Nobimaru is a kitsune who uses transformation magic to appear younger than his true age, believing that looking “cute” offers him strategic advantages. However, maintaining this disguise requires significant energy, which limits his ability to heal quickly or fully conceal his kitsune traits, such as his ears or tail.

In his disguised form, Nobimaru appears as a young boy with short blond hair, round golden eyes, and a beauty mark beneath the left side of his mouth. He wears black and yellow headphones to hide his fox ears. His typical outfit consists of a yellow undershirt, a white tie, a black suit jacket, and black shorts. He pairs this with white socks, black sock suspenders, and brown shoes. After sustaining an injury in the battle against Yui, he begins wearing a red glove over his right hand.

In his true form, Nobimaru retains a youthful appearance but looks slightly older and is noticeably taller. He can fully conceal his fox traits, allowing his headphones to rest around his neck instead of being used for disguise. His outfit includes a cropped, white leopard-print fur coat worn over his usual clothes, now accompanied by black suit pants instead of shorts. He is also occasionally seen wearing sunglasses.

When fully transformed into his kitsune form, Nobimaru takes on the appearance of a fox with yellow eyes, dark brown fur with gray accents, and a flaming tail.

Nobimaru presents himself as friendly, well-mannered, and approachable, often leveraging his youthful appearance and polite demeanor to gain the trust of others. His childlike looks lead many to underestimate him, though in reality, he is cunning, manipulative, and skilled at using others to achieve his own ends. While not overtly antagonistic, Nobimaru frequently operates in morally ambiguous territory, often carrying out Yoko Inari’s directives through behind-the-scenes manipulation. His elusive nature and secretive past make it difficult to discern his true motivations.

In combat, Nobimaru reveals a more ruthless and pragmatic side. He is unfazed by violence or bloodshed and sometimes views battle as thrilling. Despite his detached attitude, he is calm, resourceful, and capable under pressure, often adapting quickly to shifting circumstances.

Although he serves Inari and refers to her respectfully as “Lady Inari,” Nobimaru harbors deep resentment toward her. This becomes evident early in the series when he bluntly tells Kabane that he hates her. On occasion, his typically cheerful expression turns cold as he expresses open hostility toward Inari, though he often retracts these remarks by brushing them off as slips of the tongue.

Nobimaru’s loyalty to Inari is largely superficial. He admits to Inugami that he is using his role within her organization as a means to advance his own self-serving goals. His disloyalty is further revealed through his cooperation with the Inugami Detective Office, frequently passing along information about Inari’s plans and subtly working against her. He even goes as far as disobeying her commands when his personal morals or compassion conflict with her orders such as when he protects Kon. Despite maintaining his position within Inari’s ranks, Nobimaru walks a fine line; if his subversive actions were discovered, he would undoubtedly be marked as a traitor.

Homuramaru Nowaki, commonly known as Nobimaru, is a kitsune whose true origins remain largely unknown. Little has been revealed about his life prior to joining Yoko Inari’s ranks, and he intentionally conceals details about his past, contributing to his mysterious persona. What is known is that he eventually rose to become Inari’s subordinate and was appointed leader of the Special Investigation Unit, a task force under Inari’s control tasked with handling Kemono related affairs.

Although outwardly loyal to Inari, Nobimaru secretly despises her for her manipulative and oppressive behavior. He maintains his position within her organization primarily to serve his own hidden goals, using his proximity to her as a means of advancing his agenda. While he often carries out Inari’s orders, he has repeatedly acted against her interests in subtle ways, including feeding information to the Inugami Detective Office and protecting individuals she would consider expendable, such as Kon.

Despite his covert resistance, Nobimaru continues to walk a dangerous path. His dual role as both ally and traitor places him in a precarious position should Inari discover his true intentions, his life would be at risk. His background, allegiances, and long-term plans remain enigmatic, making him one of the most unpredictable figures in the series.

As a kitsune, Nobimaru possesses a wide array of supernatural abilities, many of which make him a formidable and elusive combatant. His skills reflect a combination of natural kitsune traits and unique techniques developed for deception, mobility, and offense.