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{{FF2 Character  
{{FF2 Character
|name        = Dr. Kunihiko Asou
|image      = [[File:Kunihiko Asou 2.png|300px]]
|image      = [[File:Kunihiko Asou 2.png|300px]]
|quote      = "I am now convinced that a power exists that exceeds my expectations."
|quote      = "I am now convinced that a power exists that exceeds my expectations."
|realname    = Dr. Kunihiko Asou
|kanji      = 麻生 邦彦
|kanji      = 麻生 邦彦 / 麻生博士 (あそう くにひこ / あそうはかせ)
|kana        = あそう くにひこ
|alias      = N/A
|alias      =  
|age        = Unknown
|age        =  
|family      = [[Asou Family]]
|family      = [[Asou Family]]
|occupation  = [[Folklorist]] / Scientist / Occultist / Inventor<br>
|mstatus    = Possibly married to a [[Guardians (FF4)|Guardian maiden]]<ref name="research">''Kunihiko Asou's Research'', [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]] p41, 2023. [http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/ff4/asou.html#gsc.tab=0 English translation]</ref>
|residence  = [[Mount Kagiroi]] (childhood)
|occupation  = [[Folklorist]] / Scientist / Occultist / Inventor
|status      = Dead
|status      = Dead
|COD        = [[Spirited Away]]
|died        =  
|birthdate  = Unknown (mid-19th century)
|game        = [[Fatal Frame II]]<br>[[Fatal Frame III]]<br>[[Fatal Frame IV]]<br>[[Fatal Frame V]]
|died        = Unknown
|otherappear =  
|birthplace  = [[Mount Kagiroi]]
|notes      = [[The "Other World"]]<br> [[Dr. Asou's Notes]]<br>[[Rogetsu Kagura Chronicle]]<br>[[Prof. Asou's Mask Inquiries]]<br>[[Book Next to the Hair]]<br>[[Dr. Asou's Records]]
|mstatus    = Unknown
|games      = [[Fatal Frame II]]<br>[[Fatal Frame III]]<br>[[Fatal Frame IV]]<br>[[Fatal Frame V]]
|firstappear = [[Fatal Frame II]]
|notes      = [[The "Other World"]]<br> [[Dr. Asou's Notes]]<br>[[Dr. Asou's Account of the Festival]]<br>[[Dr. Asou's Mask Research]]<br>[[Book Next to the Hair]]<br>[[Dr. Asou's Records]]
|stone      = -
|voiceactor  = N/A
|japanactor  = [[Voice Actors (FF5)|Tatsuhisa Suzuki]] (FF5)
|japanactor  = [[Voice Actors (FF5)|Tatsuhisa Suzuki]] (FF5)
}}Dr. Kunihiko Asou was a brilliant occult philosopher and scientist who lived at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867) and into the Meiji period (1868-1912).<ref>[[The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]. Note: The English translation states that Asou was active into the 20th century, but this is ambiguous in the Japanese.</ref> His primary fields of interest were Japanese folklore and the spirit world, but his studies covered a broad field, and he was also a Doctor of engineering and a psychiatrist.<ref>[[Yuu's Notes 1]], [[Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book]].</ref> He seemed especially interested in conducting research on the border between life and death, presented through dreams. The academic world, however, shunned both him and his research.<ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref>
|voiceactor  =
}}Dr. Kunihiko Asou was a brilliant occult philosopher and scientist who lived at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867) and into the Meiji period (1868-1912).<ref>[[The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]. Note: The English translation states that Asou was active into the 20th century, but this is ambiguous in the Japanese.</ref> His primary fields of interest were Japanese folklore and the spirit world, but his studies covered a broad field, and he was also a Doctor of engineering and a psychiatrist.<ref>[[Yuu's Notes 1]], [[Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book]].</ref> He seemed especially interested in conducting research on the border between life and death, presented through dreams. The academic world, however, shunned both him and his research.<ref name="mm camera">[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref>


Dr. Asou took the latest Western technologies that were introduced to Japan and modified them in an attempt to create devices that could capture supernatural phenomena. These technologies included the [[Camera Obscura]], the [[Projector]], and the [[Spirit Stone Radio]]. His research and development in these technologies came to be known as "[[Mystical Science]]." He intended to use these devices to produce absolute proof of the existence of the spirit world.<ref>[[Rei's notebook]]: [[RN:Kunihiko Asou|Kunihiko Asou]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>
Dr. Asou took the latest Western technologies that were introduced to Japan and modified them in an attempt to create devices that could capture supernatural phenomena. These technologies included the [[Camera Obscura]], the [[Projector]], and the [[Spirit Stone Radio]]. His research and development in these technologies came to be known as "[[Mystical Science]]." He intended to use these devices to produce absolute proof of the existence of the spirit world.<ref name="rn ka">[[Rei's notebook]]: [[RN:Kunihiko Asou|Kunihiko Asou]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>


==Youth (FF5)==
==Youth (FF5)==
Line 31: Line 27:


==Career (FF2-FF4)==
==Career (FF2-FF4)==
{{FF4 spoilers}}Asou continued to study folklore and the spirit world, and kept working to create a device that would be able to capture the unseen. While conducting research into a mysterious [[Tattoo Curse|sickness]] affecting psychiatric patients<ref>[[Yuu's Notes 1]], [[Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book]]</ref>, Dr. Asou came across a subject who clearly described experiencing contact with the "[[Other World]]" in his dreams. This test subject was [[Kaname Ototsuki]]. He paid a visit to Dr. Asou, who interviewed him, but one night during his stay, Kaname left suddenly without gathering up any of his luggage. Amongst the things he left behind was an [[Echo Stone Earring|earring]] made of Echo Stone, which was believed to communicate thought. <ref>[[The "Other World"]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>
Asou continued to study folklore and the spirit world, and kept working to create a device that would be able to capture the unseen. Early in his career,<ref>''Kunihiko Asou's Research'', [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]] p41-43, 2023. [http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/ff4/asou.html#gsc.tab=0 English translation]</ref> he visited [[Rogetsu Isle]] to see the [[Rogetsu Kagura]]<ref>[[Rogetsu Kagura Chronicle]], [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]]</ref> and investigate the folklore of the island, which was said to be close to the underworld.<ref>[[Professor Asou's Notes (2)]], [[Fatal Frame IV]]</ref> During his time there He modified new crystal radio technology to create [[Spirit Stone Radio]]s (which he called "Other World Crystal Radio Signal Receivers"<ref name="rt">[[Radio Transmissions]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>) that could receive transmissions from the other world; this was his first successful experiment.<ref name="rn ka"/> He also devised a [[Spirit Stone Flashlight]] that harnessed the power of moonlight to attempt to cure [[Moonlight Syndrome]] patients.<ref name="digartbook">''Image #19'', Chapter 4: World, [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]] Digital Art Book, 2023.</ref>


Dr. Asou used this earring to modify the crystal receiver in a radio. Dr. Asou explained that the radio utilized the special wave detection property of crystals to pick up the appropriate band wavelength. He chose stones in his experiments because since ancient times stones were known to carry occult properties. Dr. Asou believed if a person wore a crystal for a long time their thoughts would remain within, creating a special type of crystal, which his colleagues eventually called [[Spirit Stones]]. Once a Spirit Stone was placed into the radio's circuitry, the radio would replay words that were spoken in the past and the voices of ghosts that were contained within the stone. This was his first experiment to bear fruit; he was able to capture sound at a range outside that of normal broadcasting. The radio was able to receive supernatural sounds and voices from the spirit world that could normally not be detected. He called the modified radio the "Other World Crystal Radio Signal Receiver", otherwise known as the Spirit Stone Radio. <ref>[[Radio Transmissions]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref> <ref>[[Rei's notebook]]: [[RN:Kunihiko Asou|Kunihiko Asou]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>
However, the focus of his work remained the Camera Obscura; he created many prototype cameras, including [[Misaki's Camera Obscura]], which remained in the keeping of the [[Asou Family]] for many years. His efforts culminated in a [[Camera Obscura (FF4)|working prototype]] Camera Obscura, which he decorated with Rogetsu Isle's traditional cloudy moon carvings and left in the keeping of the islanders. In his research about Asou's life, [[Ren Hojo]] speculates that he may have married a [[Guardians (FF4)|Guardian maiden]].<ref name="research"/> After Asou left the island, the room where he worked was preserved as a [[Asou Museum|museum]] in [[Rogetsu Hall]], with many of his prototype devices on display.


After that, Dr. Asou developed a camera prototype that was able to photograph visions of the past and spirit entities that couldn't be seen by the naked eye. He took a camera, which was still considered a rare item in those days, and added a special lens and film to it. He came to call this camera the Camera Obscura. He recognized the potential the camera had in proving the existence of the spirit world.<ref>[[The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref> The first [[Misaki's Camera Obscura|prototype]] that Dr. Asou considered successful was handed down in the [[Asou Family]], though he had not then been able to test its powers.<ref>[[Dr. Asou's Note 3]]", [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]]</ref> He knew these prototypes didn't fully utilize their potential and he strove to create a better Camera Obscura.<ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref> Before doing so, he developed a special projector using the same principles behind the camera. The projector would project special images captured on film that originally could not be seen when they were photographed or on conventional equipment.<ref>[[The "Spirit World"]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref><ref>[[Rei's notebook]]: [[RN:Kunihiko Asou|Kunihiko Asou]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>
After completing his first satisfactory Camera Obscura, Asou travelled Japan studying folklore and searching for ways to perfect his creation. He developed a special projector using the same principles behind the camera. The projector would project special images captured on film that originally could not be seen.<ref name="spiritworld">[[The "Spirit World"]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref><ref>[[Rei's notebook]]: [[RN:Kunihiko Asou|Kunihiko Asou]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref> He also refined the Spirit Stone Radio to make it more lightweight and portable. When his friend [[Seijiro Makabe]] told Dr. Asou that he was hoping to investigate the rumored [[Forbidden Ritual]] that occurred in [[Minakami Village]], Asou lent him a Spirit Stone Radio and prototype [[Camera Obscura (FF2)|Camera Obscura]] to capture evidence of the other world.<ref name="mm camera"/><ref>''Kunihiko Asou's Research'', [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]] p44, 2023. [http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/ff4/asou.html#gsc.tab=0 English translation]</ref> Makabe never returned, and the equipment was lost. Undeterred, Dr. Asou continued his research.


One day Dr. Asou was visited by a good friend of his, [[Seijiro Makabe]], who planned on taking a trip to [[Minakami Village]]. Makabe told Dr. Asou that he was hoping to investigate the rumored [[Forbidden Ritual]] that occurred there. Hearing this, Dr. Asou lent Seijiro the [[Camera Obscura (FF2)|Camera Obscura prototype]] and Spirit Stone Radio and wished him luck on his trip.<ref> [[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref> He would never see his friend or equipment again. Undeterred, Dr. Asou began developing another Camera Obscura.
While conducting research into a mysterious [[Tattoo Curse|sickness]] affecting psychiatric patients,<ref>[[Yuu's Notes 1]], [[Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book]]</ref> Dr. Asou came across a subject who clearly described experiencing contact with the "[[Other World]]" in his dreams. This test subject was [[Kaname Ototsuki]]. He paid a visit to Dr. Asou, who interviewed him over four days,<ref>''Kunihiko Asou's Research'', [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]] p45, 2023. [http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/ff4/asou.html#gsc.tab=0 English translation]</ref> but one night during his stay, Kaname left suddenly without gathering up any of his luggage. Amongst the things he left behind was an [[Echo Stone Earring|earring]] made of Echo Stone, which was believed to communicate thought. <ref>[[The "Other World"]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref> Dr. Asou used this earring to modify the crystal receiver in another radio. He continued to create prototype cameras, including [[Camera Obscura (FF5)|the one]] that would later belong to [[Hisoka Kurosawa]], and [[Ren's Camera Obscura|another]] that ended up in the hands of [[Ren Hojo]].


[[Image:Kunihiko_Asou.jpg|128px|right|thumb|The picture of Dr. Asou in the [[Kunihiko Asou Museum]]]]He travelled all over Japan searching for a way to perfect the camera, and spent time on [[Rogetsu Isle]] at some unknown point, conducting research about the Other World and the power of the island's sacred masks.<ref>[[Dr. Asou's Mask Research]], [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]]</ref> He was also permitted to view the performance of the [[Rogetsu Kagura]], escorted by [[Tsukimori Shrine Maidens]].<ref>[[Dr. Asou's Account of the Festival]], [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]]</ref> His studies of the island and its beliefs enabled him to create a special film plate, and it was here that he truly began to believe in the Camera's exorcismal power. In return he donated a single [[Camera Obscura (FF4)|Camera Obscura]] to the island's collection.<ref>[[Dr. Asou's Note 1]], [[Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse]]</ref> It was kept in a special [[Kunihiko Asou Museum|museum]], along with many other items relevant to occultism.
[[Image:Kunihiko_Asou.jpg|128px|right|thumb|The picture of Dr. Asou in the [[Asou Museum]]]]In time, Dr. Asou came to hope that he could one day create a Camera Obscura with the power to seal away spirits completely. He heard legends of a [[Holy Mirror]] that protected [[Himuro Mansion]], and wrote in his diary that he had decided to visit the area, but failed to return.<ref>[[Tamashizume]]: [[Tamashizume: The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Zero Akai Chou Complete Official Capture Book]], p188.</ref> Later, [[Mikoto Munakata]] would find the completed [[Camera (FF1)|Camera]] inside Himuro Mansion. Many sources say Asou died or disappeared mysteriously during his work, but in [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]], Ren Hojo speculates that Asou might have been reluctant to remove the Holy Mirror fragment from the site where it belonged, and left the final Camera there deliberately, before setting out in search of new goals - or perhaps willingly crossing over into that other world he had spent his life seeking.<ref>''Kunihiko Asou's Research'', [[Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences]] p47-48, 2023. [http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/ff4/asou.html#gsc.tab=0 English translation]</ref> Either way, after this point his fate is not documented.


He was said to have died unexpectedly under unknown circumstances.<ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:Spirit Stone Radio|Spirit Stone Radio]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref> Makabe's apprentice, [[Ryozo Munakata]], published Makabe's final [[Tamashizume|book]] some time after the incidents at the village, in which he reveals that Asou had visited [[Himuro Mansion]], having heard that there was a special item called the [[Holy Mirror]] in the Himuro area and wrote in his diary that he had decided to visit the area. He was never heard from again. The exact purpose of his visit is never stated, but it can be assumed to have been for testing his latest [[Camera (FF1)|camera]], as it is left behind in the mansion where [[Mikoto Munakata]] receives it some years later, and investigation/utilisation of the Holy Mirror (a major component of the camera). After his death, several more prototypes were discovered.<ref>[[Tamashizume: The Camera Obscura]], [[Zero Akai Chou Complete Official Capture Book]]</ref>
Asou's death meant that the principles behind his devices would remain a mystery forever.<ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:Spirit Stone Radio|Spirit Stone Radio]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref> The documentation of the sounds that the Spirit Stone Radio projected were also lost over time.<ref name="rt"/> His unorthodox research was dismissed and forgotten by the wider academic world, and the products of his research - the many Camera Obscura prototypes, the Spirit Stone Radios, and others - were sought after by enthusiasts and were soon scattered throughout all of Japan.<ref name="mm camera"/><ref name="spiritworld"/>
 
Asou's death meant that the principles behind his devices would remain a mystery forever. <ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:Spirit Stone Radio|Spirit Stone Radio]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]]</ref> The documentation of the sounds that the Spirit Stone Radio projected were also lost over time. <ref>[[Radio Transmissions]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref> The products of his research - the Camera Obscura, the Spirit Stone Radio, and the Projector - were sought after by enthusiasts and were soon scattered throughout all of Japan. <ref>[[Mio's Memo]]: [[MM:The Camera Obscura|The Camera Obscura]], [[Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly]] </ref><ref>[[The "Spirit World"]], [[Fatal Frame III: The Tormented]]</ref>


==Known Inventions==
==Known Inventions==
Line 58: Line 52:


==Note on Spelling==
==Note on Spelling==
In English, the name 麻生 (あそう) may be written Asou, Asо̄ or Aso, according to the translator's preference. "Aso" is the most commonly used in official translations of the [[Fatal Frame Series]]; however, "Asou" is used in [[Fatal Frame III]] and in the [[Fatal Frame IV (Fan Translation)|fan translation]] of [[Fatal Frame IV]], both of which also introduce other important members of the Asou family. "Asou" is also the spelling used in native [[Fatal Frame IV]] environment textures. For the sake of consistency, Zero Wiki has chosen to use the spelling "Asou" whenever the name appears, even where it may differ from official translations.
In English, the name 麻生 (あそう) may be written Asou, Asо̄ or Aso, according to the translator's preference. "Aso" is the most commonly used in official translations of the [[Fatal Frame Series]]; however, "Asou" is the spelling used in native [[Fatal Frame IV]] environment textures. For the sake of consistency, Zero Wiki has chosen to use the spelling "Asou" whenever the name appears, even where it may differ from official translations.


==Misc. Info==
==Misc. Info==

Latest revision as of 07:26, 29 March 2026

Dr. Kunihiko Asou

"I am now convinced that a power exists that exceeds my expectations."
Japanese麻生 邦彦
あそう くにひこ
FamilyAsou Family
Marital statusPossibly married to a Guardian maiden[1]
ResidenceMount Kagiroi (childhood)
OccupationFolklorist / Scientist / Occultist / Inventor
StatusDead
GamesFatal Frame II
Fatal Frame III
Fatal Frame IV
Fatal Frame V
NotesThe "Other World"
Dr. Asou's Notes
Rogetsu Kagura Chronicle
Prof. Asou's Mask Inquiries
Book Next to the Hair
Dr. Asou's Records
Japanese Voice ActorTatsuhisa Suzuki (FF5)

Dr. Kunihiko Asou was a brilliant occult philosopher and scientist who lived at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867) and into the Meiji period (1868-1912).[2] His primary fields of interest were Japanese folklore and the spirit world, but his studies covered a broad field, and he was also a Doctor of engineering and a psychiatrist.[3] He seemed especially interested in conducting research on the border between life and death, presented through dreams. The academic world, however, shunned both him and his research.[4]

Dr. Asou took the latest Western technologies that were introduced to Japan and modified them in an attempt to create devices that could capture supernatural phenomena. These technologies included the Camera Obscura, the Projector, and the Spirit Stone Radio. His research and development in these technologies came to be known as "Mystical Science." He intended to use these devices to produce absolute proof of the existence of the spirit world.[5]

Youth (FF5)

Kunihiko Asou grew up near Mount Kagiroi, where he befriended a young shrine maiden named Shiragiku. She was chosen to be sacrificed on nearby Mount Hikami, and chose Kunihiko to be her partner in the Ghost Marriage ceremony. He took a lock of her hair as a token, promising he would return, but later he suppressed the memory and failed to keep his promise. The lock of hair was passed down in a branch of the Asou Family, where it was eventually found by his descendant, Ren Hojo.

Years later, Asou became interested in postmortem photography. Superstition said that photographs could trap the soul, and he began to work on a prototype of a camera that could do just that. He travelled around the Mikomori Region taking burial photographs, and became curious after some residents remarked that the eternal, unfading images were like the Pillars on Mount Hikami. Word of his invention had spread to the mountain as well, and Asou was invited to visit and take a photograph of the shrine maiden, Ose Kurosawa. He explored the mountain, taking photographs and contemplating death and the human soul, and finally arrived at the House of Joining. When he saw Ose dressed as a bride, he instantly fell in love with her, and she with him. They never voiced their feelings, but an unspoken vow passed between them. Kunihiko left the mountain with her photograph, a small piece of her soul. In two possible endings of Fatal Frame V, his spirit communicates with hers through Ren, and they are able to confess their feelings for one another at last.

Career (FF2-FF4)

Asou continued to study folklore and the spirit world, and kept working to create a device that would be able to capture the unseen. Early in his career,[6] he visited Rogetsu Isle to see the Rogetsu Kagura[7] and investigate the folklore of the island, which was said to be close to the underworld.[8] During his time there He modified new crystal radio technology to create Spirit Stone Radios (which he called "Other World Crystal Radio Signal Receivers"[9]) that could receive transmissions from the other world; this was his first successful experiment.[5] He also devised a Spirit Stone Flashlight that harnessed the power of moonlight to attempt to cure Moonlight Syndrome patients.[10]

However, the focus of his work remained the Camera Obscura; he created many prototype cameras, including Misaki's Camera Obscura, which remained in the keeping of the Asou Family for many years. His efforts culminated in a working prototype Camera Obscura, which he decorated with Rogetsu Isle's traditional cloudy moon carvings and left in the keeping of the islanders. In his research about Asou's life, Ren Hojo speculates that he may have married a Guardian maiden.[1] After Asou left the island, the room where he worked was preserved as a museum in Rogetsu Hall, with many of his prototype devices on display.

After completing his first satisfactory Camera Obscura, Asou travelled Japan studying folklore and searching for ways to perfect his creation. He developed a special projector using the same principles behind the camera. The projector would project special images captured on film that originally could not be seen.[11][12] He also refined the Spirit Stone Radio to make it more lightweight and portable. When his friend Seijiro Makabe told Dr. Asou that he was hoping to investigate the rumored Forbidden Ritual that occurred in Minakami Village, Asou lent him a Spirit Stone Radio and prototype Camera Obscura to capture evidence of the other world.[4][13] Makabe never returned, and the equipment was lost. Undeterred, Dr. Asou continued his research.

While conducting research into a mysterious sickness affecting psychiatric patients,[14] Dr. Asou came across a subject who clearly described experiencing contact with the "Other World" in his dreams. This test subject was Kaname Ototsuki. He paid a visit to Dr. Asou, who interviewed him over four days,[15] but one night during his stay, Kaname left suddenly without gathering up any of his luggage. Amongst the things he left behind was an earring made of Echo Stone, which was believed to communicate thought. [16] Dr. Asou used this earring to modify the crystal receiver in another radio. He continued to create prototype cameras, including the one that would later belong to Hisoka Kurosawa, and another that ended up in the hands of Ren Hojo.

The picture of Dr. Asou in the Asou Museum

In time, Dr. Asou came to hope that he could one day create a Camera Obscura with the power to seal away spirits completely. He heard legends of a Holy Mirror that protected Himuro Mansion, and wrote in his diary that he had decided to visit the area, but failed to return.[17] Later, Mikoto Munakata would find the completed Camera inside Himuro Mansion. Many sources say Asou died or disappeared mysteriously during his work, but in Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences, Ren Hojo speculates that Asou might have been reluctant to remove the Holy Mirror fragment from the site where it belonged, and left the final Camera there deliberately, before setting out in search of new goals - or perhaps willingly crossing over into that other world he had spent his life seeking.[18] Either way, after this point his fate is not documented.

Asou's death meant that the principles behind his devices would remain a mystery forever.[19] The documentation of the sounds that the Spirit Stone Radio projected were also lost over time.[9] His unorthodox research was dismissed and forgotten by the wider academic world, and the products of his research - the many Camera Obscura prototypes, the Spirit Stone Radios, and others - were sought after by enthusiasts and were soon scattered throughout all of Japan.[4][11]

Known Inventions

Tapes

Old Tape "Ototsuki"

Films

Film "Ototsuki"

Note on Spelling

In English, the name 麻生 (あそう) may be written Asou, Asо̄ or Aso, according to the translator's preference. "Aso" is the most commonly used in official translations of the Fatal Frame Series; however, "Asou" is the spelling used in native Fatal Frame IV environment textures. For the sake of consistency, Zero Wiki has chosen to use the spelling "Asou" whenever the name appears, even where it may differ from official translations.

Misc. Info

  • Dr. Asou was originally supposed to have had a side-story in the first Fatal Frame game, but it was taken out because of a concern that the game would have too many story-lines to follow.[20]
  • Dr. Asou built several Camera Obscuras, most of which were reported to have been broken by the time the Fatal Frame III story took place. [21]
  • Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir was originally titled "Dr. Asou's Spirit Camera" (麻生博士の心霊カメラ, Asou Hakase no Shinrei Camera) by Keisuke Kikuchi, since he has been mentioned in every other game in the series, but the idea was dropped because so few people knew who he was.[22] In the end, Dr. Asou was not mentioned at all in Spirit Camera, although the camera is still called the "Camera Obscura".

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kunihiko Asou's Research, Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences p41, 2023. English translation
  2. ↑ The Camera Obscura, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented. Note: The English translation states that Asou was active into the 20th century, but this is ambiguous in the Japanese.
  3. ↑ Yuu's Notes 1, Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mio's Memo: The Camera Obscura, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Rei's notebook: Kunihiko Asou, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  6. ↑ Kunihiko Asou's Research, Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences p41-43, 2023. English translation
  7. ↑ Rogetsu Kagura Chronicle, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
  8. ↑ Professor Asou's Notes (2), Fatal Frame IV
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Radio Transmissions, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  10. ↑ Image #19, Chapter 4: World, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse Digital Art Book, 2023.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 The "Spirit World", Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  12. ↑ Rei's notebook: Kunihiko Asou, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  13. ↑ Kunihiko Asou's Research, Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences p44, 2023. English translation
  14. ↑ Yuu's Notes 1, Zero Shisei no Koe Complete Official Capture Book
  15. ↑ Kunihiko Asou's Research, Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences p45, 2023. English translation
  16. ↑ The "Other World", Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  17. ↑ Tamashizume: The Camera Obscura, Zero Akai Chou Complete Official Capture Book, p188.
  18. ↑ Kunihiko Asou's Research, Rogetsu Isle Reminiscences p47-48, 2023. English translation
  19. ↑ Mio's Memo: Spirit Stone Radio, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
  20. ↑ Zero Anthology #3 - The Camera Obscura, Fatal Frame Official Site. (English translation)
  21. ↑ The Camera Obscura, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
  22. ↑ Iwata Asks: Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir

See Also

Characters
Player Characters
Mio Amakura - Mayu Amakura
Major Characters/Ghosts
Sae Kurosawa - Yae Kurosawa - The Kusabi - Seijiro Makabe - Itsuki Tachibana - Dr. Kunihiko Asou - Chitose Tachibana - Miyako Sudo - Masumi Makimura - Akane Kiryu - Twin Doll - Ryokan Kurosawa
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Ryozo Munakata - Yoshitatsu Kiryu - Azami Kiryu - Mutsuki Tachibana - Veiled Priests - Mourners - Utsuro - Woman in Box - Fallen Woman - Limbo Man - Limbo Woman - Sunken Woman - Broken Neck Woman - Minakami Villagers - Children Playing Tag - Man In Dark - Woman in Dark - Escaping Twins - Hanging Twins
Terms
Altar Twins - Camera Obscura - Crimson Sacrifice Ritual - Crimson Sacrifice - Crimson Butterfly - Cutting Ritual - Folklorist - Hidden Ceremony - Kiryu Family - Kurosawa Family - Osaka Family - Outsiders - Remaining - Spirit Stone Radio - Spirited Aways - Tachibana Family - The Darkness - The Repentance - Tsuchihara Family - Twin Shrine Maidens
Locations
All God's Village - Cell - Earth Bridge - Heaven Bridge - Hellish Abyss - Kiryu House - Kureha Shrine - Kurosawa House - Minakami Cemetery - Minakami Dam - Misono Hill - Old Tree - Osaka House - Rope Temple - Storehouse - Tachibana House - Twin Houses - Twins' Room - Underground Passageway - Whisper Bridge
Gameplay
Camera Obscura - FPS Camera Obscura - Save points - Spirit Orbs - Spirit List - Lenses - Spirit Stones - Functions - Films - Flashlight - Health items
Music
Tsukiko Amano - Chou - Sacrificial Song
More Pages
Chapters - Items - Notes - Photographs - Costumes - Endings - Mio's Memo
Characters and Ghosts
Player Characters
Rei Kurosawa - Miku Hinasaki - Kei Amakura
Major Characters/Ghosts
Reika Kuze - Amane Kuze - Kaname Ototsuki - Yoshino Takigawa - Yuu Asou - Yashuu Kuze - Akito Kashiwagi - Kyouka Kuze - Hisame Kuze - Shigure Kuze - Minamo Kuze - Mio Amakura - Mayu Amakura - Mafuyu Hinasaki
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Ruri - Dr. Kunihiko Asou - Tengai Narumi - Naoya - Masumi Makimura - Miyako Sudo - Ozawa - Serizawa - Musubi Osaka - Tsuzuri Osaka - Makie Kuzuhara - Kozue Kuzuhara - Kiriko Asanuma - Shizu Amakura - Engravers - Men in White - Kizuna Himuro - The Kusabi - Stroller Grandma - Black Shadow - Engraved Men
Terms
Amakura Family - Asou Family - Boat of Passing - Camera Obscura - Crimson Butterfly - Echo Stone Earrings - Final Impalement - Handmaidens - Handmaiden's Song - Himuro Family - Impalement Ritual - Impaling the Sin - Indigo ink - Ink of the soul - Igushi Doll - Kushimi Doll - Kuze Code - Kuze Family - Lost Patients - Miasma - Outsiders - Piercing of the Soul - Red ink - Rite of Commandment - Sacrificial Pillars - Snake & Holly Tattoo - Spirit Tree - Spirited Aways - Tattooed Curse - Tattooed Priestess - The Rift - The Tearing - The Unleashing - Worshippers
Locations
Rei's House
Altar Room - Bathroom - Darkroom - Doorway - Kitchen - Living Room - Miku's Room - Rei's Room - Yuu's Room
Manor of Sleep
Abyss - Abyss of the Horizon - Bell Hallway - Blind Room - Book Storeroom - Chamber of Thorns - Doll Altars - Enclosed Room - Engraving Shrine - Futon Room - Grave Courtyard - Hall with Tatami - Hanging Prison - Hearth Room - House of Sleep - Kimono Room - Kuze Shrine - Last Passage - Library - Partitioned Room - Projection Room - Rift Shrine - Room with Blind - Shrine of Sleep - Spirit Tree Garden - Stained Corridor - Stairs Hallway - Tattoo Altar - Well Room - Wooden Figure Room
Himuro Mansion area
Confinement Room - Foyer - Great Hall - Preserve Room - Rope Hallway - Rope Palace
Minakami Village area
Confinement Room - Great Hall - Hearth Room - Kimono Room - Rope Temple - Twins' Room
Other
Kukaiji Temple - Minakami Dam - Myojin Village - Katsuragi Hospital
Gameplay
Camera Obscura - Save points - Films - Flashlight - Lenses - Functions - Special Abilities - Spirit list - Health items
Music
Tsukiko Amano - Koe - Handmaiden's Song
More Pages
Hours - Items - Notes - Photographs - Costumes - Endings - Rei's Notebook - Zero Shisei no Koe Comic Anthology
Characters
Player Characters
Ruka Minazuki - Misaki Asou - Madoka Tsukimori - Choshiro Kirishima
Major Characters/Ghosts
Sakuya Haibara - Miya - Ayako - Sayaka Minazuki - Yo Haibara - Shigeto Haibara - Soya Yomotsuki - Dr. Kunihiko Asou
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Hospital Staff
Fuyuko Shiratsuki - Isolation Ward Nurse - Shie Sonosaki - Shoji Katagiri - Tsubaki Tono
Hospital Patients
Asagi Hizuki - Iori Aiba - Himiko Kiriya - Kageri Sendo - Katsuhito Kariya - Kazuto Amaki - Kyoko Kitazume - Natsuki Shiono - Sanae Houzuki - Tadayuki Kaido - Takashi Aiba - Tomoko Hinuma - Yoriko Sonohara - Yuko Magaki - Yuzo Takemura
Islanders
Byakuya - Masanobu Fuchiki - Michihiko Ikushima - Miyoshi Tsukigase - Sakuya's Mother - Sato Mizunoe - Soan Yomotsuki - Soetsu Yomotsuki - Sogen Yomotsuki - Takahisa Kozuki
Others
"Me" - Kaoru Sendo - Marie Shinomiya - Tomoe Nanamura
Terms
Asou Family - Blossoming - Camera Obscura - Day of Tranquility - Face-Cutting - Flashlight - Guardians - Haibara Family - Hallowed Realm - Hozuki Dolls - Kidnapped Girls - Lunar Eclipse - Mask of the Vessel - Moonlight Syndrome - Moonsounds - Organs - Rite of Descent - Rogetsu Kagura - Shrine Guards - Spirit Stone Radio - Spirited Aways - Spirit Stone Flashlight - Tsukiyomi - Vessel - Yomotsuki Family
Locations
Amanoura Police Department - Cape Tsukiyomi Lighthouse - Haibara Clinic - Haibara Infirmary (List of Rooms) - Kusanagi University - Moonglow Cavern - Rogetsu Hall (List of Rooms) - Rogetsu Isle - Primeval Passage (List of Rooms) - Temple of the Lunar Eclipse - Temple of Tsukiyomi - Tsukiyomi Beach - Yomotsuki Residence
Gameplay
Camera Obscura - Misaki's Camera Obscura - Spirit Stone Flashlight - Save points - Blue Crystal - Red Crystal - Doll List Sidequest - Spirit List - Lenses - Spirit Stone Radio Recordings - Functions - Films - Flashlight - Health items
Music
Moonsong - NOISE - Tsuki Amano - Zero no Chouritsu
More Pages
Items - Notes - Photographs - Costumes - Choshiro's Handbook
Characters
Player Characters
Mio Amakura - Mayu Amakura
Major Characters/Ghosts
Sae Kurosawa - Yae Kurosawa - The Kusabi - Seijiro Makabe - Itsuki Tachibana - Dr. Kunihiko Asou - Chitose Tachibana - Miyako Sudo - Masumi Makimura - Akane Kiryu - Twin Doll - Ryokan Kurosawa
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Ryozo Munakata - Kureha - Yoshitatsu Kiryu - Azami Kiryu - Mutsuki Tachibana - Veiled Priests - Mourners - Woman in Box - Fallen Woman - Limbo Man - Limbo Woman - Sunken Woman - Broken Neck Woman - Minakami Villagers - Children Playing Tag - Man In Dark - Woman in Dark - Escaping Twins - Hanging Twins
Terms
Altar Twins - Camera Obscura - Crimson Sacrifice Ritual - Crimson Sacrifice - Crimson Butterfly - Cutting Ritual - Folklorist - Hidden Ceremony - Kiryu Family - Kurosawa Family - Osaka Family - Outsiders - Remaining - Shadow Festival - Spirit Stone Radio - Spirited Aways - Tachibana Family - The Darkness - The Repentance - Tsuchihara Family - Twin Shrine Maidens - Sacrificial Song
Locations
Abyss - Cell - Decayed Tree - Deep Path - Earth Bridge - Heaven Bridge - Kiryu House - Kureha Shrine - Kurosawa House - Minakami Cemetery - Minakami Village - Misono Hill - Mizukami Dam - Osaka House - Rope Temple - Storehouse - Tachibana House - Twin Houses - Twins' Room - Whisper Bridge
Gameplay
Camera Obscura - Dark Return - Haunted House Mode - Health items - Films - Flashlight - Functions - Lenses - Night Shop - Save points - Spirit List - Spirit Stones
Music
Tsukiko Amano - Kurenai - Sacrificial Song
More Pages
Chapters - Items - Notes - Photographs - Costumes - Endings - Mio's Memo
Characters
Player Characters
Yuri Kozukata - Miu Hinasaki - Ren Hojo - Ayane
Major Characters/Ghosts
Dr. Kunihiko Asou - Hisoka Kurosawa - Fuyuhi Himino - Haruka Momose - Kazuya Sakaki - Keiji Watarai - Kyozo Kururugi‎ - Miku Hinasaki - Ose Kurosawa - Rui Kagamiya - Shiragiku - Tsumugi Katashina
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Akari Narumi - Akira Oinuma - Chiaki - Emi Mikomori - Flamekeepers - Funeral Celebrant - Guardian - Hiori Magabuchi - Hiromichi Kashima - Honoka Mikomori - Inori Mikomori - Kirika Reizen - Koji Kakimoto - Koto Okudera - Kyoko Narumi - Mafuyu Hinasaki - Masaki Tsujiura - Mizue Fukatsu - Nao Migiwa - Natsuho - Pale Mistress - Sachi Iyama - Shadow-touched - Shino Kururugi - Shion - Shiranui - Shizuku Mikomori - Shizuma Amaki - Shrine of Dolls Priest - Tadahito Koizumi - Tall Woman - Tomoki Harakawa - Tsuyuno - Twisted Guardian - Wedding Celebrant - Yukiho Tomine - Yurine Uno
Terms
Asou Family - Black water - Boat of Passage - Bridegroom - Children of the Shrine - Dark Sun - Forbidden Flame - Effigy - Ghost Marriage - Hinasaki Family - Immortal Flower - Kurosawa Family - Maiden of Black Water - Mikomori-san - Netherworld - Returning to Water - Pillars - Postmortem Photography - Pure Water - Reliquary - Shadowborn - Shadow Reading - Tokens
Locations
Mount Hikami
Hall of Fire - Hikami Tunnel - House of Joining - Forbidden Valley - Lake of the Departed - Mikomori Hot Springs - Mikomori Pond - Mount Hikami Cable Car - Pool of Purification - Rear Shrine of Dolls - Shadowspring - Shrine of Dolls - Shrine of the Ephemeral - Shrine on the Water - Twilit Peak - Unfathomable Forest - Watarai Residence - Womb Cavern
Elsewhere
Hojo House - Kurosawa's Antiques - Mikomori Region - Mount Kagiroi
Gameplay
Ghost Hands - Glancing - Purifying Embers - Spirit Fragments - Spirit List - Tainted - Traces - Wetness
Music
Higanbana - Song of Memories - Torikago -In This Cage-
More Pages
Chapters - Costumes - Endings - Game Notes - Items - Memo - Zero Media Mix
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