Kinoko Komori, also known as Shemage, was a student in Class 1-B at U.A. High School, training to become a Pro Hero.
Eight years later, Kinoko has graduated from U.A., and become a Pro Hero and Idol.[3][4]
Appearance#
Kinoko is a short girl of a relatively thin build, with honey-brown hair curved inwards in a mushroom-shaped bob that reaches just below her narrow shoulders. She has a long fringe that completely covers her eyes, hiding most of her face, and her mouth is large. Unobscured, her eyes are wide and cat-like, tilted inwards with rather long lower eyelashes, and her irises are warm brown. Kinoko's pupils are little black crosses, both highly resembling the caps of cross-sliced shiitake mushrooms.
Her Hero Costume consists of a turtleneck dress with long sleeves and furred cuffs, which is decorated with a red and white fly agaric pattern, matching the one on her mushroom cap-shaped hat. She wears pale pink knee-high boots with thick tan soles and frilled shafts, patterned with the same fly agaric as her dress, and around her waist is a dark brown belt with a large golden buckle, which allows her to hold her Shroom-Shooters. Altogether, her costume strongly resembles a mushroom, referring to the Quirk she possesses.
As of the Final War, Kinoko's costume now includes a fluffy collar around her neck, though only in the manga.
Eight years later, her costume was redesigned to a red and white striped pattern sleeveless dress, with striped arm tights and frilled shafts, a redesigned belt, small golden mushroom-shaped earrings, and her hat now has a pointed tip, almost like a witch hat.
Personality#
During the U.A. Sports Festival, her front bangs hide her eyes, and she wears a sullen expression, suggesting that Kinoko is shy.
However, Kinoko arrives at the Joint Training Battle alongside her classmates with a big smile, contrasting with her demeanor during the Sports Festival. When her teammate Shihai Kuroiro's plan fails, she excitedly initiates her part of the plan using her Mushroom Quirk, suggesting that her confidence has significantly increased or that she's at least more comfortable around mushrooms.[5]
Kinoko has a gleeful liking towards mushrooms, which stems from her Quirk. She remembers the scientific name of all the mushrooms she can spawn and happily adds endearing honorifics to them. She also likes to make mushroom puns during a battle.[6]
However, Kinoko possesses a kind side, as seen when she apologizes to Fumikage Tokoyami for using too much of her Quirk on him and telling him to take necessary medicine to better himself.[7]
Kinoko also seems to be a fan of Hawks and asked Fumikage if he had any pictures of the No. 2 Hero in his private life.[8]
Abilities#
Overall Abilities: While not being the combat type, Kinoko possesses incredible proficiency over her Quirk abilities. She can produce spores that can generate hordes of mushrooms in various, unexpected areas to surprise and overwhelm her opponents, as well as provide a smokescreen to simultaneously obscure her opponents' line of view and conceal the presence of both herself and her allies, especially Shihai Kuroiro, who excels in espionage. Kinoko can access at least two spray bottles to increase an area's humidity levels, allowing her spores to scatter more easily. She can completely cover terrain with mushrooms in a few minutes through this method; however, to prevent her teammates from being affected, they must first be sterilized with an antifungal spray.
During the second round of the Joint Training Battle, Neito Monoma stated that even though Kinoko has meager combat abilities, she is an opponent worth fearing. Even though she was subdued by Fumikage Tokoyami, he overall failed to render Kinoko unconscious, allowing the restrained fungus-producing heroine to implement mushrooms in the latter's throat and lungs, effectively incapacitating the Jet-Black Hero through asphyxiation.
Makeup Artistry: Kinoko is an expert makeup artist, as shown during Class 1-B's big play during the U.A. School Festival.[9]
Quirk#
Mushroom:[2] Kinoko's Quirk allows her to spread various types of fungal spores from her body. The spores will quickly grow into full-grown mushrooms upon making contact with a solid surface. The mushrooms can grow from various surfaces, including Kinoko's surroundings, body, and opponent's body. They only last for 2-3 hours.[6] The spores spread better in a humid environment.
Ultimate Moves#
- Splitgill Lung Strike: Kinoko uses the fungi, schizophyllum commune, to sprout in her opponent's throat causing them to choke therefore leaving them immobile.
Stats#
Equipment#
Shroom-Shooter[10]: Kinoko possesses a pair of gun-like spray bottles. She uses them to raise the humidity in her surroundings to help her mushroom spores spread more efficiently.
Battles & Events#
U.A. Sports Festival Arc U.A. Sports Festival Obstacle Race Cavalry Battle Forest Training Camp Arc Quirk Training Camp Vanguard Action Squad Invasion U.A. School Festival Arc U.A. School Festival Joint Training Arc Joint Training Battle Round 2 Endeavor Agency Arc Hero Work-Studies II Paranormal Liberation War Arc Paranormal Liberation War Gunga Mountain Villa Raid Villa Raid Team vs. Paranormal Liberation Front Villa Raid Team & Trainees vs. Paranormal Liberation Front Final War Arc Final War Uravity & Gunga Mountain Team vs. Himiko Toga & Doubles
Chapter Appearances#
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Anime Appearances#
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Trivia#
- Kinoko's surname contains the kanji for "small" and "forest, woods", while her given name contains the kanji for "hope", a possessive particle similar to "my," or the addition of an apostrophe "s" on the end of a name, and "child".
- Her given name is homophonous with the Japanese word for "mushroom", which is also the name and spelling of her Quirk.
- Kinoko's hero name, "Shemage", sounds similar to shimeji, a type of mushroom that is often used for cooking. "Shemage" also means "female mage", alluding to how her costume makes her look like a witch.
- In addition, her costume appears to be based on a fly agaric, one of the most well-known mushroom species.
- Originally, her hero name was supposed to be "Much Mush Muse" (Gnocchi Nyokonyoko in the Japanese version), but that was changed due to being too hard to pronounce.[11]
- According to Kinoko's Volume 21 profile:
- Her favorite foods are mushroom cuisine and edible mushrooms.
- She dreams of becoming an Idol Hero, which is eventually fulfilled after she graduates.[4]
- Kinoko shares her Japanese and English voice actresses with other characters.
- Her Japanese voice actress, Kei Shindō, also voices Kyoka Jiro, Fuyumi Todoroki, and Shoto Todoroki as a child.
- Her English voice actress, Amanda Gish, also voiced Koji Koda's mother.