Warning: Major spoilers ahead. Due to the nature of the plot, avoiding spoilers will be difficult upon reading. Playing the game is highly recommended before going any further.
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Main Characters
In General
- Axe-Crazy: Due to ZENO, every character has a opportunity to go completely unhinged.
- Connected All Along: Even down to the fact that Haru caught ZENO due to watching Aki eat Natsu.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Everyone has a degree to this. From death, twisted family history, and abusive situations.
- Theme Naming: Their names are the seasons in Japanese.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Everyone as a child has troubling behavior to say the least. Fuyu was Wise Beyond Their Years, unable to connect with other children his age. Aki had shut himself in his house since four, obsessively reading books. For Haru, his abusive environment made him a Creepy Child who became fascinated with killing for love and Natsu's ideas in regards to how to go about rejection is unconventional at best.
Maeno Aki
Maeno Aki
The deuteragonist of ZENO. Maeno Aki is a 24 year old medical genius attempting to recall his memories with Tsugino Haru before the events of the story.
- Afraid of Blood: He gets nauceous at the sight of blood.
- All-Loving Hero: Even willing to forgive and sacrifice himself for people who have tried to kill him.
- Beware of the Nice Ones: He's a kind respectful person who was well-known for his altruism. Although, if his ZENO is triggered, he becomes a Mad Bomber
- Big Brother Instinct: With Natsu.
- Broken Ace: Despite being one of the most recognized researchers in the facility and a top student in university, Aki is riddled with the trauma of losing his parents, his best friend and sister.
- Childhood Friends: with Fuyu.
- Child Prodigy: As a child, was able to read and fully comprehend medical books with complicated terms and difficult topics.
- Chronic Hero Syndrome: Displays this constantly, even trying to save people who have attempted to kidnap or murder him
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Many endings put him in towards a cruel demise.
- Curtains Match the Window: Red eyes matching his red hair.
- Cute Little Fangs: Usually has one fang shown when his mouth is open.
- Butt-Monkey: Is a target by the ALL the other characters.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: His parents clearly loved and cared for him. Unfortunately his time with them didn't last long.
- Despair Event Horizon: In many bad endings, he loses hope and sought to kill himself.
- Death Wail: Does this when he kills Natsu.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: In one of the endings.
- Don't Call Me "Sir": Gets rather upset when Haru keeps using honorifics.
- Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Happens often with him.
- Friendless Background: The sequel reveals that if it weren't for Fuyu, he would've stayed holed up at home reading books all day.
- Good All Along: Turns out the identification documents were swapped. He isn't a serial killer.
- Guilt Complex: Blamed himself for the death of his best friends sister.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Offers himself to Haru when he is unable to cure his ZENO.
- Identity Amnesia: Wakes up not remembering who he is.
- Lonely Rich Kid: Lived alone in a grand house since he was four.
- Regained Memories Sequence: Upon entering his room, he begins to recall who he really is.
- Memory Palace: The memory control device he makes allows him to enter people's memories.
- My Greatest Failure: It's clear that killing Natsu had haunted him for many years.
- Older Than They Look: Especially with his height and fashion sense compared to other characters.
- Please Kill Me if It Satisfies You: Has the choice to accept Haru's request and have him kill him.
- Precious Photo: Has a good amount of pictures of him with Fuyu and Natsu.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Especially applicable when you play as Fuyu.
- Repressed Memories: Repressed his memories of how his parents died.
- Sibling Murder: Despite his desperation not to, he had no choice but to succumb to his illness and eat his sister. Subverted as she isn't actually his blood-related sister.
- Sole Surviving Scientist: Other than Fuyu, is one of the only survivors since the shutdown of the ZENO facility.
- Sorry That I'm Dying: In one of the endings, he apologizes to Haru as he is dying in his arms.
- Survivor's Guilt: Suffers from this when Natsu or Haru dies instead of him.
- Turn Out Like His Father: Even as a child, Aki was super interested in the medical books his father would read, and he ends up working in the medical field like his father as well.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Him murdering of Natsu and eating her alive was seen by a child Haru. He saw Natsu's selfless act to be killed by Aki as "love" and what lead him to murdering those he "loved" in hopes of obtaining that feeling.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Is usually like this with Fuyu.
- We Used to Be Friends: Fuyu and Aki were childhood friends who clearly trusted and cared one another deeply. Until the murder of Natsu, they could no longer see eye to eye.
Tsugino Haru
Tsugino Haru
The deuteragonist of ZENO. Tsugino Haru is a 18 year old serial killer attempting to recall his memories with Maeno Aki before the events of the story.
- Abusive Parents: They ignore his existence and regularly call him worthless.
- Ambiguously Gay: Kills people he wants love from. Other than his family, the only other people he kills are men. He especially wishes to kill Aki, whom he believes is the one and only person who can give him the love he wants.
- A Mistake Is Born: His parents literally try to pretend he doesn't exist.
- Anti-Villain : Despite being a serial killer, it's clear he's been severally abused by his family and had never been loved or cared for. After some help from professionals, it's very clear he is a gentle optimistic person. In the true ending, he begins to work at an orphanage. He cares for them immensely.
- Apologizes a Lot: During his time with Aki, he's quick to apologize when he gets upset.
- Bastard Angst: Implied. None of his family have black hair and there isn't a clear reason as to why they neglect him.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Why he begins to grow fond of Aki.
- Black Sheep : His family actively tries to pretend he isn't there. He also has a much twisted morality because of this.
- Creepy Child: As a kid, he can be a bit unnerving.
- Desperately Craves Affection: After being neglected and abused by his parents, he constantly seeks out affection in others (and ends up killing them.) This "affection" then gets directed at Aki.
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Subverted as Fuyu is human. But throughout the entire game, Fuyu is seen as a unstoppable force who's strength exceeded a normal human. Haru is able to single-handingly render him unconscious and drag his body all the way into a separate room.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: In one of the endings.
- Heal the Cutie: When his memories are erased, he's a rather well-mannered person.
- I Just Want to Be Loved: His motivation for killing others. As a child, he witnessed what he thought was love. That being: willing to die for your beloved. As a desperation, he began killing others to achieve this.
- Kill the Ones You Love: Except he isn't doing it as a mercy kill.
- Love Makes You Evil: Is willing to kill for the sake of feeding his twisted vision of "love."
- Self-Made Orphan: Killed his parents when they bring up his killing habit.
- Serial Killer: Carries an desperate urge to kill.
- The Killer in Me: Doesn't remember he is a murderer until later in the story.
- The Un-Favorite: Despite all his attempts to be a proper and good kid, his parents don't spare a glance and give all the attention to his older sister.
- Through His Stomach: In one of the short stories, he cooks Aki his favorite food, instant ramen, just to see him happy.
- What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: Originally did not know what love was, due to his parents' abuse. Misconstrues love as something much more violent after watching Aki eat Natsu.
- "What Now?" Ending: He begins to feel like this in one of the endings. When he kills off Aki to feel loved, It didn't give him what he wanted.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Aki gets rather upset when he locks the handcuffs on the two.
Ushirono Fuyu
Ushirono Fuyu
A mysterious attacker who chases the pair attempting to kill them.
- All for Nothing: Experiences this when his Father terminated the ZENO research facility. After seven years, all of his work towards finding a cure was for naught.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Despite him generally being rude and blunt, it is canon that one of the patients was infatuated with him.
- Accuser of the Brethren: No matter how many times Aki apologizes and shows his atonement, only a few endings in the entire game does Fuyu not try to kill him for revenge.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: When Haru invites Fuyu out for lunch in the Omake, When brought up the topic of Aki, it's clear he's Fuyu's favorite subject to talk about.
- Big Brother Instinct: Around Natsu, he's protective and is a lot more gentle with her in comparison to most people.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Needs two people to conduct the memory wipe program. Keeps Aki alive for this.
- Chick Magnet: A patient of his has many written notes on how infatuated they were with him.
- Childhood Friends: With Aki.
- Cleavage Window: His raincoat is open in a way that exposes his chest.
- Creepy Family: The Ushironos almost all have a twisted morality in someway.
- Deep Sleep: He can be seen unconscious more than once. Waking him up isn't an option.
- Comfort Food: Has instant ramen on his computer desktop background. Also immensely fond of spicy food.
- Dying Alone: Some endings end up like this for him. If Aki and Haru escape without him, he dies alone after being left to die by his Father.
- Et Tu, Brute?: His best friend killed his sister and he's unable to look past the fact that Aki had no choice. Instead he is convinced Aki betrayed him.
- Evil Former Friend: It's revealed that Aki and Fuyu used to be best friends, history going as far as childhood. Their fallout caused Fuyu's rampage.
- Hates Their Parent: Rather clear he has a strained relationship with his Father. So much so, he replies to his Fathers tweets with "go die" over and over.
- Insufferable Genius: One of the leading researchers in the ZENO Facility, he was able to create a computer program to manipulate people's memories. Too bad he's an asshole.
- It's Personal: His reasons for his rampage is immensely personal between Aki and him.
- Important Haircut: Only in the true endings does he cut his hair and braid it.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite his behavior, he has a good reason for it.
- Knight Templar Big Brother: Is trying to avenge Natsu's death by killing Aki.
- Memory Wipe Exploitation: Does this to swap Aki and Haru's identities.
- Only I Can Kill Him: Gets extremely upset if someone else kills Aki, as he wanted to finish the job.
- Revenge Before Reason: Is willing to go through immense hurdles to enact his revenge. Even at the cost of risking his life and going against Natsu's wishes.
- Royally Screwed Up: Revealed in the sequel: His family is made up of old aristocrats who's arranged marriages are only within family. Making Fuyu and Natsu the result of inbreeding.
- Parental Substitute: Implied with Aki and Natsu. He actively goes out of his way to give Aki food and clean clothes.
- Plot Armor: He had bleed excessively, body dragged harshly, had been stabbed numerous times with no treatment. And still managed to be alive and conscious after a nap. Subverted as if you decide to stay in Maeno's room for too long He ends up dying due to Aki not helping him in time.
- Please, Don't Leave Me: Screams this out to Aki in one of the endings.
- Sleepy Head: Good chunks of the game, he is understandably unconscious. Although if you visit him in the sequel, he's asleep all day.
- Tested on Humans: He experimented on people in order to find a cure.
- The Antagonist: For the majority of the game, he is chasing after the protagonists to kill them.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Is usually like this with Aki.
- Villainous Lineage: The Ushironos, down to his grandfather have a generally twisted morality, Fuyu having implied to have killed many people in his rampage during the game.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Fuyu with Aki. He only kept him around because he had the intellect to possibly find a cure. When a cure was no longer possible, he sought to kill him.
- Your Tradition Is Not Mine: Actively hates his dad as well as his ideals and plans.
- We Used to Be Friends: Fuyu and Aki were childhood friends who clearly trusted and cared one another deeply. Upon the murder of Natsu, they could no longer see eye to eye.
- Wrong for the Right Reasons: It's easy to agree that Fuyu's actions make sense. But it's clear he is selfish with his desire for revenge.
Ushirono Natsu
Ushirono Natsu
A mysterious girl who keeps appearing in Aki's memories.
- Act of True Love: Sacrifices herself to cure Aki.
- Big Brother Worship: Calls Aki "big brother." It's clear she looks up to him. A good chunk of her happy memories are about her time spent with Aki.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Gets extremely uncomfortable about the idea that one day Aki will marry someone else.
- Creepy Family: The Ushironos almost all have a twisted morality in someway.
- Girls Love Stuffed Animals: Is given two, a pink bear from Fuyu and a pair of bunnies from Aki.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: with Aki
- Eaten Alive: Literally.
- Hopeless Suitor: She never had a chance for Aki to return her feelings to him, given their ages.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Says this to Fuyu to convince him not to kill Aki.
- Not Good with Rejection: Contracts ZENO because of this.
- Overly Specific Afterlife: She now lives within Aki's subconscious.
- Plot-Triggering Death: Her death is what begun the entire plot.
- Precocious Crush: Very clear she has a innocent crush on Aki, who is way older than her.
- Royally Screwed Up: Revealed in the sequel: Her family is made up of old aristocrats who's arranged marriages are only within family. Making Fuyu and Natsu the result of inbreeding
- Tag Along Kid: The only child amongst three adults.
- The Baby of the Bunch: The youngest character in the cast
- The Heart: Her death is what breaks the bond between Fuyu and Aki
