Kitaike

Template:FF Minor CharacterKitaike is a character in Zero Novel. He is a game designer at Tecmo, and is the producer for the game Zero, which Mafuyu Hinasaki has been invited to novelise.

Zero Novel

Kitaike is described as a slim, well-dressed man in his mid-thirties, with a cool demeanour. He and Mafuyu meet at the Tecmo offices. While everyone else seems baffled by Mafuyu's inexplicable resemblance to a character in the game, Kitaike's only reaction is a twisted smile and a nonchalant remark that such things happen.

Kitaike is not present when Shibaguchi, Ioka and Mafuyu travel to the real house that inspired Shibaguchi to create Himuro Mansion. While they explore, reality begins to blur into the game world, and the ruined house transforms into the fictional mansion. At one point, Mafuyu notices a photograph on the wall that looks like Kitaike, but dismisses it.

When Mafuyu and Miku are reunited at the Hell Gate, Kitaike is waiting for them there, along with Tsukihara, another Tecmo employee. He explains that only he, Mafuyu, Miku and Tsukihara are real. Everything else is a virtual projection combined with false memories implanted by hypnotism. The entire virtual construct exists to protect a real Hell Gate, the last in Japan. Kitaike tells Mafuyu that he is a descendant of the family that has been guarding the gate for generations. He created the game as a way to draw in young women with psychic power to be unwitting sacrifices, and is particularly proud of his achievement given that he is the son of a branch family.

However, one of the virtual characters, Kirie, began to display a will of her own, and as a result of her interference, even the sacrifices couldn't close the Hell Gate completely. Therefore Kitaike plotted to bring Mafuyu into the story as well as Miku, to pacify Kirie. He tells Mafuyu that the sacrifice will not be painful - he merely has to remain inside the game with Kirie forever. With the image of her lover by her side, Kirie's will should be completely suppressed.

But as he is speaking, two of Kirie's ropes ensnare Kitaike and Tsukihara, strangling them. Kitaike is outraged that a fictional character should defy her own creator. Kirie tells them they will feel her pain, before throwing them both into the Hell Gate. Afterwards, stricken with remorse at all the sacrifices she has been used to enable, Kirie walks inside the Hell Gate as well, closing it behind her.

At the end of the book, Mafuyu meets Keisuke Himuro, a son of the main family. Keisuke speaks of Kitaike's failure with disdain, but assures Mafuyu that he intends to complete the ritual nevertheless.

Misc. Info

• Kitaike's physical appearance is very similar to that of Keisuke Kikuchi, and he has the same role at Tecmo.