TV-Series
Description
Hakuno Kishinami is the protagonist of the anime series Fate/EXTRA Last Encore. This version of Hakuno is a distinct character from the protagonist of the Fate/EXTRA video games, though they share a foundational connection. His identity is an anomaly within the Moon Cell, the supercomputer that simulates the virtual world of SE.RA.PH. He is not a standard human spirit but rather a conglomerate of grudges, a collective entity formed from the accumulated regrets and resentment of countless defeated Masters who perished over a thousand years of repeated, unsuccessful Holy Grail Wars. He is often referred to as a Dead Face and the 129th Master, an unexpected error in the system who awakens at the very bottom of the simulated reality, in a place known as the abyss or limbo.
His most defining personality trait is an intense, all-consuming hatred for everything related to the Moon and the false world it has created. This hatred is not a simple emotion but the very core of his being, as he is essentially the walking embodiment of the grudges of those who were discarded by the system. In direct contrast to the more blank-slate protagonist of the game, this Hakuno is driven primarily by a desire for revenge against the unreasonable and cruel system that has caused so much suffering. He acts on a powerful survival instinct and a refusal to simply die, which propels him forward. Despite being fueled by negativity, his personality is not purely destructive. He retains a fundamentally kind nature and a sense of justice, as shown when he refuses to forgive the betrayal of his friend Shinji but eventually stops hating him, accepting his reasons. He also demonstrates a quiet care for his allies, such as his Servant, Saber, and the people he meets on his journey.
Hakuno's primary motivation is to ascend the seven layers of the SE.RA.PH, a structure known as the Hades of Heavens, and reach the core, the Angelica Cage. Initially, his goal is simply to survive and exact revenge on the system that has tormented the souls he is made of. As he progresses, his motivation evolves. By witnessing the memories of the defeated Masters embedded within him and interacting with the current inhabitants of each floor, he begins to seek not just revenge but a way to grant a form of salvation or release to the countless failures trapped within the Moon Cell. His journey is a quest for understanding his own fragmented identity and, ultimately, to put an end to the false paradise and infinite suffering that the stalled Holy Grail War has created.
Within the story, Hakuno serves as the central protagonist and Master. He navigates the now-corrupted Holy Grail War, where the rules have changed and each floor is ruled by a Floor Master. His role is that of an outlier and a disruptor, a glitch in the system that challenges the stagnant order established by the absentee victor, the Bodhisattva. He is initially an amnesiac, remembering only his daily school life but lacking specific personal memories of a past. His outsider status allows him to see the corruption of the world clearly, and his unique nature as a Dead Face makes him a key to dismantling the false peace created on each floor. He is the one who, by defeating the Floor Masters, returns each level to its original, ruined state, revealing the truth of the world.
His most significant relationship is with his Servant, Saber, who is Nero Claudius. She is the first to believe in him and his cause, responding not to a formal summoning but to the call of his soul. Their bond is the driving force of the narrative. While other relationships are strained or antagonistic, he forms a key alliance with Rin Tohsaka, who acts as a guide and support for him on the first floor. His friendship with Shinji Matou and Misao Amari in the false school setting is a cruel fabrication, as Shinji ultimately betrays and kills him, a trauma that fuels his initial awakening. Throughout his journey, he encounters Rani VIII and others who, while enemies, help him piece together the nature of his own existence. His lineage as a Dead Face means he carries the memories and echoes of all previous losers, including the original game protagonist, Kishinami Hakuno, establishing a deep, intrinsic link to that character.
He undergoes significant development over the course of the series. He begins as a nearly mindless vessel of pure rage and hatred, lashing out at a world he only wants to see destroyed. Through his battles and his partnership with Saber, he begins to regain a sense of self and individuality, separate from the mass of grudges he is composed of. His hatred is gradually tempered by understanding and empathy, and he learns to control his powerful Dead Face ability. Near the climax, after reaching the core, he regains the memories of the original Hakuno, the human from thirty years prior whose soul data was used as a template. With this understanding, his desire for pure revenge transforms into a final, selfless wish to reset the corrupted world and give humanity a second chance, even if it means his own existence as an error will be deleted.
Hakuno possesses several notable abilities stemming from his abnormal nature. His primary and most distinctive ability is Dead Face. When his hatred and anger reach their peak, his eyes glow red and his body is covered in a purple aura. In this state, his physical and magical abilities are drastically enhanced, allowing him to break barriers that even Servants cannot shatter and survive normally fatal wounds. This ability is a symptom of his existence as a living curse. As the "total of the dead," he also has access to the fragmented memories and battle experiences of the hundreds of Masters who perished before him. This effectively grants him a vast library of pre-programmed spells known as Code Casts. By focusing, he can utilize expert-level magic, such as creating poison resistance, manifesting throwing knives, and physically strengthening his body, without formal training. While he can command a Servant, his own baseline capabilities as a spellcaster are poor, but his unique nature as the 129th Master compensates for this weakness.
His most defining personality trait is an intense, all-consuming hatred for everything related to the Moon and the false world it has created. This hatred is not a simple emotion but the very core of his being, as he is essentially the walking embodiment of the grudges of those who were discarded by the system. In direct contrast to the more blank-slate protagonist of the game, this Hakuno is driven primarily by a desire for revenge against the unreasonable and cruel system that has caused so much suffering. He acts on a powerful survival instinct and a refusal to simply die, which propels him forward. Despite being fueled by negativity, his personality is not purely destructive. He retains a fundamentally kind nature and a sense of justice, as shown when he refuses to forgive the betrayal of his friend Shinji but eventually stops hating him, accepting his reasons. He also demonstrates a quiet care for his allies, such as his Servant, Saber, and the people he meets on his journey.
Hakuno's primary motivation is to ascend the seven layers of the SE.RA.PH, a structure known as the Hades of Heavens, and reach the core, the Angelica Cage. Initially, his goal is simply to survive and exact revenge on the system that has tormented the souls he is made of. As he progresses, his motivation evolves. By witnessing the memories of the defeated Masters embedded within him and interacting with the current inhabitants of each floor, he begins to seek not just revenge but a way to grant a form of salvation or release to the countless failures trapped within the Moon Cell. His journey is a quest for understanding his own fragmented identity and, ultimately, to put an end to the false paradise and infinite suffering that the stalled Holy Grail War has created.
Within the story, Hakuno serves as the central protagonist and Master. He navigates the now-corrupted Holy Grail War, where the rules have changed and each floor is ruled by a Floor Master. His role is that of an outlier and a disruptor, a glitch in the system that challenges the stagnant order established by the absentee victor, the Bodhisattva. He is initially an amnesiac, remembering only his daily school life but lacking specific personal memories of a past. His outsider status allows him to see the corruption of the world clearly, and his unique nature as a Dead Face makes him a key to dismantling the false peace created on each floor. He is the one who, by defeating the Floor Masters, returns each level to its original, ruined state, revealing the truth of the world.
His most significant relationship is with his Servant, Saber, who is Nero Claudius. She is the first to believe in him and his cause, responding not to a formal summoning but to the call of his soul. Their bond is the driving force of the narrative. While other relationships are strained or antagonistic, he forms a key alliance with Rin Tohsaka, who acts as a guide and support for him on the first floor. His friendship with Shinji Matou and Misao Amari in the false school setting is a cruel fabrication, as Shinji ultimately betrays and kills him, a trauma that fuels his initial awakening. Throughout his journey, he encounters Rani VIII and others who, while enemies, help him piece together the nature of his own existence. His lineage as a Dead Face means he carries the memories and echoes of all previous losers, including the original game protagonist, Kishinami Hakuno, establishing a deep, intrinsic link to that character.
He undergoes significant development over the course of the series. He begins as a nearly mindless vessel of pure rage and hatred, lashing out at a world he only wants to see destroyed. Through his battles and his partnership with Saber, he begins to regain a sense of self and individuality, separate from the mass of grudges he is composed of. His hatred is gradually tempered by understanding and empathy, and he learns to control his powerful Dead Face ability. Near the climax, after reaching the core, he regains the memories of the original Hakuno, the human from thirty years prior whose soul data was used as a template. With this understanding, his desire for pure revenge transforms into a final, selfless wish to reset the corrupted world and give humanity a second chance, even if it means his own existence as an error will be deleted.
Hakuno possesses several notable abilities stemming from his abnormal nature. His primary and most distinctive ability is Dead Face. When his hatred and anger reach their peak, his eyes glow red and his body is covered in a purple aura. In this state, his physical and magical abilities are drastically enhanced, allowing him to break barriers that even Servants cannot shatter and survive normally fatal wounds. This ability is a symptom of his existence as a living curse. As the "total of the dead," he also has access to the fragmented memories and battle experiences of the hundreds of Masters who perished before him. This effectively grants him a vast library of pre-programmed spells known as Code Casts. By focusing, he can utilize expert-level magic, such as creating poison resistance, manifesting throwing knives, and physically strengthening his body, without formal training. While he can command a Servant, his own baseline capabilities as a spellcaster are poor, but his unique nature as the 129th Master compensates for this weakness.