Tsukihime
- This article is about the visual novel. For its anime adaptation, see Tsukihime, Lunar Legend.
| Tsukihime | |
 Cover of Tsukihime | |
| Genre | Fantasy, Mystery, Drama, Suspense |
|---|---|
| Video game | |
| Developer | TYPE-MOON |
| Publisher | TYPE-MOON |
| Genre | Visual novel, eroge, dojin |
| Platform | PC |
| Anime | |
| Tsukihime, Lunar Legend | |
| Directed by | Katsushi Sakurabi |
| Studio | J.C. Staff |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Sasaki Shonen |
| Published by |  Media Works  DrMaster |
Tsukihime (月姫, lit. Lunar Princess) is a Japanese dōjin visual novel game, created by TYPE-MOON, which was originally released in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C. Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, published since 2004 in Media Works's seinen magazine, Dengeki Daioh.
Tsukihime's fame and renown is often attributed to its comprehensive and expansive storyline and its writer Kinoko Nasu's unique style of storytelling. As well as its anime and manga adaptations, it has also spawned numerous merchandising and memorabilia franchises.
Soon after its original release, developers TYPE-MOON released Tsukihime PLUS-DISK in January 2001, a fun addition to Tsukihime that featured three side-stories and assorted multimedia, and in August 2001, produced and published a sequel to Tsukihime, Kagetsu Tohya (歌月十夜, lit. Ten Nights Of Verses And The Moon), and later, in April 2003, released Tsuki-Bako (月箱, lit. Lunar Box), a specially packaged three-disk set that included Tsukihime, PLUS-Disk and Kagetsu Tohya, including a remixed soundtrack for both games and other assorted multimedia.
Story
Template:Spoiler Tsukihime chronicles the story of Shiki Tohno. As a young boy, Shiki suffered a very life-threatening injury. As a result of the injury, he is now able to see "life lines" on objects and people which, when cut, will destroy them. Still a young boy, he is given a special pair of glasses by a mysterious woman that allows him not to see the lines.
Fast forward to Shiki's high school days. After years away from the Tohno household (from where he was sent after his injury), he moves back home following the death of the head of the Tohno family, Shiki's father. Shiki's sister, Akiha assumes responsibility of being the new head. As the story progresses, Shiki gradually discovers his mysterious past.
Characters
Main characters
- Shiki Tohno (遠野 志貴, Tōno Shiki)
- The protagonist of the series. He is able to see "death lines" on objects and people, which allows him to kill them instantly. He carries a pocketknife named Nanatsuya and is quite skilled with it. He has been living with the Arima family, one of the branching families of Tohno, since an accident 8 years ago. At the beginning of the game, he moves back home with his sister, Akiha.
- Arcueid Brunestud (アルクェイド・ブリュ ンスタッド, Arukueido Buryunsutaddo)
- A beautiful blonde with ruby red eyes, Arcueid (or just "Arc" sometimes) is a mysterious vampire princess. But since she is a "true ancestor" she lacks some vampiric qualities, such as that of needing to consume blood to survive, and being nocturnal. She seems to be quite knowledgeable about many things, but is very naive when it comes to modern ideas. She is killed by Shiki in the first chapter, but she doesn't actually die (because she's a vampire) and, in turn, recruits Shiki to help her fight Roa.
- Ciel (シエル)
- An upperclassman of Shiki's, or so it seems. She is the only member of the Japanese tea ceremony club. She is actually a vampire hunter for the Catholic Church and finds Arcueid detestable (but is torn, because she likes Shiki). Her body was used in Roa's last incarnation, and until Roa dies, she cannot. Her outfit is not a uniform, but the result of one of her hobbies.
- Akiha Tohno (遠野 秋葉, Tōno Akiha)
- Shiki's younger sister and the current head of the Tohno family. She is very prim and proper and carries a grace and nobility about her. As the story progresses, the viewer discovers that she has had mysterious powers since childhood.
- Hisui (翡翠) & Kohaku (琥珀)
- The only two maids in the Tohno mansion. They are twin sisters but act very differently. Hisui seems to be very cold and emotionless while Kohaku is always smiling and cheerful. They even wear different dress; Hisui wears a western maid uniform while Kohaku wears a Japanese kimono. The name Hisui means 'jade', referring to her eye color, and Kohaku means 'amber', referring to her eye color as well. Despite their apparent personalities, in a twist of irony, it is actually Hisui that has true emotion, and Kohaku that is emotionless. Hisui buries her emotions, while Kohaku's emotions are broken, her smiles facades.
- Nrvnqsr Chaos (ネロ・カオス, Nero Kaosu)
- Pronounced "Nero Kaos", this vampire is known as the tenth of the twenty-seven Ancestors of Dead Apostles, the highest in rank of the vampires in Tsukihime. Has 666 beasts on his body, from deer and wolves to mythological creatures like unicorns.
Minor characters
- Aoko Aozaki (蒼崎 青子, Aozaki Aoko)
- A mysterious red-haired woman who always carries a suitcase. She met with Shiki eight years prior to the start of the series, and to this day, is the only person he will call "Teacher". She gave Shiki a pair of glasses (stolen from her sister Touko), the Magangoroshi, that blocks out the death lines and allow him to live a normal life. Current title holder of Beef-Eating contest in an unspecified steak restaurant in Japan (in the literal sense)
- Arihiko Inui (乾 有彦, Inui Arihiko)
- Shiki's classmate and best friend. His parents died when he was young, and he lives with his sister, Ichiko.
- Makihisa Tohno (遠野 槙久, Tōno Makihisa)
- The patriarch of the Tohno family. Dies just prior to the events of Tsukihime.
- Satsuki Yumizuka (弓塚 さつき, Yumizuka Satsuki)
- Shiki's classmate.
Other characters
These are characters not in Shingetsutan Tsukihime. Most of them are minor, and reappear for more significant roles in Kagetsu Tohya.
- Ren
- Ren is Arcueid's familiar, sometimes referred to as a succubus. She can take the form of a little girl or a black cat. Her only appearance in Tsukihime is to grant Shiki a dream of a sexual encounter.
- Akira Seo (瀬尾 晶, Seo Akira)
- Akira is an underclassman of Akiha's. She has minor precognitive powers. In one of the side stories (幻視同盟, "Genshi Doumei"), she became acquainted with someone calling themselves Tohno Shiki, who was in fact a disguised murderer and was later taken care of by Ciel and the real Tohno Shiki.
- Souka Tsukihime (月姫 蒼香, Tsukihime Sōka)
- Akiha's roommate at her private school. Rather punkish. Shiki thinks she's a guy.
- Hanei Misawa (三澤 羽井, Misawa Hanei)
- Akiha's other roommate at her private school. Slow-witted. She also happens to have the biggest breasts of any character (Major and minor) in Tsukihime.
- Tsukasa Shijyou (四条 つかさ, Shijyō Tsukasa)
- Another student at Akiha's school. Thought she could blackmail Akiha over a love letter, and paid for it.
- Nanako
- The spirit of Ciel's most powerful weapon, Seventh Holy Scripture. She looks like a little girl with some horselike features (hooves, tail.). Likes carrots.