Taiga Fujimura

Taiga Fujimura (藤村 大河) is an English teacher at Shirou's school, homeroom instructor of Shirou's class and the supervising teacher for the Archery Dojo.

Background
Taiga's grandfather, Raiga Fujimura, is the family head of a yakuza group that operates in Fuyuki City. Her father was adopted into the family as a son-in-law. Like Shirou, she attended Homurahara Gakuen for her education and is from the same graduating class as Reikan Ryuudou, the older brother of Shirou's friend Issei, and Otoko Hotaruzuka, Shirou's employer.

Taiga was idolized as the star of the kendo club, and was soon known as the "Tiger of Fuyuki" due to her prowess; if not for the tiger strap on her shinai, which was considered bad manners, resulting in her disqualification from official tournaments, it is thought that her name would have become famous across all Japan.

While in school, Taiga got to know Kiritsugu Emiya due to Raiga friendship with him. Since then, she has been frequently visiting the Emiya residence ever since Kiritsugu moved in. The two eventually became friends, and Taiga would often babysit Shirou when he was younger in Kiritsugu's absence. She had Kiritsugu as her private tutor, but he would only speak to her in English. After Kiritsugu died, Taiga became Shirou's guardian and has been living with him for several years.

She became a English teacher at Homurahara Academy and the supervising teacher for the Archery Dojo.

Appearance
Taiga is a young woman with short light brown hair and eyes. She wears a green dress with a yellow and black stripe shirt and white shoes. Her three measurements are unknown but it is said that she is less than Rider but greater than Saber.

In Heaven's Feel true end, everybody else has grown up and matured, but Taiga is the same as ever. It seems like she hasn't aged a day since twenty.

Personality
She is widely called "Tiger" (タイガー), a nickname she dislikes ("Taiga" and "Tiger" sound similar in Japanese). She hates the fact that her name is Taiga, and if you call her Tiger she'll get mad. And cry. Taiga is irresponsible, clumsy, and prone to sporadic bouts of extreme lethargy or zest. Although flawed, she is bright and cheerful who always bring laughs with others. Due to being born into the Fujiura group, it was these people and their anything-goes attitude that caused Taiga to turn out the way she did.

Taiga is a cheerful woman who's always showing her bright, yet childish side. She is really affectionate towards Shirou and Kiritsugu. She's always ready to help him and she's always trying to give him good suggestions, especially on people he meets and those who're strictly involved with him. When she was a student, she developed a crush on Kiritsugu and it was something like love at first sight. Taiga and Shirou are very close, and she regards him as a younger brother. When she first met Shirou, she would always end up quarrelling with him when she came over. Eventually, though, they made up, and settled into their current relationship. Shirou refers to her as "Fuji-nee" (藤ねえ). Her primary goal in life is to kick back and take it easy at Shirou's house.

Thanks to Waver Velvet and Rider interaction during in the Fourth Holy Grail war, she found that communicating with people is really important. But it was thanks to Kiritsugu influence that she learnt English from his private lessons, which lead to her finally pursuing her job as a English teacher.

She's very proud of her abilities and she think she's one of the best kendo practitioners of the town. She sometimes only acknowledge others through a kendo match, such as in the case of Saber.

Taiga is a very nice and protective person although she loses her cool pretty easily. She can't cook at all and that's why she always sticks to Shirous' house at dinner or lunch time, trying to get food made by either Sakura or Shirou, She has a very high opinion on Sakura. She barely accepts Sabers' presence at Shirous' house, but she's easily convinced she could be a good guardian for him.

Development
A character loved by the entire staff of Fate/stay night. During the plotting stage, she was more of a proper older sister type.

Fate/Zero
She was only referenced by Kiritsugu in the epilogue when he was with Shirou viewing the moon. Kiritsugu was fond of Taiga as she resembled his first love Shirley.

In the anime adaptation she makes only a brief appearance when the Emiya house is being repaired.

The Outsiders’ Performance
In the side story of the special drama CD "The Outsiders’ Performance" as an adult, Taiga tells Saber how she was inspired to become a English teacher. During in the fourth Grail War, she was looking for the thief who broke into her friend Otoko Hotaruzuka's store and stole their best wine barrel. She encounters Waver Velvet and Rider during in the night after she fell from the roof. Rider becomes a translator for both Taiga and Waver, as Waver did not learn Japanese before coming to Japan, and Taiga explained to Waver and Rider that she chased after the thief until he flew off.

Rider was impressed with Taiga who willingly helped out a friend. Taiga, unaware that the criminal was standing in front of her, saw a puppy trapped in the lake. Taiga instantly jumped in the cold water to save the dog while believing Waver and Rider would also help out. As Waver and Rider helped Taiga out of the water, Waver questioned why Taiga is so persistent on helping people. Taiga replied that she believes in kindness in others. Waver thinks this is quite cute, though Rider says something completely different which left Waver in disarray: Rider claims he wanted Waver to have a romantic experience. Taiga chased after an underwear thief, dragging Rider and Waver to help her. After they handed the underwear thief to the police,they helped reunited the puppy to it's owner.

Waver asked Taiga if she helped others, doesn't she have any problems herself. Taiga claims that she is worried about her love, school and future. Waver and Rider suggested she is suitable in teaching and guide those who seek knowledge.

Waver suggested they should part ways and head back home but Taiga wants to go after the wine barrel thief. Waver and Rider explained that searching for the criminal at night in Fuyuki City is getting more dangerous. Rider admired Taiga who treated friendship with sincerity, claims he will reward her. Taiga tried to introduce herself to the two but Waver hypnotizes Taiga to head back home for her safety. Rider thought of stealing more wine barrels from the market for Taiga but Waver stopped him from creating more trouble, Waver had a plan that could help her.

Taiga says an anonymous person sent a dozen barrels of high-class London red wine outside her friend's house.

Taiga claims that after meeting the two men, she thought communicating with people is really important and began to take learning English seriously, which lead to her finally pursuing her job as a English teacher.

Saber smiles as she knew the people she met, leaving Taiga curious.

In the Drama CD, Taiga practices Kendo with Kiritsugu. They discuss how to help Shirou; Taiga rambles on about the sport which gives Kiritsugu an idea on how to help Shirou.

He invites her over to have dinner with him which Shirou is making, she leaves after taking a bath but her advice helped convince Kiritsugu to teach Shirou Magecraft.

Einzbern Consultation Room
Taiga appears in the Einzbern Consultation Room, a segment not part of the actual timeline of Fate/Zero, as Student No. 0. With her amnesia, she thought she was saved by Irisviel von Einzbern when she was swept into the Holy Grail War and participated as a candidate Master. However the truth was that she was training in the mountain for her Kendo match, she ate three days of food in one go and had a near death experience from it. She somehow entered the Grail and was chased by a pack of Shade but was stopped by a void-like male figure. Avenger would order the Shades to attack Taiga, but Iri would appear and save her from the Shades by cutting them down with her Naginata. Taiga becomes her student and nicknamed as Zecchan.

Taiga tried to escape with Irisviel, Taiga encourages Irisviel to leave the Holy Grail by telling her she believes her to be a champion of justice. while running away she encounters Avenger. His body turned out to be an exit and Irisviel finally understood that Taiga is from a different time peroid.

When she returns to the real world, she wonders if all the time she spent in Einzbern Consultation Room was an illusion. She finds the signboard buried nearby and promises that she will continue Iri's will.

In the epilogue, she opens up Tiger Dojo of Fate/stay night and places the signboard in the center.

Fate/stay night
She lives with Shirou under the pretenses of being his caretaker, though she does not cook or clean, instead eating, sleeping, and lounging around at his home. Shirou, however, appreciates Taiga's company, and is more than happy to care for her. When Shirou is in any need of advice, Taiga can be depended on to be a confidante for his worries.

She highly admires Sakura Matou and makes no effort to conceal her desire to see Shirou and Sakura become a couple. In spite of her generally carefree attitude, she initially treats Saber with disdain as she entered Shirou's home under suspicious circumstances. However, as the series progresses, she warms up to Saber, and treats her with as much affection as she does with Sakura and Shirou. Saber, for her part, is bemused by Taiga's childishness, yet simultaneously respects her for her kind, honest nature.

Taiga has no major part in Heaven's Feel.

Fate
In Fate, Taiga challenges Saber to a kendo match, where she is defeated; Saber's skill earns Taiga's respect, and at the same time, Saber comes to recognize Taiga's role as Shirou's proper guardian.

Following the end of the war, she and Shirou adopt Illyasviel von Einzbern, although Ilya and Taiga are frequently at odds with one another.

Unlimited Blade Works
During Unlimited Blade Works, Taiga is abducted by Caster as a hostage to lure Shirou and Saber to the Ryuudou Temple. She is rescued along with Saber after Caster's stronghold collapses.

Other Appearances
In Fate/Extra, Moon Cell created a NPC character based on the real Taiga. Taiga shares the same personality as well as job. In Carnival Phantasm, she and Illya both appear in the next episode preview in her Taiga Dojo.

Abilities
Taiga is skilled in having reached up to five dan at her age, her overall ability in swordplay is about equal to Shiki Ryougi. She uses to fight in matches. Shinai were originally suggested by a prominent swordsman in Japan,, during the as a weapon to be used in matches in place of real swords and wooden swords. While generally made of bamboo, those made of carbon have become popular in recent years. The majority of the bamboo used in the construction comes from because it is believed to be of higher quality from being forged in the harsh conditions there. She has the equivalent of EX rank luck. Through sheer coincidence, she caused a butterfly effect during the Fourth Holy Grail War that saved mankind three times over in the course of a night. Her actions stopped a mastermind causing chaos at the bottom of the sea near Fuyuki, caused an unprecedented giant earthquake that was about to happen under Fuyuki City to be avoided, and caused a giant asteroid heading for Fuyuki City to change its course.

Taiga favors a shinai called the "Tora-Shinai" that she used five years before Fate/stay night. It has a tiger strap attached under the guard in what is undeniably its greatest feature, which was considered to be bad manners and not permitted in some official tournaments. The other members of her kendo club complained that her name would have been known all over Japan if she had not been banned from regulation matches for attaching the charm to the Shinai, but still felt rather relieved she stayed unknown.

It is still preserved within the Fujimura syndicate as Taiga's treasured sword despite being banned because of it, where it is jokingly called "a demonic sword that will not rest until it tastes blood, still sealed by the Fujimura family." Though quite skilled, she still easily loses to Saber while using only a normal human's level of strength.

If she faces Neco-Arc in a fight, Taiga would obviously lose.