History
Kino's history is introduced to the series in both the fourth episode of the anime and also in the first movie. While the viewer spends the majority of their time getting to know the older Kino, her past makes up a huge part of who she is in the series. Please note that due to naming issues, I will be referring to Kino, the subject of this shrine, as "she" for the first part of this section.Escaping Adulthood
She is first introduced just days before her twelfth birthday. The daughter of hotel owners, she was often the victim of bullying by the boys in town. They would throw flowers at her and taunt her about her name (which is never actually revealed). One day, a traveler by the name of Kino enters her town and stays at her family's hotel. Because she didn't really have any friends, she clung to him, and talked a lot about all aspects of life. One of the things that made her so curious is the fact that Kino was an adult, but his only occupation was as a traveler, something that he enjoyed. This is because in her village, there is a defined line between childhood and adulthood. Whenever someone reaches the age of 12, they have a surgery so that they can become an adult and do adult work with a smile. She didn't understand how it was possible for him to be an adult but to have a job that he loved.
It is clear that Kino's experiences had a great impact on her, because the day before her surgery, she asks her parents if she really has to have it. She says she doesn't want the surgery. Her parents are shocked and disgusted by this question- the fact that something they created was questioning such an amazing surgery was just beyond them. The town inspector overheard and made Kino, who was standing near her with the motorrad they built together, promise to leave. In addition, he told her of her fate.
Just then, her parents come out with a butcher knife. They viewed her as a defect that needed to be disposed of. Everyone in the town completely supported them- since her parents created her, they had to destroy her. Kino, standing by, was in complete shock at what was happening. Just as her parents lunged at her with a knife, Kino stepped in the way and was stabbed in the side. In front of her horrified eyes, he was stabbed to death by her own parents.
The town was in complete shock as well- why would an adult do something so stupid, they thought. As adults, they couldn't comprehend how another adult would step in front of a knife. The inspector decides to make an adult decision and call it an accident. Her mother and father work on pulling out the knife from Kino's body. Just as the knife was about to get free, the motorrad they had been working on began talking to her, telling her to hop on and get out of town. She was still frozen in horror, not knowing what to do, but just as they go to stab her, she jumps on and escapes the town through the front gate.
Outside, they fall over into a field of flowers. The motorrad asks what his name is and she says Hermes, the name that her and Kino talked about. The motorrad then asks what her name is, and she could not remember. Finally, she declares that her name is Kino.
Becoming an adult
In episode 11, some time after Kino escapes her town, she ends up in the woods alone. She cowers as she hears an animal coming, but it turns out to be an older woman. After this, Kino decides to stay with the woman to train.
The woman, known to her as "Shishou", lived alone in a cottage in the woods. The locals from a nearby village would bring food and in exchange, she would help them test out guns and with engineering problems. When Kino arrived, she would do basic chores in exchange for her keep. At the same time, she was trained by Shishou in the areas of gun use and motorrad riding. The entire time Kino was there, she clung to the hope that she would find the original Kino. One time, while getting water, she saw someone with the same trench coat as he had- but unfortunately he was just another traveler from their village.
After some work, Shishou found out where the original Kino's mother was living and, despite not thinking she was ready, allowed Kino to go to the village. Kino put on her new traveling gear and went to meet with Kino's mom, wanting to apologize in person for causing his death (or so she felt). When she arrived, she told Kino's mom who broke down crying. Afterwards, she composed herself and showed Kino some photos, and then offered her some tea. After the tea, Kino felt funny- it turns out that the tea had been poisoned by the woman, who planned to kill her to avenge her son.
Just as Kino's mom was about to stab her with the same type of knife that her parents used, Kino dodged and ran into the next room. The woman followed her and Kino grabbed her hands, stopping the knife. Kino's mom tried to stab her once again, this time being stopped by the coin that Shishou gave Kino for protection. At this point, Kino pulls out her gun and, in one of the most dramatic moments in the entire series, proclaimed her new identity while shooting Kino's mother.
After that, Kino passes out and wakes up on the couch a short time later. According to the villagers, Kino's mom was unstable and deluded by thoughts of her son and often attacked other travelers. Outside, Kino saw the blood in her hair and decided to cut it. After returning to Shishou's, she gave back the coin and decided to head out on her own as a traveler- as a male traveler named Kino.