Rera
Rera (レラ, Rera), whose name means “wind” in Ainu, is a character in the Samurai Shodown series. She is based on the alternate palette swap of Nakoruru (noted for her evil grin during her victory images since Samurai Shodown). The developers admit basing her mannerism on Nakoruru’s “Rasetsu/Bust” form, a different shade of the girl that appears to predominately have her own persona in Samurai Shodown 64-2, and whose P2 palette (violet, orange-trimmed) served as base for Rera’s costume (violet with peach colored trim) costume. Seiuchi adds that her stoic yet forceful nature in the Nakoruru ADV game was inspired by Basara and Kagaribi’s tragic story.
The “Rasetsu/Bust” form of Nakoruru often feels unashamed in her victories and wasn’t afraid to tempt others to do “the easiest thing”, such as abandoning the conflict or pitting good comrades against one another. In the first OVA for the series, people aside from Nakoruru are able to see and talk to her, featured as a separate unexplained being resembling Nakoruru. Like a trickster in plays, she disappears and enters as she pleases, usually to “play” with another person that Nakoruru holds dear. She even threatened to kill her other half if her way didn’t succeed. It is said that Nakoruru suppressed this side of herself as it saw killing as a necessity to protect nature.
Rera’s first unique appearance was in Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara no Okurimono as a mysterious specter. Here, she is more blunt to her demands to slay others, sometimes insulting her more “gullible” half to do her duty. Though it was a time of peace during this game, Nakoruru could already sense disasters that would soon occur. If she chose to try and ignore these premonitions, Rera would appear to her in a dream-like state to insist that actions be made. Her name isn’t made clear to the players until later in the game. Unlike previous entries of the series it’s unknown if other people can sense her, but it’s mostly implied that only priestesses can see her. Her act of slaying a wild bear in this game is reenacted in her scenario in Samurai Shodown V.
When Samurai Shodown V takes place, her frustration with the frightened girl had reached its peak; Nakoruru would not search for her father, the missing Rimururu, or even protect herself from danger. She takes over Nakoruru’s body and embarks on her journey. It’s unclear which persona Nakoruru left with in the official story, but it’s insinuated that Rera did the fighting for her other half in this game. After Gaoh’s defeat, she merges with her host, realizing that fighting doesn’t solve everything and peaceful solutions can be made. Nakoruru’s stronger will in her adulthood kept Rera mostly in check from then on.
