Kyouko Hori

Kyouko Hori is one of the titular characters of Horimiya, a romantic comedy series originally created as a web manga by Hiroki Adachi under the pseudonym Hero. The manga was serialized in print from 2008 to 2011 and was adapted into an original video animation series starting in 2012. Upon receiving an animated TV show in the 2021 Winter season, Hori emerged as one of the most popular girls from the seasonal lineup, garnering praise from its fans because of the story's very quick romantic progress between its main couple.

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r/anime
As a result of the series' popularity in the r/anime subreddit, Kyouko was voted the "Best Girl of Winter 2021" in its Seasonal Salt tournament series. Several months later, she competed in her first major subreddit contest in Best Girl 8 due to being technically eligible from her 2012 OVA series, as she was previously nominated for past editions but never making it to the main bracket. In typical r/anime recency bias fashion, Hori took advantage of her TV anime by defeating regulars such as Kanbaru and former finalist Winry to reach the fifth round as a #158 seed, where she lost to eventual champion Mai Sakurajima.

Nearly 10 months later, Hori competed in the Best Girl of 2021 tournament as the top seed, but was eliminated in the semi-finals to a well-supported Vladilena Milize. She will next be eligible for Best Girl 9.

Seasonal Salt: Winter 2021 - seed 1
 * (64) Rice Shower @ Uma Musume season 2, 908 - 184
 * (32) Mjurran @ Tensura season 2, 660 - 189
 * (17) Demon Lord @ Kumodesu, 714 - 437
 * (8) Ghislaine Dedoldia @ Mushoku Tensei, 908 - 442
 * (12) Kumoko @ Kumodesu, 794 - 660
 * (2) Roxy Migurdia @ Mushoku Tensei, 771 - 663

Best Girl of 2021 - seed 1
 * (32) Estella @ Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song -- 602 - 120
 * (16) Irina Luminesk @ Moon, Laika, and Nosferatu -- 625 - 235
 * (8) Miko Yotsuya @ Mieruko-chan -- 696 - 493
 * (5) Vladilena Milize @ Eighty-Six -- 834 - 984
 * 3rd/4th: (3) Vivy @ Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song -- TBD

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Best Girl 8 - seed 158
 * (355) Shamiko @ Machikado Mazoku, 3197 - 1675
 * (99) Faye Valentine @ Cowboy Bebop, 1774 - 1432
 * (30) Suruga Kanbaru @ Monogatari, 2223 - 1883
 * (35) Winry Rockbell @ Fullmetal Alchemist, 2293 - 2278
 * (3) Mai Sakurajima @ Seishun Buta Yarou, 2317 - 3845

ISML
Hori also qualified for the reworked 2021 winter seasonal tournament of the International Saimoe League. She was drawn into Group C and won all of her matches, including the first-place decider against ISML veteran Ai Haibara. Unfortunately, Kyouko placed 5th in the ensuing diadem round, which meant that she failed to qualify for the inter-seasonal playoffs.

Seasonal & Exhibition
ISML 2021 - Winter Seasonal
 * Elim. round (Prelim 1, Approval, max 18): 1673 votes - 4th/30th, Advanced
 * Group C - 1st, 5W-0L, CVPD: 3.204
 * Match 1 (Prelim 2): Nobara Kugisaki 2881 - 1089
 * Match 2 (Prelim 3): Mikasa Ackerman 2790 - 1258
 * Match 3 (Prelim 4): Ran Mouri 2129 - 1113
 * Match 4 (Prelim 5): Ai Ohto 2543 - 1114
 * Match 5 (Prelim 6): Ai Haibara 2206 - 2192
 * Diadem Round (Aqua Gem, Range, Max 4): 32,851.4 - 5th/6th, Out

Aniplus Character Tournament
Likewise, Hori became eligible for the annual Korean Aniplus Character Tournament in 2021, her only appearance in the contest assuming there's no more seasons or specials in the future. She was labeled a "dark horse" (verbatim) because she stands out as a newcomer who might contend against many established shows that were expected to dominate like Dragon Maid, 5-toubun, and Re:Zero. Indeed, Kyouko has made it fairly far by topping all of her multi-man groups in the first four rounds, including a top 32 victory over Ilulu, Kirito, and Levi. However, in the last 16 round she was placed in a difficult group against former elite 8 Emilia, season 2-boosted Tohru, and fellow newcomer Siesta, which ended in her elimination at 4th place.

Aniplus Character Tournament 2021
 * Anime: Horimiya (Winter 2021) - 1st, Qualified
 * (13-way, Vote 3, Max 4): 989 votes, 1st
 * (6-way, Vote 2, Max 2): 1st -  (You)  >  Kirito >  Vivy >  Nero >  Mimimi > Maria (OsaMake) ( 1073  - 717 - 446 - 296 - 259 - 235)
 * (4-way, Vote 2, Max 2): 1st -  (You)  >  Ilulu >  Kirito >  Levi ( 932  - 775 - 588 - 430)
 * (4-way, Vote 1, Max 2): 4th - Emilia >  Siesta >  Tohru >  (You) (636 - 436 - 429 -  326 )

Honours
Contest Wins (2)
 * /r/anime's Seasonal Salt 2021 - Winter
 * Facebook @Math Waifu Wars S2 2021 (FB link)