View source for Hikari Kuina (Netflix)

{{Media icons
| M  = Hikari Kuina
| NF = #
}}
{{Infobox character|NF
| image             = Kuina Season 1 Poster.jpg
| kanji             = 水鶏 光
| romaji            = Kuina Hikari
| alias             = 
| gender            = Female
| hair color        = Brown
| eye color         = Dark Brown
| age               = 
| birthday          = 
| relatives         = Unnamed father<br>
Unnamed mother
| status            = Alive
| occupation        = Apparel clerk
| former occupation = 
| citizenship       = Player
| specialty         = {{s|Clubs}}
| affiliation        = 
| former affiliation = [[Beach]]
| position          = 
| former position   = 
| rank              = 
| former rank       = 
| live-action actor = [[Aya Asahina]]
| episode debut     = [[Episode 5 (Netflix)|Episode 5]]
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Hikari Kuina'''|水鶏 光|Kuina Hikari}} is one of the characters in ''[[Alice in Borderland (Netflix)|Alice in Borderland]]''. Her specialty changed from clubs (♣️) to spade (♠️). 

She is portrayed by [[Aya Asahina]].

== Appearance ==
Kuina has black dreadlocked hair pulled back in a ponytail. 

She is often seen with a fake cigarette and wearing a bikini swimsuit (as part of the regulations of the Beach).

== Personality ==
Kuina has an easy-going and casual demeanor, seeming to get along with everyone, including [[Shuntaro Chishiya (Netflix)|Chishiya]]. Throughout the series, she is revealed to care for the surrounding people, and will stand up for those she thinks are doing the right thing. From her reflections on her past, it is revealed that she is fiercely independent and has a strong drive to survive.

== History ==
Born as the only son to a family of martial artists, Kuina's father trained her in various fighting techniques. However, Kuina did not have the disposition for martial arts, and was often unable to finish a fight or land the final blow. Her father was also furious to find her experimenting with make-up, which he considered inappropriate for who he considered his son. When Kuina left home, he told her never to return. She would later go on to receive sex reassignment surgery to become a woman.

After that, she got a job as an apparel clerk. When she discovered that her parents had divorced and that her mother was bedridden, Kuina went to visit her mother at the hospital. Her mother comments on her new appearance, and called her beautiful, much to Kuina's happiness that she accepted her. Kuina then dedicated her time to taking care of her mother until the day she was transported to the Borderlands.

== Story ==

===Season 1===
==== Episode 5 ====
We first meet Kuina in episode 5 where she plots with Chishiya, and it is quickly established they are scouting Usagi and Arisu to see if they're good to join them. Kuina decides Arisu is a good choice, but does not comment on Usagi. She ends up being put into the Four Of Diamonds game alongside Arisu, An, and Tatta where they had to find which out of the three switches turned on the lightbulb. Although at first staying calm, after the water becomes dangerously high Kuina begs Arisu to just flip a switch or An, who had already worked it out, to tell them the solution. Arisu had Kuina touch the lightbulb, who realised it was hot meaning the switch was A. Whilst talking with Usagi and Arisu after the game, militants come and accost the three of them, but Hatter breaks it up and takes away Arisu.

==== Episode 6 ====
After Arisu discovers the corpses of those who tried to kill Hatter, Kuina spoke to him alongside Chishiya revealing their plan to stage a coup and steal Hatter's stack of cards. After Arisu and Chishiya were informed of Hatter's death, their plan to steal the deck was put in motion. Kuina was stationed in a corridor keeping watch for militants with a walkie-talkie directly connected to Chishiya's own. When the Last Boss walked past, Kuina winked at him so he wouldn't be suspicious. However, Arisu and Usagi are caught and subdued leading to Kuina to realise Chishiya betrayed them so he could discover where the real safe was, as the one he set them to break into was a decoy. Kuina feels bad, but Chishiya quickly deduces that she will leave with the deck anyway, which she does. However, before she can leave the hotel Chishiya stops her and they realise the entire complex is surrounded with a wall of lasers - the Beach is a game. The pair go to the lobby and find Momoka dead and an announcement that the game is 'Ten Of Hearts'.

==== Episode 7 ====
Kuina and Chishiya spent the first part of the game in the security camera room, pointing out either one of them could be the witch. Eventually, both decide to take action and whilst Chishiya leaves to confront Niragi, Kuina goes to help An with forensics. An reveals she was a forensics scientist and is attempting to discover who stabbed Momoka, however as the pair are moving rooms they are confronted by the Last Boss, who has set the hotel on fire. Kuina distracts the Last Boss so An can continue, using her martial arts skills to lead him to the bar. She smashes glass so she can deduce his footsteps and avoids his katana through use of shields and evasive movements. Realising she can only defeat him if she comes to terms with the martial arts skills her father taught her, Kuina announces she will confront her past and not hide, and beats the Last Boss unconscious.

==== Episode 8 ====
Kuina finds an unconscious An and carries her to the lobby so she can reveal who the witch is. After the witch has been deduced and the hotel starts collapsing in on itself, Kuina approaches the table where the final card is to find Chishiya has already collected it. The pair leave the burning building together. Chishiya uses a piece of paper he collected from a Dealer in a prior game to navigate the underground tunnels and find the Dealers lair which Usagi and Arisu had also discovered. Although their are some tensions about Chishiya leaving the other two to die, the meeting is pleasant. Suddenly, the screens turn on revealing Mira, an executive beach member, announcing herself as a game master and new face cards. Arisu states that this is their new target and the quartet moves outside to watch from Shibuya crossing as huge zepplins holding face card signs begin to fly over the city.

===Season 2===
==== Episode 1 ====
The quartet sit in Shibuya Crossing waiting for something to happen when cars containing surviving citizens arrive looking for the next stage. Suddenly, everyone gets picked off one by one by a hidden marksman. Chishiya and Kuina hide behind a car together and talk, with him giving her a bomb he made. The pair are then separated when she gets in a car with Tatta and An whilst he has to hide from a bomb, she screams at him as the car drives off. After a long car chase, their car collides with another and flips over where Kuina isn't hurt, although she complains about breaking a nail. An is separated from the group as the others take cover in a building. The King Of Spades moves away from their location so Tatta goes with Kuina to find a car and the two talk about their own debt and struggles in the old world, becoming closer. They then go and pick up Usagi and Arisu, the latter of whom decides they should enter King Of Clubs to try and find answers although Kuina has reservations. When Niragi reveals himself, Kuina does not want to work with him but eventually relents when the others put on the bracelets and enters.

==== Episode 2 ====
The games rules are explained by Kyuma, the nudist king of clubs, who then instructs them to divide their points. As Kuina is a fast runner and good fighter, she is given fewer points then her partner Arisu. Kuina finds an item, giving her points and then the two find another item and win two battles. However, despite this early lead they are overtaken when Kyuma's team storms the base, sacrificing one of their own players. Kuina attempts to fight one of the other members, but discovers he is also an expert in martial arts who manages to defeat her and activate a battle which she loses. Arisu decides to storm the base in retaliation, however Kuina is unable to touch the base before Uta after being kicked away causing the plan to fail. Because of this, Kuina gives up and refuses to continue playing, instead slumping behind a container.

==== Episode 3 ====
Kuina sits unresponsive by the container until she suddenly sees her team has miraculously gained the lead. She finds an unconscious Usagi at base, and helps her walk to see what happened. They find Tatta bleeding to death and Arisu begging him to stay alive as he had saved them. Kuina cries when Tatta passes away and places his hat on a pole in tribute.

==== Episode 4 ====
After the trio sleep in a tent, Kuina decides to leave and find Chishiya and An. She says goodbye and wishes them luck before setting out on her own.

==== Episode 5 ====
Kuina competes in the Jack Of Spades game which involves a huge martial arts battle, although the rules are unclear. She wins although she is slightly wounded and struggling to survive on her own.

==== Episode 6 ====
Kuina hikes to the hospital where her sick mother had been staying in the other world, where she finds her room overgrown although a photo of her and her mother still stands.

==== Episode 7 ====
Kuina enters the Queen Of Clubs game and reunites with An becoming a team. The game is a dodgeball themed game by a precarious drop and the two of them win together. An unknown time later, they are attacked by the King Of Spades and flee with another group of people where they run into Arisu and Usagi. Kuina questions them about Chishiya and they tell her they've seen him and he's alright, Kuina is happy, unaware they are lying and he is actually bleeding out behind a nearby car. Heiya and Aguni join the quartet and try to organise a plan, and Kuina remembers the kerosene bomb Chishiya gave her so they decide to distract the King whilst Arisu sets of fumes in a drugstore. They do this, and Kuina attempts to shoot him, but finds the gun useless and abandons it in favour of actually fighting him. Heiya is sprayed with bullets and An shot multiple times in the stomach. Kuina attempts to help Aguni, but is stabbed multiple times in the gut, Usagi then helps her but she is stabbed in the leg before Kuina is stabbed even more times. Kuina begins coughing up blood and collapses next to An. Aguni and Arisu manage to defeat the King, but Kuina is still bleeding out. Kuina and An talk and An, who's injuries are far more severe, asks her that if they meet in another life that they'll be friends. Kuina agrees and begins shouting An's name as she passes away.

==== Episode 8 ====
Kuina lies slowly bleeding out in the alleyway until Usagi and Arisu complete Queen of Hearts. She chooses to leave the Borderland's and takes An's hand, telling her that they'll leave together. Kuina is one of the least injured in the real world and walks with the help of a doctor when she sees her mother who is now able to move around in a wheelchair. She embraces her mother before coming face to face with her father, who calls her by her chosen name, causing Kuina to cry happy tears.

== Etymology ==
*The name '''Hikari''' means "light" (光).
*Hikari's surname '''Kuina''' means "water rail/water fowl" (水鶏).

== Trivia ==

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Kuinawithbackpack.jpg
File:Kuina-behind-car.jpg
File:Kuinafighting.jpg
File:Chishiya and kuina.gif
File:An-and-kuina.jpg
File:Kuina-and-chishiya.jpg
File:Kuinakingofclubs.jpg
File:Kuina and an.jpg
File:Kuinaatbeach.jpg
File:Four of Diamonds Netflix.png
File:Kuina-chishiya-car.jpg
File:Chishiya-kuina-crowd.jpg
</gallery>

== Games Played ==
{{Portrait Gallery
  |template=Games played by Kuina/Netflix
  |multi=header
  |section=Kuina (Netflix)
}}
{{Portrait Gallery
|section=Games played
  |Unknown Number of Games\ Question Mark.png \ NOLINK
  |Four of Diamonds \ Four of Diamonds.png \ Four of Diamonds (Netflix)
  |Ten of Hearts \ Ten of Hearts.png \ Ten of Hearts (Netflix)
  |King of Spades \ King of Spades.png \ King of Spades (Netflix)
  |King of Clubs \ King of Clubs.png \ King of Clubs (Netflix)
  |Jack of Spades \ Jack of Spades.png \ Jack of Spades (Netflix)
  |Queen of Clubs \ Queen of Clubs.png \ Queen of Clubs (Netflix)
}}

== References ==
{{References}}

== See also ==
{{NavboxPlayersNF}}
[[Category:Characters (Netflix)]]
[[Category:Females (Netflix)]]