Kizuna Kagami

An AI depiction of Kizuna Kagami

*"Me? I'm just a lost time traveler. You're the one causing all the trouble."*

― **Kizuna Kagami**

Kizuna Kagami is a time-traveler from the Outside World, now a resident of an alternate timeline Gensokyo, where the evolution into the Windows-era never occurred due to her arrival. Gifted with the ability to manipulate perspective, she navigates her new reality, engaging in danmaku battles with a unique blend of courage, wit, and resilience. Known for her rebellious style - a leather jacket and shades - and her sharp humor, Kizuna's presence has significant impacts on the course of events in Gensokyo. Stranded in this alternate universe, she decides to "take the long way back," becoming a permanent fixture in this new timeline. Despite the challenges, Kizuna faces her predicament with a smile, making her an infectious and memorable character in the world of Touhou.

## Appearance

Kizuna Kagami is a young woman of average height with a lean, athletic build. Her striking, short purple hair falls around her ears in a stylish bob, and a small, star-shaped hairpin adorns one side of her head along with a black ribbon hair-tie, adding a touch of whimsy and cuteness to her overall look. Her piercing green eyes, often hidden behind a pair of sleek red tinted sunglasses, hold a spark of defiant intelligence, a constant reminder of her unconventional origins.

Kizuna is typically seen donning a worn leather jacket, the black material aged and softened from countless travels through time. The jacket is usually left open, revealing a white button up long sleeves shirt. The shirt, while representing a masculine nature and feel, is contrasted sharply by a bold red tie loosely knotted around her collar, symbolizing her rebellious nature and the fusion of styles she represents.

Her lower half is adorned with a dark plaid dark purple and red highlighted skirt that reaches mid-thigh, allowing for easy movement. The skirt is casual yet stylish, fitting Kizuna's pragmatic approach to fashion. She wears a pair of white knee-high socks, paired with black loafers that have seen their fair share of adventures, yet remain sturdy and reliable.

One of Kizuna's distinguishing features is a silver pocket watch that she carries with her at all times. This watch, a memento from her time-traveling journey, is always safely tucked away in her jacket pocket. To round off her attire, a rose emblem can often be seen pinned onto her leather jacket, a mark of personal significance and a nod to her enigmatic past.

## Personality

Kizuna Kagami is a fascinating blend of contrasts and contradictions. She's stubborn and determined, possessing an unwavering spirit that never backs down, especially when facing challenges. Yet, she also displays an irrepressible optimism that's infectious and disarmingly charming. Regardless of the circumstances she finds herself in, Kizuna carries herself with a resilience that borders on the defiant. She's a beacon of unyielding hope, always believing in the possibility of a better tomorrow.

With her sharp wit, Kizuna often uses humor as a coping mechanism, even in the face of danger. She loves a good laugh, and her quips and retorts often bring a light-hearted tone to even the most intense situations. This playful sense of humor helps balance out her more serious traits and shows a more approachable side to her personality.

Kizuna is also a bit of a rebel, both in her fashion choices and in her general approach to life. She values her independence and is not one to blindly follow norms or rules, preferring instead to carve her own path. This rebellious streak is reflected in her choice of a leather jacket and shades, which she dons as a nod to her affinity for the iconic "The Terminator".

Despite her rebellious and somewhat cocky exterior, Kizuna carries a profound sense of responsibility. She's driven by a need to set things right and is willing to go to great lengths to do so. This sense of duty is largely tied to her predicament as a time-traveler, as she feels responsible for the consequences of the time rift she inadvertently caused.

Interestingly, Kizuna's personality is deeply influenced by her unique ability to manipulate perspective. This power not only gives her a tactical edge but also shapes her worldview. She understands that things aren't always as they seem, and she has learned to approach situations from various angles. This gives her a unique insight and allows her to think outside the box, a quality that's invaluable in her adventurous journey.

Despite her unusual circumstances and abilities, at her core, Kizuna is a genuine and relatable individual. She's the embodiment of courage and resilience, a time-traveling adventurer facing the unknown with an unyielding spirit and a wink of good humor.

## Powers and Skills

Kizuna Kagami possesses the unique ability to manipulate perspective, a power that proves advantageous in the realm of Gensokyo, where danmaku battles are the norm. This power essentially allows her to alter the perception of distance, size, and speed, manipulating her spatial relationship with the world around her. This creates the illusion of slow-motion bullets, or of her hitbox being smaller than it appears, both of which grant her a significant edge in dodging and navigating dense bullet patterns.

One of the most striking applications of this ability is Kizuna's capacity to seemingly bend trajectories, making bullets curve or change direction in a way that disrupts the established flow of battle. This often takes opponents by surprise, further enhancing her tactical advantage.

In addition to her unique power, Kizuna is also skilled in basic combat, able to hold her own against a variety of adversaries. Her journey through different timelines and encounters with numerous foes have sharpened her combat skills, making her a formidable opponent.

Furthermore, as a time-traveler, Kizuna possesses a degree of knowledge about future events. Although she can't provide concrete evidence of her claims, this foresight allows her to prepare for certain occurrences or manipulate situations to her advantage. It's an element of unpredictability that keeps her adversaries on their toes.

Despite her powers, Kizuna isn't invincible. Her perspective manipulation doesn't offer perfect protection, and overuse can lead to momentary vulnerability. Moreover, the insights gleaned from her time-traveling ability are often vague, leaving her to interpret their meanings. These limitations add a layer of complexity and challenge to her abilities, ensuring she isn't overly powered.

Overall, Kizuna's unique combination of perspective manipulation and temporal knowledge makes her a uniquely equipped individual in Gensokyo, where the supernatural is everyday, and every day is a new challenge.

## Backstory

Kizuna Kagami is a time traveler from the future of the Outside World, who unexpectedly finds herself in an alternate universe Gensokyo due to a time rift. In her original timeline, she was an adventurous individual with a penchant for the esoteric, which led her to investigate the urban legends surrounding Gensokyo. One day, she stumbled upon a pocket watch, a seemingly ordinary object that transported her into the timeline of Gensokyo, giving her the power to manipulate perspective.

The sixth game of this alternate universe, "Touhou Jikanjinbutsu: Chronicles of Perspective Mirage" (AUTH: 6), follows Kizuna's journey in this new Gensokyo. In this universe, the time rift caused by her arrival has significant ramifications, causing a divergence from the original progression of Gensokyo, delaying the Scarlet Mist Incident that would have transpired in the original "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil" game.

In this new timeline, Kizuna becomes embroiled in the peculiar events of Gensokyo. She interacts with a cast of characters, some familiar from the PC-98 era and others original to this timeline, as she navigates her way through danmaku-filled battles and enigmatic mysteries. Her unique ability to manipulate perspective proves invaluable in these situations, but it's her resilience and wit that truly shine throughout her journey.

As Kizuna seeks to understand the time rift and find a way back to her own timeline, she inadvertently alters the course of events in Gensokyo. The butterfly effect caused by her arrival in this alternate universe and the consequent delay of the Scarlet Mist Incident means that the evolution of Gensokyo into the Windows-era doesn't occur as it does in the original timeline. Consequently, Gensokyo and its residents continue along the trajectory established in the PC-98 era, setting the stage for new adventures and conflicts.

However, rather than feeling daunted by her predicament, Kizuna embraces her role in this new timeline. She meets each challenge head-on and strives to protect Gensokyo and its inhabitants. Her journey in AUTH: 6 culminates with the discovery that she's unable to return to her original timeline, leaving her stranded in Gensokyo's present. Undeterred, she takes this in stride, deciding to take "the long way back" and remaining a prominent figure in the future of this alternate Gensokyo.

In this way, Kizuna's backstory and the plot of AUTH: 6 provide a fresh and intriguing twist on the familiar world of Touhou Project, offering a unique exploration of the implications of time travel and the interplay between fate and free will in the vibrant and mystical land of Gensokyo.

## Relationships

**Reimu Hakurei**: Ally - Kizuna regularly interacts with Reimu and they often work together to investigate incidents in Gensokyo.

**Marisa Kirisame**: Friend - Marisa's curiosity about Kizuna's time-traveling abilities leads to a unique friendship.

**Yumeko**: Adversary - As one of the major opponents in the game, Kizuna maintains a wary relationship with Yumeko.

**Kana Anaberal**: Occasional Ally - Although their interests don't always align, Kizuna and Kana will cooperate when necessary.

**Rikako Asakura**: Intellectual Rival - Kizuna and Rikako often engage in intellectual debates, with their differing perspectives causing some friction.

**Chiyuri Kitashirakawa**: Acquaintance - As an assistant of Yumemi, Chiyuri often crosses paths with Kizuna during her investigations.

**Yumemi Okazaki**: Adversary and Unwilling Ally - Despite being opponents, Yumemi's expertise in dimensional theory and Kizuna's predicament sometimes force them to work together.

## Trivia

* Creator NottCawthon has often mentioned that Kizuna was envisioned as a character who would represent the spirit of the PC-98 era. She was also designed to serve as a bridge between the past and future, as reflected in her time-traveling ability. The author also revealed that the idea of a time-traveler character was a nod to the various eras that the Touhou series has passed through, from PC-98 to Windows.
* Kizuna is a big fan of classic sci-fi movies, especially "The Terminator" franchise. This fondness is evident in her preference for wearing a leather jacket and shades, emulating the iconic look of the titular character.
* Despite being a time-traveler, Kizuna dislikes paradoxes. She finds them unnecessarily complicated and frustrating to deal with.
* NottCawthon has hinted that Kizuna's ability to foresee future events may play a significant role in upcoming games from AUTH.
* Modern Kizuna's theme has a distinctive melody that incorporates elements of classic PC-98 chiptune music, designed to evoke nostalgia while also capturing her unique blend of courage and defiance.
* The recurring motif of mirrors in Kizuna's design, such as her mirrored shades and her reflective weapon, represent her ability to see things from different perspectives and her connection to different timelines.
* NottCawthon once mentioned that Kizuna's design and character concept was initially inspired by the idea of a "badass time-traveling rebel." She later evolved into a multi-dimensional character with her unique power of manipulating perspective and her endearing blend of humor and grit.
* Kizuna's name contains subtle symbolism. 'Kizuna' means 'bonds' in Japanese, referencing the bonds she forms with the people of Gensokyo. 'Kagami' translates to 'mirror,' symbolizing her power of perspective manipulation, which distorts reality like a warped mirror.
* Kizuna is quite fond of music from her original timeline, especially synthwave and rock. If she had her way, these genres would be much more popular in Gensokyo.
* According to NottCawthon, Kizuna's theme, "Mirage of the Chrono-Wanderer," was inspired by both the retro PC-98 music style and futuristic tunes, to signify her status as a time-traveler.
* According to NottCawthon, Kizuna's original theme in AUTH: 6 was his first attempt at creating Touhou styled music. "It was something completely out of my comfort zone, in a good way."

## Quotes

### This is the transcript for AUTH: 6, Dialogue within the game.

Stage 1:

Yumeko: "Hm, a new face. What brings you here?"

Kizuna: "I come from the future, got caught in some time rift. Now, I'm stuck."

Yumeko: "An outsider from the future? A ridiculous tale indeed."

Kizuna: "I get it, hard to believe. But hey, you're a maid wielding a bunch of swords, and I'm not questioning that!"

Stage 2:

Kana: "Ah! More people to haunt!"

Kizuna: "Oh no, not today. I'm just passing by."

Kana: "Passing by? Don't you want to hear my spooky tales?"

Kizuna: "Sure, tell me one...in about, say, 50 years?"

Stage 3:

Rikako: "I sense unusual energy from you. Are you related to this time rift?"

Kizuna: "More like a victim of it. I need to get back to my own time."

Rikako: "Fascinating! But I can't allow that. I need to study this phenomenon."

Kizuna: "I'm all for science, but not when I'm the test subject!"

Stage 4:

Chiyuri: "Halt! I can't let you close the time rift."

Kizuna: "And why's that? I thought you wanted to fix time."

Chiyuri: "I do, but not before we gather sufficient data."

Kizuna: "Data gathering? Lady, I'm not here for a science fair!"

Stage 5:

Yumemi: "So, you've come, time-traveler."

Kizuna: "Indeed. Now, how about we close that rift and call it a day?"

Yumemi: "But the scientific discoveries! Can't we discuss this over tea?"

Kizuna: "No time for tea! Let's settle this now!"

Final Stage:

(When playing as Kizuna, a mirror image appears as a manifestation of the rift)

Mirror Kizuna: "Who do you think you are?"

Kizuna: "Me? I'm just a lost time traveler. You're the one causing all the trouble."

Mirror Kizuna: "Well, this should be fun. Let's see how you handle your own perspective!"

Kizuna: "Talk about self-reflection... Let's do this!"

Extra Stage:

Yuuka: "Impressive, time-traveler. You've closed the rift."

Kizuna: "Yep, that's me - rift closer, future person, tea party decliner."

Yuuka: "Still, I wonder how strong you really are."

Kizuna: "Ah, not the ‘I want to test your strength’ trope...Well, I'm ready when you are!"