Sayuri Kurata

"The same melody repeats itself as the song grows richer and more beautiful. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live seemingly constant lives while experiencing changes bit by bit?"

- Sayuri Kurata

Sayuri Kurata (倉田 佐祐理) is the best friend of Mai Kawasumi whom she enjoys being with Mai even though they have different personalities where the two became friends after an incident in which Mai chased a stray dog away from the school courtyard, although Sayuri later finds Mai feeding the dog, showing her gentler side and she attends Yuichi Aizawa's High School.

Appearance


Sayuri is a third-year student of average height with straight chest-length brown hair that is unbraided with a fringe that reaches down to her eyebrows where she keeps the sides of her hair down so that it reaches her chest. She keeps the back of her hair untied, save for a few strands which she ties up in a large, green checkered bow. Her eyes are a hazel color.

Sayuri is usually seen wearing her red school uniform, although she can be seen wearing a gown at the school ball and a kimono at graduation.

Personality
Sayuri is a kind and popular third year student from a somewhat affluent family. Every day, she cooks a bento for Mai Kawasumi and later Yuichi Aizawa when he starts having lunch with them at the top of a staircase they eat at to avoid their fellow classmates such as Kuze, who constantly harasses Mai in particular. Sayuri's personality is quite different than Mai's. She is always seen smiling and is easily recognized by her signature laugh. She seems to care deeply for Mai and tries her best to make her happy, such as buying her a surprise birthday present from a general store and occasionally going to the library with her.

Etymology

 * The name Sayuri means "help, aid" (佐) (sa), "heavenly protection" (祐) (yu) and "reason, logic" (理) (ri).
 * Sayuri's surname Kurata means "warehouse" (倉) (kura) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta).

Quotes
Visual Novel = Kanon (2002)
 * “I’m just an ordinary girl, except maybe I’m not as clever as most people.”
 * “I just wanted to play with Kazuya. Just spend time having fun with him. To laugh with him till it got dark outside. To laugh with him under the stars. I wanted to see him smile. The smile which I had never seen.”
 * “At that moment, we were brother and sister. It was the first time we had ever played together. It was also the last time.”
 * “Since then, I’ve always referred to myself as Sayuri. Not because of anything like self respect. Just the opposite, I couldn’t feel good about myself anymore.”
 * “After losing Kazuya, Sayuri cut her wrists. It left a scar and hurt a lot. Sayuri was really serious about it. Because Sayuri felt that Kazuya died because of her… Sayuri just wanted a way out."
 * “This is happiness. Being with Mai and Yuichi-san together. All of us eating and talking together. Isn’t this… what I’ve always wanted? The happiness I’ve searched for all this time.”
 * "The real princess has appeared, hasn't she? Sayuri's only the supporting actress."

Kanon (2006) =
 * “Sayuri was a little confused.”
 * “Sayuri doesn’t really know herself, but maybe it’s the things we are burdened with.”
 * "I may not look it, but I am quite athletic."
 * "I really was an older sister once. Although it was a long time ago..."
 * "Father raised me without spoiling me at all, so I grew up with manners. Thanks to him, I was doted upon by everyone, and I was quite proud of this. That's why I decided to be strict with Kazuya... learned from how father treated me. In my heart, I wanted to pet his head and cradle him, but I believed that it was for Kazuya's sake that I was strict. Kazuya was slow to develop. He didn't talk even after entering kindergarten, and he hardly ever laughed. Kazuya was always alone. He had a weak body, so I always walked him to and from kindergarten. I treated him very strictly. Spoiling him wouldn't be to his benefit. I thought that was the right answer. I actually wanted to be kinder to him. I wanted to buy toys and snacks for him and see him smile."
 * "I actually know lots of fun things. I actually love you, Kazuya."
 * "That was the first and last time we played together. I began to address myself by name from that moment on. I could only see myself from a third-person point of view from then on. I couldn't smile, either, just as Kazuya couldn't. I started to smile again after I met Mai. I never helped Mai. I'm the one who was saved. I'm not sure if I'm overlaying Kazuya's shadow over Mai or not, but the first time I met her, I felt that I should be with her. That I want to be with her."
 * "Do you know the title of this song? It's Canon. Pachelbel's Canon. It repeats the same melody and crescendos gradually, peacefully, and beautifully. It would be nice if life changed like that; slowly but surely, while being seemingly unchanged from day to day."