Before becoming a Kiznaiver, Honoka Maki formed a close friendship with a girl named Ruru, with whom she shared a deep passion for writing and drawing manga. Together, they created a manga under the shared pseudonym “Charles de Macking”, a name formed by combining elements of both of their names.

The manga they co-authored told the story of a middle school girl who falls in love with her female teacher. The protagonist, grappling with internalized lesbophobia, tries to suppress her feelings by dating a boy, a decision that leads her into emotional distress and hints at possible self-harm. The manga resonated deeply with readers, especially middle school girls, and gained notable popularity.

However, their creative partnership and their friendship took a tragic turn when Ruru suddenly passed away. Ever since, Honoka has been haunted by memories of her, burdened by intense guilt and grief. She claims to have “killed” Ruru not in a literal sense, but emotionally. Fearing the pain that might come from growing too romantically close to Ruru and then losing her, Honoka chose to distance herself. In doing so, she believes she abandoned the person Ruru truly was, and has since carried the weight of that emotional decision.

This unresolved trauma and sense of loss play a crucial role in Honoka’s emotional detachment from others, influencing how she interacts with the Kiznaiver group and how she processes shared pain throughout the experiment.

Honoka Maki is a slim, bespectacled young woman with a composed and elegant presence. She has dirty blonde hair, which she typically wears in a loose side braid draped over her shoulder. Her eyes are often partially obscured by her glasses, adding to her reserved and mysterious appearance.

She usually wears the standard Sugomori High School uniform, though she modifies it slightly by replacing the usual black vest with a blue-grey sleeveless sweater. She completes her outfit with black pantyhose and brown shoes, maintaining a clean and somewhat formal look. Honoka stands at an estimated 172 cm (5’8″), making her one of the taller members of the Kiznaiver group.

Maki appears cold, aloof, and highly intelligent. She keeps her emotional guard up and is quick to shut down attempts at intimacy or vulnerability. Her pride and self-isolation are coping mechanisms rooted in a tragic past, making her reluctant to form new bonds. However, beneath her distant exterior lies a sensitive and deeply caring individual, scarred by past trauma and inner conflict. Over time, through the influence of the other Kiznaivers, she begins to confront her emotional wounds and open herself up.

Honoka Maki initially maintains a distant and detached relationship with those around her, often referring to her fellow Kiznaivers as nothing more than “common acquaintances.” This cold and blunt attitude, paired with her emotionally guarded nature, often leads others to describe her personality as “terrible” particularly upsetting to someone like Nico Niiyama, who earnestly tries to befriend her.

As the series progresses, particularly by Episode 7, Honoka begins forming more frequent interactions with Nico and Tsuguhito Yuta. Yuta, despite her cold attitude, becomes increasingly intrusive and flirtatious, showing a romantic interest in her. The two share a mutual cunning and suspicion particularly toward Noriko Sonozaki which leads to several private discussions between them, where they exchange strategies and thoughts on unfolding events. Nico, in contrast, is much more open and sincere, constantly making efforts to become closer to Honoka and offering emotional support even when Maki rebuffs her kindness.

Honoka’s most profound and defining relationship, however, is with Ruru, her deceased best friend and former manga collaborator. Episode 7 confirms that their bond was not strictly platonic both harbored deeper feelings for each other. As they often acted out romantic scenes for their manga, these interactions slowly grew into genuine emotions. Fearing the heartbreak of losing someone she loved to illness, Honoka deliberately distanced herself from Ruru, believing that by doing so, she had “killed” the version of Ruru who trusted and loved her. For a long time, Honoka believed that Ruru had cursed her, making her incapable of loving anyone else. However, with the support of Yuta and the other Kiznaivers, she reads the final chapter of their manga Ruru’s peaceful goodbye, expressing that it’s okay to forget her, because she loved Honoka’s smile. This moment allows Honoka to finally confront her guilt and begin to heal.

In Episode 8, her unresolved feelings for Ruru are triggered again when Hisomu insensitively questions her trauma, prompting Honoka to leave in anger. Yuta follows to comfort her and offers a hug, which she initially rejects. However, when he expresses genuine care, she acknowledges his feelings with a rare smile, indicating the slow opening of her heart to someone new.

By Episode 12, it’s revealed that, despite her efforts to remain emotionally distant, Honoka has come to genuinely care for the other Kiznaivers and now considers them true friends. In a subtle but meaningful gesture, she is seen sharing food with Yuta taking a bite and then offering it to him. When he asks why, she replies that she wants him to get fat, so people will stop following him for his good looks. The playful remark, and Yuta’s flustered reaction, imply that Honoka is developing feelings for him and is beginning to move on from Ruru while still cherishing her memory.

Noriko Sonozaki
Among the group, Honoka initially harbors the strongest resentment toward Noriko Sonozaki, blaming her for the emotional and physical pain inflicted by the Kizuna System. She remains indifferent to Noriko’s well-being and even refuses to help her in the final episode, claiming that Noriko is responsible for dragging them all into the experiment. Despite this, Honoka’s later actions show that she has grown emotionally, and although her relationship with Noriko remains strained, she becomes more willing to acknowledge the pain and connections they all share.