Ryūko Matoi

"This [outfit] is a keepsake from my father. And this Scissor Blade was left behind by the person who killed him. Now you're going to tell me who this Scissor Blade belongs to...Satsuki Kiryuin"

- Ryuuko Matoi

Ryuuko Matoi is the main protagonist of the Kill la Kill anime and its manga adaptation. She is a nomadic transfer student who transfers to Honnōji Academy in search of the other half of a red Scissor Blade she carries, and the one who murdered her father, Isshin Matoi.

Appearance
Ryuuko is a teenage girl of medium height. She has mid-length, black, feathery hair and a single red streak on her bangs. Her blue eyes have peculiar gear-shaped pupils with eight grooves around the edges. Her outfit at the beginning of the series is a simple white shirt with a red ribbon tie, a black miniskirt, white sneakers, and a black jacket with white and black-striped, rolled up sleeves. Her clothes are later replaced by Senketsu, a living, navy blue sailor uniform. Her shirt (Senketsu's upper jaw) is a crop top that bares her midriff. Her sleeves are rolled up and have two red stripes near the rims. She wears a sailor-style collar with red lines tied by a red ribbon. The ribbon also serves as Senketsu's "eye", folding into a triangular shape striped with red and yellow just above her left breast; her right breast is covered by a black "eyepatch" with an X-shaped scratch on it. Her skirt (Senketsu's lower jaw) is held up by three belts attached to her shirt. Aikurō Mikisugi later provides her with a Seki Tekkō (lit. "Red Gauntlet"), a red, fingerless, left-handed glove with a built-in syringe designed for Ryuuko to conveniently draw blood and feed it to Senketsu.

Ryuuko's appearance changes when using Senketsu's powers. Her hair becomes more feathery and is accented with red undertones. Ryūko's outfit also transforms into a black, scanty suit of armor with red stripes: her top covers her neck, arms, and upper chest, and is connected to her skirt by three red bands, leaving everything between her breasts and waist exposed. Her legs are covered with thigh-high boots. Senketsu's "eyes" extend into a wing-shaped crest on her chest; his left eye becomes yellow with an orange and red iris, while his right eye appears closed with a red stripe. On Ryūko's upper back is a red, triangular ventilation grill.

Personality
Ryuuko displays herself to be a fierce school girl. She is not afraid of anything seemingly, shown in how she easily stands up to Satsuki Kiryuuin and demands her questions be answered. She also shows no fear when she fights with the Boxing Club head who clearly overpowers her. Later on, she is shown to be quite embarrassed when she is forced to fight in her very revealing outfit, showing that while she is not afraid of fighting to her death, she is quite conscious of her body. She also shows fierce determination in finding her father's killer.

History
Ryuuko lived alone with her father Isshin Matoi since an early age. One day she found him dead with a red Scissor Blade sticking from his chest, and spotted a long-haired woman running off with a blue Scissor Blade. Vowing revenge, Ryuuko became a vagrant looking for clues behind the woman's identity and whereabouts.

Powers and Abilities
Ryūko wields the Scissor Blade, as well as wearing Senketsu, her Kamui. The Kamui grants her enhanced strength and agility, but can make her even stronger through the Life Fiber Override.