Koneko Toujou

Koneko Toujou (塔城 小猫, Tōjō Koneko), originally named Shirone (白音), is one of the female protagonists of High School DxD. At first, she is a first-year student at Kuoh Academy before becoming a second-year, and a member of the Occult Research Club. She is a Nekoshou, a rare species of Nekomata, the younger sister of Kuroka, and Rias Gremory’s first Rook. After coming to terms with herself, her past, and reconciling with Kuroka, Koneko later begins going by Shirone Toujou (塔城 白音, Tōjō Shirone). Due to witnessing her sister supposedly losing control over her nekomata power and killing her master, Koneko became deeply traumatized by the event. This caused her to withdraw emotionally and suppress most of her feelings. As a result, Koneko originally had a quiet and cold personality, rarely showing emotion even when speaking. It is noted that her serious demeanor was influenced by Rias and is the opposite of her sister’s mischievous and outgoing personality. She was also the only one in the group who did not initially get along with Issei, often criticizing him for his inappropriate behavior. Despite this, she later acknowledges that she respects his perseverance and considers him a hard worker. Koneko shows strong concern for her comrades when they are in danger, frequently lending her strength during battles. She appears sensitive about being teased for her height, as shown during her second battle against Freed Sellzen. This may stem from personal insecurity regarding her physical stature. Koneko is also a glutton and food enthusiast, often seen eating snacks, visiting restaurants, and enjoying regional specialties during food-related outings. At the end of Volume 5, Koneko experiences a change in her personality after receiving help overcoming her fear of using Senjutsu. She becomes more expressive and occasionally behaves in a cat-like manner, including ending sentences with “Nya” (にゃ).