Maki Nishikino

Spoiler Alert! This article contains details about plotlines described in the anime. Do not proceed unless you want to be spoiled.

Maki Nishikino
Character PortraitWinterSummerS1 TrainingS2 Training
Kanji	西木野真姫
Romaji	Nishikino Maki
Debut	Season 1 Episode 1
Statistics
Gender	Female
Birthday	April 19
Year	1st
Height	161 cm
Blood Type	AB
Three Sizes	B 78, W 56, H 83
Other
Zodiac Sign	Aries
Favorite Food	Tomatoes
Disliked Food	Mikan
Charm Point	Her beauty and overflowing intelligence
Portrayals
Seiyuu Kanji	堀 絵梨子
Seiyuu Romaji	Pile (Hori Eriko)
English Dub	Caitlin Glass
Icon and Signature
Icon
Signature

Maki Nishikino is a main character in Love Live!. She was a first-year student at Otonokizaka High School until she graduated at the end of Love Live! The School Idol Movie. She is a member of BiBi, a sub-unit under µ's. Her image color is red, though she is also represented with purple.

Background

Maki comes from a highly reputable and wealthy family marked by doctors and hospital ownership. She is an only child, and thus, the sole heiress to her family's properties and legacy. Because of this, Maki is spoiled and doted on yet not given any long-term freedom to be anything other than a doctor. Maki respects her parents and does not question their expectations despite the immense pressure to live up to their standards and make them proud.

Although Maki grew up singing and practicing piano, her parents' emphasis on Maki's medical concentration has made her accept that she ultimately must give up her passion for music, this becoming an increasing reality each year she grew older. She always had a notably beautiful voice, and she was able to compose her own music with a piano. Despite music always being her true passion, when Honoka invites her to join µ's, Maki refuses at first in accordance to her self-inflicted pressure to deny herself music in favor of her studies. Ultimately, she is able to admit and accept her true feelings of love for music and join µ's.

Because of Maki's wealth, it is discovered in Season 1 Episode 10 that her parents own a beach house. Therefore, μ's gladly insisted that Maki should go and ask her parents if they could use it, which they allow. In Season 2 Episode 2, it is revealed that her family also owns a vacation house in the mountains.

Personality

Maki has the qualities of a tsundere, and she has a hard time admitting her true feelings to her peers. She also has somewhat childish beliefs which are undoubtedly reflections on her somewhat sheltered upbringing. One such example is her uninterrupted belief in Santa Claus, which the rest of the group finds out about while together. Maki continues on to describe (somewhat proudly) how she cleans the chimney for Santa, and how he never misses her house. Nico attempts to disillusion her, but is held back by other members who did not want to ruin Maki's belief.

Maki was initially portrayed as a loner in the first few episodes, and spent her time alone in the music room. Her standoffishness can be attributed to her tsundere qualities in which although she may want to get close to others, she cannot admit that and refuses, as best she can, to show it. Throughout the series, Maki opens up more and more, but elements of her solitary life before µ's crop up from time to time with her awkwardness and inability to properly admit her investment in their friendship.

Maki is also quite stubborn. This was shown when she was invited to play at the beach, as she was withdrawn from the group and not interested in playing with them.

Although Maki is not conceited nor-stuck up, there are moments where her pride combined with her privileged and sheltered upbringing with few other friends lead Maki to unintentionally act insensitively or arrogantly. Despite this, µ's understands that Maki has no such intentions, and usually any questionable interaction with Maki is usually because of her tsundere side preventing her from speaking how she really feels.

Her personality often clashes with Nico Yazawa, such as when she called Nico stubborn during Season 2 Episode 4. Rin, however, tells her "You're one to talk", implying that Maki is stubborn as well.

Clubs and Hobbies

Maki is skilled at playing the piano, and is the composer and vocal coach of µ's. Her other hobbies are photography and stargazing. Her special skill is achieving full marks on tests. She also became the Idol Research Club's vice president after the third years graduated.

Appearance

Maki has a slim figure. She has semi-long red hair that reaches her shoulders and purple eyes.

She is the only member of μ's with upturned (sharp) eyes, giving her a more elegant and beautiful vibe rather than a cute one.

Her voluminous hair reaches her shoulders, with the ends curling to frame her face. In the anime version, she is sometimes seen twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers.

Before 2012, illustrations of her in idol costumes depicted her with red hair, while everyday school life illustrations showed her with brown hair. (Since the 2013 anime adaptation, her hair color has been unified as red.)

Songs

General election results and positions

Rank	Song	Position
	Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE (僕らのLIVE 君とのLIFE)
6	Snow halation
8	Natsuiro Egao de 1,2,Jump! (夏色えがおで1,2,Jump!)
6	Mogyutto "love" de Sekkinchuu! (もぎゅっと"love"で接近中!)
3	Wonderful Rush
1	Music S.T.A.R.T!!	Center

In the 5th general election, Maki impressively won her first-ever center position (also the first for any of the μ's first-year members).

Subsequently, on November 27, 2013, the 6th single "Music S.T.A.R.T!!" was released. Within just five days of release, the single sold about 37,000 copies, reaching #2 on the Oricon daily chart and #4 on the weekly chart. It truly served as a milestone connecting the first and second seasons of the anime.

Solos

• Daring!!

Center Songs

• Music S.T.A.R.T!!
• Aishiteru Banzai!
• Diamond Princess no Yuutsu
• Cutie Panther
• Silent tonight

Chronology

Original (Early Version)

At the start of the project, she was characterized as a narcissist with an overly self-conscious personality.

She could also be described as a classic "ojou-sama" (young lady from a wealthy family) character.

Although she seems like she would take on the role of the straight man (tsukkomi) in jokes (and probably wants to), she always ends up being the one who gets teased.

In particular, she often gets caught up in Nico's schemes, who frequently plays the role of the strategist.

Umi once praised her for being very caring (from Dengeki G's Magazine, November 2011 issue).

In the drama part "Seiya no Onna no Ko-tachi" included with the 2nd single Snow halation, her line "Dessho~!" became a favorite among both the cast and fans, and is considered one of Maki's signature quotes.

In the PV for Natsuiro Egao de 1,2,Jump!, while everyone else is playing in the ocean or enjoying themselves with a watermelon-splitting game on the beach, Maki alone is seen lounging on a beach chair, wearing sunglasses and relaxing.

However, at the lily white single release event where the "Natsuiro..." PV was shown in advance, the audience was reportedly filled with laughter.

Even among those who bought and watched the "Natsuiro..." PV later, there were probably many who couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.

Her desired medical field is neurosurgery. The reason she decided to become an idol was to create memories. She also did ballet when she was younger. It seems that she sometimes felt stifled by days spent only studying.

Her hobbies are photography and stargazing. Her special skill is getting perfect scores on tests. Her strengths are being a strategist and having courage. Her charm point is her "intelligent beauty."

She excels at studying, but is apparently quite poor at sports.

She claims she doesn't have a boyfriend not because she's unpopular, but because she chooses not to have one. She says there isn't anyone who matches her level of cuteness, and that she's received plenty of confessions... or so she says (according to herself).

Anime

Compared to the original settings above, there were major changes: Maki became a serious but somewhat sarcastic tsundere, making her a completely different person from her original version.

In episode 5 of season 2, she even says a line that long-time Love Live! fans might find ironic: "Unless you're really full of yourself, don't most people think others are cuter than themselves?"

She probably has the most pronounced differences between her character in various media adaptations.

As a result, in the game "School Idol Festival," her card lines and side stories retain her original, overly self-conscious narcissist personality, but in the main story she takes on the anime's tsundere character, leading to some inconsistencies in her portrayal.

She firmly rejects things she dislikes, and if she doesn't agree with something, she’s quick to get angry, exclaiming, "Haa!?"

Her line "I don't get it!" ("Imi wakannai!") has become her catchphrase in the anime, and many fans love to use it. Pile, her voice actress, also occasionally uses it on Love Live!-related programs.

She’s highly praised by Honoka and Hanayo for singing in the music room after school, and they also vouch for her looks, saying she’s "as cute as an idol," showing that she’s treated quite favorably.

After giving in to Honoka's enthusiasm and composing "START:DASH!!", she, along with Rin, supports Hanayo and leads her to join μ's, joining the group herself at the same time as Rin.

She also plays the piano and is responsible for composing μ's songs.

She has a habit of twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers.

Her aloof attitude is parodied by Rin in episode 6 of season 2.

Up until episode 10 of season 1, she resisted calling her senior members without honorifics, but with Nozomi’s help, she overcomes this.

Actually, in the anime, Maki is the first character to have her chest groped (by Nozomi), who comments, "You're still developing."

In the anime, she has a very good relationship with her parents, especially her mother, who happily supports Maki’s idol activities.

Although she’s an ojou-sama, she doesn’t consider herself special for it, and casually lends out her family’s villa for μ's training camp.

In season 2, it’s revealed that, despite her mature appearance, she has a pure and childlike side, she cleans the villa’s fireplace so Santa can come, and the other members protect this dream for her.

In the movie, she gives her father a thank-you kiss at the airport before leaving for overseas, showing they have a good relationship.

Manga

For the most part, her personality follows the original characterization.

However, unlike her self-introduction in BoRaRaRa (included with the single), she originally wanted to attend an elite school like UTX, but ended up enrolling at Otonokizaka High School at her parents' request.

Her parents are depicted as classic "education mom and dad" types, with her mother especially disdaining popular culture—Maki even goes as far as calling her mother a "vulgarian." This portrayal is quite different from the anime version.

She retains her original self-conscious and narcissistic side, often daydreaming that she would become even more popular if she were to try school idol activities herself, after observing Honoka and the others.

To participate in "Love Live!" which offers the right to transfer to UTX, she joins the Idol Research Club, pulled in by Nico, who also wants the transfer privilege.

After that, she is entrusted with composing μ's songs. Her first work is Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE.

SID (School Idol Diary)

Maki kept her school idol activities a secret from her parents, but when her grades dropped, her father found out and forbade her from participating in club activities.

However, her fellow μ's members, led by Umi, persuaded her father to allow her to continue, on the condition that she maintain her grades.

Maki and Umi share a mutual understanding as both were raised with the expectation of inheriting their family businesses, reflecting their upbringing as young ladies from distinguished families.

Additionally, Maki is not good at riding a bicycle, and there is a chapter where she practices.

All Stars

In SIFAS, Maki appears as both an admired figure and a friend to the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club.

Her characterization follows the TV anime version, where she is a tsundere who doesn’t get overly familiar with members of her own grade.

Sometimes, while she’s playing the piano, Rin, Hanayo, and others come to cheer her on, which serves as inspiration for her.

In the main story, Chapter 5-6, during the μ’s VS Nijigasaki "Nine contests of the school idols" event proposed by Nico, Maki is chosen for the musical knowledge contest. However, because the quiz featured idol songs, she unexpectedly loses to Setsuna Yuki, who is such a passionate anime fan that it was almost impossible for Maki to win from the start.

In the final showdown, she re-enters for the songwriting competition against Anata and achieves her revenge. This event causes Anata to fall into a slump due to being too fixated on winning and leads to a renewed connection with the Nijigasaki members, resulting in the completion of TOKIMEKI Runners.

In her Bond Episodes, Anata comes to help μ's, is initially reluctant to get involved in their activities.

Maki and Anata bond over their shared role as composers, which becomes the basis of their friendship. Maki even takes on a part-time job to buy a gift.

In an event story, she invites Riko Sakurauchi from Aqours as a guest for her piano competition, and they perform a piano duet together.

Etymology

• The name Maki means "real, genuine" (真) (ma) and "princess, young lady of noble birth" (姫) (ki).
• Maki's surname Nishikino means "west" (西) (nishi), "tree, wood" (木) (ki) and "field, wilderness" (野) (no).

Trivia

• Maki fulfills the cool attribute of the µ's first years.
• One of Maki's famous lines is "Nani sore? Imi wakannai." (何それ？意味分かんない。), literally meaning "What's that? I don't understand you" or "I don't get it".
• For some unstated reason, Maki's summer uniform's cardigan is not yellow (like the others), but a shade of gray.
• Nico is the only member of μ's Maki addresses using honorifics, specifically "Nico-chan".
• The lowest score Maki has ever obtained for a test was 68, which led to an argument with her father and almost being forced to leave μ's. Her father only relented after the other members visited Maki's house to persuade him to let her continue her school idol activities. Umi, being an heiress to a family business as well, was instrumental in convincing him.
  • This conflict was not shown in the anime adaptation at all, with her father seemingly supportive of her activities by letting them use their holiday homes as well as sending her to the airport in the movie.
• As well as the piano, Maki is also very skilled at playing the flute, having performed at a recital in the past. A recent card illustration in the Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS game also shows Maki playing violin.
• Maki is shown to have a maid in the manga adaptation of School Idol Diary,
• Maki has seen the Harry Potter movies, but it is unknown whether or not she has also read the books. She comments on some of the scenes that are so scary that she "had to close her eyes".
• While it was not said how Maki got into Otonokizaka in the anime, it was her parents' decision in the manga.
  • In addition to this, in the manga, she wanted to go to UTX and bonded with Nico because of this.
• According to the SIFAS Event "Music Made Together", Maki's birth flower is the Delphinium.
• Maki is 15, she is the first Love Live! character who's age has been canonically confirmed.
• She is 161 cm tall, making her the second tallest member of μ's after Eli Ayase.
• Among all first-year school idols in the history of the Love Live! series, she is also the second tallest, following Tomari Onitsuka (Liella!) at 163 cm.
• Her three sizes: her bust ranks 5th among the members (tied with Honoka), her hips rank 2nd (tied with Hanayo), but with a waist of 56 cm, she has the slimmest waist among the group, giving her a very curvy figure.
  • The difference between her bust and waist is the third largest among the members (tied with Hanayo), following Eli and Nozomi. The difference between her waist and hips is the largest among the members, being 3 cm greater than the next highest, Honoka and Eli.