| Suo Pavlichenko | |
|---|---|
| Darker than Black character | |
 Promotional illustration for Suo Pavlichenko | |
| First appearance | Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor episode 1: "Black Cats Do Not Dream of Stars" (October 9, 2009) |
| Created by | Tensai Okamura |
| Designed by | Yuji Iwahara |
| Voiced by | Kana Hanazawa (Japanese) Alison Viktorin (English) |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Relatives | Shion Pavlichenko (younger twin brother) |
Suo Pavlichenko (Japanese: 蘇芳・パブリチェンコ, Hepburn: Suō Paburichenko) is a fictional character introduced in the anime series Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor. A young teenage girl, Suo is an upbeat Eurassian photographer who lives alongside her father while aiming to protect her twin brother, Shion, who is a Contractor, a human with supernatural powers. One day, the Pavlichenko family is attacked by the assassin Hei who wants a piece of a meteor Shion is hiding but ends up taking her under his hand during a mayhem caused by Section 3 who also seek Shion. Despite hating Hei, Suo goes along with his plans and soon ends up awakening her own powers. The character has also appeared in the video game Heroes Phantasia.
Suo was created by anime director Tensai Okamura who aimed to create a different type of protagonist after ending the first Darker than Black anime. After being inspired by the series Soul Eater in regards to the concept of Suo's character, Okamura sought the help of writer Mari Okada who was more experienced with writing female characters. She is voiced by Kana Hanazawa in Japanese and Alison Viktorin in English.
Initial critical response to Suo's character was divisive as reviewers for manga and anime publications found fans often labeled Suo as a moe archetype as well as a magical girl based on her characterization and powers. However, reviews focused on the series were positive due to how Suo fit in the dark scenario properly thanks to her likable personality and developed an appealing relationship with Hei. The two voice actress were also well received.