hanamura benio

The protagonist, Benio Hanamura, is a 17-year-old schoolgirl living in Tokyo around 1920, during the Taisho era. Orphaned by her mother at a young age, Benio was raised by her father, a distinguished official in the Japanese army. This upbringing has shaped her into a tomboy—she defies traditional Japanese femininity by practicing kendo, indulging in sake, and favoring striking Western attire over conventional kimonos. Her interests lie more in literature than in household duties. Moreover, she opposes arranged marriages and advocates for women's rights to careers and love-based marriages. Benio's closest companions are Tamaki, a beauty who, despite being traditionally feminine, shares Benio's passion for women's rights, and Ranmaru, a young man with effeminate mannerisms due to his background in performing female roles in kabuki theater. (Source: Wikipedia)