Rena Natsukawa (夏川 怜奈, Natsukawa Rena) is the female tritagonist character in the Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! manga and anime series. She is a student at Kitami Hokuryo High School and a pale-skinned Hokkaido gyaru.
Rena is an upperclassmen or senpai to the other characters, and she is admired by many, including Minami Fuyuki. She is Tsubasa Shiki's neighbor and she takes a liking to him. Rena soon learns that hard work and effort can be valued by others if she learns to slow down and appreciate those around her.
Background[]
Rena has been a hard-working person since a young age, mostly for her own validation. Due to her strict family, Rena lived her life always studying. She had to live up to his family's unrealistic expectations, which made Rena value herself less and almost get destroyed mentally. Due to being highly gifted, Rena is usually busy while taking care of her appearance every day.
At some point during her childhood, Rena wanted to run away from home after studying became overwhelming for her. Then Tsubasa's grandfather showed up and asked her about how she was doing. He told Rena to look up at the stars and let the stars lend her their aid. She stops crying and asks if it was working, to which the man says it already has. Then a young Tsubasa comes running toward him. She thanked the man who flipped at a Uchiwa (a Japanese fan) and started carrying one herself when she got older.
Rena goes to Kitami Hokuryo High School where she is at the top of her class and a part of the Library Committee. She has also won the Kitami Hokuryo High School Beauty Contest two years in a row.
Appearance[]
Rena is depicted as a gyaru with white-pink hair with a multi-colored headband, and deep pink eyes. She also wears ninja star earrings.
Rena typically wears the standard uniform of Kitami Hokuryo High School. The uniform consists of a long-sleeved blue unbuttoned blazer, and a gray skirt. However, Rena wears a light blue undershirt, and only puts the blazar over her shoulders, not the arms.
Rena has short white-pink hair and pink eyes. She usually sports a Japanese hairband, a blue blouse, gray stockings, and long white boots. Her pale skin is said to complement the snowy landscape.
When out in the cold, Rena wears basically the same school outfit but with a white jacket and light blue scarf.
Personality[]
Rena is a total afficionado for history, and she is in love with authentic Japanese clothing. Rena, similarly to Tsubasa, is very hardworking toward her academics. Because of this, she sub-consciously doesn't allow herself to rely on anyone but herself. She faces the pressure every single day and manages to exceed the bar with flying colors. To her, that is a mask that hides her true emotional wellbeing.
Rena is shown to be a generally friendly person, as she had no problem tutoring Tsubasa for his exams. Compared to Minami or Sayuri, Rena doesn't outright tease Tsubasa, but she tends to use flirty undertones to attract him.
Relationships[]
Friends[]
Tsubasa Shiki[]
Tsubasa meets Rena while taking out the trash for his grandmother. He learns they are neighbors when Rena comes to his door with a Neighborhood Bulletin. Rena seemed to take an early liking to Tsubasa, even lying to his grandmother that she tripped when she hugged Tsubasa.
Rena apologizes by helping tutor Tsubasa, since she is first in her class. While studying in the preparation room, Rena is impressed with Tsubasa academically and asks why he is working so hard on exams. Tsubasa answering, he wants to keep seeing the people close to him. Rena then asks for a date in exchange for helping his studies. While on their date, Rena and Tsubasa bond over their trauma of never receiving praise for their hard work and find comfort and respect in each other.
Rena also has a deep connection with Tsubasa in the past. When they were kids, Tsubasa's grandmother comforted Rena when Tsubasa came running. Then since that day has admired Tsubasa then, and even now. However, this friendship makes Tsubasa's mother believe Rena and Tsubasa should marry, where Rena denies it saying she will decide who she marries.
Rena tries expressing her feelings by being flirtatious, even asking Tsubasa to stay the night and bringing him into her bed. After Tsubasa told her Minami rejected him, she openly admitted to liking Tsubasa, even kissing his forehead for encouragement during the sports festival. However, Tsubasa ultimately rejects Rena, but Rena appreciates his honesty and has no regrets becomes one of her juniors' biggest cheerleaders.
Minami Fuyuki[]
Minami absolutely adores Rena saying she is a gyaru she wishes to be when she is reincarnated. Minami didn't become friends with Rena until Tsubasa introduced them to each other. Minami praises Rena for her hard work being smart and always looking pretty to which Rena reciprocates the love.
They don't seem to hang out as often, due to Rena always being busy, but always hang with the group doing activities together.
Sayuri Akino[]
Rena didn't become friends with Sayuri until Tsubasa introduced them to each other. Sayuri praises Rena for her hard work being smart and always looking pretty to which Rena reciprocates the love.
They don't seem to hang out as often, due to Rena always being busy, but always hang with the group doing activities together.
Etymology[]
- The name Rena means "wise" (怜) (rei) and a phonetic character (奈) (na).
- Rena's surname Natsukawa means "summer, warmth" (夏川).
Trivia[]
- Rena is believed to be mixed-race, meaning having a parent overseas.
- Rena has won the Kitami Hokuryo High School Beauty Contest two years in a row.
- She occasionally works in the library as part of the Library Committee.
- She seems to have an obsession with authentic Japanese clothing (samurai clothing).
- Rena seems to have an Uchiwa (a Japanese fan) with her at all times.
- Rena appears to be scared of bugs, especially moths.
References[]
- ↑ 「道産子ギャルはなまらめんこい」公式 no X: "🎉Happy Birthday to 怜奈 🎉 本日7月14日は、夏川怜奈の誕生日✨✨ #伊科田海 先生からのお祝いイラストが到着！ 才色兼備なセンパイである怜奈、アニメでの活躍をお楽しみに🎵 #道産子ギャル #どさこい https://t.co/qwLQlVGDrx" / X (twitter.com)