Ryuuko Matoi

Ryuuko is hot-tempered, stubborn, confrontational, and fiercely independent. She has little patience for authority when it cannot justify itself and responds especially badly to Honnouji Academy's rigid hierarchy. Her anger frequently drives her into fights before she has fully considered the situation, but she is perceptive enough to recognize when she has made a mistake.

She is also compassionate and intensely loyal. Ryuuko initially approaches Honnouji with little interest in making friends, yet quickly becomes attached to Mako and the Mankanshoku family. Their acceptance gives her a sense of ordinary family life that has largely been absent from her upbringing.

Her relationship with Senketsu requires Ryuuko to overcome one of her most immediate insecurities. She is initially embarrassed by how revealing his transformed state is, preventing them from using their full strength. Accepting Senketsu as a partner rather than treating him simply as clothing allows the two to synchronize properly.

Ryuuko is an accomplished close-range fighter even before obtaining Senketsu. Her primary weapon is the red Scissor Blade, one half of the enormous Rending Scissors created by Isshin. The blade is capable of severing Life Fibers, making it particularly effective against Goku Uniforms and other Life Fiber-based opponents.

Senketsu dramatically enhances Ryuuko's strength, speed, durability, reflexes, and regenerative capability when activated with her blood. Their synchronization produces Senketsu's transformed combat state, while absorbing Life Fibers from defeated Goku Uniforms allows him to acquire additional capabilities. These include Senketsu Senjin, which covers the Kamui in blades, and Senketsu Shippuu, which provides aerial mobility.

Ryuuko is eventually revealed to be a human-Life Fiber hybrid created through experiments performed on her as an infant. Her body possesses extraordinary regeneration and can survive injuries that would be fatal to an ordinary human. This shared Life Fiber nature also explains her uniquely complete synchronization with Senketsu.

During the final confrontation with Ragyou, Ryuuko and Senketsu combine the Life Fibers of their allies into Senketsu Kisaragi, their most powerful synchronized transformation.

Ryuuko arrives at Honnouji Academy because Satsuki appears to possess information about her father's murder. Her challenges to the school's clubs and Elite Four gradually bring her closer to Satsuki while revealing the importance of the Life Fibers woven into Honnouji's Goku Uniforms.

Her search changes when Nui Harime appears carrying the purple half of the Rending Scissors. Nui admits that she murdered Isshin, provoking Ryuuko into a berserk transformation that nearly consumes her before Mako reaches her emotionally.

Ryuuko later learns that Isshin was actually Souichirou Kiryuuin, the estranged husband of Ragyou Kiryuuin, and that Ryuuko is Ragyou's younger daughter and Satsuki's younger sister. Ragyou had experimented on the infant Ryuuko with Life Fibers before Souichirou rescued her and disappeared under the Isshin identity.

After temporarily being forced into Junketsu and manipulated into fighting her former allies, Ryuuko breaks free and reconciles with Satsuki. The sisters join forces with the Elite Four and Nudist Beach against Ragyou and the Primordial Life Fiber. Ryuuko and Senketsu ultimately prevent Ragyou's plan to cover Earth with Life Fibers.

During their return from space, Senketsu begins disintegrating from the strain of the final battle. He uses his remaining strength to protect Ryuuko during her fall to Earth before disappearing.

Senketsu is Ryuuko's closest combat partner and one of the few beings capable of understanding her throughout nearly the entire story. Their relationship develops from an uncomfortable necessity into a genuine friendship based on complete mutual trust. Their compatibility is connected to Ryuuko's Life Fiber-infused body and Senketsu's creation using her DNA. His final act is protecting her as they return to Earth.

Mako Mankanshoku declares Ryuuko her best friend almost immediately after they meet. Ryuuko initially finds her overwhelming, but Mako Mankanshoku's unconditional support repeatedly steadies her when anger, grief, or Life Fiber influence threatens her judgment.

Satsuki Kiryuuin begins as Ryuuko's principal rival and the person she believes can lead her to her father's killer. They are eventually revealed to be sisters. After discovering the truth behind Satsuki's plans and their family, Ryuuko reconciles with her and fights beside her against Ragyou.

Isshin Matoi is the father whose murder brings Ryuuko to Honnouji. He is later revealed to have been Souichirou Kiryuuin, Ryuuko's biological father, who rescued her from Ragyou and raised her under a new identity.

Nui Harime possesses the missing half of the Rending Scissors. She reveals herself as Isshin's killer, turning Ryuuko's investigation into a direct personal vendetta.

Ragyou Kiryuuin initially stands behind Honnouji through REVOCS and her position as Satsuki's mother. She is later revealed to be Ryuuko's biological mother and the person responsible for infusing her with Life Fibers as an infant.