Ayumu Shiba is a fictional character in the manga LIFE by Keiko Suenobu

Background

We first see her in middle school Getting back bad results from a class test and her best friend Shii-chan (Life)) has the best results in the class.

Then, while shii-chan and Ayumu are on a walk together, Shii-chan tells Ayumu all about her dreams of going to a High school called Nishidate. Ayumu, not wanting to be separated from her best friend, vows to try much harder with her studies and pass the Nishidate entrance exam.

Ayumu asks Shii-chan to help her study and for all of Shii-chan's class notes. Shii-chan then spends much of her own time helping Ayumu study; however as a result of this Shii-Chan's grades start to drop. Ayumu, not noticing this, continues to ask her friend to study with her. Though Shi-Chan is unwilling to do so she agreed to help Ayumu. They then take the entrance exam both expecting to pass. However when results come back it is discovered that Ayumu got in and Shii-chan didn't. In a fit of anger Shii-chan tells Ayumu she was always a burden and that she was annoying Shii-chan by asking her for her help. This is when Ayumu starts to become a cutter Though in the drama she is not a cutter.

Ayumu then is getting ready for Nishidate, however during this time she feels hurt and guilty. She regrets ever trying to get into nishidate. When she goes there, she tries to keep to herself not wanting to "hurt anyone else" but very soon Manami Anzai befriends her and Ayumu starts making friends again, even though she becomes terrified of being Hated. The others sense this and she becomes and easy target.

Her family situation differs slightly between the manga and jdrama In the manga she has a mother and a very intelligent little sister who their mother is always paying attention to, while in the drama this is exchanged for a little brother. In the drama Ayumu remarks to Miki that her "father is always out of town on business trips"; however in the manga there is no mention of him in the original manga

Character Outline

Personality

Ayumu is seen to be very aware of what other people think of her. She has a large fear of being hated by others. She does everything in her power to try to make people like her. However when she starts being bullied by the majority of her High School She starts to overcome this and build up more of a strong character. This is partly due to her Idolizing Miki Hatori who is a strong, independent girl, also a student at Nishidate.

Ayumu is also a cutter but towards the end of the manga she also starts to overcome this.

Bullying

Due to a misunderstanding with Manami about Katsumi (Manami's Boyfriend) She becomes a victim to severe bullying, by nearly the whole school. This affects ayumu, because of her sensitivity to what others think about her. However she befriends Miki Hatori and begins to overcome this. We also start to learn that Manami is just a general bully and that she seems to be the cause of all the bullying problems.

Appearance

Ayumu is first seen with shoulder lengh hair, however it appears to be shorter suddenly. It is unknown if she had it cut or cut it herself due to stress. In the drama the latter is the case. She is also shown to always be wearing a sweatband or her arm to cover up her scars from her cutting

Referances

Life volumes 1-16

External links

http://www.tokyopop.com = English publisher