000 ❂ Personality
Upon first meeting Shidou Hikaru, there are a few things you're bound to notice. First: she is short. Hikaru is by far the smallest girl in her class at her all-girls' middle school. Secondly: she is hyper. Her energy levels are through the roof, so she can sometimes wear down those around her with her persistent exuberance. The third thing you'll learn is that her joyful attitude is absolutely contagious, and if you were in a bad mood when you met her, chances are you'll be feeling much more cheerful by the time you part ways. Hikaru makes fast friends with virtually anyone she meets (apart from those who are trying to kill her) because she genuinely cares about people and wants to be their friend.
Because of her petite stature and tomboyish nature, people frequently mistake Hikaru for a much younger girl and subsequently underestimate the can of ancient whoopass she's capable of unleashing on a moment's notice. When she's not wiping the floor with evil-doers, however, she is extremely cheerful, excitable, and easily amused. Since she is so often mistaken for a grade-schooler, Hikaru could probably get away with things that "older" girls really couldn't. Not that she would take advantage of that, of course! She's as honest and guileless as they come. More often than not, her size just means that people don't take her seriously, so she has to work extra hard to get others to listen to her before they get to know her and realize she's not actually ten years old.
Although Hikaru can't really be considered the brains of the outfit among the Magic Knights, she has a surprising intuitive sensitivity to the feelings of others (unless they happen to be romantic feelings for her-- those she rarely picks up on). She can't stand to see others in pain, and will do anything in her power to fix whatever is wrong. The one caveat is this: if you hurt her friends, she will make you regret it dearly. Hikaru is willing to go to any length to protect the people she cares about, braving every danger and overcoming every obstacle. She will push herself to - and even beyond - her physical limitations to accomplish the tasks that she sets for herself; this is especially true when it comes to her friends, but Hikaru has often leapt to the defense of nigh total strangers, sometimes at the risk of her very life.
Hikaru is probably far too trusting for her own good, but her ability to have faith in people and give them the benefit of the doubt has a way of bringing out the best in them. She can still be a bit oblivious, though, and frequently Misses The Point of what's going on. This is most likely because of her sheltered life; before she met her best friends Umi and Fuu, Hikaru had never even played a video game! This has made her very naive in many ways, and also extremely innocent. She nearly panicked when she thought another woman was going to disrobe in front of her, and double entendres go right over her head. She knows next to nothing about what boys find attractive, and is largely unaware of her own charms, believing herself to be too small and tomboyish for guys to find interesting. Again, this is probably because she's been sequestered away most of her life by her three zealously protective older brothers, and since she attends a school only for girls, she hasn't had many dealings with males outside her family unless they are facing her in a kendo match.
Hikaru's caring nature can sometimes be a source of great pain for her, since she'll carry guilt for even perceived wrongdoing against others. She never means to insult anyone or cause them grief, and she'll beat herself up over it if she thinks she has. On top of that, she will never confess to feeling sad or upset. Those that become close to her learn to watch out for her assurances of her own wellbeing, and that when she says "everything is all right!" it is almost definitely a guarantee of the contrary. She simply doesn't want to burden anyone else with her own troubles or worries. Moreover, even when she's in tough situations, Hikaru will rarely ask for help, choosing instead to rely on herself. Sometimes it takes a reminder from a friend that she doesn't have to carry the weight of the world on her own.
All in all, even though Hikaru is a tiny ball of energy with no apparent concept of an "indoor voice," she is a fast friend who will stick with you through thick and thin and a loyal ally who won't back down from even the most impossible of odds. She is perceptive and wise beyond her years, despite the fact that she sometimes lives with her head in the clouds.