Senri Shiki

Senri Shiki (支葵　千里, Shiki Senri) is one of the youngest Night Class members. He works as a model alongside Rima Touya. When the Night Class is given orders to hunt down a level E vampire, Shiki is usually the one we see out hunting them. He has a whip-like weapon which develops from his blood. It is later revealed that Shiki is in fact the son of Rido Kuran, Kaname and Yuki's uncle.

Personality
Shiki possesses a personality similar to Rima Touya. He is usually impassive, and often detached to the rest of the vampires except for Rima and Ichijo. He rarely expresses emotion, and may seem like he doesn't care about anything at all. Because of his reserved nature, he keeps to himself.

Appearance
His height is 178 cm (5.8) and has a pale complexion like other vampires. He has thick, wavy, dark-reddish maroon-coloured hair. He resembles his mother greatly, though His eyes are light blue in color. As a vampire, his pale complexion makes it easy for him to sunburn and he is seen walking under an umbrella in the daytime.

Background
Like the Ichijo family, the Shiki family is pro-council because his mother's uncle is a member of the Vampire Council. Shiki's mother was also a well-known former actress, though is now a little unstable and her son must take care of her. According to the fanbook he was scouted as a model while visiting his mom while she was working as an actress. He and Rima met as they were working for the same agency. He and Rima share a love for pocky.

Not much was known about Shiki's father, only that he had died many years earlier. However, it is later revealed that Shiki's father is Rido Kuran, thus making Shiki, Kaname Kuran and Yuki Cross cousins. Senri seems to have inherited his father's ability use his own blood as a weapon, although Rido can use it to greater degree. Even though his father is a Pureblood, Shiki himself is not considered one because his mother is an Aristocrat (Level B).

Plot Summary
Shiki starts having a central role in the plot when, during the holiday, his great-uncle shows him 'the Shiki family's greatest secret', the bloody, weak remains of his father, Rido Kuran, who was supposed to be dead. He becomes possessed by his father and returns to the Academy, where Rima Touya immediately notices something different about him. She eventually learns the truth and swears to kick out whoever was Shiki's body, engaging in combat. During the fight, she tells him he's an idiot to let someone control him so easily and to "love himself more". Shiki is seen trying to regain control, while Rido tells him it's futile. Shiki then falls unconscious, and Rido leaves his body as he regains his original one.

In Chapter 41, he regained consciousness and after recalling the events that had taken place, apologizes to an unconscious Rima for letting Rido use his body and embraces her. He then protects Rima from a vampire servant of Rido. Shiki declares he is no longer a puppet that can be controlled by his father. In chapter 43, he hurriedly carries Rima out of the Moon Dorm as it is collapsing. During this, he suddenly came upon Rido and glared at him before leaving.

He and Rima went searching for Ichijo who didn't come back until Kaname had told them to stop, telling them that Ichijo was safe but not telling them any details. Rima was still upset with Kaname for that and didn't want to be at the ball in the first place, but Shiki convinced her to stop sulking and to go for his sake. As they were discussing this, they ran into Ichijo. The three of them reunited and Shiki and Rima learned that Ichijo had been with Sara Shirabuki for the past year.

Later, Shiki along with Rima, goes to visit Yuki at the Kuran mansion. Yuki, despite being told by Kaname not to let anyone in, says she'd accept responsibility and cheerfully invites them in for tea. He tells her not to bother as they were not staying for long, and relays on Ichijo's message to 'take care of Kaname'. Then, he proceeds to say that he did not refuse the tea because he disliked her, and that he preferred the carefree look she had when she invited him in.

In Chapter 58, he and Rima are seen having a photoshoot at a school where Sara was posing as a student and Ichijo, her brother. They again run into Ichijo there.

Anime differences
In episode 9, it seems he wrote a note for Rima. Shiki appeared as if he did not to want to give it to her, but she sees the note in his pocket. When she asks what it is, she reads it out loud and the note reads: "Please invite me as your dance partner." He then says, "I don't need it, so you can have it, Rima."

Trivia

 * His last name is combination of shi meaning to support and ki meaning mallow. His given name is a combination of sen meaning thousand and ri meaning distance.
 * Shiki is roommates with Takuma Ichijo.
 * Although Kaname and Shiki are cousins, they are barely seen interacting with each other and didn't mention their relationship until 53rd Night: "Accidental Encounters" when Shiki called Kaname and Yuuki his cousins.
 * In Vampire Knight Guilty, when the Night Class students pictures are shown, Shiki is shown last, upside down with one eye covered. This shows how Shiki's body is taken over by Rido, and one of his eyes is covered to cover the red eye that he has after being taken over. Afterward, a bat with one red eye and one blue eye flies out of the page.