| Overview |
Nya (ニャルラト Nyarurato) and Shion Hibiki (響詞音 Hibiki Shion) are a mamodo team that appear during the filler Magic Mirror Arc of the Zatch Bell! anime. Although only appearing in few episodes and flashbacks, they are characters in the second series of the Card Game produced by Bandai.
Appearance[]
Nya is a small, cat-like mamodo with pure white fur, a rounded body, and purple stripes on her back. She has a tail tied with a pink ribbon. Her face has small black eyes, whiskers, and a rosy cheeks. Nya also has sharp claws. She typically walks on all four legs, but there are scenes where she stands on two legs.
Shion is a cheerful young girl with an energetic and bright appearance that matches her upbeat personality. She has orange hair tied into a short side ponytail and wears a pink cap with a white rim. Her outfit consists of a pink sleeveless shirt over a yellow undershirt, blue knee-length shorts, and pink-and-yellow boots with heart motifs. She accessorizes with white wristbands.
Personality[]
Nya is gentle, loyal, and emotionally perceptive, expressing care and empathy despite only being able to make cat-like sounds. It shares a deep emotional bond with Shion, often reflecting her feelings and supporting her through expressions and gestures. Nya’s kindness is most evident when its book is burned—rather than showing fear or sadness, it smiles reassuringly to comfort Shion, revealing a selfless and compassionate heart. Beyond her warmth, Nya also demonstrates intelligence and composure in battle, showing quick tactical thinking and calm judgment even in dangerous situations.
Shion is cheerful, friendly, and approachable, always wearing a bright smile and engaging warmly with others. From her first day at school, she interacts openly and confidently, quickly befriending Kiyo and showing a more forward and lively demeanor than other heroines such as Suzy or Megumi. However, beneath her energetic personality lies a deep fear of loneliness and emotional vulnerability. Shion often hides her inner struggles behind her smile, preferring to appear strong and independent even when feeling uncertain or afraid. Her comments—such as admitting that she feels “desperate” and that “being alone is still tough”—reveal a sensitive and introspective side that contrasts with her cheerful exterior. Despite her self-doubt, Shion possesses a genuinely kind and compassionate heart, as seen in her distress over taking the magic mirror from Zatch and the sincerity of her emotions toward Nya.
Nya[]
Background[]
Her fateful encounter with Shion began when she wandered into her home, providing comfort to the girl who was grieving the loss of her parents in a tragic accident. The two formed an immediate and unbreakable bond—Nya’s presence soothing Shion’s loneliness, while Shion gave Nya a sense of purpose and companionship. However, their peace was short-lived. Shion soon learned that Nya’s existence would attract other Mamodo seeking battle, and that if Nya’s spellbook were to be burned, the two would be separated forever. Determined to protect one another, they set out to find a way to escape the Mamodo Battle entirely.
Their journey took a turn when they met a Mamodo named Grisor and his book owner Dr. Hakase, who deceived them with the promise that if they could collect three pieces of a magical mirror, they could remain together without fighting. Believing this to be true, Nya and Shion began their search, unaware that Grisor’s intentions were far from pure.
Part I[]
When Shion transferred to Mochinoki Middle School, her cheerful, friendly demeanor instantly captured everyone’s attention. With her bright smile and approachable personality, she became popular among her classmates—especially the boys, who were immediately infatuated with her. Accompanied by her “pet cat” Nya, she introduced herself to the class, only for Nya to unexpectedly pop out of her bag, causing chaos and amusing the students. Though the teacher protested, the boys argued that Kiyo was allowed to bring Zatch to school, and even compared it to the principal bringing his wife, eventually persuading the staff to allow Nya to stay.
Through this encounter, Shion quickly befriended Kiyo Takamine and Zatch, forming an immediate bond. She was drawn to Kiyo’s intelligence and kindness, and began addressing him affectionately as “Kiyomaro-kun.” She even clung to his arm in front of the class—an unusually forward act compared to other heroines like Suzy or Megumi—though it is later implied that she may have done so with the hidden intent of getting closer to the magic mirror fragment in Zatch’s possession.
After school, Shion walked home with Kiyo, explaining that Nya rarely trusted others so quickly, remarking how special it was that Nya had already befriended Zatch. Their moment of peace was soon interrupted when the Mamodo Cut n’ Paste attacked, demanding Zatch’s mirror piece. Kiyo told Shion to go home for her safety, but following the battle, she returned, having realized that Zatch’s mirror was the same object she and Nya had been searching for.
Driven by her belief in Grisor’s promise, Shion repeatedly tried to take the mirror from Zatch, though he steadfastly refused to hand it over. She made several attempts—each time failing—and eventually decided to confront him directly. Shion and Nya cornered Zatch alone in Mochinoki Park, where she revealed the truth: Nya was also a Mamodo, and she was his book owner. She explained that she needed the mirror fragment not out of greed, but because she believed it was the only way to stay with Nya forever.
Shion, explaining herself to Zatch and Kiyo.
When the battle began, Shion read Nya’s first spell, unleashing his transformation ability. However, mid-battle, Nya abruptly stopped the spell, unable to bring himself to harm Zatch. The distress on both Nya’s and Shion’s faces made it clear that they did not wish to fight. Zatch, moved by their sincerity and understanding their desperation, voluntarily gave them his mirror fragment. Shion, deeply grateful, tearfully accepted the piece and promised that she and Nya would end the fighting once all fragments were gathered. With renewed hope, they resumed their search and soon located the final piece of the mirror. Together with Grisor and Dr. Hakase, they performed the mirror ritual, believing it would finally grant them peace and freedom from battle.
However, their hopes were betrayed. During the ritual, Grisor and Dr. Hakase revealed their true intentions—using the mirror not to save Nya and Shion, but to amplify Grisor’s power to monstrous levels. Grisor stole the completed mirror amid the confusion, fleeing with Hakase while Nya and Shion pursued them. Using the mirror, Grisor’s power grew exponentially, and he attacked mercilessly, injuring Nya severely. When Shion tried to protect Nya, Grisor launched another massive spell. In a final act of love and sacrifice, Nya pushed Shion out of harm’s way, taking the full force of the attack himself.
The explosion caused Nya’s spellbook to catch fire. As the pages burned, Nya—using the last of his strength—smiled softly at Shion, reassuring her with his gentle expression rather than tears. Shion clutched him in anguish, crying out his name as he vanished, returning to the Mamodo World. Enraged by their deception, Kiyo and Zatch fought Grisor and Hakase, declaring that they would never forgive them for betraying Nya and Shion’s trust and destroying their dreams. Hearing their words, Shion gathered her courage and attacked Hakase herself, causing him to drop the mirror and crack it. This break disrupted Grisor’s power, and with Zatch’s Bao Zakeruga, they defeated him, sending him back to the Mamodo World.
In the aftermath, Shion transferred to another school. When Kiyo and Zatch found her to say goodbye, she smiled with newfound strength, asking Zatch to “become a kind king—for Nya’s sake.” As she walked away, she promised Nya in her heart that she would be all right from now on, symbolizing her emotional growth and acceptance of their farewell. Both Shion and Nya later appear briefly in Episode 42 of the anime, during one of Zatch’s dreams, smiling together in a peaceful memory.
Spells[]
Trivia[]
- Nya can stand on two legs.
- The evidence of her appearance leaves no doubt that Nya is a cat, but, just in case there might be any doubt, Shion Hibiki refers to the duo they form as Them.
- Nya and Shion are anime-original characters, since they were created for and featured in the filler Magic Mirror Arc. As such, they have no appearances in the manga. Nya’s ranking in the anime is unknown.