Kino
For sanity's sake, I am going to refer to the older, original Kino as Kino in the rest of this article, just to have some more distinction.The reason why this section is going to be such a pain to write (Kino/Kino) is also the reason why I need to write it. The Kino that we know adored Kino. He was her mentor, her friend, and the person who shaped her entire identity. Without Kino, we wouldn't have the Kino that we know today.
Before Kino arrived in town, Kino didn't have much of a personality. She worked for her parents, each day getting closer to the surgery that would turn her into an adult. She didn't really have any friends or siblings to talk to, so she was withdrawn and shy. The last thing on her mind would have been traveling on a talking motorrad to different countries- after all, that was fun, and fun wasn't something an adult should have.
When Kino first arrived, the difference in Kino was immediately noticeable. She was excited to see him and loved talking to him, or even just being around him. He taught her that there is more to life than obeying others and doing things you hate. After just a few days together, Kino's view on the world had changed drastically- enough to question the parents to whom she had been loyal for almost 12 years.
After Kino's death, Kino was distraught. The man who changed her life in a matter of days was killed before her eyes. After she got over the shock, all she wanted to do was see him, and freaked out when she saw someone who had the same coat as him. Although they didn't know each other for that long, Kino had a profound impact on Kino. So much so that Kino actually took over his life for him- she adopted everything from his attire to his name and even his gender. She lived his life as a traveler, with the same rules and ideals that he had set. Even as Kino grew up into the logical person that we know, she never once questioned her existence as Kino. She doesn't even so much as remember her real name.
I think it goes without saying that Kino was the most important person in Kino's life. Knowing each other for literally days, Kino changed absolutely everything about her life just to honour him. For her, he is the person who changed her life, and who died for her. No matter what happens in the series, Kino's relationship with Kino will always remain strong.