One of the most notable things about Nino is that she always changes the conversation’s topic. It looks like she can only concentrate in one thing at a time. For example, when she meets Yuzu, she nicknames him “Eyelashes” because his eyelashes were long and that was the only thing she could focus on about him. This feature of Nino often exasperates those around her.

However, as the story advances, we notice that this might be a mechanism of self-preservation. When we see Nino’s past with Momo, we notice that she insists on singing when he tries to talk about painful topics (a.k.a. that he might “disappear”). Also, after Yuzu kisses her, it is notorious that she avoids his presence (by being absent from school). It is Yuzu who apologizes and gives an excuse (that he was protecting Nino’s voice from harm because she was screaming like hell) to re establish proper communication. Nino also has a tendency to ask strange questions, like when she was thinking that Momo was having a romance with his manager. Then she went to ask Yuzu if, if they were living together, they would be just friends? Poor Yuzu almost had a heart attack with the idea XD

Oh, yes. If there is something that defines the protagonist of Fukumenkei Noise, it is that she calls Momo’s name like a mantra all the time. To understand the origin of this obsession, we have to go back to their childhood. Other children used to think that Nino was weird but not Momo. As neighbors, these two walked together to school and back. By night, when Momo’s parents were fighting, they used to sing out loud to block and forget the violence. Also, although other kids made fun of this pair when they held hands, they kept doing it anyway.

In short, Nino and Momo were a mini couple, separated by that dirty thing called money. Yes, Momo’s parents were heavily in debt, so the family disappeared one night without telling the details to anyone. This abandonment without a proper explanation left Nino traumatized for life and particularly sensitive to people leaving her. It didn’t help that, when she finally met Momo again in high school, he treated her in the worst cold and distant way possible. Nevertheless, Nino can’t forget her precious memories with her first love, Momo, and his personality back then. She didn’t even confess to him! That’s why Nino keeps pursuing Momo.

Face masks are quite typical in Japan nowadays. People use them in the spring to protect themselves from spores and also whenever they catch the flu. Some teenagers are keen to use face masks to cover their facial features. That is why Nino’s appearance is not strange.

However, it is her reason for wearing a face mask that makes this feature peculiar. This is yet another consequence of her relationship with Momo. When he left, Nino was so traumatized that she only wanted to scream. Thus, she started to wear the face mask to keep herself under control.

We could judge Nino Arisugawa as some sort of emo because of her mask and because apparently, she doesn’t have many friends. Nevertheless, when she is really worried, the mask slides from her face. For example, when Yuzu stops going to the school and she runs to the beach to meet him, the mask is dangling from her neck. It is Yuzu who puts it back on place when he sees how cute Nino looks smiling and crying of happiness :p

We have arrived to Nino’s essence: her voice and music. Since her childhood with Momo and Yuzu, music was her weapon of choice. Nino’s voice is what connects her strongly to both guys as well, as they recognize her when she sings at the school while the Music Club was playing. It helps that our protagonist has an unusual voice, suitable for alternative rock.

Of course, Yuzu requests Nino to become Alice, the vocalist of his band, In NO hurry to shout. Although a bit insecure at first, Nino Arisugawa accepts and trains hard to improve her musical skills. From asking for help from her “rival” Miou with singing, through borrowing books from the library, to special lessons with Yuzu himself, Nino advances surprisingly fast. During the intensive camp for In NO hurry to shout, Nino becomes capable enough to play the guitar and sing at the same time. Not happy with that, Nino Arisugawa ends up writing the lyrics for the band’s new song.

Should we remember In NO hurry’s performance in the Rock Horizon festival? Alice had all the weight of the performance. Nino swore to herself to “make it so neither of them can never leave”, thinking of both Momo and the audience. The result was that the auditorium filled to capacityl and even Momo could hear her voice from afar. So, who knows what awaits Nino in the future? She is proving herself as a 100% musical girl.

Throughout her life, Nino has resorted to music when she is happy, angry or sad. A couple of times, she has been so depressed that she can not sing. An example is (of course) when Momo disappears yet again after the Rock Horizon festival. However, she eventually goes back to singing in front of the sea.

This is yet another aspect that can puzzle people around Nino. An exasperated Miou even asks her if she knows what it means to quit. Nino screams that she does not know what it means to give up, so she will keep trying to reach Momo through her voice. Thus, our protagonist, Nino Arisugawa, keeps singing.