Kirei Kotomine

Kirei Kotomine
Fate character
Kirei as depicted in Fate/Stay Night
First appearance
Fate/Stay Night (2004)
Created byKinoko Nasu
Designed byTakashi Takeuchi
Voiced byEN: Crispin Freeman
JA: Jouji Nakata

Kirei Kotomine (Japanese: 言峰 綺礼, Hepburn: Kotomine Kirei) is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Fate, a dark fantasy series created by the Japanese developer and publisher Type-Moon. He was introduced in the first Fate game as the appointed overseer of the 5th Holy Grail War and later appears as a participant in the 4th Holy Grail War in the prequel Fate/Zero. He forms a contract with Assassin and works together with his mentor, Tokiomi Tohsaka, during the 4th Holy Grail War. Later, he would betray and kill Tokiomi and form his own contract with his servant, Gilgamesh. Prior to the 5th Holy Grail War, he confiscates the contract of Lancer when he deals a fatal wound to Bazett Fraga McRemitz. He is an expert practitioner in Bajiquan, and has numerous Command Seals.

He was conceived by Kinoko Nasu as the overarching antagonist of the Fate franchise. His character was well received by video game publications, several of which had praised his relationship with Kiritsugu Emiya and his role as an antagonistic force.

Creation and conception

In an interview with Alain Mendez and Mitsuru Uehira of Anime News Network, Japanese writer Gen Urobuchi had stated that Kirei's height in the original Fate/Stay Night visual novel was revised for Fate/Zero.[1] Urobuchi regarded Kirei as the "last boss" of Fate/Stay Night.[1] While Nasu had said that his strength came from his tenacity and numerous Command Seals.[2] Urobuchi expressed that he got a headache from trying to come up with ideas for Kirei in the final climactic battle between him and Kiritsugu. He also explained that he had difficulties when writing about Kirei's Bajiquan.[3] In Japanese, Kirei was voiced by the Japanese voice actor Jouji Nakata,[4] while in the series' English dub, Kirei was voiced by Crispin Freeman.[5] In an interview, Nakata noted that the scene in Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower where Kirei ate mapo tofu at a Chinese restaurant "had an impact on fans of the original work" who "loved" the character.[6]

Appearances

Fate series

In Fate/Stay Night, which takes place in 2004,[7] Kirei is depicted as the selected overseer of the Holy Grail War;[8] which is a battle between two groups of mages known as Masters and Servants. He serves Tokiomi Tohsaka, who is the father of Rin Tohsaka.[9]

He also appears in Fate/Extra[10] and Fate/Grand Order,[11] among others.

Reception

Critical response

Kirei eating mapo tofu has received widespread acclaim.

In the Type-Moon 10th Anniversary Character Poll that was taken in 2012, Kirei had ranked at number eight.[12] While in a Manga Tokyo poll from 2018, he was voted as the seventh most popular Fate character behind Illyasviel von Einzbern and Gilgamesh.[13]

Reception of Kirei and Kiritsugu Emiya's relationship, however, was mixed.[14][15] With Carlo Santos of Anime News Network saying that it came across as "flat" compared to the other character's relationships.[14] Theron Martin of the same website noted that Kirei's gradual development over the course of Fate/Zero had gone "a long way" towards explaining his behavior in Fate/Stay Night, which he felt made the relationship between Rin and Sakura Tohsaka clearer.[16] Japanator's Elliot Gay had noted his role as a "foil" to Kiritsugu's plans.[9] Aiden Foote of THEM Anime Reviews found their relationship to be one of the highlights of the series.[15] While Richard Eisenbeis at Kotaku had said the series should've had a backstory for Kirei.[17] In a July 2015 poll, his rivalry with Kiritsugu was voted as the 11th best in the anime series.[18]

Analysis

In his analysis of the magical system and details of the personalities of the characters, Makoto Kuroda sees in the idea of Shirou to become a “champion of justice” a direct analogy with the traditional view of the life of bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, seeking to save other people at the cost of their own efforts and suffering.[19] In Kuroda's view, Buddhist concepts are opposed to the elements of Christian ethics contained in the plot through the opposition of Shirou and Kirei Kotomine in the form of the main character's rejection of the interpretation of Angra Mainyu as a creature who accepted the sins of others in the name of salvation.[20]

In "From waifus to whales: The evolution of discourse in a mobile game-based competitive community of practice", Kotomine is as dark figure who deliberately becomes a more comical character when eating a tofu in such a hot temperatures that causes the character accidentally remove his clothes while taking the meal. This is also supported by the performance of his voice actor Jouji Nakata.[21]

In "Desire and the Flexible Grail: The Japanese Fate Franchise and Evolving Notions of Arthurian Power" Kotomine is seen an archetype of Christian priest from fiction who initially shows himself as a kind man by devoting himself to the priest and often attempting to bond with the heroine Rin Tohaksa. However, the revelation of the Holy Grail War conflict between mages expands on the character who is a servant in the conflict and reavels a darker side.[22] In "El rey de los héroes: Gilgamesh en los anime y mangas del universo Fate", scholars from Universidade de Lisboa noted that Kotomine is corrupted by Gilgamesh across Fate/Zero as a result of teaching his morals and become allies in future installments even if Gilgamesh's characterization changes in related Fate works.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 "Interview: Fate/Zero Screenwriter Gen Urobuchi". Anime News Network. October 21, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  2. ↑ Type-Moon (2017). Fate/complete material II Character material. Enterbrain/Kadokawa Corporation. pp. 66–69. ISBN 9781772940138.
  3. ↑ Type-Moon (2008). Fate/Zero material. Japan: Winfanworks.
  4. ↑ "Fate/Stay night TV Anime's 7th Ad Highlights Kirei Kotomine". Anime News Network. September 27, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Fate/Zero English Dub Preview". Crunchyroll News. April 16, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  6. ↑ "「劇場版Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel]」リレーインタビュー（4）中田譲治＆関智一 "僕いちばん"と思っているのがギルガメッシュ". アニメハック (in Japanese). Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Official Type-Moon product information page". Type-Moon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 28, 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
  8. ↑ Type-Moon (2004). Fate/Stay Night (Windows) (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten/Aniplex.
  9. 1 2 Gay, Elliot (October 2, 2011). "First Impressions: Fate/Zero". Japanator. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ Jewett, Kate Mitchell (July 27, 2020). "Type Moon's Studio BB Announces Remake Fate/Extra Record". GameLuster. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  11. ↑ Liu, Stephanie (January 1, 2023). "Fate/Grand Order New Year 2023 Servant is Rasputin". Siliconera. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Results Announced for Type-Moon's 10th Anniversary Character Poll". Crunchyroll News. July 8, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Choose the Best Fate/stay night Character and Route!". Manga Tokyo. November 24, 2017. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Fate/Zero Blu-Ray – Box Set 1 [Limited Edition]". Anime News Network. December 20, 2013. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Fate/Zero". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Fate/Zero". Anime News Network. July 6, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Fate/Zero Sets a High Bar for All Other Fighting Anime". Kotaku. September 26, 2014. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Japanese Fans Rank Anime's Most Memorable Rivalries". Otaku USA. July 2, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  19. ↑ Kuroda, Makoto (2013). "Identity of Summoned Heroes : Aspects of Psyche and Phases of Persona in Fate/stay night Existence, Phenomenon and Personality". p. 47.
  20. ↑ Kuroda, Makoto (2013). "Identity of Summoned Heroes : Aspects of Psyche and Phases of Persona in Fate/stay night // Existence, Phenomenon and Personality". p. 50.
  21. ↑ Britt, B. C.; Britt, R. K. (2021). "From waifus to whales: The evolution of discourse in a mobile game-based competitive community of practice". Mobile Media & Communication. 9 (1): 3–29. doi:10.1177/2050157920934509.
  22. ↑ Risden, E. L. (2022). "Desire and the Flexible Grail: The Japanese Fate Franchise and Evolving Notions of Arthurian Power". The Arthurian World. Routledge. pp. 519–530.
  23. ↑ Pichel, A. I. F.; Domínguez, V. S. (2025). "El rey de los héroes: Gilgamesh en los anime y mangas del universo Fate". Revista Historia Autónoma. 26: 100–126. doi:10.15366/rha2025.26.005.
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