Maki Nishikino (Pile)

Artist

ニシキノマキ(パイル)

Maki Nishikino is one of the nine school idols of μ's, the in-show idol group at Otonokizaka High School in the TV anime Love Live! A first-year student from a wealthy family of doctors, she is a prodigiously talented pianist and composer whose musical gifts become essential to μ's once she joins. With her long red hair and classic tsundere personality, she pretends not to care about the group's success while secretly pouring her heart into their every performance, and her prickly charm has earned her a huge fanbase within the Love Live! community. She is voiced by Pile, a Japanese actress and singer known within the franchise for her exceptionally powerful and polished singing voice. Pile's commanding vocals gave Maki a genuine gravitas on record and in live concerts, and her solo numbers are often cited among the highlights of the μ's discography. The character and performer have become inseparable for longtime Love Live! fans.