Anna Kushina is portrayed as a small, doll-like girl with long white hair, pale skin, and distinctive red eyes, within which her HOMRA insignia is located.

Her clothing is heavily influenced by Gothic Lolita fashion, typically consisting of a layered black and red dress adorned with ruffles along the skirt and sleeves. The design of her dress includes a pouch-like space where she keeps her set of red marbles, which serve as catalysts for her powers. She accessorizes with long white stockings, red Mary Jane shoes, multiple ribbons including one tied in her hair and a small black-and-red top hat positioned on the left side of her head.

Later in the series, Anna’s outfit changes. She discards the miniature hat in favor of a hooded red shawl trimmed with black fur. The shawl, which covers most of her torso, is fastened with a darker red bow secured by a gem set in gold, giving her a more regal and mature appearance as the new Red King.

Anna Kushina is portrayed as a quiet and conscientious individual, standing in contrast to the louder and more eccentric members of HOMRA. Because of her young age and reserved nature, she seldom participates directly in the clan’s more reckless activities, though she does accompany and support her comrades when needed. She rarely displays outward emotion, leading Tatara Totsuka to compare her to “a small, cute doll that lost its feelings.” Similarly, Yō Chitose once remarked that she would grow into a beautiful woman in the future.

Due to the nature of her abilities, Anna tends to suppress her stronger emotions out of fear of inadvertently harming others. This repression was particularly evident during the events of SIDE: RED, when she withdrew from others entirely, closing her heart to avoid causing them pain. Despite her emotional restraint, she is shown to care deeply for those close to her, particularly Honami Kushina.

Following her ascension as the Red King, Anna develops a more complex and at times conflicted outlook. While she claims not to resent Reisi Munakata for killing Mikoto Suoh in order to prevent a Damocles Down, her hostility toward him is apparent in her words and demeanor. She also demonstrates ambivalence toward the Silver King, whose decisions directly influenced Suoh’s downfall. Although she recognizes the role of the Silver King in forcing Munakata’s hand, she nevertheless places more trust in him than in the Blue King, a stance that highlights her youth and lingering grief over Suoh’s death.

Anna Kushina’s past and the origins of her powers are revealed in K: SIDE: RED. She was born to a small family consisting of her parents and her aunt, Honami Kushina, who became her guardian after her parents were killed in an accident. As a child, Anna was withdrawn and spoke little, often dressing in blue rather than the red colors she would later adopt.

Honami, a former teacher of Mikoto Suoh and Izumo Kusanagi, frequently visited Bar HOMRA, bringing Anna with her. During this time, Anna developed a fascination with Mikoto, as his powerful red Aura stood out vividly against her color-blind perception of the world. Although Mikoto initially dismissed her as a “brat,” Anna gradually became part of HOMRA’s circle.

However, Anna’s powers made her a target for Kōshi Mizuchi, a Gold Clansman who threatened Honami’s life to force Anna back into the Nanakamado Chemotherapy Research Center. The facility served as both a hospital and a front for Strain experimentation, where Mizuchi attempted to use Anna to synchronize with the Slate and turn her into the Blue King. Prior to her parents’ deaths, Anna had told them of the abusive experiments she was subjected to and revealed that Mizuchi’s claim of her illness was a lie meant to exploit her abilities.

After an emotional breakdown triggered by overhearing conversations about her parents’ fate, Anna was recaptured by Mizuchi and forced into repeated experiments. Tortured through fire, drowning, and suffocation, she was pushed to sync with the Slate but consistently rejected. Eventually, HOMRA intervened and rescued her, although the cost was Honami’s memories, which were erased due to her involvement. From then on, Anna was taken in by HOMRA, and her left eye bore the clan’s insignia. Her ruined dress was replaced temporarily with one of Kusanagi’s shirts until she later chose a frilly red Gothic Lolita outfit that became her trademark appearance.

Over time, Anna grew closer to HOMRA, participating in everyday moments and clan activities. She occasionally displayed her insight through her red marbles, such as foreseeing danger during a baseball game or sensing others’ emotions. She also formed small but meaningful bonds with her comrades, including moments of humor with Tatara Totsuka and tenderness with Mikoto.

On December 8, her birthday, Anna sensed tragedy after one of her marbles shattered. That night, she learned of Totsuka’s death, hugging Mikoto in grief as he silently struggled with his own rising Aura. The event marked a turning point in her relationship with the clan, as she began to embody its emotional heart following Totsuka’s absence.

In the years that followed, Anna continued to stay with HOMRA, preserving Totsuka’s belongings and cherishing the recordings he left behind. She played a central role in sustaining the clan’s spirit after Mikoto’s eventual death, later succeeding him as the new Red King.

Red Aura
As the successor to Mikoto Suoh and the current Red King, Anna commands HOMRA’s signature Aura of fire. Her Aura manifests in a vivid red glow with immense offensive potential, capable of shattering physical restraints and overwhelming opponents. Like Mikoto, she can also shape her Aura defensively, creating barriers to shield herself and others. In addition, Anna can manifest her Aura as fiery wings, granting her the ability to fly.

Strain Abilities
Prior to becoming a King, Anna was already a Strain with unique sensory powers.

Empathy
Anna is a highly advanced empath, capable of sensing and perceiving the emotions of others as though they were her own. This ability allows her to recognize the feelings, intentions, and mental states of those around her, making her both a guide and anchor for HOMRA.

Anna’s surname, Kushina (櫛名), is composed of the characters 櫛 (kushi), meaning “comb,” and 名 (na), meaning “name,” “distinguished,” or “reputation.” The name is believed to be a shortened reference to Kushinada-hime (櫛名田姫), a goddess in Japanese mythology who was rescued by the storm deity Susano-o no Mikoto.