Character Profile: Emperor Hotohori

Hotohori is the beautiful Emperor of the Konan Empire. When Chichiri transforms to look like him, Hotohori thinks that his "essence" hasn't been correctly captured. His nose is better looking, and so on and so forth. He can be conceited about his good looks at times.

Hotohori is also one of the Suzaku warriors (his is the sign of the star). His greatest skill is swordsmanship. He has been awaiting Miaka to come from her world into the book since he was a young child, and he believed the Priestess of Suzaku would be the perfect woman.

Hotohori is met in the second episode and he meets Miaka and Tamahome by Miaka running up to him and asking for a charm from his crown to bring to Tamahome (on the account that he wants money). Hotohori eventually falls in love with Miaka and doesn't want to marry anyone else, even though it is nearly time for him to choose an empress. Hotohori is gentle and will do anything to protect Miaka from harm.

He eventually marries Empress Houki later in the series and has a son, Boushin, who is born just after Hotohori dies. He dies at the hands of Nakago, but is reborn in the OVAs.

Empress Houki came from a poor village and Hotohori's older brother, Tendou, was in love with her, but his love was unrequited. Houki left because her family was so poor, and so if she married into money they would be well off. Hotohori's brother was killed by a fortune teller when trying to kill Hotohori for Empress Houki's hand. The teller foretold the death of Hotohori's older brother, and the fortune teller killed him.