Toda Kotohi

Toda Kotohi (戸田琴陽) is a first-year Lily not affiliated with any Garden. She was previously a student of Ludvico Private Girls' Academy, where she integrated the Garden's Disciplinary Committee. During this time, she was known as Toda Eulalia Kotohi (戸田・エウラリア・琴陽). While presenting herself as a polite, but frail Lily on the surface, Kotohi secretly worked in service of the mysterious Gozen, acting as her primary field agent, as well as her contact within GEHENA, with whom Kotohi begrudgingly worked with in order to advance her and Gozen's own schemes.

Kotohi is a main character of the Team Hitotsuyanagi trilogy of stage plays, particularly acting as one of the primary antagonists in Assault Lily: Lost Memories.

Personality

Kotohi is remarkably polite, always speaking in a highly formal tone, and always displaying proper etiquette when speaking with other Lilies. She maintains such politeness even when addressing those she perceives as her enemies, and though she is not above raising her voice or using belittling language, Kotohi still retains a level of tact and composure in her words.

Though usually calm and somewhat reserved, Kotohi becomes highly excited when presented with the chance to spar with other Lilies, a hobby she particularly enjoys. She'll show no restraint in requesting a duel to any Lily that catches her fancy, even if they are her seniors and/or renowned veterans, such as Amatsu Marei or Serizawa Chikaru, and even if they are actively fighting the Huge at the moment. Kotohi favors sparring with Lilies of greater combat experience, and while being an exceptionally skilled fighter herself, she appears to purposefully match her opponent's skill level when fighting them.

Kotohi's most notorious trait is her hatred for Shirai Yuyu, whom Kotohi blames for leaving her and her close friend for dead during the Koshu Withdrawal, which ultimately resulted in the death of her friend and Kotohi herself being continuously experimented on by GEHENA in order to treat her injuries. Yuyu's neglect, compounded with the abuse she suffered in GEHENA's hands caused Kotohi to resent her own weakness, while conversely becoming very strongly attached to her newfound strength as a Boosted Lily, as she came to believe that it shielded her from being hurt and exploited by others as she was in the past.

After meeting Gozen, who not only shared her desire to cause pain to Yuyu and GEHENA, but also displayed a level of power beyond anything she had ever seen, Kotohi became devoted to her to the point of veneration, as she wholeheartedly believed that through Gozen's plans, she would finally satiate her thirst for revenge, as well as gain the power to free herself and the rest of mankind from the Huge's oppression. While she fully subscribes to Gozen's ideals, and is willing to engage in morally dubious endeavors in order to further her plans, Kotohi does appear to wish well for other Lilies, as shown during her final battle against Team Hitotsuyanagi, where she repeatedly insisted that they stop fighting and leave, so they too could benefit from Gozen's plan, and ultimately being unable to bring herself to kill them despite Gozen's direct orders, as her own past experiences made her unwilling to cause the same level of suffering she endured to others.

In Assault Lily: League of Gardens -full bloom-, Kotohi still retains her politeness, but is depicted as much more energetic and playful when sparring with other Lilies, while simultaneously coming off as much more sly and underhanded when acting in service of GEHENA. Notably, she appears to display a level of personal enjoyment when observing the developments of GEHENA's experiment in Shimokitazawa.

History

Kotohi was a resident of Koshu, Yamanashi, and as a result was one of the civilians present during the Koshu Withdrawal. She attempted to evacuate the city together with one of her close friends, and while doing so, the pair came into contact with Shirai Yuyu, a middle-school Lily of Yurigaoka Girls' Academy. Yuyu, however, had completely lost control of herself due to the extremely unstable combination of her Rare Skill, Lunatic Trancer, and her Aberration known as Divine Possession.

Yuyu, in her mindless state, left Kotohi and her friend behind without providing them any assistance, and the pair was subsequently ambushed by the Huge. Kotohi's friend ultimately succumbed to her injuries, while Kotohi herself was left severely maimed. She would be shortly collected by GEHENA, and, under the pretense of "treating her injuries", Kotohi was subjected to multiple Boosting experiments. Eventually, Kotohi was rescued from GEHENA's custody by "Gozen", the deceased older sister of Yuyu, Shirai Saaya, who had been resurrected by highly unconventional means.

The pair grew very close, with Kotohi developing a great reverence towards Gozen for the power she possessed, seeing it as the reason she was able to be freed from GEHENA's grasp. At the same time, Kotohi had grown to feverishly loathe Yuyu for abandoning her and her friend to the Huge's mercy, as well as GEHENA for the incredibly inhumane and painful experiments they've conducted on her. And so, Gozen shared with Kotohi her goal of making Yuyu into the vessel for a power much greater than that of Lilies and Huge alike, which would entail killing her so she may be resurrected as Gozen was. Kotohi was in full agreement with Gozen's plans, as it would fulfill her desire for revenge towards Yuyu, while also thwarting GEHENA's own plans to fully gain control over the Huge and their power.

In order to facilitate their plans, Kotohi enrolled in the highly pro-GEHENA Garden of Ludvico Private Girls' Academy, and would eventually begin working for GEHENA directly, serving as their field agent during targeted deployments of Huge in order to document noteworthy breakthroughs in the abilities of the Lilies present. Kotohi eventually joined Ludvico's Disciplinary Committee, while simultaneously gaining a reputation for her fondness of sparring with other Lilies, which particularly annoyed the Temple Legion members Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie and Seto Veronica Ichika. Kotohi also had a good relationship with Makino Mitake during her time in Ludvico.

Stage plays

This information is specific to the stage play continuity.

League of Gardens

Main articles: Assault Lily: League of Gardens and Assault Lily: League of Gardens -full bloom-

Kotohi was one of the many Ludvico Lilies dispatched to battle the horde of Huge spreading across Shimokitazawa, Tokyo. As the outbreak had been secretly engineered by GEHENA, Kotohi also acted as their primary source of information on-site. There, she approached Kon Kanaho, captain of Kamba Girls' School for the Fine Arts' Top Legion, Gran Eple, and promptly requested a duel with the second year, much to her confusion. Kotohi nonetheless briefly battled a disoriented Kanaho before being interrupted by Aizawa Kazuha, captain of Herensuge Girls' Academy's Top Legion, Hervör.

After attempting to fight Kazuha as well, the three Lilies are met by Sachie and Matsunaga Brigitta Kayo. Sachie scolds Kotohi for her habit of fighting other Lilies unprompted, and suggests that she join her and Kayo so she can monitor her from up close. Together with Kazuha and Kanaho, the Lilies agree to keep moving as a single group, but as the battle progresses, Kotohi is the only one among them unable to fight properly, and she explains that despite her sparring expertise, she is inexperienced in real combat, and is actually afraid of the Huge. Sachie proposes that she returns to the Garden if she is unable to fight.

The group is then joined by Kawamura Yuzuriha, Tsukioka Momiji, Funada Kiito and Funada Ui, the heads of Odaiba Girls' School's Legions Heorot Saints and Hronesnæsse, respectively. Kotohi is left deeply unsettled after Yuzuriha expresses her desire to reunite with Yuyu, and after the Lilies discuss her traumatic experience during the Koshu Withdrawal, Kotohi protests the idea of joining forces with someone as unstable as her. Suddenly, the Lilies are met with a Gigant-class Huge, and as they set off in pursuit of it, the multi-Legion team runs into Yuyu and her newly formed Legion, Team Hitotsuyanagi.

Kotohi begins attacking Yuyu immediately upon sighting her, and while the other Lilies presume it to be her usual sparring mania, Kotohi lashes out in anger, revealing to all present of how Yuyu abandoned her and her friend during the Koshu Withdrawal two years prior, ultimately causing her friend to be killed. This causes Yuyu to suffer a breakdown, and Kotohi attempts to strike her again before being stopped by Hitotsuyanagi Riri. Sachie attempts to reason with Kotohi, asserting that Yuyu must have had a reason, but Yuyu herself dispels the notion, pointing out that she does not remember the events of that night. This only angers Kotohi further, and she once again attempts to attack Yuyu before finally being stopped by Kiito, who remarks that she is "too weak to claim the revenge she wishes for". Momiji then further advises Kotohi to continue on her path as a Lily, as it might lead her to find a different answer to quelling her grief.

Regaining her composure, Kotohi apologizes to Yuyu and the other Lilies for her rash behavior, and the Lilies then turn their attention to dealing with the Gigant-class. Having previously agreed to let Team Hitotsuyanagi perform the Neunwelt Tactic, the multi-Legion team tasks themselves with keeping the battlefield clear of any smaller Huge. While doing so, however, they encounter an Irregular Mid-class Huge impervious to all of their attacks, and with no other choice, they perform a Neunwelt Tactic of their own in order to defeat it. While making her pass, Kiito refuses to match the pace of the other Lilies, ultimately causing Kotohi to injure herself when receiving the Magisphere from her. Nonetheless, Kotohi manages to make her pass, and the Lilies succeed in destroying the Mid-class Huge.

The two teams regroup after Team Hitotsuyanagi's Neunwelt fails to destroy the Gigant-class, and they eventually agree to retreat in order to develop a surefire way to kill it permanently. Noticing that Kotohi is still injured, Sachie once again proposes that she returns to Ludvico, but Kotohi refuses, citing that she cannot turn her back on this battle the same way that Yuyu turned her back on her, and that watching the other Lilies fight inspired her to overcome her own weakness. Though Sachie agrees, Kanaho is skeptical of Kotohi's apparent inexperience.

Upon reviewing the previous battle, the Lilies come to the conclusion that the Gigant-class Huge possesses a Magie Reflector, and that they will require two simultaneous Neunwelts in order to defeat it. As the Lilies begin to prepare their return to the battlefield, Kotohi contacts GEHENA, telling them that their experiment has proved a success, but that the Lilies have already developed a countermeasure for the Gigant-class. Kotohi is ordered to continue her observations, and after finishing her call, she briefly speaks with Sachie, reassuring her that their plan will succeed.

As the two teams move on to perform their double-Neunwelt Tactic, Kotohi stands back and continues her observations, making notes on each Lily. When the Legions succeed in killing the Gigant-class, Kotohi promptly informs GEHENA of the matter, appearing very worried that they were unable to achieve their goals with the Gigant-class. However, she is assured by GEHENA that their experiments will still continue as planned, and tells them of the data she was able to collect, which includes data on Yuyu.

The Fateful Gift

Main article: Assault Lily: The Fateful Gift

Following the fall of Ludvico, Kotohi continued to operate by herself even as other Legions began to arise within the Garden. As her work with GEHENA continues, Kotohi is then ordered to maintain observations on Sachie's Schwester, Kishimoto Lucia Raimu. With many of Tokyo's Legions being deployed to cover Ludvico's territory after the Garden ceased its operations, Kotohi takes the opportunity to spar with one Serizawa Chikaru of Legion Hervör. As Chikaru's Legion members arrive at the scene, Kotohi briefly exchanges blows with an excited Sasaki Ran, who proudly proclaims that she was never once attacked by any Huge. Kotohi appears shocked at Ran's nonchalant remark, and Kazuha suggests that Kotohi join them in finding Sachie and her Legion.

Before accompanying Legion Hervör, Kotohi once again contacts GEHENA, informing them that "they" will be brought together very soon. While making her call, Gozen appears in the scene, commanding a Gigant-class Huge. Telling Kotohi that their plans are also proceeding accordingly, Gozen impales the Gigant-class Huge with Yuyu's old Dainsleif, before sending it off towards the Legions present.

Kotohi and Hervör soon make contact with Sachie's team, who were once again accompanied by Kiito, Ui and Yuzuriha, as well as Hronesnæsse's Shiba Tomoshibi. They soon receive a report of the Gigant-class' sighting, and as they set off to intercept it, Kotohi is called out by Tomoshibi, who immediately saw through her meek and frail facade. Concluding that Kotohi is affiliated with whoever has orchestrated the current situation, Tomoshibi assures her that she will stay out of her way so long as they keep away from Kiito.

The multi-Legion team struggles to make their way to the Gigant-class due to the high density of Huge in the area. While battling the Huge, Ran is knocked down by a stray projectile, and when Raimu offers to help her up, the pair experiences a sudden, intense surge of Magie the moment their hands touch, which allows Ran to single-handedly destroy all the Huge in the area. The other Lilies are perplexed at what they just witnessed, and Kotohi points out how Ran previously mentioned having never been attacked by the Huge before. Sachie reveals that the same is true for Raimu, as they had recently discovered her to be a Boosted Lily from birth, which causes the Huge to see her as one of their own.

Attracted by Ran and Raimu's Magie, a large number of Huge, including the Gigant-class, converge on their location. The Legions are able to drive them away just before meeting Team Hitotsuyanagi, who had been pursuing the Gigant-class. Soon after reuniting, however, the Lilies are met with a second Gigant-class, and the Legions agree to split themselves in three teams, each performing a Neunwelt Tactic, in order to defeat the two Gigants. Team Hitotsuyanagi continues their chase of the first Gigant-class, while the multi-Legion team performs a double Neunwelt in order to take down the second.

Kotohi briefly speaks with Gozen about the power displayed by Ran and Raimu. Referring to the pair as "Princesses", Gozen hopes that in overcoming their current predicament, their power will rise to "even greater heights". Later, Kotohi joins the other Lilies in performing their double Neunwelt Tactic, however, before they are able to finish it, a third Gigant-class arrives at the scene. Kotohi is left distraught, as she had been told by GEHENA that only two Gigant-class Huge would be deployed at the scene, and breaking down, Kotohi concludes that they intend to destroy all evidence of their experiments by killing all the Lilies present, including her.

Kuroki Francisca Yuria confronts Kotohi, assuring her that they will survive this battle, and that she'll be questioned on her involvement with it soon enough. With no other choice, the two teams continue their Neunwelt Tactics, and with her facade uncovered, Kotohi finally displays her true fighting capabilities, unleashing her Rare Skill, Zenon Paradoxa. While they are able to successfully finish it, only one of the Gigant-class Huge is destroyed, while the second instead absorbs the Magisphere. The Huge shoots the Magisphere at Ran and Raimu, but Kotohi shields the pair from the attack with her own Magie Reflector, before falling unconscious from the intensity of the attack.

Later, Team Hitotsuyanagi returns from their battle, and Kotohi, now recovered, discloses her affiliation with GEHENA to the other Lilies, explaining that the Huge they've fought so far were Irregulars, and as such were able to attack Ran and Raimu. Thanks to Team Hitotsuyanagi's encounter with a strangely resilient Huge in their previous battle, the Lilies are able to devise a plan to destroy the final Gigant-class by making use of a supercharged Magisphere. Kotohi presumes that it'll work, as the data she had relayed to GEHENA so far only documented the upper limits of power of the regular Neunwelts they've conducted previously. As not all Lilies have fully recovered from the previous battle, they form a mixed team of 16 Lilies out of the 24 present in order to carry out the Neunwelt, with the remaining Lilies, including Kotohi, staying behind.

After the Lilies successfully destroy the final Gigant-class Huge, Kotohi makes a final report to GEHENA, informing them that while their experiments with the Gigant-class succeeded, she failed to retrieve Ran and Raimu as requested, and as all the Lilies were able to survive the battle, their plans will no longer continue the way they intend them to. Revolted, Kotohi discards her comms device before being approached by Gozen, who comforts her pupil, assuring her that she won't allow GEHENA to cause her any harm. The two then turn to talking about Yuyu, whom Gozen had previously fought with, and Gozen expresses her desire to continue observing how being with Riri will change her going forward.

Lost Memories

Main article: Assault Lily: Lost Memories

After fully severing her ties with GEHENA, Kotohi also decided to leave Ludvico entirely, now fully devoting her time to acting in conjunction with Gozen. Together with a girl very similar to Riri, Kotohi and Gozen approach Yuyu during one of Team Hitotsuyanagi's Expeditions, and explain to her that she is an irreplaceable piece of the ideal world they seek to create. As she is able to control any genetically modified Huge, Gozen coerces Yuyu into joining her, with Kotohi pointing out that with her power, she would be able to kill Team Hitotsuyanagi and ravage the entirety of Tokyo if Yuyu refuses.

Team Hitotsuyanagi is quick to follow Yuyu after her sudden departure, pinpointing her location at Tokyo's Metropolitan Government Office, where Gozen's hideout is located. Arriving at the building, they are once again joined by Legion Hervör, Sachie, Raimu and the Funada Twins, as well as Amatsu Marei and Hata Matsuri, prompting Kotohi and the girl, "L", to briefly engage them in combat, accompanied by an Irregular Gigant-class Huge controlled by Gozen. Kotohi and L are able to maintain the upper hand with little issue, and Kotohi explains to the Lilies that it was Yuyu who chose to join them, and that her master, Gozen, hopes to make her into "the one to save the world", and as such she cannot be returned to them.

Kotohi urges the Lilies to leave the place so they may avoid fighting, as they stand no chance of winning against Gozen, before retreating into the Office building once again. However, Team Hitotsuyanagi is determined to retrieve Yuyu, and so they follow her inside, leading Kotohi to begin fighting them once again. Kotohi effortlessly overpowers Team Hitotsuyanagi a second time as she tells them of how it was Gozen who saved her from GEHENA's torment, and once again, she tells them to give up on Yuyu, insisting that she chose to join them out of her own volition.

Still, Riri refuses, pointing out that Yuyu had a "pained look on her eyes" when they briefly met previously, and is determined to bring her back to their side, even if it means confronting Gozen directly. Kotohi advises her against going against Gozen, noting that she holds a much greater power than Kotohi herself does as a Boosted Lily. They resume their battle, and joined by Ran and Raimu, Tazusa, Miliam, Yujia and Shenlin drive Kotohi away, while the remaining Team Hitotsuyanagi members set off to find Yuyu.

Tazusa's team continues to struggle against Kotohi, as she unleashes the full might of her Zenon Paradoxa at its S-Rank level. Kotohi is awestruck as Ran and Raimu once again make use of their mysterious power to fight her, and urge the pair to join her and Gozen as well in order to learn more of their true nature as "Princesses". Team Hitotsuyanagi attempts to reason with Kotohi, but she reaffirms her desire to follow in Gozen's steps in order to reach the "greater heights of power" she envisions, which would allow them to free mankind from the Huge's oppression, even if doing so requires others to be sacrificed.

Once again, Kotohi asks that they give up on Yuyu and leave, assuring them they won't be harmed so long as they don't oppose her and Gozen's plans. Ran and Raimu question their use of Yuyu, telling Kotohi of how their own nature as born Boosted Lilies has caused them anguish, and that they don't wish for Yuyu to suffer the same way. Yet again, the Lilies resume fighting Kotohi, and all of them eventually approach the limits of their exhaustion. Kotohi argues that, as a Boosted Lily who underwent multiple procedures, she is still leagues above the rest of them, prompting Tazusa to question if being given the power of the Huge is something she can truly accept.

Kotohi responds that she does, as having such power means she can no longer be taken advantage of by others. When questioned by Shenlin if that means she sees the death of her friend as worthless, Kotohi answers that the tragedy she experienced then was a result of her own weakness, and that the power she now possesses has made her a different person. Tazusa is unconvinced, and upon striking Kotohi with her CHARM, she points out that even if their Regenerator skill can heal their wounds, the pain does not go away, and that in the same way it pains her to have no other choice but to fight her, Kotohi too must be hurting from causing pain to other Lilies, something she cannot expect to be freed from through power alone.

Kotohi still attempts to rationalize her actions, and Yujia responds that, if all of them except Ran and Raimu are not important to Gozen's plans, then she should just kill them as Gozen had ordered her to. Kotohi raises her CHARM against Yujia, but finds herself unable to kill her, and Yujia tells her that she does not have the heart to, as she intimately understands the pain and anguish that someone's death causes on the living. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Kotohi breaks down, and Tazusa tells her that Gozen herself might be suffering in the same way that she is, and that she is the only one who can relieve her of that pain if that is the case.

As Tazusa's team leaves to rescue Yuyu, Kotohi looks back on her relationship with Gozen, realizing that despite earnestly believing that aiding her in gaining control of Yuyu would also satiate her desire for revenge, the time they spent together had allowed her resentment towards Yuyu to eventually fade away. Finally, Kotohi explains to Raimu and Ran that they are their "Princesses" because they hold the power of the Huge while not being "tainted" by being directly experimented on by GEHENA. Kotohi then leaves to find Gozen, expressing to Ran and Raimu her hope that they one day find themselves on the same side.

Kotohi eventually reaches Gozen while she fights Team Hitotsuyanagi, who were successful in retrieving Yuyu. Pointing out that Yuyu is no longer willing to aid them, she urges Gozen to stop. However, Gozen is overcome by frustration at her plan reaching a setback, and begins to viciously attack Kotohi, viewing her hesitation as a betrayal. Kotohi continues to fight Gozen together with Yuyu while attempting to reach out to her, as she argues that Gozen's fixation on using Yuyu comes from the love she still has for her own sister. Through Riri's Charisma, Team Hitotsuyanagi is able to recover from their exhaustion and join them in battling Gozen, eventually allowing Riri to use Yuyu's Dainsleif to land the finishing blow.

Finally regaining her clarity, Gozen takes hold of Yuyu's Dainsleif and uses it to begin demolishing the building, bringing her plans to an end. Team Hitotsuyanagi hurriedly leaves the scene, but Kotohi stays behind with Gozen, assuring her that she made the right decision. Kotohi tells Gozen of how she realized that she no longer resented Yuyu after meeting her, and while Gozen presumes that she no longer has any reason to stay by her side, Kotohi insists that she still wishes to witness the heights that Gozen dreamed of, and that she is sure they one day will, together. With the pair still inside, the office building crumbles completely, leaving their fate unknown.

Trivia

• Kotohi's former confirmation name, "Eulalia", could reference one of two Catholic Saints named "Saint Eulalia", those being Eulalia of Barcelona and Eulalia of Mérida. Though due to the similarity of their recorded stories, some believe they both refer to the same historical figure.
  • Both Saints are revered as martyrs due to being subjected to continuous torture at the hands of the Roman Empire. Likewise, Kotohi is said to have survived multiple Boosting experiments, something that often causes a Lily to lose all traces of her humanity. Futagawa Fumi has stated that Kotohi could have suffered a fate similar to the Flowers of the End.
• One of Kotohi's hobbies is table tennis.

Gallery

Designs

• 
  Kotohi's original design, by Iizuka Haruko

Stage

• 
  As portrayed by Tanoue Marina