Kaname Ototsuki
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"I must go back... to the Manor, I've got to see Reika." | ||
Japanese | 乙月 要 / 久世 要 おとつき かなめ / くぜ かなめ | |
Alias | Kaname Kuze | |
Family | Akito Kashiwagi (father) Kyouka Kuze (mother) Amane Kuze (half-sister) Yashuu Kuze (grandmother) Reika Yukishiro (childhood sweetheart) | |
Cause of Death | Murdered by Yashuu Kuze | |
Date of Death | Unknown (late Edo period) | |
Encounter | Engraving Shrine roof (non-hostile) | |
Games | Fatal Frame III | |
Notes | Kaname's Letters | |
English Voice Actor | Josh Keaton |
Kaname Kuze was the son of Kyouka Kuze and Akito Kashiwagi, and the half-brother of Amane Kuze.
Past

Males were forbidden in the Kuze household and any male babies born had to be cast out before they were four years old. Rather than cast out her child, Kyouka managed to smuggle Kaname out of the shrine into a nearby village, where he was adopted by the Ototsuki family. Before parting with her son, Kyouka gave Kaname an Echo Stone Earring as a token of her love and his real identity. She hoped Kaname's father would one day recognize Kaname from his earring and adopt him. Unbeknownst to her, Akito had already been killed by her mother, Yashuu Kuze.
Kaname grew up in the village, ignorant of his true origins, though he became very attached to his adopted family. It was here he met Reika Yukishiro, and the two developed mutual feelings for one another. Approaching adulthood, Kaname left the village to study in the city, but hoped to return one day and be with Reika.[1] In his absence, a disaster struck, killing most of the village's inhabitants. Reika was one of the only survivors, and after the loss of her family she volunteered to become the Tattooed Priestess at the Kuze Shrine.
Kaname knew nothing of this event, and continued to write letters to Reika. As autumn turned into winter, he began to dream of an old manor house and a woman with long hair. Although he could not remember ever seeing these things before, the dreams left him with a strong sense of nostalgia and weighed on his mind. Soon he began to hear Reika's voice in his dreams, and felt a powerful longing to see loved ones who had died.[2]
During this period, he was recorded speaking with Dr. Kunihiko Asou about his dreams of the manor. During this conversation, his urge to see Reika again became so great that he could no longer stay, deciding he must visit the shrine to see her one last time. He departed Dr. Asou's house in haste, leaving all his belongings behind, including one of the echo stone earrings.
Fatal Frame III

Disguised as a worshipper, Kaname gained access to the shrine, and began to search for Reika. Amane, who had become one of the Handmaidens, recognized him immediately from the earring, which matched the one their mother had. Kaname asked her of Reika's whereabouts and Amane, who knew of Reika's love for him, agreed to help him find her. As men were only allowed to enter the Kuze Shrine during the snowy season, Amane took a huge risk and sneaked him inside. When Kaname found Reika, she had already been impaled in the Chamber of Thorns and was deep in her sleep. After he awoke Reika she saw him and smiled, happy that she had finally seen him one last time.

Their happiness was short-lived, however, because Yashuu Kuze had learned that Amane had smuggled Kaname into the shrine. Determined to preserve the Commandment, Yashuu followed Kaname into the shrine and murdered him in front of Reika. After this, the tattoo crept into Reika's eyes and the Rift was released, causing the Unleashing.
In the end, Rei Kurosawa defeats Reika, and casts both Kaname and Reika off in a boat, letting them cross the river to the Other Side.
Misc. Info
- Kaname's spirit is non-violent throughout the course of the game.
- Kaname's name, "Ototsuki", is presumably the name of the family that adopted him, since he did not know his biological family.
- In the Japanese version of Fatal Frame III, Kaname's name is written in hiragana instead of kanji.
- The Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book contains letters from Kaname to Reika.
- Kyouka intended Kaname's name to symbolise the connection between her and Akito. One of the meanings of 'kaname' is the linchpin of a paper fan, which holds the ribs of the fan together even when they are spread apart.
See Also
- For other members of the Kashiwagi family, see Kashiwagi Family.
- For other members of the Kuze family, see Kuze Family.
- For images related to Kaname, see Images of Kaname Ototsuki.