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[[File:Char_emi.png|thumb]]
|textcolor            =#000000
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|maxwidth = 15
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|tab1 = Information
|tab2 = Image Gallery
|tab3 = Plot
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{{Infobox_character
|name=Emi Ibarazaki
|image=Char_emi.png
|gender=Female
|birthday=March 14th (age 19)
|zodiac=Pisces
|bloodtype=B
|measurements=70/51/74 (27-20-29)
|height=151cm (4'11")
|weight=41 kg (90 lbs.)
|eyes=Poplar green
|hair=Light brown
|family=[[Meiko Ibarazaki]] (mother)<br>Unnamed father
|music="Standing Tall" [[File:1-20 Standing Tall.ogg|noicon]]
|disability=Missing both legs below the knees
|quote="Can you stand up for yourself?"
|occupation=High-School student at [[Yamaku Academy]]}}
{{Quote|Despite being left with legs amputated below the knee, Emi is perhaps one of the most cheery, happy-go-lucky girls on the entire globe, let alone the school. Not one to be left in despair even after the accident that claimed her legs, Emi views her disability more as a blessing, her prosthetic legs having brought her to the heights of her ability on the track team rather than becoming a permanent obstacle.|Official Description}}
{{Japanese|Emi Ibarazaki|茨崎 笑美|Ibarazaki Emi}} is one of the five main female characters in [[Katawa Shoujo|''Katawa Shoujo'']]. She is a student in class 3-4, a member of the track team at [[Yamaku Academy]], and is one of the fastest runners in the school. Emi has a close friendship with [[Rin Tezuka]]. 


==Emi Ibarazaki==
An avid runner often dubbed "the fastest thing on no legs", Emi views her lack of legs with reckless abandon, exploiting her condition to its fullest in order to be the best of the best at track. As comes with such determination, Emi is exceptionally stubborn, often pushing herself too hard, resulting in more than the occasional trip to the [[Nurse]], with whom she remains on good terms. 


== Personality ==
{{Quote|That's what everyone always says, that they're sorry. I hate hearing that. Like anyone could have done anything to change what happened. You know the best piece of advice I got? “These things happen.” I don't even remember who said it, but I guess they didn't have anything better to say. But it's true, you know? These things happen, and there's nothing you can do about it. They aren't necessarily planned, and they aren't always bad, and they aren't always good, but they are. So I made the decision that I would live without worrying about the future. And to be sure that I never had to say goodbye again, I decided I wouldn't let people get close to me any more. After all, they could be taken away at any time.|Emi talks about the past with Hisao}}__TOC__


*Birthday: March 14
Emi has a happy-go-lucky personality despite having no legs. She is highly energetic, which can occasionally cause her injury when running, much to the [[Nurse]]'s dismay. She is playful and willing to try new things, which can sometimes lead to humorous situations. Despite her normally cheery personality, she finds it hard to truly rely on other people, and is very stubborn.
*Zodiac: Pisces
== Plot ==
*Blood Type: B
{{PlotSpoiler}}
*Height: 151 cm
===Backstory===
*Weight: 41 kg
[[File:Emi running.png|thumb|Emi running|195x195px]]
*Bust/Waist/Hips: 70/51/74
Eight years ago, at the age of eleven, Emi was in a fatal car accident that robbed her not only of her legs, but also of her father. With her convalescence taking over a year, she was held back a grade and as such is the oldest of Hisao's five potential love interests, despite physically appearing to be the youngest. She underwent extensive rehabilitation during this time, including relearning how to walk, which was overseen by the [[Nurse]], hence their friendly relationship.
*Hair: Light Brown
*Eyes: Poplar Green
*Theme: Standing Tall


=== Act 1 - Life Expectancy ===
[[File:Emi knockeddown large.jpg|thumb|Emi after crashing into [[Hisao Nakai]]|196x196px]]
Emi is running in the halls and crashes into [[Hisao Nakai]]. At first, Hisao is scared for his heart, remembering his cardiologist's warning to "not get hit in the chest". She apologizes profusely and then runs off again. Later, the Nurse confronts Hisao about his lack of exercise. Hisao asks him how he knows and he confesses to using "a spy" (who is later revealed to be Emi) to keep tabs on him.


'''Biography '''Despite being left with legs amputated below the knee, Emi is perhaps one of the most cheery, happy-go-lucky girls on the entire globe, let alone the school. Not one to be left in despair even after the accident that claimed her legs, Emi views her disability more as a blessing, her prosthetic legs having brought her to the heights of her ability on the track team rather than becoming a permanent obstacle.
Early in the morning, Hisao goes to the track to jog and finds Emi. If Hisao agrees to go running, he meets Emi at the track again and goes for a jog. She provokes him into a race, but he gets a heart murmur and collapses. Emi helps him to the nurse, where she gets a talking-to. Emi invites him to lunch to make up for it. Hisao joins Emi and Rin on the roof. Emi talks non-stop while Rin says little in her quasi-stoic way.


Emi is very stubborn, and is known to push herself too hard. She is able to manipulate Hisao to a degree due to her 'wounded puppy' expression, Hisaos great weakness.
On the day before the festival, Emi grabs Hisao and uses him for help getting art supplies for Rin, who is still working on the mural. She runs out of Prussian Blue paint and either Emi goes alone to fetch some, or she takes Hisao with her. If the latter, Emi gets Hisao to agree to a physical training regimen with her.


'''Life Expectancy'''
''See [[Emi's route]] for her full plotline.''
== Relationships ==
=== Family ===
Emi is on good terms with her mother [[Meiko Ibarazaki]]; visiting home from Yamaku Academy with some regularity. It seems that Emi takes after her somewhat, with her matter-of-fact, no-buts approach to life. Not much is known about her deceased father, other than him being a runner, inspiring Emi to take up the sport in his honor.


Hisao first encounters Emi on his third day at Yamaku while going to lunch (with either Lily and Hanako or Shizune and Misha). Emi crashes into him while running in the corridors and nearly causes Hisao to have a heart attack. He encounters Emi a few days later at the track for light exercise as per the Nurse's instructions. On the second attempt Hisao overexerts himself and has another heart murmur, inciting Emi to take him to the Nurse who reprimands both of them for carelessness, making Emi well aware of Hisao's arrythmia. In apology Emi invites Hisao to the roof for lunch with her and Rin. Over the next two days Hisao and Emi help Rin with painting her mural for the festival and Emi invites Hisao to be her running partner in the mornings, to which he agrees. On the day of the festival Hisao is caught buying fried food from one the stalls by Emi, who insists that he eat healthy. She then ends up dragging him, and later Rin after stopping by her mural, around the festival for the rest of the day. Hisao manages to slip away and buy something sweet in the end before retiring to his dorm room for homework.
=== Students ===
[[File:Picnic with Emi and Rin.png|thumb|Emi on a picnic with Rin and Hisao|188x188px]]
An unlikely combination, [[Rin Tezuka]] and Emi are best friends, despite Emi's insistence that Rin should do more sports and Rin's reciprocal disdain of Emi's 'horsing around'. In any case, they are supportive of each other, with Rin attending track meets and Emi helping out with Rin's mural. As the housing department thought that they'd 'complement each other' (that is, they have access to all limbs between them), they live across the hall from each other, where they presumably originally met.


'''Form'''
Emi is additionally a member of the [[track team]], and so relatively close with the [[Track Team Captain|track team captain]] and other teammates. She had a crush on the track team captain before finding out he was gay. Besides this, she appears to be on reasonable terms with [[Lilly Satou]] and [[Misha]], and neutral with [[Shizune Hakamichi]] and [[Hanako Ikezawa]].


Hisao arrives for his first morning run with Emi, resulting in her winning a bet with Rin. The two run a mile around the track and to Hisao's surprise he doesn't feel so bad when it's complete, beyond tired that is, his first runner's high. Emi invites him to lunch on the rooftop again and Hisao watches Emi and Rin have a argument(?) about perspective, predictability and time travel. Upon his return to class Misha ruthlessly teases Hisao about his 'rendevous' with Rin and Emi. Class ends and Hisao gives up halfway through his homework and decides instead to go see Emi at the track. After the, now traditional teasing greetings, Hisao asks Emi about her friendship with Rin. Emi doesn't seem to understand it herself but it seems that the two have one crucial commonality, they work hard at what they like, what they shouldn't be able to do. Hisao also learns the Emi started running because her father was one revealing a brief moment of melancholy. Emi returns to her training and reminds Hisao to come tomorrow for morning run. Hisao is unable to sleep and decides to go for a walk in the small hours of the morning. Eventually he falls asleep on the bleachers, waking only when Emi finds him. Today's run is even harder for Hisao but Emi snaps at him when he considers giving up. Afterwards she says that she can't stand the notion of giving in. Later that morning in the nurses office Hisao learns that before he worked at Yamaku the Nurse was one of the doctors who helped Emi recover after the car accident that cost her both legs. Sheer determination enabled her to complete years of covalesence in one years time. The two know each other well and have a friendly relationship. The day of the track meet arrives and Hisao attends, (another loss for Rin) and meets Emi's mother, Meiko Ibarazaki. After introductions, (and teasing), the trio watch Emi run her events. Hisao had glimpsed it before during their runs but he finally gets a good look at "Emi at her Emiest" as Rin puts it. Hisao also begins to notice that Emi appears beautiful to him when she runs and that he might be growing attracted to her. Mrs. Ibarazaki leaves mid-way and Rin and Hisao notice Emi stumble on the final event, suggesting that she's in pain. She still wins and as they congradulate her, Emi invites Hisao to join her and Rin for a celebration later in the week, reminding him to be bright and early for their run as usual. A few days later Hisao is with the Nurse due to mild chest pain as the result of neglecting his medications. As he advises Hisao to take it easy for a few days the nurse let's slip that Hisao's running with Emi means more to her then he may have realized. In the hall an agitated Emi babbles worriedly about Hisao until he surprises her with a hug and some reassurance. The dangerously tender moment is interrupted by the grinning Nurse. During lunch Hisao, Emi and Rin discuss the future. Hisao has no clear idea of his own and he and Rin are highly amused with Emi's desire to be a pirate. Hisao is quite concious of Emi thorughout and it appears that Rin has noticed this. Upon his return to the classroom he must endure Misha's teasing yet again and is informed that the Student Council left something for him in his room. As class resumes Hisao, analyzing Rin's words wonders briefly if Emi might share his growing feelings for her. After class he bumps into Kenji outside his room. Kenji advises him to stay off the roof in case the 'limbles wonders' decide to assinate him by throwing him from the roof, and asks him for 500 yen. After he has gone Hisao finds a letter in his room. It's from Iwanako, an apology for those final awkward, uncommunicative weeks in the hospital. Hisoa, who hasn't thought of the hospital in weeks, crumples the letter and throws it away. The afternoon of Hisao's picnic with Emi and Rin starts off bad with overcast sky's and gets worse when the heavens open up, much to Emi's anger. The trio take shelter at the Shanghai where HIsao encounters Yuuko for the second time. As Hisao and Emi enjoy some cake Hisao learns that sometimes she comes here with the track team captain for discussions, although Emi seems nervous explaining it. The trio walk back to school when the rain stops. Despite previous claims that today's an off day Emi decides to run laps at the school, Hisao can either stay quiet or offer to run with Emi, in which case she sternly tells him to rest. The rain picks up on their return but Emi goes for her run anyway. Inside the dorms Hisao bumps into Kenji carrying a stack of books. After some rambling on Kenji's part Hisao lets slip that he went to the Shanghai with Emi and RIn, and recieves a vehement lecture never to go again if he want's to avoid some horrible fate at the hands of the feminists! The next day Emi doesn't show up and a worried Hisao learns from the Nurse that she is sick in bed. Hisao resolves to see her after classes end. The day drags by monotonously, the only interesting moments: Yuuko looking for a stolen book, and meeting Lilly, who asks after Emi's well being. Finally when class ends Hisao looks in on Emi, for some reason or other the two get into a pillow fight and a compromising position. The two enjoy a companionable time as Hisao tells Emi about the days events, until she falls asleep that is. Unable to escape Hisao watches as Emi experiences a nightmare before waking her up out of it. Emi is reluctant to talk about it and Hisao decides to leave. Before he does, assures Emi that if she ever wants to talk about anything, he's there. Only now does Hisao realize that he developed romantic feelings for Emi, but he is afraid of ruining their friendship as well as feeling inadequate alongside the track captain, who he perceives as a rival. The next day Hisao resolves to find out whether or not Emi and the track captain are dating. He can't ask Emi or Rin of course so he decides to try the Nurse. After their morning run Hisao notices that Emi is a little preoccupied with something, most likely the previous night, but Emi refuses to elaborate. At the Nurses office Hisao makes a few obique enquiries of the nurse and is happy to hear that Emi will never date the track captain, although how the Nurse knows this is puzzling. Later Hisao finds himself alone with Emi on the roof during lunch, she unknowingly transmitted her cold to Rin. After the usual teasing openings Hisao begins looking for an oppurtunity to ask Emi out. Emi is suddenly troubled by a memory of her deceased father, reluctantly she reveals that the nightmare from last night is a fairly recurring instance and is depressed by that. Hisao embraces her, reaffirming his promise to be there for her. There is a short interlude of talk about the future and suddenly Emi tells Hisao that if he wants to kiss her he should do it before the bell rings for class. There is a stunned silence, then Emi admits that she has a crush on Hisao and the two kiss. The kiss lasts until the bell rings and Emi invites Hisao to dinner after practise, giving him one more kiss in the hall before thay part ways. Misha teases Hisao but he doesn't care.
=== Staff ===
Emi has known the [[Nurse]] for years, and so he fulfills more of the role of an uncle than that of a member of the Yamaku staff. She visits his office every morning after running practice for a checkup on her prostheses and a general chat; he is privy to at least parts of her private life as well as her medical needs.
== Etymology ==
* The name '''Emi''' means "smile, laugh" () ('''e''') and "beautiful" (美) ('''mi''').
* Emi's surname '''Ibarazaki''' means "thorn" (茨) ('''ibara''') and "cape, peninsula" (崎) ('''saki'''/'''zaki''').  


'''Perspective'''
==Trivia==
*Emi was the only major character to undergo a redesign after the first release of the "Act One" demo.
*Emi is the oldest of all the romanceable girls at nineteen years old (even though she appears to look the youngest), which is because she was held back a grade due to her car accident and the rehabilitation afterward.
*Emi is tied with [[Lilly Satou]] for having the most H-scenes in her route (at three each).
*Emi is possibly the shortest character in the game ([[Hideaki Hakamichi]] may be shorter, but he has no official height).


Class passes quickly for Hisao who is eager to go on his first date with Emi.  Mutou asks Hisao some questions after class about future plans and suggests forming a "science club".  He gives Hisao A Brief History of Time to read and Hisao returns to his room and promptly falls asleep.  Fortunately he awakes with enough time left to prepare and meets Emi at the track.  With neither one having any clear plan, they grab some food from the convenience store and eating in the park.  Although Emi remarks that it's not much different from what they would have done as friends, the pair enjoy a few flirtatious moments and Hisao returns to the dorms well satisfied.  Only then does he notice Emi favoring her left leg.  Emi waves it off and Hisao is left vaguely disturbed by Emi's reluctance.  The next morning run goes well but Emi stumbles in pain immediately after and a concerned Hisao takes her to the Nurses office.  Emi fobs off the visit claiming other things to do.  Both Hisao and the Nurse recognize that she's hiding her pain and the Nurse tells Hisao to make sure that Emi sees him later. During lunch on the rooftop Hisao teasingly, but firmly enforces the Nurses command and Emi reluctantly agrees. Emi and Hisao kiss goodbye before going to their respective classes and Hisao recieves a scolding from Shizune and Misha against public displays of affection.  Mutou and Hisao meets for a second Science Club meeting and Mutou suggests that a true scientist should look at any problem or question from more than one angle, in order to find a solution.  Hisao takes this saying to heart, thinking that it might help him overcome the distance he feels between himself and Emi. With nothing else to do Hisao goes to the library where Yuuko confides that she is on the trail of the person who stole the missing books, although she has yet to determine who it is.  The conversation is interrupted by an urgent phone call from Emi and Hisao rushes to her room to find Emi in a wheelchair.  It turns out that she developed an infection and has to avoid running for a few weeks. Hisao attempts to cheer her up with varying degrees of success and he notice that, yet again, Emi is maintaining some kind of distance from him.  However the mood lightens and yet another pillow fight turns into love-making. This is rudely interupted by Rin who, seemingly utterly oblivious of Hisao and Emi's nudity, wants to watch a cloud from Emi's window, but leaves dissapointed when the cloud changes shape.  Hisao and Emi laugh and Hisao returns to his room.  The next day Emi arrives in her wheelchair while Hisao prepares for his morning run. Emi insists that she needs gloves from the track shed to exercise in her wheelchair and Hisao realizes too late that this is just a ruse to spend some intimate time with him.  Hisao discovers a tube of lubricant revealed to be the track captain's, who is revealed by Emi to be gay.  Hesitantly the pair engage in a sexual experiment that is less than successful and both resolve never to do it again. 
{{Katawa Shoujo Characters}}
[[es:Emi Ibarazaki]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Main Characters]]
[[Category:Female Characters]]
[[Category:Yamaku Students]]
[[Category:Track Team]]


'''Motion'''


==Other info==
 
*After the initial release of the "Act One" demo, Emi was the only major character to undergo a redesign before the game's release.
 
*Although she looks the youngest of all the girls she is actually the oldest at 19 years old, due to being held back a year due to her accident.
 
[[Category:Act 3 - Distance]]
[[Category:Act 4 - Motion]]
[[Category:Act 4 - Dream]]

Latest revision as of 22:18, 7 March 2025

Information

"Despite being left with legs amputated below the knee, Emi is perhaps one of the most cheery, happy-go-lucky girls on the entire globe, let alone the school. Not one to be left in despair even after the accident that claimed her legs, Emi views her disability more as a blessing, her prosthetic legs having brought her to the heights of her ability on the track team rather than becoming a permanent obstacle."
— Official Description


Emi Ibarazaki (茨崎 笑美, Ibarazaki Emi) is one of the five main female characters in Katawa Shoujo. She is a student in class 3-4, a member of the track team at Yamaku Academy, and is one of the fastest runners in the school. Emi has a close friendship with Rin Tezuka.

An avid runner often dubbed "the fastest thing on no legs", Emi views her lack of legs with reckless abandon, exploiting her condition to its fullest in order to be the best of the best at track. As comes with such determination, Emi is exceptionally stubborn, often pushing herself too hard, resulting in more than the occasional trip to the Nurse, with whom she remains on good terms.

Personality[edit | edit source]

"That's what everyone always says, that they're sorry. I hate hearing that. Like anyone could have done anything to change what happened. You know the best piece of advice I got? “These things happen.” I don't even remember who said it, but I guess they didn't have anything better to say. But it's true, you know? These things happen, and there's nothing you can do about it. They aren't necessarily planned, and they aren't always bad, and they aren't always good, but they are. So I made the decision that I would live without worrying about the future. And to be sure that I never had to say goodbye again, I decided I wouldn't let people get close to me any more. After all, they could be taken away at any time."
— Emi talks about the past with Hisao

Emi has a happy-go-lucky personality despite having no legs. She is highly energetic, which can occasionally cause her injury when running, much to the Nurse's dismay. She is playful and willing to try new things, which can sometimes lead to humorous situations. Despite her normally cheery personality, she finds it hard to truly rely on other people, and is very stubborn.

Plot[edit | edit source]

Spoiler warning!
This article contains crucial plot details that should not be viewed if you have not seen them in-game. Continue reading at your own risk.

Backstory[edit | edit source]

Emi running

Eight years ago, at the age of eleven, Emi was in a fatal car accident that robbed her not only of her legs, but also of her father. With her convalescence taking over a year, she was held back a grade and as such is the oldest of Hisao's five potential love interests, despite physically appearing to be the youngest. She underwent extensive rehabilitation during this time, including relearning how to walk, which was overseen by the Nurse, hence their friendly relationship.

Act 1 - Life Expectancy[edit | edit source]

Emi after crashing into Hisao Nakai

Emi is running in the halls and crashes into Hisao Nakai. At first, Hisao is scared for his heart, remembering his cardiologist's warning to "not get hit in the chest". She apologizes profusely and then runs off again. Later, the Nurse confronts Hisao about his lack of exercise. Hisao asks him how he knows and he confesses to using "a spy" (who is later revealed to be Emi) to keep tabs on him.

Early in the morning, Hisao goes to the track to jog and finds Emi. If Hisao agrees to go running, he meets Emi at the track again and goes for a jog. She provokes him into a race, but he gets a heart murmur and collapses. Emi helps him to the nurse, where she gets a talking-to. Emi invites him to lunch to make up for it. Hisao joins Emi and Rin on the roof. Emi talks non-stop while Rin says little in her quasi-stoic way.

On the day before the festival, Emi grabs Hisao and uses him for help getting art supplies for Rin, who is still working on the mural. She runs out of Prussian Blue paint and either Emi goes alone to fetch some, or she takes Hisao with her. If the latter, Emi gets Hisao to agree to a physical training regimen with her.

See Emi's route for her full plotline.

Relationships[edit | edit source]

Family[edit | edit source]

Emi is on good terms with her mother Meiko Ibarazaki; visiting home from Yamaku Academy with some regularity. It seems that Emi takes after her somewhat, with her matter-of-fact, no-buts approach to life. Not much is known about her deceased father, other than him being a runner, inspiring Emi to take up the sport in his honor.

Students[edit | edit source]

Emi on a picnic with Rin and Hisao

An unlikely combination, Rin Tezuka and Emi are best friends, despite Emi's insistence that Rin should do more sports and Rin's reciprocal disdain of Emi's 'horsing around'. In any case, they are supportive of each other, with Rin attending track meets and Emi helping out with Rin's mural. As the housing department thought that they'd 'complement each other' (that is, they have access to all limbs between them), they live across the hall from each other, where they presumably originally met.

Emi is additionally a member of the track team, and so relatively close with the track team captain and other teammates. She had a crush on the track team captain before finding out he was gay. Besides this, she appears to be on reasonable terms with Lilly Satou and Misha, and neutral with Shizune Hakamichi and Hanako Ikezawa.

Staff[edit | edit source]

Emi has known the Nurse for years, and so he fulfills more of the role of an uncle than that of a member of the Yamaku staff. She visits his office every morning after running practice for a checkup on her prostheses and a general chat; he is privy to at least parts of her private life as well as her medical needs.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

  • The name Emi means "smile, laugh" (笑) (e) and "beautiful" (美) (mi).
  • Emi's surname Ibarazaki means "thorn" (茨) (ibara) and "cape, peninsula" (崎) (saki/zaki).

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • Emi was the only major character to undergo a redesign after the first release of the "Act One" demo.
  • Emi is the oldest of all the romanceable girls at nineteen years old (even though she appears to look the youngest), which is because she was held back a grade due to her car accident and the rehabilitation afterward.
  • Emi is tied with Lilly Satou for having the most H-scenes in her route (at three each).
  • Emi is possibly the shortest character in the game (Hideaki Hakamichi may be shorter, but he has no official height).


es:Emi Ibarazaki