Yuuki Cross/Yuuki Kuran
Yuuki Cross (黒主 優姫 Kurosu Yūki) is the adopted daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, a 16 year old first year student, born on March 29th who wields the Artemis staff, an anti-vampire weapon formerly used by her mother. She begins as a human, a Guardian protecting the human students from the vampire students. Yuuki is close friends with Zero Kiryu, who she becomes determined to help once she discovers he had been turned into a vampire, following which their friendship rapidly evolves. She has been in love with Kaname Kuran, a pureblood vampire, since he saved her as a young child, but her affection is later divided to include Zero as well. She is generally a kind, caring, cheerful, and comedic character, but often portrayed as not being very smart, being a poor student due to the fact that she is a guardian at night and student in the daytime, giving her little time to study and sleep. She is often kept ignorant by other characters who know more about goings-on, which results in her character feeling guilty for being unaware of the suffering of other characters. Hino Matsuri has described Yuuk as a healing and soothing character, who exemplifies her justice side.[2]
Towards the climax of arc one, Yuuki is revealed to be a pureblood vampire, and the Kuran princess. Juri Kuran, her mother, had sacrificed herself ten years earlier to perform a spell that would transform Yuuki into a human and erase her daughter's memories. Kaname re-awakened Yuuki's vampire side when the original threat of Rido returns to harm Yuuki. This revelation alienates Zero, but the two fight together to defeat Rido. The formerly close friends part ways after Zero tells Yuuki he intends to kill all purebloods including her, while finally revealing his feelings for her. Yuuki’s response is left unknown for several chapters until she admits she has an attachment to him as well as to Kaname. Yuuki had left with Kaname after advising Zero that she intended to run from him forever so that he continues to have a reason to live. Yuuki's character makes little progress during the one year time skip, spending the entire time inside the Kuran mansion, dealing with vampire hunger. Following the supposed suicide of a vampire at the peace ball, Yuuki is provoked into taking action. Bourne from a desire to be useful, she offers to help kill any pureblood intending suicide, to prevent the sacrifice of others, being completely unaware that the original death was actually murder. Yuuki's mission reunites her with Zero and he ends up taking an injured Yuuki to a Vampire hunter safehouse, where she almost bites him. Upon her return home, Yuuki is finally told the truth of Kaname’s true nature and who he really is.
Voiced by: Yui Horie (Japanese), Mela Lee (English)
Zero Kiryu
Zero Kiryu (錐生 零 Kiryū Zero) is unique being both a Vampire Hunter and a vampire. Yuuki's close friend and the only other Cross Academy Guardian, he was trained to be a Vampire Hunter by Toga Yagari. Zero carries the anti-vampire gun named "Bloody Rose”. Zero lives with Kaien Cross and Yuuki, after being bitten by a pureblood vampire who also murders his family. Due to the attack, Zero developed a deep hatred and distrust of vampires, despite originally being a gentle character by nature. Matsuri Hino described Zero as exemplifying her justice side.[2]
Zero is a 17 year old male. The first arc of the story is spent dealing with Zero trying to overcome his fall into the madness, helped by Yuuki when she pledges to feed him her blood. Yuuki continually oversteps boundaries in helping Zero and he ends up preventing her from trading her humanity to Shizuka Hiou in exchange for preventing his fall to Level E vampire. Zero swears never to allow Yuuki to become a vampire and attempts to help her with her own issues. Zero clashes with Kaname Kuran, who only allows Zero to live because Zero protects Yuuki and Zero is eventually forced to drink the blood of Kaname to delay becoming a level E vampire. Following the discovery of Yuuki's true nature as a pureblood vampire, Zero and Yuuki sever their friendship. Perceived as dangerous, Zero is arrested by the Hunters Association and it is revealed that Kaname had been grooming Zero in order for him to defeat Rido Kuran. Zero is shot by his dying twin brother, forcing him to "eat" Ichiru to complete the Twin Hunter fragment. With this final act and carrying the blood of three purebloods [3], Zero becomes one of the most powerful characters appearing in the series. Zero and Yuuki work together and defeat Rido, but Zero reveals his intention to end everything, to kill all pureblood vampires including Yuuki. Zero hesitates to kill her revealing he has been in love with her since he met her. The two part, as Yuuki promises to run from Zero forever to give him a reason to live.
Following the one year timeskip, Zero has progressed from his dangerous state of mind, more concerned with maintaining peace between vampires and hunters[4], enough to find himself poised as the future president of the Hunters Association. Zero continues to hunt vampires and seeks the truth about the Hunter's death at the party, but he is still dealing with issues regarding his loss of his humanity and intense vampire hunger. However, falling to level E is no longer a concern and his body no longer rejects blood tablets. When he meets up with an injured Yuuki, Zero finds himself assisting her and even almost allowing her to bite him.
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)
Kaname Kuran
Kaname Kuran (玖蘭 枢 Kuran Kaname) is introduced as the pureblood vampire who loves Yuki and saved her from an attack by another vampire when she was five years old. Kaname is actually one of the most powerful characters in the series, revealed to be one of the original vampires and founder of the Kuran family, who was raised as Juri and Haruka Kuran's son after being re-awakened by Rido Kuran. During the first arc, Kaname spends his time working to protect Yuki, which includes killing Shizuka Hio and fostering Zero Kiryu's powers. The end of the arc culminates in his destruction of the Vampire Council, which attacked the school, fearing the return of the Kuran family as the rulers of Vampire Society. Kaname's inexplicable attachment and gentleness to Yuki is finally explained when Kaname awakens her true nature as a pureblood vampire and as his supposed sister. Kaname is forced to do so with the return of his enemy and Yuki's uncle, Rido. As Kaname is unable to kill his master, he approaches Zero to kill Rido and free him from Rido. The attachment to Rido persists beyond the vampire's death and his remnant is later seen talking to Kaname, taunting him about his conflicting nature.
Following the timeskip, Kaname takes Yuuki to their childhood home and solidifies his rule over the vampires and forges and new peace between the purebloods and the hunters. When Yuki reveals her attachment to Zero expecting rejection, Kaname instead impresses upon her his love for her preferring to be killed rather than losing her. Kaname is haunted by the idea that he will one day lose Yuki by her sacrificing herself and he flip flops between the desire to lock her up or allow her freedom. It is later revealed that Kaname had a companion thousands of years ago, when purebloods were first discovered. However, many purebloods began to create numerous amounts of slaves, or 'Level D' vampires; therefore the human race was on the verge of extinction. To save the human race, Kaname's companion–her name was never revealed–used her own heart to forge anti-vampire weaponry and told the humans to drink her blood, creating the first hunters. Kaname arrived too late and to his grief, found her dead. He gives the new hunters the eternal burden of destroying foolish vampires that endanger their own race's secret in return for killing his companion. Kaname, despite being utterly and completely shattered, continued the fight, as his companion had wished. Once he was the last one left, he fell into a slumber with the intention of never awakening.
Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese), Ethan Murray (English)
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