Akane and Azami Kiryu

Akane and Azami Kiryu
Japanese name	桐生 茜 桐生 薊
Romaji name	Kiryū Akane Kiryū Azami
Other names	Fleeing twins, sitting twins, twin girl's doll, twin girl's ghost.
Age	11
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Pale
Occupation	Twin Shrine Maidens
Cause of death	Crimson Sacrifice Ritual (Azami) Possession by spirit (Akane)
Encountered in	Kiryu House
Family	Kiryu family Yoshitatsu Kiryu (father)
Appearances	Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
Voice actor (Jp)	Unknown
Voice actor (Eng)	Unknown

“	Why do you kill?	”
—Akane Kiryu

Akane Kiryu (桐生 茜, Kiryū Akane) and Azami Kiryu (桐生 薊, Kiryū Azami) are hostile female spirits in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly. They were twin sisters residing in All God's Village and previous victims of the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual. As Twin Shrine Maidens, their duty was to perform the ritual and ensure the village's survival. Although they succeeded in this, their love for one another ran deep and Akane, the surviving twin, suffered from serious trauma. Both of their spirits remained following the Repentance, trapped within the lost village.

Background

Although Azami left the womb first, and therefore was born first, by village custom she was the younger sister. As the elder sister, Akane was given the task of sacrificing Azami once the time of the ritual came. During this time the village was in a desperate condition, and so their ritual was held while the two were still quite young. Nonetheless, both sisters were resolute in performing the sacrifice. During the ceremony, Akane had difficulty with the task at hand and a Veiled Priest attempted to help her. Azami refused this, and insisted that her sister should be the only one who takes her life. Upon completion of the ritual, the Hellish Abyss was appeased and Akane became a Remaining.

The sacrifice did not pass without taking its toll on Akane's psyche. Feeling tremendous guilt over the loss of her sister, Akane began to fall into depression. Hoping to ease the burden of the psychological trauma, her father, Yoshitatsu Kiryu, a dollmaker, built for her a special doll in the image of Azami. Akane became so attached to the doll, whispering to it as if it were indeed her sister, that a spirit possessed it and began to control her. Yoshitatsu was able to see the darkness taking hold of the doll and his daughter, and, in a dream, he was asked by Azami's spirit to hang the doll and throw it into the Hellish Abyss to destroy it and free her sister. However, the doll told Akane of his plan and so Akane dismantled the doll and hid the pieces. Yoshitatsu was not able to save his daughter and he was soon strangled by Akane, now fully controlled by the evil spirit. The spirit then consumed Akane's soul and the Kiryu family was ended.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

“	Kill me...	”
—Azami Kiryu to Mio Amakura

During Mio Amakura's search through the Kiryu house, she encounters the hostile ghosts of Akane and the possessed doll. Azami's spirit reaches out to Mio as well, directing her to the hidden doll parts and instructing her to "Kill me". By this, she means for Mio to destroy the evil doll and finally set Akane's soul free. With the doll's head, left arm, right arm and eyes, Mio was able to open the Earth bridge tunnel beneath the house and continue on her way to releasing the village from darkness.

Appearance

Akane, Azami, and the doll of Azami, all look identical to one another by their height they appear to be between the ages of 7 and 11. They wear gray furisode-style kimonos with a small fan design in the lower end and a light-gray obi, and wear white tabi socks. They have long hair that they let fall and cover their eyes, reminiscent of traditional, female Japanese ghosts.

Related items

Stones:

Pale Purple Crystal

Blue Crystal

Files:

Violet Diary 1

Violet Diary 2

Violet Diary 3

Photographs:

Girl goes into Wall

Facing Twins (unconfirmed)

Battle

Mio's first encounter of Akane and the doll

Akane's and the doll's ghosts will always attack together. Therefore, it is key not to get caught between the two of them (unfortunately, this is the exact situation in which they are first encountered). More importantly, only the ghost of Akane can receive damage while both ghosts are able to deal damage. Shots taken of the doll will push it back, but it is otherwise unharmed. A definite pattern can be observed wherein one ghost attacks, prompting a shot from the camera, while the other ghost flanks Mio from behind. Thus, it is important to be aware of both ghosts, rather than focusing on just one at a time, and shots of both ghosts at once are ideal.

There are multiple ways to distinguish between the two ghosts:

• One method entails listening closely as a ghost approaches. Akane will sound like any other ghost, her footsteps creaking on old wood. The doll however sounds like clattering blocks of wood impacting upon each other, emulating the sound of a wooden puppet quite well.
• The other method entails waiting until a ghost begins to attack. Once close enough either ghost will raise her arms. If the ghost is the doll, its head will quickly drop and the camera will no longer be effective. If it is Akane, she will raise her head and show her face. This method not only distinguishes which ghost is vulnerable, but also allows for Akane's Fatal Frame chance.
• Another way to tell the difference between the two is by looking carefully at their face when they reach for (or attack) Mio. The real one, which is Akane, the player can see a bit more of her face while the possessed doll does not show much of her face at all.
• This method is possibly the safest and entails listening for the ghosts' voices. Upon appearing Azami's ghost will whisper "Why do you kill?" in a girlish voice. The doll's ghost utters the same words, albeit in a noticeably deeper and more grim voice. (In the Japanese version, her voice sounds hollow and "detached").
• The doll does not have a mouth; but Akane does.
• In Deep Crimson Butterfly, only Akane will have a shadow aura.

Info

Below is displayed the ghost's info according to the game's official guidebook.

Chapter 6

First encounter

Azami Doll

• Location: Kiryu House / Hall of Contrasts
• HP: None
• Strength: D

Akane's Ghost

• Location: Kiryu House / Hall of Contrasts
• HP: 140
• Strength: D

Second encounter

Azami Doll

• Location: Kiryu House / Doll Room
• HP: None
• Strength: C

Akane's Ghost

• Location: Kiryu House / Doll Room
• HP: 240
• Strength: C

Chapter 7

Azami Doll

• Location: Kiryu House / random
• HP: None
• Strength: B

Akane's Ghost

• Location: Kiryu House / random
• HP: 240
• Strength: B

Chapter 8

First encounter

Azami Doll

• Location: Kiryu House / Screen Room (2F)
• HP: None
• Strength: B

Akane's Ghost

• Location: Kiryu House / Screen Room (2F)
• HP: 240
• Strength: B

Random encounters

Azami Doll

• Location: Kiryu House / random
• HP: None
• Strength: C

Akane's Ghost

• Location: Kiryu House / random
• HP: 300
• Strength: C

Etymology

Both types of plants are known for being food plants to several species of butterfly larvae.

• The twins' names Akane and Azami each have a meaning:
  • The name Akane means "madder, deep red, dye from the rubia plant" (茜).
    • Madder are herbs with roots commonly used to make red dyes, which references the crimson motif of the game.
  • The name Azami means "thistle" (薊).
    • The specific type of thistle Azami is named after are known to have colored, feathery plumes.

• The twins' surname Kiryu means "paulownia" (桐) (ki) and "life, living" (生) (ryu).

Trivia

• Akane and Azami Kiryu are the two twins seen in the game's attract mode and trailers uttering the words "Everyone's... gone."
• During Mayu's vision in the Osaka House, two hanging twins come into view. These twins look similar to the Kiryu twins and wear kimonos with the same fan design, however, this vision and their true identity is never explained in-game.
• The background and battle against Akane and the doll is similar to Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's Kageri Sendou and Watashi, the former being obsessed with her sister, even after death, so much that the latter remained with her when she became a ghost.

Gallery

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

Akane and Azami Kiryu in a promotional image

Twin Shrine Maidens, possibly the Kiryu twins, during a Crimson Sacrifice

The hanging twins, wearing the fan kimono, shown in Mayu's vision