Kaoru Asaba

"If their anxiety and fear pass the breaking point, mass panic will erupt."

- Kaoru Asaba

Kaoru Asaba (浅羽薫, Asaba Kaoru) is the woman that helps Yuki Aihara escape from the malfunctioning Y-Port World Center. A rather strong and resourceful woman. Near the end of the episode, it is revealed that she is a friend of Yuki's sister-in-law Miho.

Trivia

 * Kaoru was listed as "Office Lady" in the cast credits of the English version, and simply as "Asaba", her family name, in the Japanese version. Her .hack//ENEMY card gives her first name, but how canonical this it is unknown.
 * Both the English and the Japanese VA also did the voices of Helba in SIGN and the games, and Emma Wielant in the original 4 games
 * Japanese version of her family name is "Asaba", which is revealed through the book Encyclopedia .hack.
 * Kaoru's story with Yuki is a contrast of Yuuki's story with Miho where at the beginning of the episode, while Yuuki acts selfish toward Miho and Her Husband, by some coincidence a friend of theirs, Kaoru who after recognizing Yuuki from Miho and Her Husband's Wedding act selfless by attempting to save Yuuki later in the episode, also spurring Yuuki's decision to be further involved with Tokuoka and the mysterious incidents currently occurring in The World later on.