Kurohime (黒姫WP, Kurohime?), Class Name Saber (セイバー, Seibā?), is a Saber-class Servant summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru during the Grand Orders of Fate/Grand Order.
Profile[]
Identity[]
A character from the folktale The Tale of Kurohime, which originates from the Shinano province. A central element of the tale is Kurohime, a samurai's daughter whose striking beauty was so captivating it seemed like a melody, and the serpent who was smitten with her. However, there are numerous variations in how the story unfolds.
Common themes include natural disasters brought about by the serpent's wrath after being rejected. Subsequent plot developments vary widely, from tales of Kurohime embarking on a journey to defeat it with a treasured sword, to the gods and Buddha punishing it, or even Kurohime accepting the serpent's love and marrying it.
In the Takanashi family of Shinano, there lived a beautiful princess named Kurohime. Under the cloak of night, an enigmatic young man began to visit her. Suspecting the visitor to be of inhuman origin, her father, armed with a treasured sword passed down through countless generations, lay in wait and struck. The youth fled, and in its wake, the tranquility of the town was shattered by violent storms and devastating floods.
Kurohime, discovering the visitor to be a vengeful wyrm bent on destruction, resolved to leave the castle to protect her people. Her father, recognizing her resolve, presented her with the treasured sword. Seeking guidance from the heavens, she uttered a silent prayer, "Please show me the way.” She then severed her own hair and cast it upon the flowing river. To her astonishment, the hair defied the current, drifting upstream, revealing the path she must tread.
At the river's end, she encountered a venerable white-haired elder. "The Wyrm of Iwakura Pond seeks refuge in this mountain," he revealed. "To vanquish this creature, I require your treasured sword. In return, this mountain shall be yours."
Without hesitation, Kurohime surrendered her treasured sword and flowing tresses to the elder. He cast them into the nearby lake, and instantly, the wyrm, seemingly devouring the offering, turned the lake a sanguine hue. A tempest of fury and icy bolts erupted from the mountain, engulfing Kurohime. She vanished within the maelstrom, and the mountain became known henceforth as Mount KurohimeWP.
In one version of the tale, the spurned serpent, consumed by rage, attempts to submerge the town by unleashing the waters under its control. However, the mountain god of Hell Valley, connected to the Takanashi family, intervenes. The god redirects the raging waters into the depths of hell, where the intense heat swiftly evaporates most of the flood.
Another tale recounts that Kurohime, swept away by the flood, appears in her father's dreams, imploring him for the treasured sword. When he provides it, she slays the serpent with the blade, and its blood transforms into a river.
In a different account, a dragon proposes marriage to Kurohime. Her father, however, sets a seemingly impossible challenge: he would ride his horse around the castle twenty-one times, and if the dragon could keep pace, he would bestow his daughter's hand in marriage. Deceptively, the father had prepared a treacherous path, riddled with swords erupting from the ground, designed to injure the dragon.
But despite completing it successfully, the father reneges on his promise. Enraged, the dragon unleashes a tempest of thunderclouds and floods, threatening to engulf the castle town. Yet, Kurohime, with a desperate plea, throws her hand mirror into the sky, miraculously parting the clouds and enabling her to meet the dragon's gaze. To appease his wrath, she agrees to marry him and departs with him.
While acknowledging the possibility of her historical existence, Kurohime's identity is predominantly tied to her portrayal as a character from a story and embodies all the possibilities of these narratives, thus her Attribute is assigned as Earth. She is, in essence, both a slayer and lover of serpents.
Kurohime is acutely aware of this inherent duality within her. As a fundamentally benevolent princess, her instinct would be to slay malevolent serpents while cherishing those of a kinder nature. However, the uncertainty of whether this will always hold true might itself be an expression of love.[2]
Appearance[]
Personality[]
Relationships[]
- Ushiwakamaru
- "The scent of the Genji, you say? I see. I have heard that this blade was once a gift from Yoritomo to an ancestor of mine. Now it makes sense. To think that I would have the privilege of conversing with the young Ushiwakamaru... it’s quite the extraordinary sensation."[1]
- Nagao Kagetora / Uesugi Kenshin
- "Nagao of Echigo, you say? I don't remember the details well, but I believe there was a lady who married into your family from the Takanashi clan. Perhaps you and I are distant relatives."[1]
- Rama / Arjuna
- "Um, is it alright if I give that monkey you sometimes bring with you some... persimmons to eat?"[1]
- Sei Shounagon
- "L-Lady Sei Shonagon?! Every time I see you, the color of your hair seems to have changed. Could it be that... Ah… "It’s not like I use any chemicals, so my hair shouldn't be damaged.” I see, that's a relief. I apologize for my impertinent question. The look is very becoming of you, and I find it quite enchanting. Please do not hesitate to call upon me if you require any hair care services."[1]
- Dragon Servants
- "It seems there are a lot of dragons here. I'm still uncertain how I should approach them. I suppose it will depend on who I’m dealing with and my own conduct."
Role[]
Fate/Grand Order[]
Abilities[]
Skills[]
Class Skills[]
- Magic Resistance (B Rank):
- Riding (C Rank):
Personal Skills[]
- Blessing of the Mountain God (B Rank): One version of the legend recounts that an enraged serpent unleashed a flood to consume the town. However, the local mountain deity, the revered lord of Jigokudani, intervened. Employing intense heat, the deity evaporated much of the floodwater, safeguarding the town. Even in accounts where Kurohime vanquished the serpent with her hair and sword, the guidance of a white-haired elder is mentioned. It is highly probable that he was not of human origin. Though the details remain shrouded in mystery, it's undeniable that Kurohime received divine blessings.[2]
- Miraculous Hair (A Rank): Leaving the castle to save her people, Kurohime sought guidance by casting her severed hair upon the river. It was these very offerings–her treasured sword and her hair–that she entrusted to the elder she encountered, proving instrumental in the serpent’s defeat. Women's hair had long been associated with spiritual power. However, Kurohime's hair possessed a unique potency. It is believed that her hair, when subject to magical influence, and sometimes even without, could confer a range of divine blessings. And, of course, it was undeniably beautiful.[2]
- Golden Rule (Snake & Body) (B Rank):
Noble Phantasm[]
Kurohime's Noble Phantasm is The Tale of Kurohime, the embodiment of Kurohime's legend. This Noble Phantasm is comprised of three known techniques, including The Tale of Kurohime - Flowing Hair, The Tale of Kurohime - Scorching Heat of Six Hells, and The Tale of Kurohime - Serpent of Iwakura Pond.
Development[]
Creation and Conception[]
Kurohime was designed by Mashimasaki in Fate/Grand Order.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Fate/Grand Order - Kurohime's Lines - Translated by UdonSamurai
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fate/Grand Order - Kurohime's Profile - Translated by UdonSamurai