katana. Anri is reluctant to tell them the full details, but the others understand and accept her for who she is which touches Anri. Anri looks around for Mikado but can't seem to find him anywhere. She returns home, exhausted, and logs on to the chatroom. She makes a comment on how empty the forum has been recently and logs off, unaware of the change that has occurred in Mikado's heart.

Volume 08 : Anri is worried over the recent change in Mikado's personality as he begins to grow increasingly distant from her. When she confronts him about his recent change, Mikado asks her about Saika upfront which shocks Anri since they promised not to discuss their secrets until Masaomi had returned. When Anri refuses to give a straight answer, Mikado simply replies that if Anri stayed out of his business, he would stay out of hers. Things are further complicated as Anri begins to notice that it is getting harder and harder for her to keep Saika in check. Anri talks to Celty about her predicament and Anri realizes that Saika only appears to get worse whenever Mikado is around or if she is thinking about him. Since Anri has only been able to keep Saika under control due to an apparent lack of love, the fact that Saika acts up whenever Mikado is around implies that Anri may be developing feelings for him. Anri eventually meets Masaomi who, by this time, has reassembled the yellow scarves. Although Anri is worried, he reassures her and tells her that he'll set Mikado straight. Anri is relieved that Masaomi has returned but is still deeply concerned about Mikado and Saika.

Volume 09 : Anri doesn't appear until near the very end of the novel where she runs into Erika while out shopping. Erika suggests that Anri take up cosplay however Anri is less than enthusiastic about the idea.

Mikado Ryuugamine
Main Article: Mikado Ryuugamine

Mikado developes a very obvious crush on Anri very early in the series and tries (in his own feeble way) to express this feeling only to have it interrupted in some way. Initially, Anri tries to keep herself distant from Mikado, despite his feelings, due to her own inability feel love as well as to keep Mikado from finding out about Saika. As the series goes on, however, Anri slowly begins to open up to both Mikado and Masaomi and enjoys the fact that she finally has people she can genuinely call friends. In the later volumes of the light novel series, Anri begins to show more obvious signs of reciprocating Mikado's feelings for her. This greatly troubles her, however, as this new surge of emotion allows Saika more opportunities to go berserk and take over. When Mikado's darker personality takes over, Anri expresses great concern over the sudden change and tries to find out what exactly changed him.

Masaomi Kida
Main Article: Masaomi Kida 

Although Masaomi has expressed interest in Anri and repeatedly made advances toward her, it is very unlikely that he was actually serious in his antics and merely did so due to his generally playful nature. He still considered Anri a very close friend to the point to where, when she was attacked by the slasher, he reassembled the yellow scarves and returned to gang life just to get revenge for her. Like Mikado, Anri is very close to Masaomi in that the two of them were able to help her escape her emotional shell. In the light novels, when Masaomi finally returned to Ikebukuro, Anri would frequently talk to him about her concerns towards Mikado's sudden change in personality.

Aoba Kuronuma
Main Article: Aoba Kuronuma 

Although initially overwhelmed by his overly energetic personality, Anri and Mikado quickly welcome Aoba as a friend into their group. In a way, Anri's interactions with Aoba vaguely mirrored those she had with Masaomi before he left. All trust she had in Aoba was shaken, however, during the incident with Akane awakusu when Mikado warned her not to trust Aoba. She began to act more cautiously when the three of them would hang out together but remained unsure about how to react. Aoba expresses some interest in Anri but this may only be due to Anri possessing Saika.

Celty Struluson
Main Article: Celty Sturluson' 

Ever since the slasher incident, Celty and Anri have remained very close friends to the point to where Celty would drop everything to help Anri should she ever need it. Celty is one of the few people Anri knows that would accept her along with Saika and would be able to talk about the problems Saika presents. Anri is also one of the few who have accepted Celty's true nature as a dullahan which strengthens the friendship they have. In volume 2 of the light novels, Anri expresses a vague attraction to Celty but this is never addressed again in later volumes.

Akabayashi
Main Article: Akabayashi 

When Akabayashi offers to support Anri financially, she is unsure of his motives but gradually grows to trust him as time goes on. Akabayashi treats Anri like a daughter and is very protective of her but it is unknown if he knows that Anri has Saika.

Erika Karisawa
Main Article: Erika Karisawa

Since Mikado and Anri asked Erika and Walker for some advice on the guide tour matter in volume 4, Anri got closer to Erika, and also to the van crew. After the fight against Vorona and the guys who had set a trap on Chikage's girlfriends in volume 6 where she used Saika to beat her opponents, Erika didn't think of her as a monster and didn't judge her which surprised Anri in a good way. The two remained on friendly terms, and at the end of volume 9, Anri goes out to cosplay with Erika's team. In volume 10, she stayed with Erika the whole time at the hospital when her friend learned that Kadota had been attacked. Finally in volume 11, after Izaya mentally wrecked her with what he intended to do to Mikado and Kida, Erika defended her in front of Izaya, saying she was "Anri's friend" and that she supported her.

Voice Actresses
Japanese: Kana Hanazawa

English: Michelle Ruff

Trivia

 * Her most favorite subject is P.E. while her least favorite subject is Music though she's not particularly weak at it.
 * Her favorite quote is "A friend is a second self," words of Aristotle.
 * Her weight is unknown probably due to her privacy as a girl.
 * She is refered to as "Okaasan" or "Mother" by Saika's children.
 * Anri's biological parents aren't seen in the manga nor the anime.