Naoko Osato

Background

Naoko Osato is the only daughter of a wealthy family of a lineage that had been successfully producing miso for 300 years. Their mansion is located at the end of a small road surrounded by mountains, all of them belonging to the Osato family. Her overprotective parents wouldn't allow her to live alone in S City, where her school is located.↗

She is currently in her final year of college, but Naoko has to keep her relationship with Gunpei a secret because her overprotective father would never allow them to be together. However, Naoko starts distancing herself from Gunpei in September, a few months before her marriage set in the following spring. While Gunpei is playing video games at her house, Naoko looks out the window and sees Shuichi and her father approaching the house.↗

She initially thinks that Gunpei is playing a joke on her but realizes that he died and quickly tries hiding her crime. However, Gunpei's blood starts continuously leaking out from his body to the point where he shrivels up. Shuichi and her father arrive at the door and, despite her efforts, Naoko is unable to contain the continuous blood coming out of Gunpei's body.↗

Since then, she hides Gunpei's body in a guest room and secretly disposes of his blood each morning by having it flow into a glass bottle. Naoko marries Shuichi in spring and continues her daily routine of attending to Gunpei's corpse. Even though all signs of life had left his body, he seems to be "continuously dying". Naoko noticed his face would turn back to normal for a few moments if water was sprayed at his face.↗↗

Mutsu-kabe Hill

Naoko coincidentally comes across Rohan Kishibe while he is researching at Mutsu-kabe Hill. Rohan uses his Stand Heaven's Door on her for his research about yokais, leading him to discover that Gunpei was possessed by one. He later learns that Naoko's daughter is also possessed by one as it is the child of the one possessing Gunpei.↗

After Rohan prevents Naoko's daughter from dying, she runs back home and asks her mom if she thinks she'll ever marry a wonderful person. Naoko responds that she's sure her daughter will if she's a good girl.↗↗

TV Drama

Naoko's story in the TV drama adaptation is largely the same as in the original one-shot. However, some details are expanded upon. In the past, it is shown that Naoko discovered that Gunpei's corpse would regain his original appearance when splashed with water by accident. The night after she killed Gunpei, she tried to secretly drag Gunpei out of her private apartments and knocked on a table, letting a flower pot fall on Gunpei and splashing him with water.↗

In the present, Naoko Osato sees Rohan as she returns to her house and asks for an autograph of him for her son. They go to the local inn where Rohan draws an autograph and she tries to inquire about his interest in the mountains. Rohan then finally uses Heaven's Door on her and reads her story, discovering the truth about Mutsu-kabe Hill.↗

Appearance

In the TV drama adaptation at the time of Gunpei's death, Naoko used to wear a red kimono with a white flower motif completed with an obi with a checks and flower pattern.↗

Personality

She is quick-witted, thinking of various ways to try hiding Gunpei's corpse and stopping his leaking blood after she accidentally kills him, such as stitching and cauterizing his wound. She eventually becomes obsessed with Gunpei's corpse and secretly takes care of it for several years even after she is married, feeling more passion for the corpse than her own husband.↗↗

Profile details

Status Status based on their final appearance in the part(s) they are featured in: Alive (TSKR)↗

She is the heiress of a wealthy family whose life takes a turn for the strange when she accidentally kills her secret lover, Gunpei Kamafusa.↗