TV-Series
Description
Kiritaka Muse is the young head of the Muse Company, a powerful trading firm that effectively controls the water city of Priestella. He also serves as a member of the city's ruling council, known as the Council of Ten, and is recognized as a figure of significant influence and dignity. Physically, Kiritaka is described as a tall, thin man with a refined appearance. He has pale gold hair that is carefully smoothed back, and he typically wears well-tailored clothes with only a limited number of adornments, which contributes to his stylish and majestic image. He is estimated to be a young man, likely somewhere between twenty-five and thirty years old.
As a merchant, Kiritaka is exceptionally skilled, educated, and maintains a calm, responsible demeanor. His introverted and concise nature reveals a sharp intellect, making him a formidable negotiator. This is demonstrated when Otto Suwen, the internal affairs minister for the Emilia Camp, finds Kiritaka’s negotiating style to be nearly unmatchable. He is a busy man, constantly occupied with his duties, and he is shown to be a capable and excellent leader. His leadership skills are particularly evident during the Witch Cult's attack on Priestella, where he is the only surviving member of the Council of Ten. In this crisis, he takes quick, decisive action, organizing the evacuation of citizens to shelters, converting his company's headquarters into a medical station and resistance base, and having the foresight to move everyone to a new location to counter a potential surprise attack.
Kiritaka’s most distinctive and unusual personality trait is his obsessive admiration for the wandering songstress, Liliana Masquerade. He claims his heart has been stolen by her, and he tends to lose control of his usually composed nature whenever she is involved. For instance, he once attacked Subaru Natsuki simply for being seen conversing with Liliana. While his behavior gives the impression of a particular preference for very young-looking girls, the author of Re:ZERO has clarified that Kiritaka is only pretending to be such and that his genuine affection is singularly focused on Liliana herself.
Kiritaka's primary motivation in the story is tied to his position and his personal feelings. As a major political and economic figure in Priestella, he is motivated to protect the city and his business interests. He demonstrates honorable qualities, such as being willing to sacrifice himself to allow the merchant Anastasia Hoshin to escape when the Witch Cult attacked his company. However, his personal motivations are often driven by his infatuation with Liliana. During negotiations with the Emilia Camp for a rare, high-purity magic ore, he agrees to the deal but imposes three conditions. The third and most personal condition is that Emilia must avoid all contact with Liliana Masquerade while she is in the city.
Kiritaka’s role in the larger story unfolds primarily during the events in Priestella. He is first introduced when Emilia and her camp directly approach him to negotiate for the rare magical ore they need. This negotiation reveals his shrewd business acumen and his personal feelings for Liliana. When the Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult attack the city, his role shifts from a calculating merchant to a leader in the resistance. He provides crucial resources for the defense, and at a critical moment, he gives all of his high-concentration magic ore to Beatrice, Subaru’s spirit companion, to restore her mana and earnestly asks for her help in saving the city. His commitment to the fight is further shown when he risks his own life to help Otto escape from Lye Batenkaitos, the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, suffering a back injury in the process.
Regarding his key relationships, his most defining connection is with Liliana Masquerade, whom he obsessively adores. In a professional context, he interacts with the Emilia Camp, specifically Otto Suwen, who acts as the lead negotiator in their dealings. He also has a business relationship with Anastasia Hoshin, another royal selection candidate and a powerful merchant. For personal protection, Kiritaka employs a veteran mercenary group called the White Dragon's Scales. He hired this group after a suggestion from Liliana, and in return for their protection, the Muse Company provides funds to help decontaminate the mercenaries' poisoned homeland. This group, however, proves to be outmatched by the Witch Cult, and several of its members have their names and memories eaten by the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, leaving them in a suspended state.
Over the course of the crisis in Priestella, Kiritaka undergoes a notable development. He transitions from a mostly neutral businessman trying not to show favoritism to any single royal candidate, to a proactive leader and active participant in the fight against a world-threatening evil. He abandons his merchant’s caution, risking his life and giving away his prized possessions to aid the city's defenders. Following the battle, he is shown to be actively engaged in the restoration work, demonstrating the sense of responsibility befitting his rank as a city leader. Kiritaka does not possess any magical or combat abilities of his own. Instead, his notable abilities are his sharp business acumen, his strategic leadership in a crisis, and his resource in commanding the White Dragon's Scales mercenary group for his protection.
As a merchant, Kiritaka is exceptionally skilled, educated, and maintains a calm, responsible demeanor. His introverted and concise nature reveals a sharp intellect, making him a formidable negotiator. This is demonstrated when Otto Suwen, the internal affairs minister for the Emilia Camp, finds Kiritaka’s negotiating style to be nearly unmatchable. He is a busy man, constantly occupied with his duties, and he is shown to be a capable and excellent leader. His leadership skills are particularly evident during the Witch Cult's attack on Priestella, where he is the only surviving member of the Council of Ten. In this crisis, he takes quick, decisive action, organizing the evacuation of citizens to shelters, converting his company's headquarters into a medical station and resistance base, and having the foresight to move everyone to a new location to counter a potential surprise attack.
Kiritaka’s most distinctive and unusual personality trait is his obsessive admiration for the wandering songstress, Liliana Masquerade. He claims his heart has been stolen by her, and he tends to lose control of his usually composed nature whenever she is involved. For instance, he once attacked Subaru Natsuki simply for being seen conversing with Liliana. While his behavior gives the impression of a particular preference for very young-looking girls, the author of Re:ZERO has clarified that Kiritaka is only pretending to be such and that his genuine affection is singularly focused on Liliana herself.
Kiritaka's primary motivation in the story is tied to his position and his personal feelings. As a major political and economic figure in Priestella, he is motivated to protect the city and his business interests. He demonstrates honorable qualities, such as being willing to sacrifice himself to allow the merchant Anastasia Hoshin to escape when the Witch Cult attacked his company. However, his personal motivations are often driven by his infatuation with Liliana. During negotiations with the Emilia Camp for a rare, high-purity magic ore, he agrees to the deal but imposes three conditions. The third and most personal condition is that Emilia must avoid all contact with Liliana Masquerade while she is in the city.
Kiritaka’s role in the larger story unfolds primarily during the events in Priestella. He is first introduced when Emilia and her camp directly approach him to negotiate for the rare magical ore they need. This negotiation reveals his shrewd business acumen and his personal feelings for Liliana. When the Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult attack the city, his role shifts from a calculating merchant to a leader in the resistance. He provides crucial resources for the defense, and at a critical moment, he gives all of his high-concentration magic ore to Beatrice, Subaru’s spirit companion, to restore her mana and earnestly asks for her help in saving the city. His commitment to the fight is further shown when he risks his own life to help Otto escape from Lye Batenkaitos, the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, suffering a back injury in the process.
Regarding his key relationships, his most defining connection is with Liliana Masquerade, whom he obsessively adores. In a professional context, he interacts with the Emilia Camp, specifically Otto Suwen, who acts as the lead negotiator in their dealings. He also has a business relationship with Anastasia Hoshin, another royal selection candidate and a powerful merchant. For personal protection, Kiritaka employs a veteran mercenary group called the White Dragon's Scales. He hired this group after a suggestion from Liliana, and in return for their protection, the Muse Company provides funds to help decontaminate the mercenaries' poisoned homeland. This group, however, proves to be outmatched by the Witch Cult, and several of its members have their names and memories eaten by the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, leaving them in a suspended state.
Over the course of the crisis in Priestella, Kiritaka undergoes a notable development. He transitions from a mostly neutral businessman trying not to show favoritism to any single royal candidate, to a proactive leader and active participant in the fight against a world-threatening evil. He abandons his merchant’s caution, risking his life and giving away his prized possessions to aid the city's defenders. Following the battle, he is shown to be actively engaged in the restoration work, demonstrating the sense of responsibility befitting his rank as a city leader. Kiritaka does not possess any magical or combat abilities of his own. Instead, his notable abilities are his sharp business acumen, his strategic leadership in a crisis, and his resource in commanding the White Dragon's Scales mercenary group for his protection.