Utagawa Kuniko is kind and nurturing, often acting as the “mom” of Class 2-3. She takes on the responsibility of calming her rowdy classmates and mediating conflicts, particularly when Nyuudou’s temper flares. Her efforts to maintain peace and order in the classroom demonstrate her deep care for her peers and her dedication to fostering a harmonious environment. She also supports Haruaki in managing the class, often stepping in to assist when things get out of hand.

However, Kuniko’s usually calm and patient demeanor shifts dramatically when dealing with Takahashi. She tends to lose her temper with him, frequently yelling at him for his reckless or inappropriate behavior, reflecting a mix of frustration and familiarity in their dynamic.

Utagawa Kuniko has black hair tied into a ponytail adorned with a red polka-dotted bow, complementing her baby blue eyes. She typically wears the standard sailor uniform of Hyakki Academy. On her days off, she opts for a light, casual dress, though she keeps her hair tied up in its signature style.

In her relaxed form, Utagawa transforms into a towering, skeletal figure characteristic of her Gashadokuro nature, possessing immense strength capable of crushing anything in her path. As a child, she had blonde hair styled in a ponytail with a blue ribbon and often wore a hospital dress, reflecting her prolonged stays in medical care.

Before becoming a youkai, it is revealed in Chapter 73 that Kuniko Utagawa was once “Ruri-chan,” the childhood friend and first crush of Nyuudou Rensuke. Born with a fragile health condition, Ruri was often confined to the hospital, where she became friends with Nyuudou’s mother, who was also a frequent patient. Through these visits, Ruri and Nyuudou developed a friendship, with Nyuudou tutoring her since she couldn’t attend school. Despite her frailty, Ruri was cheerful and kind, which left a lasting impression on Nyuudou.

During one of Nyuudou’s visits, his mask accidentally fell off, revealing his eye to Ruri. Her initial reaction was one of shock and fear, which devastated Nyuudou, causing him to flee. Realizing her mistake, Ruri chased after him, but her frail body could not handle the strain. While taking the stairs to catch up to him, she collapsed from exhaustion and tragically fell to her death in the stairwell.

Ruri’s strong emotions at the time of her death, combined with the hospital’s atmosphere of constant loss, created the core of the Gashadokuro that Takahashi Akira discovered. After calming the vengeful spirit and giving her a physical body, Takahashi reincarnated Ruri as Utagawa Kuniko. Kuniko worked hard to rebuild her life, eventually entering Hyakki Academy and aiming to live normally. However, her desire to reconnect with Nyuudou and apologize for the past remained unresolved, adding depth to her character arc when her story was revealed during the Renren Arc.

Kuniko possesses the ability to transform into a Gashadokuro, a massive skeletal form that grants her a significant advantage in combat and other situations. In this state, her size allows for an expanded range of vision, making it easier to survey large areas or keep track of multiple targets. Her enormous skeletal hands enable her to crush objects or opponents with tremendous force, making her a formidable presence on the battlefield.

Despite her destructive potential, Kuniko exercises restraint, using her abilities primarily to protect her classmates and maintain order. Her transformation is a reflection of her dual nature as both a caring, maternal figure and a powerful, supernatural entity.

Haruaki Abe
Utagawa shares a good relationship with Haruaki as they both work to maintain peace and order within their class. As the class representative, she often collaborates with him to keep things running smoothly. During the Renren Arc, Haruaki discovered her past as “Ruri” through the ring given to him by Renka, Nyuudou’s mother. In a gesture of understanding and reconciliation, he returned the ring to her, symbolizing her connection to her past and aiding her in finding closure with Nyuudou.

Rensuke Nyuudou
In their youth, when Utagawa was still known as “Ruri,” she and Nyuudou were deeply connected. The two shared a mutual crush and even made a childhood promise to marry one another. However, upon seeing Nyuudou’s true youkai appearance, Ruri became frightened, causing Nyuudou to run away in despair. Tragically, as she chased after him, she fell and died, her spirit merging into the Gashadokuro that lingered in the hospital.

After reincarnating as Utagawa Kuniko, her main goal became finding Nyuudou to apologize for her reaction and to express her enduring feelings for him. When they reunited in high school, Utagawa struggled to apologize and instead fabricated a humorous excuse about looking for her father in women’s clothing. Despite her hesitation, they grew close over the years, excelling academically and studying together. Her crush on him persisted, even after learning his identity.

During the Renren Arc, when her true identity as Ruri was revealed, Nyuudou decided to start anew with her. In a symbolic act of closure, they both threw the rings that symbolized their past promise into the ocean near the school, choosing to move forward together.

Akira Takahashi
In Chapter 58, it was revealed that Takahashi played a pivotal role in Utagawa’s rebirth. While working at the hospital where Ruri’s spirit resided as a Gashadokuro, he managed to calm her and transfer her core into a physical body. From that moment on, he raised her and prepared her for a new life, including helping her catch up academically so she could attend high school.

While Utagawa is grateful for Takahashi’s care and guidance, his eccentric and sometimes unsettling behavior often unnerves her. She often reprimands him for his antics, especially when they verge on inappropriate or overly enthusiastic about his work. Despite this, she acknowledges his kindness and the pivotal role he played in giving her a second chance at life.

Kuniko’s surname, 歌川 (Utagawa), translates to “song river,” symbolizing harmony and flow, which contrasts with her skeletal Gashadokuro nature.

Her skeletal form glows faintly at night, which she uses to her advantage during nighttime school events.

Despite her stern demeanor, Kuniko has a soft spot for small animals, which she often secretly feeds after class.