Yomi Takanashi (TV Anime Character)

Takanashi Yomi is the protagonist/antagonist of the OVA Black★Rock Shooter. Her "other self" is Dead Master.

She is voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro (Japanese).

Appearance
She has green eyes and wavy dark hair and wears the same uniform as Kuroi Mato. Her beauty is comparable to an adult's. Mato often commented on how tall Yomi is; but Yomi says she has a "complex" about being tall. In the anime series, she now wears eyeglasses.

Black★Rock Shooter (OVA)
Yomi is a gentle, good-natured girl who speaks politely and calmly; she is very mature for her age. She is supposedly a member of a well-to-do family, staying for some time in Germany before moving to Mato's neighborhood. She also revealed that her frequent moving from one place to another has caused her to develop a sort of distant attitude towards others.

However, she is prone to having very dark feelings of loneliness and jealousy; she tends to keep these to herself. Yomi has 'another self' which is known as the Dead Master.

She seems to enjoy volleyball, which she picks up out of a desire to be with Mato on the court.

Black★Rock Shooter (Anime)
Yomi's personality is somewhat different in that while she is still calm, reserved, and polite, she is also extremely aloof to the point where she is unwilling to make friends. Part of this is her attachment to Kagari Izuriha, both due to the fact that she blames herself for Kagari's injury and because catering to all of Kagari's demands was initially easier than coping with the mental trauma.

Unlike her OVA incarnation, she is more interested in things like art and bracelet making. Like Mato, she likes the book Li'l Bird Li'l Bird Colorful Colors.

However, like her OVA incarnation, she seems to be depressed at the idea of Mato thinking more of Yuu than of her. The reason is finally detailed: she feels like she is being kept as a secondary friend to Mato and that Mato values Yuu more than her, which she finds natural since they have "lived and cried" together and that their bond will be like this in the future.

Black★Rock Shooter (OVA)
She is first seen by Kuroi Mato on the first day of school walking out of a car and continuing on alone. After the school's welcome ceremony, Mato catches up to her eventually and introduces herself, and while Yomi is initially startled by Mato's up-frontness, she warms up to her quickly. She introduces herself as simply "Takanashi". She and Mato go on to become inseparable, although she is much more passive in her speech and thinking than Mato.

Mato's skill on the basketball team encourages her to join the volleyball team, and they start to hang out together. Mato eventually shows Yomi a place near her neighborhood where there is a large view, and buys her a phone charm identical to her own.

However, when Mato and Yomi are put in separate classes, they start to drift apart. When playing volleyball one day, Yomi sees Mato get injured and be tended to by Yuu. Later, Mato tries to introduce Yomi to Yuu and have the three of them hang out together, but Mato ends up spending more time with Yuu.

Yomi starts to feel left out, and ends up spending more time watching Mato and Yuu hang out far away from her. Internally, she begins to feel jealous, allowing her "other self", the Dead Master, to take over her and possess her. This causes Yomi to vanish from Mato's world.

Black★Rock Shooter, fused with Mato, fights against Dead Master, with both being seemingly equally matched. The Dead Master traps Black★Rock Shooter in a web of chains, and it seems the Dead Master will win. However, Black★Rock Shooter gains the strength to break the chains with her bare hands and confront the Dead Master. Black★Rock Shooter embraces her in that instant, and the Dead Master attempts to resist; unable to handle it, she flies out of Yomi's body and disappears, leaving an unconscious/sleeping Yomi in Black★Rock Shooter's arms.

The post-credits reveal that Yomi and Mato have reconciled, although while both invite Yuu to come with them, they are still oblivious to Yuu's dark state...

Black★Rock Shooter (2012 Anime)
Yomi grew up with Kagari, and they were very close to each other; Kagari in particular was very attached to Yomi. However, at one point, Yomi's family had to go overseas for a few years because of her father's job. Kagari chased after Yomi's car, getting hit by a car herself.

The injury did not physically harm Kagari, and the doctors found nothing wrong with her; however, Kagari became convinced that she was now crippled, and began to rely on Yomi. Yomi found it easier to give into Kagari's demands than to face what had happened, as she blamed herself for Kagari's injury.

Yomi first appears in the anime when she helps Mato back to her feet when she has zoned out. Mato remarks on her bracelet, which Yomi says is "a simple chain stitch". She does not tell Mato her name, leaving Mato to read it as "little birds playing (kotori asobi)".

She returns home dejectedly and speaks to Kagari Izuriha through a cup-and-string phone. She "reports" that she met an "interesting girl" who has a "variety of facial expressions", but Kagari instructs her that she "must not" make friends with her.

The next day, Mato finds her, discovers her actual name, and asks her if she wants to join any clubs. Yomi feels suddenly awkward and leaves the room.

Later, Yomi sees Mato running after Arata Kohata during her "preview" of the basketball club and calls it "beautiful".

When walking home, Yomi sees Mato with a phone charm of the book Li'l Bird Li'l Bird Colorful Colors, to which she shows interest and shows her a wallpaper of the book she painted based off of a picture found in the first edition, which Mato does not have. She takes Mato to her house to look at it, where she also gives Mato her red chain bracelet.

Kagari interrupts the meeting by coming in and violating hospitality to Mato, causing Mato to quickly excuse herself and Yomi to, later that night, send a text message saying "I'm sorry". She speaks to Kagari over the cup phone, and Kagari tells her that she is "hers" and she must "take responsibility".

Yomi isolates herself in the art room, painting a picture, when Mato approaches her to ask her to go to the festival with her. Yomi protests, saying that Mato will only be hurt and that it's impossible to become friends with her, but Mato insists, causing Yomi to cry.

However, Yomi ends up not attending the festival, as Kagari forbids her from going on the grounds that she herself is unable to go. Yomi is only allowed to send Mato three text messages, all saying the same thing: "I'm sorry." Kagari tries to feed her macaroons, but Yomi refuses; Kagari thus takes a needle, orders Yomi to undress, says that she will "carve out her pain", and carves a heart-shaped scar on Yomi's chest.

The next day, Yomi sees Mato and unsuccessfully tries to hide the scar from her. Mato tells her that she is not acting like a "little bird", and is not exercising her potential to take them to different worlds. Mato shows up at Yomi's door later, and Yomi runs down, only to see Kagari at the top of her stairs, having waited for her. Kagari stands from her wheelchair and threatens to fall down the stairs, saying that Yomi will be blamed if she is killed, and will be killed too.

Kagari survives the fall, however, and emerges with only a twisted wrist, but claims that she has lost her ability to use her hand. Yomi's mother tells Mato Kagari's story, and, knowing this, Mato comes to Yomi's door and tells her that Kagari is only pitiful because Yomi has made her pitiful. Understanding this, Yomi tells Kagari to get out of the wheelchair, come to school, and make friends with her and Mato, where she will never be lonely. Kagari, hearing Mato try to get in, throws a tantrum at those present, but, as Black★Rock Shooter beheads Chariot, Kagari suddenly stops, and Yomi opens the door for Mato, a tear coming down her cheek. Mato comes in and Kagari looks at them and smiles. She then promptly falls over, and Yomi finds that she has fallen asleep.

The next day, Yomi talks to Mato and says that Kagari is now undergoing walking exercises and seems more calm. She sees Yuu pull Mato over to rush to their meeting, and Mato quickly says goodbye to Yomi, to which Yomi seems dejected. Yomi calls Mato later that day for no reason other than to talk to her, but the conversation ends up being all about Yuu and Yomi finds herself not invested in the conversation. She quickly excuses herself and ends the call.

While Mato is away at her sports trip, Yomi makes a blue bracelet and walks by Saya Irino's "Dawn Counseling" room. Saya asks her if she wants coffee, but Yomi quickly refuses and runs off.

Mato returns with a box of sweets for Yomi, and Yomi gives Mato the bracelet she made. Mato notices that Yomi is reacting badly to mentions of Yuu and tells her to talk to her if anything's wrong, and Yomi mutters that she's not Mato's best friend; Mato does not understand but Yomi shrugs it off.

She and Mato end up witnessing Arata Kohata being publicly shamed when her love letter is posted up publicly. Together, she, Mato, and Yuu mull over things, and Mato and Yuu start to cry about it. Yomi watches, thinking that they have probably spent their life living and crying together and will do so that closely in the future. Inspired, when in art class, she paints a picture of a crying Mato.

<p style="font-size:13px;">While Mato is at basketball practice, she walks out of school when she sees Saya looking out a window, calling to her and offering coffee. She obliges and, when Saya asks her what kind of coffee she wants, she asks for two teaspoons of sugar; however, when Saya gives her coffee, she finds it bitter, and Saya says she gave it to her black.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Suddenly, as Black★Rock Shooter beheads a mysterious hooded figure that looks like Arata, Saya goes completely blank with tears trickling down her eyes to the horror of a shocked Yomi.

<p style="font-size:13px;">When Kagari started to walk again, she was hiding behind Yomi and introducing her using only her name. However, the class starts to murmur that she is very cute, and she peeks at them, teasing them and telling to shut up; she quickly becomes popular in the class with her passive-aggressive attitude. Mato and Yomi discuss Kagari's condition while in the bathroom, where Yomi notes that Kagari was the one who suggested going to school. Mato says that she believes Yomi's feelings reached Kagari, and Yomi smiles. However, Yuu intervenes, saying that Arata has returned to school. Mato quickly takes her leave, with a depressed Yomi staying back. Yomi says that it feels like she's always watching their backs.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Kagari tells Yomi that she's going to join the cooking club, where they will make sweets. Yomi is shocked, thinking that Kagari'll be alone, but other girls come around her and tell her she won't be alone and take Kagari away. Yomi goes to see Saya Irino, telling her that she and Kagari had been close friends and Yomi had promised to never let Kagari be alone. Saya tells her to "relax a bit", and gives her coffee in a mug with a bird on it. She says that nobody would have a hard time just because Yomi's not around (indirectly implying that nobody needs Yomi anymore). However, Saya suddenly snaps to a different attitude, apologizing and telling her not to worry about it. Yuu then appears; seeing her, Yomi leaves. Seeing that Yomi left her coffee behind, Saya seems to realize something.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Later, Mato tells Yomi that she has to stay behind after school and cannot walk home with her. Hearing this, Yomi asks if Yuu is also staying back. Mato tells Yomi that they are in the same club. Yomi acts as if she is fine, but green lightning flashes in her eyes and a green-tinted world full of chains is shown.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Later that night, Kagari and Yomi are playing Monopoly; as Kagari pressures Yomi to sell her Baltic Avenue, Yomi becomes enraged, saying that at this rate, she could simply die - but then she calms herself before she finishes the sentence and says to a shocked Kagari that she is just tired, selling her Baltic Avenue.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Yomi arrives late, distressed that Kagari already left by the time she got to the meeting point. Kagari apologizes, but Yomi begins to become angry; Kagari's new friends drive Yomi away from Kagari, believing that Yomi is bothering her. After basketball practice, Mato is suddenly handed a towel by Kagari. Kagari says that she used to be completely lost without Yomi, and that she wants to repay Yomi for looking after her for so long. She asks Mato what she should do for Yomi, since she's not accustomed to doing things for other people. In the art room, Yomi is shown with the painting of Mato she made earlier; however, she has made it darker and the Mato in the picture is crying red blood or tears. The other students comment on how gloomy the painting is now, and start to call it creepy. Yomi reflects on Saya's words, thinking that no one needs her anymore.

<p style="font-size:13px;">When Yomi goes to get Kagari from the cooking club, Kagari's new friends tell her Kagari has left and accuse her of trying to hog Kagari, saying that Yomi didn't complain to Kagari, rather she was mad that someone else took care of Kagari. In another part of the school, Mato tells Kagari that she should give Yomi something that she made herself. Yomi says that taking care of Kagari was hard on her, but she is glad that Kagari is mixing with others. When Kagari and Mato find Yomi, however, she ignores them and quickly leaves. Kagari tries to go to Yomi's house to give her the sweets she made, but Yomi refuses to see her. Kagari ask her mom to give her a present (one of the muffins her cooking class she made). Yomi shuts herself in her room the next day, and texts Mato to tell her not to worry and not to check on her.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Yomi remains shut in. Kagari tries to visit, but Yomi continues to send her away. She thinks that, even though she told her not to worry, Mato will still worry about her. She receives a text and believes it to be from Mato, but it turns out to be from Yuu. Although Yuu expresses concern for Yomi, merely knowing that Mato has another friend makes Yomi become hysterical and she beats her phone with a pillow until it hits the floor. Realizing that Kagari is still waiting, Yomi hurries to see her, believing that Kagari would miss her if she disappeared.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Kagari gives Yomi chocolate chip cookies and tells her that she wants to thank her because she feels like if she doesn't thank her, Yomi will be unable to let her go. This startles Yomi. Kagari says that although Yomi says she's happy she's making friends, she believes it was just an act and she doesn't want Yomi to act strong if she's not. However, although she used to think everything would be over if Yomi was gone, she says that she seems to have forgotten actually needing Yomi all that much. Yomi reacts violently to Kagari's rejection and she backs away from her, as Kagari says that she thinks Yomi did a lot for her, and that at one point, she might have loved her, but she doesn't understand it. She asks Yomi to forget about what happened up until now, and to let her go.

<p style="font-size:13px;">In the morning, Yomi slowly brushes her hair. After Mato and Yuu reach the Takanshi residence and Yomi's mother tells them to leave, Yomi herself comes out onto the balcony. She greets Mato and Yuu and thanks them for picking her up. Mato starts to show concern about what her mother had said, but Yomi says it's okay and they walk off.

<p style="font-size:13px;">They walk to school awkwardly, with Yomi far in front of them, and nobody saying anything. Yomi turns around and notes that Mato is wearing the blue bracelet she made. Yomi turns to Yuu and tells her she also made her a bracelet, which matches Mato's; Yuu thanks her.

<p style="font-size:13px;">When they are making collages in class, Mato sees Yomi hold up scissors to her hair and start cutting it. Mato pleads for her to stop as the class looks on, perturbed.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Yomi's mother ends up taking Yomi home. At school, the boys talk about how freaky Yomi was, while Mato looks at her desk sadly. She quietly protests in her mind as the class gossips about Yomi. Kagari walks up to Mato and asks if Yomi broke, saying that her heart has died.

<p style="font-size:13px;">After Black★Rock Shooter kills Dead Master, Yomi wakes up peacefully at her home, and puts her glasses on. She sees her hair chopped short and wonders what happens.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Yomi returns to school, her hair in braids, and responds cheerfully to Kagari. Kagari mulls to her other friends that something's wrong, even though Yomi is cheerful.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Later, while sitting at a bench, Yomi deletes the mail folder with Mato's name on it from her phone.

<p style="font-size:13px;">At school, Yomi Takanashi says that it feels like something painful happened but she doesn't know what it is, and thinks it's better that way. The teacher asks if anyone has heard from Mato, as her parents called and she never went home yesterday. Yomi suddenly runs from the room; Kagari notices, and sees she left materials for bracelet making behind.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Yomi runs, wondering what's wrong because to her Mato is just a girl who happens to be in her class. Yomi's eyes become gear-shaped, the way they were when Dead Master had affected her, and she clutches herself. She wonders why it hurts so much.

<p style="font-size:13px;">Later on, Yomi touches the painting she made of Mato and is plagued by sudden flashes of memory. She goes to the roof and says that she doesn't want to think about it because it hurts. She blurts out that Mato is her friend and begins to cry. She then runs down the stairs calling Mato's name, wondering why she was trying to forget Mato.

<p style="font-size:13px;">She is then seen still running off, looking for Mato. She falls from exhaustion and cries, wondering why she tried to forget, remembering that she couldn't stand leaving Kagari behind and that she had no idea how to be friends with someone. She liked Mato because she wanted to share her pain and sadness with someone. She looks to the sky.

<p style="font-size:13px;">After Mato and Yuu return to their original bodies, Yomi finally finds the former and apologized. Mato states to her that they should be in pain together. Kagari later apologizes to Yomi for ever forgetting her and they become friends once more. She is last seen along with Yuu, Mato, and Kagari visiting Saya for coffee and hanging out on the roof of the school, giving Yuu a bracelet.

Trivia

 * A potential kanji writing of Yomi (ヨミ), 黄泉, means "underworld".
 * Her surname, "Takanashi", is written with the kanji "小鳥遊" for "little bird play". Mato, not knowing how to read Yomi's written surname correctly, refers to her as "kotori-asobi" (小鳥遊), which literally means "little birds play". Yomi later explains to her that her last name is read as "Takanashi" (鷹無し), which means "no hawks", and tells her that her surname stems from the saying that "When the hawks are away, little birds play".
 * The surname "Takanashi" could also be spelled with the kanji for "takai" (高) for "tall" and nashi (無) for "not", i.e. (高無) "not tall". It can be seen as a pun since Mato, right before Yomi's name is explained, mentions that she thinks Yomi is, in fact, tall.