Kihara Family

The Kihara Family (木原一族) is one of the largest gatherings of scientists that work for Academy City's dark side and the forerunners of the most twisted human experiments. As a result, many if not most of them are highly influential scientists with high-ranking posts over multiple organizations under Academy City. The Kihara Family serve as a recurring antagonistic force in the series.

Etymology
Kihara is written with the kanji of tree "木" and field "原", and may be a reference to them being prolific, having thousands of members in a single bloodline.

Principles
The one trait that all Kiharas have in common is a natural aptitude in science, as well as the gravitation of their actions to the most evil to most human standards, this is exemplified by Kihara Enshuu, who, without being taught anything, was able to escape imprisonment and kill her captor in a horrific way.

The Kiharas completely ignore all moral and ethics of science and humanity for sake of experimenting. Due to the fact that all family members are highly intelligent combined with no sense of morality; the results of their experiments have yielded tremendous success at the costs of traumitizing or killing many people. This blatant disregard for human life extends to their own kin, as with Therestina Kihara Lifeline and Kihara Nayuta were both experimented on. As well as Kihara Byouri attempting to kill Enshuu, just for turning her back on her, as well as Enshuu attempting to kill Byouri in turn with no problems on her conscience.

If Academy City, the bastion of science, were to be destroyed, Kiharas would simply spread throughout the world. They reside in Academy City because it is the capital of science and nothing else bounds them to it.

Genealogy
In the beginning there were seven normal people, who later fell into madness and villainy, knowing full well of their actions but unable to stop themselves, as the concept of "Kihara" begins crystallizing, a family dedicated to the pursuit of science whatever the cause, using themselves to define it. It is implied in the narration that Aleister Crowley had a hand in the creation of the concept of the "Kihara". The concept of the "Kihara" is apparently a recent phenomena as it has not been a hundred years since the concept has taken a clear form.

Currently there is actually a single bloodline numbering over 5000 that possesses the family name "Kihara." Whenever a person desires to misuse an area of science without any care for the consequences, a Kihara is the one to do it. Even if they are currently bound by a single bloodline, it is not a necessity as others can take up the name if it was to be wiped out, meaning that one needs not be blood-related to become a Kihara,  as proven by the existence of Kihara Noukan. Kihara Byouri also mentions on how so long as there is still humanity continued to rely on the benefits of science, the family will exist, and that it would take the complete destruction of all cultures in the world for them to be defeated.

Kihara Kagun also mentions that there is some sort of qualification necessary to be one as when he meets Enshuu he says to her "I had heard you had not yet qualified as a Kihara."
 * The seven original Kiharas.
 * Kihara Amata, leader of the Hound Dog and former trainer of Accelerator.
 * Kihara Gensei, creator of the Ability Body Crystal.
 * Therestina Kihara Lifeline, leader of MAR.
 * Kihara Ransuu, chemicals expert that induces illusions using certain spores.
 * Kihara Byouri, non-esper with the ability of transformation.
 * Kihara Enshuu, non-esper which has the thought patterns of different people programmed into her brain.
 * Kihara Yuiitsu, a "negotiator" of the Kihara family.
 * Kihara Noukan, a golden retriever with arithmetic circuits externally attached.
 * Kihara Souji, a highly skilled cyborg developer, once involved with the Dark May Project and the DA.
 * Kihara Hasuu
 * Kihara Heikin
 * Kihara Konshou (木原混晶), referred to as onee-chan ("sister") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Sokuryou (木原測量), referred to as Sokuryou-kun ("male") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Kaihou (木原解法), referred to as oba-san ("aunt") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Jouryuu (木原蒸留), referred to as onii-chan ("brother") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Chokuryuu (木原直流), referred to as Chokuryuu-kun ("male") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Doutai (木原導体), referred to as oji-san ("uncle") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Bunri (木原分離), referred to as onii-chan ("brother") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Sousai (木原相殺), referred to as Sousai-chan ("female") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Kenbi (木原顕微), referred to as oba-san ("aunt") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Bunshi (木原分子), referred to as onii-chan ("brother") by Kihara Enshuu.
 * Kihara Kouten (木原公転), referred to as onee-chan ("sister") by Kihara Enshuu.

There have been only two members who show concern for others or regret committing such actions.


 * Kihara Nayuta, affiliated with Judgment.
 * Kihara Kagun, former Academy City instructor, defected to the Magic Side.

Antagonists
Characters that are considered according to Kihara Kagun, as antagonistic to their family and are hindrances to their purposes and/or oppose their principles.
 * Accelerator - referred to as best in anti-Kihara battles.
 * Kamijou Touma - referred to as second only to Accelerator in being best against the Kiharas.
 * Kihara Kagun - refers to himself as an anti-Kihara specialist.
 * Rakuoka Houfu - called Kihara Killer for having managed to kill a Kihara (Kihara Heikin)
 * Hamazura Shiage - called "a new Kihara Killer"

Operation Handcuffs Arc
Members of the Kihara Family were targeted during Operation Handcuffs on December 25th, with at least three having been brought down prior to Kihara Hasuu and his creation Ladybird's attack on School District 1's general Anti-Skill station, with Hasuu having previously been captured before being broken out by Ladybird. The duo were involved the battle for the counterfeiter Perfect Film in School District 6 along with Drencher Kihara Repatri and his creation Frillsand.

Several other Kiharas were among the dark side crowd heading for the Vanishing Tunnel who were slaughtered by Frillsand #G. Drencher was killed by Ladybird not long afterwards and following Ladybird's defeat, Hasuu lost his life when his wish on a Coin of Nicholas to make Hamazura Shiage's gun malfunction backfired, resulting in him getting shot in the stomach. Kihara Noukan managed to escape from the city through the waterways, faking his death in a battle with a berserk Rakuoka Houfu, who had previously killed and disposed of Kihara Heikin.

Trivia

 * An apparent trend for members of the Kihara family is for them to have given names related to mathematics or science. The exceptions are Kihara Gensei, Therestina Kihara Lifeline, and Drencher Kihara Repatri.
 * The meaning of the names of the Kiharas that have been referred to but have not appeared yet are as follows:
 * Konshou (混晶): Mixed crystal.
 * Sokuryou (測量): Surveying.
 * Kaihou (解法): Solution.
 * Jouryuu (蒸留): Distillation.
 * Chokuryuu (直流): Direct Current (DC).
 * Doutai (導体): Conductor (i.e. of electricity).
 * Bunri (分離): Separation.
 * Sousai (相殺): Offsetting.
 * Kenbi (顕微): Microscopic.
 * Bunshi (分子): Molecule.
 * Kouten (公転): Revolution (i.e. of heavens).