Kuruto Ryuki (龍木 来斗, Ryūki Kurūto) is the second protagonist of AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative.
Kuruto is ABIS's new Special Agent (Psyncer), and a rookie investigator with a strong sense of justice. However, he is not the hot-blooded type; he has a reserved and gentle nature. He is a well-educated young man. Unfortunately, both his parents and his brother have passed away... Fighting through his painful past, he aims to solve difficult cases with his partner, Tama, who is implanted in his left eye socket.
Design[]
Ryuki is a young man with somewhat unkempt black hair and two different eye colors—his right eye is gray, while his left is red thanks to his artificial eyeball Tama. Ryuki wears a black double-breasted jacket with the Metropolitan Police insignia on his left lapel. Underneath, he wears a long-sleeved, white collared shirt with the top button undone, golden cufflinks, a plain black tie, and a ribbed knit orange sweater with thumb holes in the sleeves. He also wears black slacks, and white shoes with orange bands around the bottom.
Personality[]
Ryuki act like something of an honor-student. He is largely defined by his dedication and eagerness to prove himself to his superiors, particularly Boss and Date, and ties his self-worth on their approval, He is especially close to Date and the two share a close "physical" and emotional relationship according to Date, with Date acting as a major source of moral support for Ryuki. His strong sense of justice stems from a strong hatred of criminals, and is shown to be extremely determined to do his job. When faced with failure, Ryuki tends to blame himself, and doesn't easily accept words of comfort when he's feeling down on himself.
Unlike Date and Mizuki, Ryuki is generally very polite, professional, and straight laced. He regularly acts as a straight man to the antics of others, especially to Tama when she teases or bosses Ryuki around. Ryuki is often the butt of Tama's dirty jokes and perverted taunts, which she makes deliberately to rile Ryuki up. Despite Ryuki's unperverted exterior, he does appear to share Date's affinity with being tied up, particularly by Tama - however, he strangely doesn't find the activity sexual and finds it relaxing and therapeutic instead. He is also not above having his own outbursts of silliness, and occasionally does Half-Might impressions to cheer himself up (although this tends to make the people around him confused and concerned for his well-being). During Somnia, he takes on a more commanding and confident persona and is shown to be a bit bossier with Tama, a reversal of their usual dynamic. Additionally, despite his politeness and low-key personality, Ryuki can be surprisingly persuasive, and is able to convince Tama to go along with his plans even when she does not fully agree. All in all, Ryuki is devoted to his loved ones and his job, and is willing to take drastic measures to ensure their safety and fulfilling his duty.
Another of Ryuki's defining traits is his difficulties with mental health. Although generally calm and collected, he is shown to suffer from survivor's guilt and PTSD. Although he tries to channel his grief into determination for his investigative work, he generally does not handle emotional stress well, and is prone to bouts of depression, obsession, deep self doubt, and self-blame. On several occasions, his obsession with doing his job has led him to act rashly and even subvert the law in ways that jeopardize his employment. His struggles initially stemmed from the traumatic loss of his twin brother in a traffic accident in pursuit of a criminal, and his dislike of stopped clocks, and his hatred of criminals originates from the same event. Additionally, as his symptoms appear to worsen as a result of more traumatic events that occurred during the events of the original Half Body Killing investigations (specifically his feelings of guilt over the apparent death of Date and especially his exposure to TC-Purge), he becomes prone to dissociation, memory lapses, hallucinations, derealization, and mania. He also suffers from cognitive dysfunction, according to Nurse Nasu, which manifests primarily during the latter half of the HB Case investigation, leading him to get time and place confused.
Ryuki also appears to be strangely susceptible to the videos tied to the HB-Case (though this was the case even before his exposure to TC-Purge). On almost every occasion, watching these videos trigger his dissociative episodes, alongside visual and auditory hallucinations, acute memory loss, and periods of catatonia or mania from minutes to hours. All this, in combination with his struggle to accept forgiveness from other people, lead him to spiral easily, and give him the appearance of being self-destructive and even dangerous. However, deep down he is merely a vulnerable person who deeply struggles with guilt and self-worth, and seeks atonement for his mistakes, but doesn't believe he is deserving of it. With the support of others, he is ultimately able to find the will to pull himself out his depression and start to recover.
In line with his strange susceptibility to Naix's and Tearer's videos, it is hinted that Ryuki may himself be susceptible to Naix's teachings of simulation theory, as he is prone to becoming fatalistic when dealing with existentialist concepts. On a few occasions, Ryuki even appears to be receptive to Tokiko's teachings, though he claims it was an act to keep Tokiko talking. In the Tokiko END route, he is ultimately pivotal to Tokiko's plan to subvert the simulation through paradox and escaping it. Whether it is due to his role as the player's surrogate, due to some innate sensitivity to the simulation on his part, or simply because he is mentally ill and vulnerable to indoctrination (due to his cognitive dysfunction and hallucinations naturally leaving him uncertain over his own sense of reality) is not clear.
Background[]
Kuruto Ryuki was born on October 18, 1996 to his parents as an older twin to his brother. Ryuki grew up both rich and highly educated until his parents were killed in a plane crash. He was living with his younger brother until his death in 2014 when he was hit by a truck and half of his body was utterly crushed.
By the age of 21, Ryuki graduated from college and inherited his brother's dream of becoming a police officer. By 23, he had already become an accomplished agent at ABIS under the tutelage of Kaname Date, whom Ryuki very much looked up to. Around the beginning of May 2019, an AI-Ball Tama was assigned as Ryuki's assistant and Ryuki underwent surgery to remove his original left eye.
Half Body Serial Killings: 6 Years Ago[]
On February 10, 2020, Ryuki was a contestant on a quiz show filmed at Studio Dvaita. However mid-show, the lights momentarily cut out and a corpse suddenly appeared on the floor in the middle of the stage, with its sudden appearance giving the illusion that the body appeared out of nowhere . This was the beginning of what ABIS called the Half Body Serial Killings. After attempting to investigate the apparent right-half Jin Furue, the body suddenly combusts in flames, with Ryuki's investigation later confirms it did so using the thermite inside the corpse.
On February 11, 2020, with information in Chikara Horadori's Somnium, Ryuki headed to Naixatloz Japan and questioned their president Tokiko Shigure over the discovery of Jin's body at the studio. Tokiko also asked Ryuki if he was the "frayer", before denying any connection Naix had to the QR video from the studio. That night, Ryuki re-investigated Studio Dvaita using Tama's Virtual Reality function, and discovers the truth that Jin's body appeared there. He then tried to investigate Chinpei Wagai, the program director of the day, but Ryuki was attacked by him right after questioning him in Sunfish Pocket. After subduing Chinpei, Ryuki learned from him that a person named Tearer asked him to lend the studio, and told him to come to Sekiba High to receive payment that night. Ryuki rushed to Sekiba High according to this clue, but found that the right half of Chikara's body was fixed on the wall of the classroom.
The next day, the MPD learned that Tearer had left three red-blue balloons, with notes inside them, hiding throughout the whole city. Ryuki confirmed Chikara's left half corpse found at Yoyagi Park that morning, and then came to Misetan Amusement Park after learning the balloons, where he mistook a staff member who was arranging ordinary balloons as a suspect and shot the staff. Afterwards, he was asked by the Boss to suspend him for review.
On February 13, Ryuki apologized to Boss and begged her to let him go back to work, and Boss gave him three days as a deadline to solve the case. During his investigation that day, he learned about Komeji's debt and rumors of a hidden room in the Horadori Institute of Genetics. He went to the Horadori Institute in the evening to check but found Komeji staying there with a hiding pistol. After subduing him, Ryuki took Komeji to Psync.
R2: Rescue Shoma[]
Ryuki learned from Komeji's Somnium that Komeji's son, Shoma Enda was associated with the Horadori Institute, but soon learned that Shoma had been kidnapped to the Harbor Warehouse District. Ryuki, Komeji and a group of helpers came to the Harbor Warehouse District, defeated the armed scientists there, rescued Shoma, and then they rested at Date's home. After a short break, Ryuki performed Psync with Shoma, and had a conversation with Shoma during the daytime on the 14th, and learned about his relationship with Horadori Institute, Naixatloz, and the first half of the name "Dahlia" that Tearer called themselves.
R1/M1: The Third Victim and Cathedral's Explosion[]
Ryuki learned from Komeji's Somnium that he used something to blackmail Tearer for money. That night, Ryuki learned that Tearer asked Komeji to come to Studio Dvaita. After Komeji entered there, Ryuki rushed in, but fell unconscious after watching the QR Video played in the house. A few hours later, Ryuki woke up to find Amame, Shoma, Iris and Kizuna here, next to the right half of Komeji's body in a body bag. Shoma rushed out after finding his father's body, and Ryuki followed him all the way to Misetan Amusement Park.
On the 14th, Ryuki received an anonymous message asking him to meet at the place they designated at 16:00 to learn about the clues of HB case. Ryuki arrived at the meeting place on time, which was a large underground structure called the Cathedral, only to find that the person there was Tearer. Ryuki tried to arrest them immediately, but was stunned by special EMP structures inside the walls, and Tama was severely damaged. Tearer threatened Ryuki to do things for them with Tama's safety, and Ryuki agreed. That night, Ryuki ambushed at Kabasaki Chemical Plant at Tearer's request, and knocked down the ABIS agent Mizuki Kuranushi who was tracking down here. Unexpectedly, Date broke in after a while, and the panicked Ryuki jumped out of the window, escaped immediately after seeing him.
The next day, Ryuki met Date and Mizuki at Ikume Shrine and discussed about the missing Kizuna. He searched the entire city for most of the day with no results, until Date called to tell him that he had found traces of "a man with an iron mask" in Sejima Residence. Ryuki realized that this was Tearer and immediately rushed to Sejima Residence. There he rescued and took unconscious Iris, trying to learn from her what she had overheard the conversation between So Sejima and Tearer. Due to the short-term memory loss of Iris, Ryuki performed Psync with her and learned Tearer's description of the "execution chamber". Ryuki led Date, Mizuki and others to the Cathedral, found the kidnapped Kizuna, and repelled a large number of Naix Members who tried to stop their actions. While everyone was trying to save Kizuna, Tearer appeared and threatened Ryuki to kill Date. Ryuki refused, and Tearer announced the second half of their name "Boat," and then detonated the bombs placed in the Cathedral. After the explosion, while the others retreated, Ryuki found Date buried under the rubble, but was unable to take him away. After taking Aiba entrusted to him by Date, he watched in despair as Date disappeared into yet another batch of collapsing rubble. Ryuki thought he betrayed Date and had since started to feel a great deal of guilt towards himself.
Half Body Serial Killings: Present[]
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Ryuki Diverge Route[]
On February 11, 2020, Ryuki heads to Naix and questions Tokiko. Tokiko also asks Ryuki if he was the "frayer", which allows Ryuki to enter the "Nil Number" both Mizuki and Bibi received on February 22, 2026. However by doing so, the world began to "glitch", causing unexplainable things to occur around him. Mamoru is in a T-pose with half of his face not rendered, as well as Tokiko's right-half appearing on her desk as it was supposed to look like in 2026.
Tama is offline, and Ryuki hears Tokiko's voice asking him to meet her. He walks through the geometrical area and into the empty black area where he meets Tokiko covered in a blazing red aura. Tokiko began questioning Ryuki as to how it was possible he knew the number. Confirming this to be a "logical paradox", she explains that what Naix believed about the world was true, and that her motive for threatening Amame and committing suicide was all meant to lead the "frayer" to this moment. She offers the frayer an opportunity to tell Ryuki all the details about the case that they have learned before leaving and ascending to Moksha. Ryuki and Tama black out, and their actions are entirely controlled by the "frayer".
In the perspective of Ryuki and Tama, they awaken immediately after Tokiko's ascendence but find that six years have passed since. Tokiko has been classified as missing since. According to Date, Ryuki discovered Tearer's basement underground of Horadori and arrested Uru on the spot. This would ultimately result in Ryuki being promoted to second-in-command of ABIS. The explosion never occurred, Date never lost his memories again, Kizuna did not lose the use of her legs, and Amame had no reason to kill Uru because Komeji was alive in this timeline. However, Ryuki is left feeling a sense of unease over the apparent implications of what he's witnessed, and both Mizukis are left feeling a strange sense of déjà vu upon returning to the stadium.
Appearances[]
| AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Years Ago | Present | ||||
| Converge Ch 0: A Strange Tale (Past) Appears |
Converge Ch 0: A Strange Tale (Present) Appears |
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| Mizuki Ch 0: New Investigation Appears |
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| Ryuki Ch 0: Dispossessed Appears |
Mizuki Ch 0: Alone Appears |
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| Ryuki Ch 1: Anyone Imagines Appears |
Mizuki Ch 1: Pass Mildly Away Appears |
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| Ryuki Ch 1: Nefarious Institute Appears |
Mizuki Ch 1: Nostalgic Idol Absent |
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| Ryuki Diverge: 遐ｴ邯ｻ逋ｾ蜃ｺ Appears |
Ryuki Ch 1: Ought to Know Appears |
Mizuki Ch 1: End Where I Begun Absent |
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| Mizuki Ch 2: Traveler Appears |
Ryuki Ch 2: Nothing to Be Done Appears |
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| Mizuki Ch 2: Necessary Intervention Absent |
Ryuki Ch 2: Naixatloz's Intentions Appears |
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| Mizuki Ch 2: Left Behind Absent |
Ryuki Ch 2: Go Appears |
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| Ryuki Ch 3: Farewell Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3: The Expense of Spirit Absent |
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| Ryuki Ch 3: Need Info Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3: Neurotic Inception Absent |
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| Ryuki Ch 3 R2: Joy for Anguish Appears |
Ryuki Ch 3 R1: Smiles for Tears Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3 M1: Hell Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3 M2: All Living Things Absent |
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| Ryuki Ch 4 R2: I Found Me Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: Visions Appears |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: Well-Known Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Of Arms and Of Man Absent |
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| Ryuki Ch 4 R2: Nested Insecurities Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: Nonentity Incognito Absent |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: Nearly Interesting Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Novel Ingress Absent |
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| Ryuki Ch 4 R2: Past Its Ken Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: In Truth Absent |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: The Mind of God Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Who's There Absent |
Mizuki Ch 4 M3: Bid the Soldiers Shoot Absent | |
| Komeji and Shoma: END | Ryuki Ch 5 R1: Not All A Dream Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: Births Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M2: All That We Are Absent |
Mizuki Ch 5 M3: Sweet Silent Thought Absent | |
| Ryuki Ch 5 R1: Nemesis Identified Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: Nightmare Irreconcilable Mentioned |
Gen and Amame: END | Kizuna and Lien: END | ||
| Ryuki Ch 5 R1: She Was the Universe Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: The End of Craving Appears |
Ryuki Diverge: All This Happened, More or Less Appears | |||
| Explosion: END | Mizuki Epilogue: Braver Than All Flowers Appears |
閭｡陜ｶ荵句､｢邱ｨEND | |||
| Resolution: END | |||||
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
Etymology[]
- Ryuki (龍木) is derived from the Japanese spelling of Nāgārjuna (龍樹), the name of a Buddhist philosopher. The first kanji means "dragon" and the second means "wood" or "tree." Nāgārjuna was known, among many things, for his contributions to the two truths doctrine, which states that there are two truths to reality: the conventional truth of the material world, and the ultimate truth of the emptiness of everything.
- Ryuki is a play on "rookie."
- Kuruto is a play on "recruit," as well as 狂う人 (kurū hito), meaning "madman" or "crazy person."
General[]
- Some fans have noted that Ryuki bears a resemblance to the character Shinya Kogami from the anime series Psycho-Pass, who also works as a police officer at a special sci-fi division of the police.[1] However, series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi stated that it was simply a coincidence, and that Ryuki's personality is the complete opposite to Kogami.[2]
- Ryuki's impressions of Half-Might are an obvious nod to All-Might from My Hero Academia. In the original Japanese script, they were references to Anpanman, but was switched to something that English-speaking audiences might be more immediately familiar with.
[]
References[]
- ↑ Shinya Kogami on the Psycho-Pass Wiki.
- ↑ To-Witter Archives Tesa 2022: January 26th