“ | You must wake up! ...My precious Lord. Give her the light of merciful purgation from sins!! Release the seal!! | ” |
—Azusa Takai, Corpse Party: Sweet Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday Bash (#EX; Samsara Down the River) |
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Azusa Takai (高井 梓紗 Takai Azusa ) is a major character introduced in Corpse Party: Sweet Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday Bash, a second year student at St. Cruz Girls' High School, a member of Martuba's Tomb and a victim of Heavenly Host.
Unlike most victims of Heavenly Host who did the Sachiko Ever After charm, Azusa ended up in Heavenly Host after performing the Holy Shroud's Promise charm.
Design
Azusa is a teenage girl of above average height and below average weight. She has straight blonde hair with side swept bangs that cover her left eye, and blue eyes with a beauty mark underneath her left lip. She wears the St. Cruz Girls' High School uniform - a black turtleneck with a gold stripe and zipper at the center front, a white single-breasted blazer with red edges, a pleated white skirt with red edges, black stockings, brown loafers and a white beret with red edges. She wears a cross necklace under her turtleneck, which can be transformed to a knife. Corpse Party: Blood Drive reveals that her left eye is red.
In Corpse Party: Sweet Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday Bash, she briefly wears the Kisaragi Academy female uniform - a tan-colored sailor outfit with a blue collar and lighter blue cuffs. Her uniform also consists of a yellow bow held by a blue brooch to the top and a blue pleated skirt.
Personality
Azusa is a second year student at St. Cruz Girls' High School, a preparatory school for missionaries. She has divine powers which she can use to defeat evil spirits.
Azusa comes off as a mature, reliable person to others. She is calm and composed and is able to make decisions after assessing her surroundings. Her approachable personality makes her able to befriend anyone fairly quickly. She also likes to tease others and easily shrugs off Ran's advances.
Deep down, Azusa is a person who can’t live without others. She benefits by taking advantage of favors and trusts she gains from other people. Believing herself to be chosen by God, she will not hesitate to betray her “friends” if that means she achieves something greater and lives according to her standard. She also possesses a violent side and is willing to get rid of people who are in her way. She can’t stand being out-of-the-loop and always tries to be “in,” making herself to be known and likable. Despite her selfish behavior, she despairs if she is rejected or hated by other people.
Plot
Corpse Party: Sweet Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday Bash
#1; Shame Upon the Battlefield
Azusa and Ran both appear while walking through the hallways, looking for Sachiko Shinozaki. Near the end of the chapter, they finally find Sachiko playing with the others, and Azusa questions Sachiko's motives.
#2; Stranger in the Spotlight
Both Azusa and Ran are forced to join the games and create a play with Mayu Suzumoto, Sakutaro Morishige, Yoshiki Kishinuma, Nana Ogasawara, Nari Amatoya and Chihaya Yamase.
If the player decides to make Yoshiki complain many times during the play, Azusa and Ran will also jump on board on his complainant. Then they will try to purify Sachiko without success.
#7; Penitent Normies Explode!
Azusa and Ran explore a mysterious mansion after everyone is chased by Yoshikazu Yanagihori.
#EX; Samsara Down the River
The chapter begins with a scene in which Azusa, Ran, Toshihisa and Kentaro perform the "Holy Shroud's Promise" charm near a river, which if performed successfully, can make the performers become friends forever and washes away bad signs. Azusa and Ran will be transferring schools to St. Cruz Girls' High School in the city, leaving their hometown in the village.
The scene then cuts to when Ayumi Shinozaki and Yoshiki was still trapped in Heavenly Host Elementary School, separated from Satoshi Mochida and others. Azusa exorcises the evil spirit that possessed Ayumi. Yoshiki mentions that they were sent to Heavenly Host Elementary School after performing the Sachiko Ever After charm, of which, Azusa commented that it's somewhat similar to a ritual from her hometown village.
Ayumi and Yoshiki then properly introduce themselves to Azusa. Azusa comments that Yoshiki must protect Ayumi and live up to his name (referring to "Kishi" in his name, which may mean "knight"). Yoshiki then clarifies that she is mistaken and that "Kishi" in his name refers to "swamp" instead. Azusa chuckles and quickly learns that Yoshiki is head over heels with Ayumi, and how Ayumi is oblivious to his feelings and sets her eyes on Satoshi, and teases him.
The three people then exchange information of what they have gathered. Azusa takes out a notebook containing Ran’s student ID, and explains that she found it and is unsure whether she’s still alive. Ayumi takes the student ID and suddenly feels choked up and experiences a strange sensation. After she calms down, Ayumi explains that she can see Ran after touching Ran’s student ID. Hearing this, Azusa takes out her cross, which is glowing mysteriously. Azusa comments that Ayumi has a considerable amount of spiritual power. Azusa and Ayumi understand that what she experienced was psychometry, the ability to sense strong residual thoughts that had seeped into an object or the air. Yoshiki flips Ran’s notebook and is startled by numerous photos showing Azusa and Ran together. Azusa comments that Ran is her friend after a bit of pause. Ayumi offers Azusa to help search for Ran along with Yoshiki.
The three later investigate one of the classrooms after noticing a faint blue glow from its window. When they decide to examine the cleaning supplies closet, Ayumi feels a presence of a ghost inside and decides to get away from it. However, Azusa approaches the closet and finds Ryou Yoshizawa hiding in it. Ayumi warns Azusa and Yoshiki to get away from him and not look at him in the eye, but Azusa doesn't listen and comforts Ryou, who suddenly leaves.
They then examine a vase of a flower lying on top of the table. From it, Ayumi, Azusa, and Yoshiki are able to hear Kentaro's residual thought, which yells at Azusa that she's not a demon and that it's not strange for a man to like growing flowers. Azusa whispers Kentaro's name and shivers with a cold expression. When they all leave the classroom, Azusa notices a piece of cloth used to perform the Holy Shroud's Promise charm further down the dark corridor. As she approaches the cloth, she almost falls down into a hole, but Yoshiki saves her. Azusa brings the cloth she has just retrieved to Ayumi, but Ayumi can't read the residual thoughts clearly.
Azusa then notices a figure down in the hallway and produces a flashlight from her bag. They then encounter Ran, and Azusa rushes to her and hugs her, feeling relieved that she is safe. Azusa then notices that Ran's eyes are swollen from excessive crying, and when she turns her head, she sees Kentaro's corpse and screams. Ran explains that Kentaro's body was suddenly surrounded by black mist which entered his nose and mouth.
As they grieve for Kentaro's death, Azusa prays for Kentaro. Ran later gives Azusa Kentaro's cloth and says that he was sorry for not being able to keep his promise. Azusa disagrees and says that Kentaro is the most faithful person among them. It turns out that the piece of cloth that they have found earlier belonged to Toshihisa. Suddenly, the corridor becomes bright and the cloth Azusa holds is glowing. The cloth then projects an image on the wall, which shows a scene when Azusa, Ran, Toshihisa and Kentaro performed the charm. Azusa is surprised and seems uncomfortable with Ayumi and Yoshiki watching the scene.
On their way back home after they finish performing the charm, Azusa and others hear the local farmers complaining that the water doesn't come out. Suspecting that the shrouds may have clogged up the irrigation pipe, they inspect the irrigation pipes and find the shrouds are stuck in the pipe. Kentaro suggests for everyone to apologize together, but Azusa, who was the one in charge of performing the charm, refuses and claims that the charm was a success and denies that they had messed up the charm. Azusa then runs away, and Toshihisa follows after her after telling Kentaro to take care of Ran who passed out.
Azusa blames herself and the charm, and that she is the one responsible for the death of Kentaro and them being trapped in Heavenly Host Elementary School. Azusa says that she received a call from her school about what happened and Kentaro was the one who apologized instead, claiming that the charm was his fault and the others were not involved. Since then, they were in awkward terms with each other until Azusa and Ran's school transfer. Yoshiki says it shouldn't be something for Azusa to be really upset about, and that Kentaro protected Azusa on his own will with no regret, and that he was happy for doing it, which reminded Azusa of Kentaro's death.
Yoshiki then notices someone coming towards their direction from the further corridor, who turns out to be a severely injured Toshihisa. Toshihisa then yells to Azusa to stay away from Ran. Azusa comes after Toshihisa to treat his wounds, but Ran held Azusa back and says that Toshihisa has been acting weird and is dangerous. Azusa is flustered as Toshihisa and Ran accuse each other. Both Yoshiki and Ayumi are confused as well, and when Ayumi questions Azusa about why they are fighting, Azusa snaps and yells at her.
Suddenly, the shining light on the wall brightens. Kentaro wakes up from his "death" and pleads to them to stop the fight. However, Kentaro's body is now floating in the air, and the Evil Spirit of the Holy Shroud takes control of Kentaro's body. The now possessed Kentaro laughs maniacally and claims that finally, Kentaro's body has become its own. Azusa claims that he is no longer Kentaro. Possessed Kentaro attacks Toshihisa with black mist and manages to reflect Yoshiki's attack.
He reveals that Ran had pushed Toshihisa into a hole from behind out of jealousy because he was too close to her "Wife," and that she wants Azusa all for herself. Azusa is shocked to hear the truth when suddenly Toshihisa's cloth shines and projects the residual thought on the wall for everyone to see. Azusa shakes Ran, trying to deny the fact that what possessed Kentaro said was true, but Ran was unable to deny the claim. As everyone is in disbelief of what Ran has done, Kentaro laughs and reveals that Azusa is "the actress." The scene projected by Toshihisa's cloth then changes into a different one. In that scene, Azusa and Toshihisa are kissing, but then Azusa attempts to break up with him, saying that she just wants to be friends with everyone. But possessed Kentaro then reveals that Azusa confessed to Kentaro the next day, and was rejected. Azusa planned to restart everything at her new school alone. Hearing this, Ran then questions how she fits with Azusa's plan.
Azusa, who was shocked that all her plans were exposed, punched Ran in the face until her nose was bleeding. Azusa drew out a knife out of her cross and planned to kill Ran for being a nuisance. Ayumi attempted to stop her, but Azusa yelled at Ayumi to get away from her. Azusa claims that her being trapped along with others in Heavenly Host is not part of the "plan" and she yells to be sent back to the real world now. Ayumi asks what Azusa is talking about, but Azusa pushes her down until her head hits the floor and passes out. Azusa feels foolish for believing in evil spirits and she kicks Ran repeatedly. Yoshiki then uses possessed Kentaro's vulnerable moment to his advantage and stabs him with Azusa's dropped cross-knife. Yoshiki then yells at Azusa to exorcise the evil spirit.
With the friendship between Azusa and her friends broken and distrust for each other, everyone goes their separate ways. Azusa tries to advance with Yoshiki to get him on her side, which Yoshiki rejects strongly. Not giving up, Azusa tries to reason with Ayumi that what she has just done was because she was under the influence of an evil spirit, but Ayumi refuses to talk to her again. Azusa sadly leaves, treading the dark corridor alone.
Corpse Party: Blood Drive
CHAPTER 05 『 Breakdown 』
Yoshiki regains consciousness, and after a few steps he hears a voice welcoming Ran and finds himself face to face with Azusa. Yoshiki can't shake the feeling he met her before but can't remember where. That's when the Anatomical Model makes it's appearance while calling out to Azusa. At this point, she recognizes Yoshiki and lashes on to him while screaming "knight" again and again. After shaking her off a chase through Heavenly Host's halls begins.
If during the chase Yoshiki chooses to hide in the nearby closet, an optional event will take place where she tries to lure Yoshiki out using the same "I was under the influence of an evil spirit" excuse from Hysteric Birthday. If Yoshiki falls for it, it leads to a wrong end where he is killed by Azusa. Otherwise, the anatomical model will dislodge him, and the chase will continue.
A little later in the chapter, it is shown that the two managed to capture Yoshiki. As the anatomical model begins strangling him, Satoshi, Kuon, and Naomi burst in and save him. After the reunion, the group departs to find Ayumi leaving Azusa behind, as there is nothing they can do for her.
CHAPTER 06 『 Book of Shadows 』
At some point, Azusa is discovered by Magari Mizuki. Though Azusa tries to resist, Magari knocks her out fairly easily, before wondering what do with her, as there would be no chance of Azusa being appointed an executive officer of Martuba's Tomb now, even if she was brought back. At that point, Magari notices six lights at the top of the bell tower, and she leaves. Azusa's fate is left undisclosed after this point.Significant plot details end here.
Etymology
- The name Azusa means "catalpa" (梓) (azu) and "thread, silk" (紗) (sa).
- Catalpa is a tree with large heart-shaped leaves, clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers, and long, slender seed pods, native to North America and eastern Asia and cultivated as an ornamental.
- Azusa's surname Takai means "tall, high" (高) (taka) and "well, mine shaft, pit" (井) (i).
Trivia
- Yoshikazu Yanagihori and Azusa shares the same birthday.
- When darkened in Corpse Party: Blood Drive, it is revealed she has heterochromia, with a red right eye. This could be why she covers it with her hair.
- Despite this, it isn't shown in her model textures, only showing her blue eyes.
- Azusa's spiritual power might be limited since Sachiko reveals that she is the one who exorcised the Evil Spirit of the Holy Shroud.
Gallery
Sample Voices
Corpse Party: Blood Drive
Appearances
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