Kirei Kotomine

Lore & Background

Kirei Kotomine was conceived by Kinoko Nasu as the overarching antagonist of the Fate franchise. In an interview with Alain Mendez and Mitsuru Uehira of Anime News Network, Japanese writer Gen Urobuchi stated that Kirei's height in the original Fate/Stay Night visual novel was revised for Fate/Zero. Urobuchi regarded Kirei as the "last boss" of Fate/Stay Night. While Nasu had said that his strength came from his tenacity and numerous Command Seals.

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. In Japanese, Kirei was voiced by the Japanese voice actor Jouji Nakata, while in the series' English dub, Kirei was voiced by Crispin Freeman. 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.

Reader's Guide

Kirei Kotomine is a man defined by his lack of inner peace, serving as a dark mirror to the heroic ideals of others. His role shifts from a seemingly helpful mentor to a manipulative orchestrator who pulls strings across multiple timelines. His primary power lies not in magic, but in psychological manipulation and his unique ability to command the Servant Assassin without a traditional contract. He possesses a rare skill that allows him to perceive the inner thoughts of others, making him an unparalleled strategist who exploits the weaknesses of his enemies with surgical precision. Defining moments include his revelation as the true master behind the war's chaos and his confrontation with Shirou Emiya. In some paths, he achieves his goal of feeling 'evil,' while in others, he meets a tragic end that forces him to confront the emptiness he sought to fill.

Did You Know?

• In the Type-Moon 10th Anniversary Character Poll taken in 2012, Kirei ranked at number eight.
• In a Manga Tokyo poll from 2018, he was voted the seventh most popular Fate character behind Illyasviel von Einzbern and Gilgamesh.
• In a July 2015 poll, his rivalry with Kiritsugu was voted as the 11th best in the anime series.