Hibana (Siege)

For similarly named pages, see Hibana (Disambig).

Hibana
General information
Real Name	Yumiko Imagawa
Organization	Rainbow SAT Viperstrike
Position	Attacker
Birthplace	Nagoya, Japan
Date of birth	July 12
Age	34
Height	5'8" (1.73m)
Weight	125lbs (57kg)
Unlock	10,000 240
Appearances	Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction Tom Clancy's Elite Squad Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile
Voice Actor	Laura Miyata Jamie Choi (Formerly)
Statistics
Health Rating	●○○ Light
Speed Rating	●●● Fast

"Kyūdō is meditation in action. Explosions are part of that action."
— Hibana

Yumiko Imagawa (Japanese: 今川 由美子, Imagawa Yumiko), codenamed Hibana, is an Attacking Operator featured in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, introduced in the Operation Red Crow expansion alongside Echo. She also appears in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile.

Biography

A Nagoya native and the daughter of a local butcher, Imagawa was encouraged by her family to practice Kyūdō from a young age. This long range weapon marked her entry in martial arts by perfecting her assessment of multiple factors a once while carrying precise, controlled, and fluid motions. Imagawa traveled the world to perfect her skills and technique. She later attended the National Police Academy and gained the nickname of "Hibana" due to her improvised explosive devices and brilliant leadership skills on the field. Fluent in seven languages and lethal with any weapon, Imagawa was recruited by the Aichi Police Department Special Assault Team. Her diverse techniques and charisma resulted in her to moving quickly up the ranks. It was at this time she became acquainted with Kana "Azami" Fujiwara.

She became specialized in paramilitary techniques gained by training with the SAS, FBI SWAT, and GIGN, to name a few. From her diverse training, she acquired a rare tactical versatility, which includes a proficiency in tubular (bus, train, and airplane) assaults. In 2016, Hibana accepted an invitation to join Rainbow. She later began a secret relationship with Jack "Pulse" Estrada. During the 2020 Six Invitational, Imagawa landed a killing shot on Pulse that led to her team's victory. A year later during the Six Invitational 2021, Imagawa was placed on Team Mira, led by Elena "Mira" Álvarez. Despite thier efforts, their team was ultimately eliminated before the finals. For the Six Invitational 2022, Imagawa was placed on Team Caveira led by Taina "Caveira" Pereira. Following the conclusion of the Invitational in early 2022, Nighthaven cut ties with Rainbow and poached several operatives, with Estrada breaking up with her in the process. This, and the revelation of Nighthaven's connection to criminal organizations, led Harry "Six" Pandey to reorganize Rainbow into smaller, more specialized teams to increase effectiveness. Imagawa was selected as the leader of Viperstrike, with her team composed of operatives with a wide range of skill sets that can be adapted to any scenario and can assist other teams if needed.

A few months later, Imagawa suggested that they reach out to Yahata Data Security as a possible partner to give Rainbow an edge against Nighthaven. Coincidently, the company's founder and CEO, Masayuki Yahata, was assassinated in a market in Fukuoka, Japan. Azami, Yahata's bodyguard, survived the assassination attempt and later broke into Imagawa's apartment. As Imagawa held her at gun point, Azami asked for her help in finding those who were responsible for Yahata's death. Azami showed Imagawa a bullet casing from one of the assassin's that had the letters "QCR" imprinted on it. Recognizing it as the acronym for Nighthaven's R&D division, Quantum Concepts and Robotics, Imagawa agreed to help.

Imagawa and Azami later returned to the site of Yahata's death. They met with Ryad "Jackal" Al-Hassar and Mike "Thatcher" Baker who surveyed the area. Jackal found two sets of footprints leaving the area and noted that one of the assailants was badly injured. All of them then followed the footprints to a nearby abandoned factory. After entering the building and cornering one of the assailants, Azami stood and locked eyes with him as the other three operatives remained behind cover. Imagawa yelled for the assailant to drop his weapon but was ignored. Thatcher then threw an EMP grenade to disorient and detain the man. Azami approached him and demanded to know where they had gotten their weapons from. The assailant explained that they had received an encrypted message about assassinating Yahata but believed it was a joke until they had received a crate full of Nighthaven weapons, intel, and money. Jackal found the crate and the other injured assailant beside it. The man told Jackal that they had received another message once they returned to the factory telling them to stay put.

Moments later, a helicopter opened fire on them, killing the first assailant. Azami threw several Kiba barriers, enabling Jackal to pick up the injured assailant and allow all of them to run to safety. As they watched the helicopter leave, Imagawa remarked that if they worked for Nighthaven, then they have just 'declared war' on Rainbow. Azami stated that it didn't matter who they worked for as everyone invoved in Yahata's assassination would pay. This prompted Imagawa to ask her to join Rainbow so that they could work together to find those responsible. Azami accepted the offer and Imagawa subsequently vouched for her recruitment into Rainbow.

In early 2023, a Viperstrike team consisting of Imagawa, Nayara "Brava" Cardoso, and Vicente "Capitão" Souza intercepted an aircraft owned by Deimos used to transfer stolen wealth. Brava used a Kludge drone to take control of an onboard turret, and she and Imagawa took out many of the guards aboard the craft. After Imagawa breached a wall, Deimos stepped out and opened the plane's cargo hatch, sacrificing his fortune and his own soldiers. However, Capitão nearly fell out of the plane as well, but was rescued by Brava. As a result, Deimos was able to escape. Despite this, Viperstrike was able to strike a dent in Deimos's finances.

Soon after, Imagawa got into an argument with a recovering Jordan "Thermite" Trace, who was wounded in a trap placed by Deimos, over Brava's potential leadership of an intel-gathering operation. After Brava argued that her leadership would save Rainbow several weeks that they did not otherwise have, Thermite agreed with Imagawa's decision.

Psychological Profile

Imagawa is an expert in paramilitary techniques and infiltration of high-risk areas. Passionate and adaptive, she inspires experts from diverse backgrounds to work together and reach a common goal.

Psychological Report

Specialist Yumiko “Hibana" Imagawa has considerable talents. I only know a few others with as many commendations. Inspiring operatives from diverse backgrounds and putting people at ease comes naturally to her, and she's certainly gracious with my poor attempts at Japanese.

I enjoy our conversations. Imagawa is very lyrical in the way she recounts her experiences. For someone who's been around the world and encountered so many cultures, her favorite stories are of her childhood home. Like when her father would come home from his work as a butcher, and Imagawa's mother wouldn't allow him inside until they had hosed him down in the garden. The image of her drenched, barefoot father dancing under the spray of frigid water was a great amusement to the family. I like the story.

Memories like these keep us grounded and I wondered if training in Kyudo had fostered this appreciation in her. When I suggested that she had an aura of inner serenity, she laughed and called me a "hippie."

I'd like to see if she can influence some of the others to maintain that calm sensibility. Her training with so many CTUS makes her an ideal fit for the role. Already within Rainbow Imagawa is universally respected.

I sense that Imagawa's motivations are stoked by some inner fire, but she also has a competitive drive with fellow operatives. The debrief reports indicate as much.

Imagawa does appear to be uncustomarily impatient with Specialist Grace “Dokkaebi" Nam, despite them often spending lab time together.

The dynamic surprises me because I can't quite pin it down. When I asked, Imagawa said I was mistaken, and Dokkaebi seems not to notice or to care. I've read the reports and my hunch hovers over some joint training exercise with the GIGN. Imagawa may envy Nam's easy self-assurance, which corresponds with records concerning Imagawa's younger sister. Still, l'd like to explore this further. They aren't necessarily at loggerheads, but it may affect future operations in some way we can't foresee if I can't determine the source of the rupture in Imagawa's calm.

- Dr. Harishva "Harry" Pandey, Director of Rainbow

Gameplay Description

Loadout (Siege)
Primary	Type-89 Assault Rifle SuperNova Shotgun
Secondary	P229 Handgun Bearing 9 Machine Pistol
Gadget	Stun Grenade x 3 Breach Charge x 3
Ability	X-KAIROS x 18
Loadout (Mobile)
Primary	Type-89 Assault Rifle
Secondary	93R Machine Pistol
Gadget	Stun Grenade x 2
Ability	X-KAIROS x 18

A Light Health Operator, Hibana's unique gadget is the X-KAIROS Launcher, which can fire explosive pellets that can be remotely detonated simultaneously and can pierce reinforced walls.

• Hibana is equipped with the X-KAIROS, a projectile launcher that fires thermal breaching pellets. The launcher has a total of eighteen shots.
• The X-KAIROS initiates a box-reticle that is visible to everyone, showing where her pellets will land. The X-KAIROS Launcher has the ability to switch between the number of pellets it will fire by pressing the same button that changes firing modes on a normal weapon.
  • The least amount of pellets the X-KAIROS Launcher can fire at a time are two pellets, which land on a surface as a 2x1 rectangle.
  • The X-KAIROS Launcher is able to fire four pellets, which land on a surface as a 2x2 square.
  • The greatest amount of pellets the X-KAIROS Launcher can fire at a time are six pellets, which land on a surface as a 2x3 rectangle.

• The pellets only deploy on flat surfaces. They will not deploy on environmental props, player entities (including Terrorists), and some gadgets like Deployable Shields. When the pellets hit these objects, they will bounce away and deactivate.
• The pellets do not disperse; even if aimed from an angle or at a distance, the pellets will deploy squarely on the surface Hibana fired at.
• If the pellets hit an Operator directly, each pellet will deal 1 damage.

• Deployed X-KAIROS pellets can be destroyed by gunfire, melee, and explosive damage.
• If the player uses the gadget key again while X-KAIROS is active and some pellets were deployed, Hibana will trigger all deployed X-KAIROS pellets for detonation. After a short 5 second "melt time", the deployed X-KAIROS pellets will detonate. Each pellet can destroy a small section of a surface, and can destroy Reinforcements due to having thermal breaching properties.

• A single pellet can destroy one of Mira's Black Mirrors.
• A total of four pellets, regardless of placement, is required to open a hatch. Any less and small holes will be created instead.
• Because the X-KAIROS only triggers the deployed pellets, Hibana has the option of deploying and activating a cluster of the X-KAIROS pellets one at a time, or deploying them all before activating them at once.
• The time to melt through the metal is slightly longer than Thermite's Exothermic Charge, at 5 seconds compared to Thermite's 3.
• X-KAIROS pellet explosions deal minimal damage, around 4 points each, and have a very small explosive radius. Because of these properties, Operators can drop from a reinforced hatch using the pellets without much self-inflicted harm.
• Jäger and Wamai will not destroy or intercept X-KAIROS pellets.

Synergies

• Operators that handle electronic gadgets, like Thatcher, Twitch, IQ, Kali, Zero, and Flores, provide a near guarantee that the X-KAIROS pellets work as intended.
• Thermite provides a straight-up opening against Reinforced Walls. Alongside her mentor, the two can destroy many walls and hatches, reinforced or not.
• Maverick can provide immediate sight lines in a Reinforced Wall, especially when needed to destroy any Signal Disruptors or Shock Wires that prevent it.

Counters

• Mute's Signal Disruptors will prevent the X-KAIROS pellets in its radius from beginning their detonation sequence.
• Like Thermite's Exothermic Charges, Bandit's Shock Wire can destroy the X-KAIROS pellets regardless whether they have already been triggered or not.
• Kaid's Electroclaw functions like Bandit's Shock Wires and will also destroy the X-KAIROS pellets.

Device Description

"A 40mm grenade launcher firing explosive pellets that can be detonated from a distance."
— X-KAIROS Description

Partaking in a Special Operation conference in Jordan, Imagawa met Operator Jordan "Thermite" Trace, a pioneer in Brimstone BC-3 Exothermic experiments. She collaborated with him to develop the “X-KAIROS,” a 40 mm caliber launcher. The X-KAIROS fires explosive pellets that can be detonated simultaneously from a distance. Deliver innovative assaults by creating lines of sights, or new pathways.

Device Evaluation

Device: X-KAIROS 40mm Calibre Launcher
Operator: Yumiko "Hibana" Imagawa
Evaluation Lead: Dr. Elena "Mira" Álvarez

"When I took over the R&D arm of Rainbow, the first thing I did was examine Specialist Yumiko "Hibana" Imagawa's grenade launcher, X-Kairos. I can't tell you how many times I watched her smash through my bulletproof mirrors; I struggled to figure out a weakness in her weapon, but I can't counter brute force when chemistry is thrown into the mix. Much to my annoyance, I have to admit that Specialist Jordan "Thermite" Trace did an exemplary job in re-designing her launcher and payload."

(Comment_J. Trace: Told you! ;p)

"The 40 mm caliber grenade launcher fires pellets containing miniature Brimstone BC-3 Exothermic Charges. They don't detonate on impact, but through a primer in the housing that also shapes and channels the explosive charge into the wall. That's to prevent shrapnel from hitting anyone on the allied side of the wall. The GC90 can block the detonation signal, while the Rtila and CED-1 can destroy the pellets before they're expended, but it looks like my mirrors will remain vulnerable for now."

"All in all, Specialist Trace and Specialist Imagawa should collaborate more often."

— Dr. Elena "Mira" Álvarez, Director of R&D

Quotes

Hibana's Quotes

"Turn the unexpected into a weapon." Teaser Trailer "Watashi no tomodachi nara kō iu wa ne, 'baka dekai ana ga aku zo.'" (Japanese: 私の友達ならこう言うわね:「バカでかい穴が開くぞ」。) Red Crow Trailer "Iku wa yo." (Japanese: 行くわよ。) Spawning "As a good friend of mine would say: 'Stay away from the blast.'" "Keep calm in there, they'll come to us." "Remember, it's not over until I blow it up. And even then." "Use the field against them." "Stay together and follow my lead." Using X-KAIROS "As my friend would say, 'A really big fucking hole coming right up.'" "As my friend would say, 'Time to make a new door.'" "As my friend would say, 'Time to ring some ears.'" "Clear." "Got to love Trace's thermo-touch." "Setting Trace's thermo-touch." "Knock, knock!" "See you on the other side." Deploying Claymore "Mine set." Reloading "Changing mags!" "Reloading!" "Swapping mags!"

Trivia

• Hibana (Japanese: 火花) means "Spark" in Japanese.

• However, literally translated, it also means "Fire Flower", which is what her pellets also resemble.

• The X-KAIROS' namesake (Kairos) means "a propitious moment for decision or action" in Greek, referring to both Hibana's ability to give such a moment with her gadget. In a Hippocratic context, it can also refer to experimentation to achieve a given goal, likened to Hibana's tinkering that resulted in the gadget's creation.
• Butchery is an occupation historically associated with the eta, the untouchable caste in Japanese society. This occupational association remained strong throughout the 20th century, after the abolition of the caste system, such that Hibana's father (and thus her family) are almost certainly intended to be burakumin, the descendants of outcastes. This makes her police career particularly unusual.
• Her surname (Japanese: 今川) is written on her battledress in Japanese.
  • The crest on her waist is two hikiryō, one of two other crests of the Imagawa clan.
• The green canisters on the X-KAIROS are marked with the warnings "可燃性ガス" and "爆発の危険あり", which are Japanese for "Flammable gas" and "Explosive danger present" respectively.

• Hibana is shown taking a picture with Pulse and Thermite that can be discovered on a piano on the Fortress map.
• Pulse's invitational charm (titled "Pulse's Heart") features the Japanese name 由美子 (Yumiko) inscribed on it. This is Hibana's name. Also, in the photo of him and her on Fortress, she appears to be wearing this charm as a necklace.
• Pulse has become obsessed with learning Japanese in order to impress Hibana. To do so, he has been hanging around Echo, much to his chagrin.
• Hibana looks up to Thatcher as a mentor figure.
• Hibana's emblem in the operator logo is her X-KAIROS breach pellet.
• Hibana's date of birth was originally stated in-game as 1983, however this has since been removed.
• Hibana was originally voiced by Jamie Choi, however she was replaced by Laura Miyata in a later patch.
• Hibana is an available character in Tom Clancy's Elite Squad
• Hibana appears in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint as an available costume for purchase.
• Hibana holds the record for being fluent in the most languages within Rainbow, besting both Ash and Castle.

Gallery

Concept Art

Models

Hibana armed with Type-89 (Pre-Blood Orchid)

Hibana armed with SuperNova (Pre-Blood Orchid)

Hibana armed with Type-89 (Post-Blood Orchid)

Hibana armed with SuperNova (Post-Blood Orchid)

Hibana armed with the Type-89

Hibana armed with the SuperNova

Stills

Hibana (In-game artwork)

Hibana in Operation Red Crow Key Art

Hibana and Echo in Operation Red Crow Key Art

Hibana and Echo in their SAT Airbone Uniform.

Hibana in her Fantasia bundle

Hibana in the Y2S3 Pro League Set

Hibana in the Vengeful Bundle

X-Kairos' before and after activated

Onkochisin Elite Skin

Hibana finds herself in a disadvantage. (2020 "The Program")

"Sorry babe."-2020 The Program

Hibana as she appears in Tom Clancy's Elite Squad

Hibana as she appears in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Photo of Hibana, Pulse and Thermite (Fortress map)

Icons

Hibana's Icon

Videos

Rainbow Six Siege - In Depth- Operator Profile- HIBANA

Hibana's X-Kairos Guide - Rainbow Six - Siege

Rainbow Six Siege The Program Trailer - Six Invitational 2020 Ubisoft NA

Rainbow Six Siege The Tournament of Champions - Six Invitational 2020 Ubisoft NA

Rainbow Six Siege- The Story of Azami - Ubisoft -NA-

Rainbow Six Siege- Brava's Interception-2

Patch Changes

Update 4.1.0; March 7, 2019 Patch: Onkochisin Elite Set added. Facial model updated. Update 3.3.0; September 4, 2018 Patch: Hatch breaching requirement increased from one to four X-KAIROS pellets. Update 3.2.0; June 7, 2018 Patch: Movement speed slightly reduced. Update 3.1.2; May 1, 2018 Patch: Claymore is replaced with Breach Charges. X-KAIROS pellets no longer trigger Jäger's Active Defense Systems. Update 2.3.0; September 5, 2017 Patch: Model optimized. Face rigging updated. X-KAIROS pellets can now be destroyed by Shock Wire while in the process of detonating. Update 2.2.1; June 6, 2017 Patch: Hitbox reworked. Update 5.0; November 17, 2016 Patch: Introduction alongside Echo.