Iguro Obonai

Iguro is not just a "cold and strict guy."
He:
very emotional, but hides emotions;
devoted;
observant;
careful;
jealous;
demanding;
prone to self-criticism;
vindictive towards enemies;
caring towards loved ones;
does not tolerate betrayal well;
afraid of his own vulnerability;
becomes very attached;
has a hard time trusting;
capable of great love;
wants redemption;
really wants to be worthy of the person he loves.
And most importantly, his coldness is not the opposite of love. For him, coldness is often a way to protect what is dear to him.
That's why Iguro is a character whose actions usually speak louder than words.

Perhaps the most important characteristic of Iguro:
He wants to be loved, but at the same time he considers himself unworthy of love.
This creates internal conflict.
One part of him wants:
"I want to be close to this person."
Another one replies:
"You don't deserve this."
And therefore, he can simultaneously love a person deeply and try to distance himself emotionally from him.

Iguro would probably especially value a person who:
does not try to open it by force.
He doesn't need someone who constantly:
"Come on, tell me how you feel! Why are you so closed off?!"
He would be much more comfortable with a person who could calmly say:
"You don't have to tell me. I'll just be here."
For such a person, Iguro would gradually begin to open up on his own.

This is where Iguro's image changes dramatically.
With strangers:
"Don't disturb."
With a person you trust:
"You haven't eaten again."
And this is exactly what is very much in his character.
He could care about a person while pretending to be simply annoyed.
For example:

• Why aren’t you sleeping yet?
• And why does it matter to you?
• None. You'll just be useless tomorrow due to lack of sleep.
  And that's it. He will stay close.

Yes, potentially very much so.
Iguro is quite possessive by nature.
This is especially noticeable in his attitude towards Mitsuri.
But his jealousy would rather look not like an open scene, but like:
gloomy mood;
gaze;
short answers;
irritation;
attempt to stay closer;
dissatisfaction with a specific person.
He would rather remain silently angry than make a dramatic confession of jealousy.

This is particularly interesting.
When Iguro truly loves a person, he becomes not necessarily soft in appearance, but extremely devoted.
He is not the kind of person who falls in love easily.
But if he has already become attached, it is almost impossible for him to get rid of this attachment.
What is important to him:
be useful;
protect a loved one;
be close;
know that a person is safe;
feel mutual trust.
At the same time, it would be difficult for him to be the first to speak about his feelings.

Iguro's past has greatly influenced how he perceives himself.
He grew up in extremely difficult circumstances, was abused, and ultimately felt guilty about his survival.
Several important features emerge from this:
He considers himself tainted by the past.
He is afraid that he does not deserve happiness.
He judges himself very harshly.
He constantly strives to become better.
He feels he has to make amends for something.
This explains why his severity is not only directed at others.
He is often even harsher towards himself.

1. Demons
   Obviously, but for Iguro, this is more than just professional animosity.
   His past is directly connected to demons and terrible events, so his hatred for them runs deep.
2. Irresponsibility
   This is one of the things that can irritate him especially strongly.
   If a person realizes that he is putting himself or others in danger, but continues to do so, Iguro will be extremely unhappy.
3. Betrayal
   For him, trust is a very serious thing.
   Iguro does not take him lightly.
   If he let a person into his circle, it really means a lot.
   Therefore, betrayal would be especially painful for him.
4. Yourself
   This is perhaps one of the most tragic features of Obanai.
   He tends to consider himself unworthy of good things.
   He has a very strong sense of guilt in his character.
   He doesn't just think:
   "I made mistakes."
   His thinking is often closer to:
   "There's something fundamentally wrong with me."
   That's why it's hard for him to simply accept love and happiness.

Canon doesn't provide a huge list of his everyday preferences, so fanon can't be passed off as fact here.
But it is known that Iguro is associated with a rather strict way of life and does not appear to be a person who strives for luxury or noisy entertainment.
Much closer to him:
calmness;
order;
discipline;
familiar environment;
reliable people;
absence of unnecessary noise;
sense of control.

And rather unnoticeably.
Iguro doesn't seem like the type of person who would constantly say:
"I love you".
He would rather do something useful and try not to focus on it.
His love is rather:
"I'm making sure nothing happens to you."

Here we need to distinguish between what the canon directly shows and what can be logically assumed based on character.
💕 Mitsuri Kanroji
Iguro's most obvious love is Mitsuri.
Mitsuri Kanroji
Moreover, his feelings for her are very deep.
He appreciates her kindness, sincerity, emotionality and ability to remain a warm person despite the cruelty of the world.
What is especially interesting is that Mitsuri is in many ways the opposite of Iguro.
She:
emotional;
open;
sociable;
kind;
cheerful.
And he:
closed;
careful;
silent;
severe;
prone to self-deprecation.
And that's why their relationship works so well as a contrast.

His snake Kaburamaru is a very important part of Iguro's image.
Kaburamaru is effectively his constant companion.
Iguro trusts him, and their relationship clearly shows one side of Obanai's character: it is easier for him to show affection through a calm, constant presence than through open words.

Iguro has a good eye for detail.
He is able to pay attention to:
change in human behavior;
mood;
errors;
enemy movements;
potential danger;
something that others might have missed.
This is combined with his caution.
He is not one to relax easily and lose control of the situation.

Iguro has quite a sharp tongue.
He is capable of saying unpleasant things straight to someone's face and not particularly caring whether the other person likes his opinion.
Especially if he considers the person irresponsible.
But that doesn't mean he's always angry.
He has a rather irritable temperament and a very low tolerance for stupidity.

This is where Iguro becomes especially interesting.
He feels much more than he shows.
The problem is that it is difficult for him to express his feelings.
Instead of:
"I'm worried about you"
he would rather say:
"Don't be an idiot. You're setting yourself up again."
Instead of:
"I'm glad to be around"
he can just stay nearby silently.
Instead of open tenderness - small actions.
Therefore, his care often has to be read by his actions, not his words.

reserved + suspicious + demanding + self-critical + devoted + jealous + caring but hiding his care + deeply wounded.
He's not the type of person to easily show his emotions. Iguro is used to controlling himself and those around him, because his past has taught him that trust can be dangerous.
He is very strict.
Iguro places high demands, first of all on himself, but also on others.
He can harshly reprimand hunters if he believes they're behaving irresponsibly. For him, serving in the Corps isn't a game or an opportunity to become a hero.
He approaches his duties almost fanatically.
It's important to note that his strictness doesn't mean he enjoys humiliating others. Rather, he genuinely believes that weakness and carelessness can lead to death.