Name:
Zero Kiryu
Name:
Zero Kiryu
Race: Ex-human vampire
Age: 16 or 17 (I believe)
Hair: Silver
Eyes: Violet
Height: All I know is that he's taller than everyone else...
Family: Parents (deceased); brother, Ichiru Kiryu
Status: First year high school student (Day class), Vampire Hunter, Member of the Disciplinary Committee, ex-human Vampire
Quote: I want these gentle hands, and this kind smile... even though I should not want such a thing.
Manga: Vampire Knight
History and Personality: Zero is the "adopted son" of the head of Cross Academy. He is also a member of the Disciplinary Committee (one of two), and a close friend of Yuki, the headmaster's other adopted ward. Zero's family were famous vampire hunters and he was a prodigy in that world, however his family was killed by a Master Vampire named Shizuka when he was about twelve. Zero was left alive, but was bitten by the Shizuka making him an ex-human vampire (the lowest class). He was then taken in by the Headmaster of Cross Academy, though he was never formally adopted and does not consider himself to be a part of the Headmaster's make-shift family. For four years Zero kept from transforming into a vampire by sheer force of will, he refuses to take blood tablets or acknowledge that he is becoming a vampire. One day he is struggling against his other nature and is followed by Yuki, unable to maintain his control with her so near by he snaps and bites her. After this Zero, who already hated himself for being bitten, wishes to die, but Yuki will not allow this. In the end he gives Yuki a special gun and makes her promise to kill him with it if he ever loses his sanity completely. Kaname, the Master vampire at the school and also Yuki's savoir, allows Zero to live because Zero can protect Yuki and because it would hurt Yuki to see Zero die. Because Zero's body rejects the blood tablets that sustain the other vampires Yuki offers him her blood. Though this is forbidden, and Zero wants no part in it, Yuki always manages to get him to drink her blood.
Later in the series Yuki tries to save Zero by offering herself to Shizuka. However Zero stops her before she becomes a Vampire herself. At this time Zero discovers that his "younger" twin brother, Ichiru, is alive, and is working for Shizuka. Apparently Ichiru, who was always very close to Zero, actually hated Zero because Zero was a Vampire Hunter prodigy and got all the attention, while he had no talent at all. Ichiru asked Shizuka to spare Zero's life but transform him so that he would go through life hating himself. Zero wants to kill Shizuka, but she is killed by Kaname instead. Kaname then protects Zero from the Vampire Council, who believe he killed Shizuka and should be punished. Kaname is keeping Zero for his own purposes, and, much later, gives Zero some of his own blood in order to prevent him from going insane. Zero despises Kaname, but will do anything to protect Yuki, and so he agrees.
Zero is generally serious and not very talkative, and his glare frightens pretty much everyone, but with the headmaster and Yuki he is more expressive. he is generally angry at the Headmaster, and yells at him frequently. With Yuki he is calmer, though at times he is not particularly kind to her. He tends to be blunt and even a little rude when speaking to her, but this is to hide the fact that he is falling in love with her. Zero dislikes vampires, and does not trust any of them, and is not afraid to face up to them individually or in a group. He has no fear of Kaname (who is feared even by other high class vampires) and does not hesitate to tell the master Vampire his opinion. Zero is good with animals and is a bright student (he's Yuki's math tutor), but is in the same grade as Yuki because he cuts class so much...
Relationships: Zero only has one friend, Yuki, and there are times when it seems he doesn't even want to be around her. In the beginning Yuki seems to treat Zero as a "younger brother", primarily because when he first came he was so injured she had to care for him, which he comments is ridiculous since he is a year older than she is. They bicker like siblings, and are protective like siblings, and Yuki mentions in volume one that Zero doesn't see her as a real girl. But they support one another. Zero even tries to help Yuki get Kaname's attention in volume 1, though once she has it he seems unhappy. As the series progresses their relationship becomes less familial and more.. something else, though what is not quite certain. Zero comes to accept the fact that he is in love with Yuki, though he feels he does not have that right. He becomes gentler with her, and even more protective, and he nearly kisses her more than once. Yuki is also struggling with her feelings for Zero. She is unsure how she feels about him, especially when she finds that she cannot answer his question "what am I to you?" All Yuki knows is that she cannot bear to see him hurting, and she is not afraid of him even when he is drinking her blood.
The headmaster may have taken Zero in, but that doesn't make Zero a part of his family, nor does it make Zero respect him. Truthfully the headmaster isn't very considerate of Zero's feelings, getting all excited about Zero "joining the night class" (which does not happen) and constantly bringing up reminders of his tragic past. Zero finds the headmaster childish and foolish, and doesn't hesitate to say so.
Zero's hatred of Kaname Kuran is as obvious as his hatred for all vampires, though he does treat the man with a modicum of respect - but only because Kaname protects Yuki. Still, Kaname has made it clear that he is using Zero, and Zero does not appreciate it. Sadly he is forced to rely on Kaname more and more as his vampire instinct takes over.
Zero and his twin were very close growing up, or so Zero thought. In reality Ichiru was insanely jealous of his brother and actually set up their family to be taken out by Shiuzka! Their relationship only grows more strained after Shizuka's death because Ichiru believes Zero killed her. When Ichiru shows up as a new member of the student body in Volume 6 things can only get more interesting...
Techniques: As a trained Vampire Hunter Zero is bound to be a skilled fighter, but all we know is that he's good at hand to hand (who knows what kind) and that he uses a gun called "the bloody rose" that shoots bullets which kill vampires but won't hurt normal humans.
Trivia: Zero's last name, Kiryu, means auger, or drill, life.
Why we love him: Can you say intense? his stare, his actions, his everything... and when he chooses to focus that intensity on protecting Yuki.. it just does things to me I swear. he's so wonderful and he hates himself so much, poor guy. And it helps that he gorgeous. Yep, always a plus. So, as usual, gorgeous + broody = I must have him!!!
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