Shizuya Kirihara

"Let the hunt begin!"

- Shizuya Kirihara

Shizuya Kirihara is a second-year student from Hagun Academy and a former representative in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. He was considered the strongest Knight out of Ikki's generation.

Appearance
Shizuya is a teen of average height. He has red hair that reaches to the sides of his face, as well as the back of his neck, his hair is also long enough in the front that a single bang is able to cover his forehead.

Shizuya is seen wearing a leather jacket, as well as a white shirt, that has a blackened collar, he also wears black gloves, with holes in the finger slots so his finger can be shown. He is seen wearing white pants and has a differently colored striped shirt tied around his waist. He also wears a necklace, that, instead of the usual straight rectangular chain links, has circular chain links.

Personality
He is an extremely conceited and overconfident person, believing in himself and his abilities as a blazer to a high degree. Shizuya loves attention from the other students especially the female students of Hagun Academy doing whatever possible to attract their attention. Much like most Blazers, he believes that their true worth was decided from the moment of birth and is disgusted when lower-rank blazers attempt to deny it.

Shizuya is sadistic enjoying seeing others in pain using his arrows while remaining invisible using his Noble Art, this was further shown as Shizuya continued to both belittle and humiliate Ikki during their match, even revealing his promise with Kurono causing the audience to laugh. However, his true nature is cowardice never fighting foes who have wide-range powers due to it being a counter for his noble art. It is further shown as when Ikki found out how to overcome his Area Invisibility and declared that he didn't like being hurt himself and even up fainting after his nose was barely touched by Intetsu costing his cheering fans.

Shizuya had developed a great hatred towards Ikki who became the center of attention by the students of Hagun Academy, as well as around the world earning the names Seven Star Sword King and Sword God, believing it was all due to luck, not his skill and that he was still nothing more than an F-Rank.

History
Kirihara was Ikki Kurogane's classmate from his previous year and the number one rookie of that year. It was mentioned that he was an honor student of that year. He was also the main person who harassed Ikki and even once challenged Ikki to a fight which Ikki refused, as he saw through Shizuya's intension of getting Ikki to be expelled. Shizuya later represented the Hagun Academy in the 61st Seven Stars Sword Art Festival losing in the second round.

New Term, Reunion and Rebellion
Kirihara appears near the end of the Rebellion Incident, shooting Bishou who was holding an old lady hostage. Kirihara then proceeds to leaves the place but not without revealing that he is Ikki's first opponent for the selection battle. Also, Stella Vermillion, insulted by Kirihara calling someone that she knows is stronger than her weak, makes a bet with him that if he beats Ikki then she will become the latest of his many girlfriends.

Debut Battle and Vow
Kirihara is next seen going up against Ikki in the selection match. He initially has the upper hand on Ikki as he had not only activated Area invisibility, but because of Ikki's nervousness of his first official match and was able to hit Ikki from wherever he wanted, he had also the crowd on his side, who were harassing Ikki, and breaking his confidence. He, however, loses his advantages after Stella ceases the harassment, giving Ikki his confidence to fight back and breakthrough Area invisibility. Kirihara, before being cut, concedes, losing both the match and his supporters.

Abilities
Transparency Manipulation: Shizuya's ability as a Blazer. He can manipulate the concept of "transparency", in which he is able to use to make himself invisible. He became able to make his arrows invisible, which he couldn't do a year prior during the previous Seven Stars Sword Art Festival

Expert Archer: Shizuya is skilled in using his Oborotsuki, being able to shoot down a number of criminals from Rebellion without harming their hostage. In fact, he is skilled to the point he can pinpoint which body part is fatal and non-fatal; in conjuncture with his Area Invisibility, it makes him more dangerous.

Device
Oborotsuki (朧月, Misty Moon): Shizuya's Device which takes a form of a green-colored bow and shoots arrows made out of magic power.
 * Area Invisibility : His first Noble Art, which earned him the alias Hunter. Area Invisibility grants him flawless stealth camouflage able to isolate his presence, however, it doesn't work on his arrows. After training for a year, Shizuya became able to make his arrows invisible making them much harder to dodge and to avoid giving away his position.
 * Million Rain : His second Noble Art, where he charges magic into a single arrow, which explodes into more than a hundred projectiles in order to carpet bomb the battlefield.

Trivia

 * His first name Shizuya (静矢) means "Still Arrow", which can reference his Oborotsuki.
 * His surname Kirihara (桐原) means "Original Paulownia".
 * Kirihara prefers not to fight an opponent who can use a "wide range" tactics, because his Area Invisibility is weak against such tactics and quit before the fight, which earned him his namesake as Hunter instead of a Knight.
 * He is the only character who fought Ikki and still maintains his belief on F-Ranks being weak and doubts his actual strength without undergoing a change like Kuraudo Kurashiki or Amane Shinomiya.
 * Kirihara's attire is similar to that of Iori Yagami from the King of Fighters series.