Zouken Matou (間桐 臓硯, Matō Zōken?) is the Master of True Assassin in the Fifth Holy Grail War of Fate/stay night's Heaven's Feel scenario. He is the grandfather of Shinji Matou and Sakura Matou.
Profile
Background
Originally known as Makiri Zolgen (マキリ・ゾォルケン, Makiri Zoruken?), he was the patriarch of the Zolgen family five hundred years before the Fifth Holy Grail War. They were a noble family that originated somewhere around Russia and were driven out of their homeland.[2] The family later became known as Makiri when he changed his name to Zouken Makiri (マキリ臓硯, Makiri Zouken?). The family gained ties to both the Einzbern and Tohsaka families through his friendship with Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern and Nagato Tohsaka, and he had enough of a relationship with Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg to be considered an a potential inheritor of the Jeweled Sword of Zelretch if not for Zelretch appraising the family as fundamentally evil.[3]
Zouken had the dream of creating a utopia, having pursued it since he was around two hundred years old. He wanted to eliminate and cure all hatred and suffering. He felt grief upon finding that "paradise" did not exist in the world and its creation was impossible with a human body, and he instead wished to go to a place where it could be accomplished. Humanity has set limits, so he wished for it to go outside the spiral of the brain and the limits of the body to reach the infinity called the soul. Obtaining all creation and knowledge where no human can reach, it was not to make a new world, but to change his human life.
He sought the Holy Grail to be reborn and reach the ideal utopia, the unimaginable land. With a miracle beyond human reach, he sought to eliminate all of the evils of the world, risking his life for an ideal that could not be fulfilled. Though his enemies died, he kept seeking it despite knowing it was meaningless. He believed it was his reason to exist, all while hoping that his existence would bring about a successor. In order to overthrow his youthful anguish, he came up with that answer even if his life should not be compensated.
He was around three hundred years old as of the establishment of the Holy Grail War to fulfill his dream along with the Tohsaka and Einzbern families. He moved his family to Japan under the name Matou, and while it was to hide the family's identity, they needed something tying into their real name and used a play on words. Zouken proposed the system of "Master" and "Servant",[4] while Nagato provided his property Fuyuki City and Justeaze developed the Heaven's Feel system, offered the homunculi vessels for the Grail, and became the core of the Great Grail. Justeaze utilized her own body to become the magic circuit of the Grail.
At the time, Zouken admired her deeply, and was devastated to see her sacrifice. He had decided to ensure that her sacrifice would not be in vain by keeping himself alive long enough to witness the moment the Grail becomes completed and reaches the gate. However, as the time went on, the frustration due to the incomplete Grail and the deterioration of his body over such long period had slowly caused him to forget his original intention, and had left him only the abnormal obsession about obtaining immortality.
Shrewd, powerful, and ancient, he is known as the grandfather of Shinji and Sakura and the father of Kariya and his brother Byakuya[5][6] To conceal his status as the Matous' ancestor, he masquerades as a relative to his descendants, though some members of his family have long suspected he is much older than he appears given how Zouken's name has repeatedly appeared in the family tree. He has amassed a large and extensive library of sorcerous knowledge, yet his lessons are strict and harsh. Zouken considers Shinji to be a disgrace of a sorcerer, and believes Sakura may have more potential than her brother.
Because the Matou blood has thinned and no longer produces heirs naturally capable of sorcery, Shinji was incapable of becoming a true sorcerer so Zouken offered to adopt Tohsaka Sakura into the Matou when her father, Tokiomi, decided to train only his older daughter, Rin, to become his successor. Sakura was implanted with Zouken's magical worms to prepare her as a vessel for Angra Mainyu in the fifth Holy Grail War.
Personality
Zouken is a shrewd old man with plenty of knowledge on magecraft due to the several centuries he has been alive. He is shown to be strict and harsh in the training of magi within his family and is becoming increasingly frustrated with the thinning bloodline of the Matou family preventing the birth of any natural-born magi.
Development
The scenario director was quite fond of him, and he would get carried away typing every time he appeared.[7]
Role
Fate/Zero
In Fate/Zero, Zouken adopted Sakura Tohsaka into the Matou family approximately one year before the Fourth Holy Grail War after requesting Sakura's father Tokiomi for one of his daughters to become the heir to the Matou family. A few days after her adoption, Kariya Matou returns to Fuyuki City to visit his childhood friend Aoi Tohsaka and her two daughters and is horrified to learn that Aoi's younger daughter has been sent to the Matou family. Kariya, who had previously left the Matō family ten years prior to the 4th Holy Grail War out of disgust for his own family, confronts Zouken over the girl's adoption and learns that Sakura has already been subjected to the brutal training required to learn the Matou family's magecraft.[8]
Disappointed with the lack of sorceric potential in Shinji and Byakuya, Shinji's father, Zouken blames Kariya for allowing the Matou's magical lineage decline since Kariya is the first in many generations to be naturally capable of sorcery. However, Kariya formulates a deal with Zouken where should Kariya obtain the Holy Grail, Zouken must allow Sakura to return to her family. Due to his lack of formal training, Kariya is implanted with the same magical worms as Sakura.[9] However, Zouken does not truly expect Kariya to succeed, merely accepting Kariya's bargain on the whim that Kariya surpasses his expectations.
Normally he observes the Holy Grail War from a distance,[9] but when Kirei Kotomine rescued Kariya and returned him to the Matou mansion. Zouken was intrigued by his action and later kept a close eye on him. Zouken used his worms to heal Kariya external injuries, Zouken admits to Kariya that he surpassed his expectation on survival and gifted him a Crest Worm as a fatherly gift. The crest worm gave Kariya more magical energy boost, he revealed that the crest worm was the same worm that claimed Sakura's virginity. As Kariya cries and becomes disgusted by his statement, Zouken enjoys his suffering.
Towards the end of the war, Zouken lurks in the shadows while observing Kariya successfully abducting Irisviel von Einzbern and handing her to Kirei. During this fateful meeting, Zouken reveals to Kotomine that he has enjoyed watching Kariya suffering and knows that Kariya's chance of winning is zero. When he goes on to comment to Kirei that they have the same scent, an aggravated Kotomine throws his black keys at him. Zouken disappears, remarking that they will meet again and he expects to witness Kirei's development.
At the end of the Fourth War, Zouken acquired the fragments of the destroyed Grail. He combined the fragments with his Crest worms, which he put inside Sakura's body. Though she was incomplete, this turned her into a second Lesser Grail.[10]
Fate/stay night
Zouken only appears in the Heaven's Feel route, so his fate in the Fate route and Unlimited Blade Works route is unknown. Zouken's original intentions are to wait until the next Holy Grail War to make his bid to win the Grail, only taking action in Heaven's Feel due to noticing Sakura's attraction to Shirou as a means of furthering her development as a Lesser Grail.
Heaven's Feel
Zouken is first encountered when Shirou walks Sakura back to her home and is greeted by Zouken.
After witnessing Rider lose to Saber, enraged at Shinji's incompetence as a Master,as well as noticing Shirou's potential in stirring Sakura's emotions to develop the Black Grail, Zouken summons True Assassin from the body of Assassin and becomes a Master in the 5th Holy Grail War. Using Sakura as a vessel for Angra Mainyu, the dark spirit that resides within the Holy Grail, he sets out with True Assassin to eliminate the other Masters and Servants.
Sakura soon gives into her dark side and Zouken loses control over her and his plans to acquire the Holy Grail. He is subsequently killed when Kirei Kotomine exorcises his body and Sakura destroys the remaining remnant of his heart.
However, Zouken's presence still remains. As the final battle for the Grail ensues, the last remaining worm of Zouken attempts to reach the Grail, before being interrupted by Illyasviel von Einzbern in her Dress of Heaven. This prompts the long-buried memory in Zouken, and why he has stayed alive for so long. Seeing Ilya in the Dress of Heaven, just like Justica 300 years ago, reminds him of everything, and Zouken finally accepts his end.
Fate/hollow ataraxia
In Fate/hollow ataraxia, Zouken is alive alongside Shinji and has a minor relevance. It is eventually revealed that Sakura assumed control of the Matou household, and both Zouken and Shinji are terrified of her.
Carnival Phantasm
Zouken has a minor role in Carnival Phantasm, only having appeared in two scenes (in which he tries to enter to the Ahnenerbe bathroom to no avail). He has been reduced to a gag character, and even Shinji mistreats him.
Abilities
Zouken´s durability
He is a powerful magus who had altered his body through Familiar magecraft so much that he is now more of a monster than human. Zouken can eat normal food but for him it’s more efficient to directly leech life force for nourishment.[11]
He cannot be killed by normal physical means because his body is made out of the worms. Fatal wounds can easily be shrugged off, and even if his body is destroyed, he can easily reform it by devouring a human. Then as long as his soul was intact, he could regenerate his former self. According to Faldeus Dioland, it is possible to kill Zouken by using a precision missile strike.
Magecraft
He was the one that came up with the Command Spells for the Master and Servant in the Holy Grail system.
Worms
The Worms (淫虫, Inchū?) are the lowest of all familiars. His personal Familiars are magical energy eating worms that love feasting on the energy of humans and can channel energy even when their host is no longer alive.[9] When the host is a male, they consume their bone marrow and part of the brain after shattering his spine, making him crippled in the process. When it is a female, they absorb the mental energy created after sexual stimulation is made through the nervous system. Usually don't consume the flesh of women, but the uterus is their favorite meals. Will eat the placenta after giving its victim sexual pleasure strong enough to fry the nerves of the brain. Shinji Matou's Book of False Attendent is made out of these.
Zouken uses methods somewhat comparable to vampirism, and is actually Shinji's ancestor from five centuries past. He has used a species of magical worms to sustain his long life. Blood Worms (吸血虫, Kyūketsuchū?) are the creatures that have come to make up the body of Matou Zouken in his attempt to prolong his life. His existence is essentially a conglomerate of Crest Worms with a special appetite for human flesh and blood that combine themselves to take a human form. Despite the blood-sucking habits, he is not considered to be an actual vampire that the Church would hunt. This human form allows him to interfere with the physical world as it binds his soul, on this plane of existence.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9
[] Fate/complete material II: Character Material - Characters: Zouken Matou, p.090-091 Zouken Matou
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
[] Fate/complete material III: World material - FAQ with Nasu: Characters, p.134-135
Q: Where did the Makiri clan originally emigrate from?
Q: Where did the Makiri clan originally emigrate from?
A: It’s said that they came from somewhere around Russia. - ↑
[] TYPE-MOON Fes. Official Pamphlet 10th Anniversary Q & A Booklet:
Q: Why did Zelretch give the design of the Jewel Sword to Tohsaka Nagato, who had the least potential amongst his pupils?Q: Why did Zelretch give the design of the Jewel Sword to Tohsaka Nagato, who had the least potential amongst his pupils?
A: This student Zelretch took during his journey was mediocre, cold, and bipolar. Even Zelretch exclaimed "Hey, are you crazy or something?" However, Nagato was a good man who is "willing to sacrifice himself for a better future". Although the Einzberns and Makiris were brilliant, they were fundamentally evil. Nagato was mediocre but good at heart.
Zelretch concluded that "this House will probably never accomplish anything great, but at least they will never stray from the righteous path". He then gave the design to Nagato and told him "alright, it will be a struggle, but work towards this goal".
Where there is a will, there is a way. The Tohsaka lineage stubbornly followed the teachings of the great master, and finally, after the gentlemanly Tokiomi, accomplished the impossible.Ｑ：ゼルレッチはどうして弟子の中でも「芽がない」と認識していた遠坂に宝石剣の設計図をたくしたのでしょうか？
Ａ：旅先で出会った学生は、凡才で冷血で躁鬱の気があり犠牲をかえりみない性格だったが、そんな性格のクセにゼルレッチでさえ「おいおい、おまえさん病気か？」と困ってしまうほどの「善い未来予想に殉じる」、スーパーいい人なのだった。アインツベルンとマキリは非凡ではあるが根は悪性。しかし遠坂は凡人だけど善性。
「この家系が大業を成す事はないだろうが、間違いだけは侵すまい」そう結論したゼルレッチは“まあ、これを目指して頑張りなさい。ぜったい無理だけど”とご祝儀として設計図を渡したのであった。
そして苔の一念、岩をも通す。遠坂の遺伝子は何代も愚直に大師の教えを守り、優雅紳士・時臣を経て、ついに不可能を可能にしてしまったのであったとさ。 - ↑
[] Fate/complete material III: World material - Record of Heavens Feel - Holy Grail War: The creation of the Holy Grail War, p.006 Einzbern
Makiri
Makiri Zolgen
Tohsaka
Tohsaka Nagato
Family head of the Tohsaka during the original planning of the Holy Grail War. He studied under Zelretch as a mage apprentice and dreamt of attaining the Root through the Holy Grail. Also, he was a Christian despite it being banned in the Japan at that time.
Witness, “Wizard Marshall” Kischua Zelretch Schweinorg
One of the only five True Magicians in the world. Zelretch served as the witness during the creation of the Greater Grail. He is an old man with many nicknames. He has been referred to as “Wizard Marshall”, “(Zelretch ) Of the Jewel”, “Kaleidoscope”, “Old Man Time” and many other names. The 5 phenomenon that cannot be achieved through sorcery or science are called “True Magic”, and those individuals who can invoke these are called “True Magicians”. Zelretch once fought the existence known as “Crimson Moon”. Although emerging victorious (draw?), he paid a heavy price. As a result of this engagement, he became severely aged, and his powers diminished. And it was also at that time, he was bitten by the Crimson Moon and turned into a vampire. His name was entered into the list of “The 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors”, which documents powerful vampires.
The Magic which Zelretch wields is something called “The Second Magic”, and through this Magic he can freely stroll through many parallel worlds. He is a complicated and weird guy with a personality that “rages at evil and laughs at good”. He is a powerful existence who is surprisingly meddlesome in worldly affairs, and frequently sparks conflicts. A troublesome figure indeed.
In the Association, becoming “a pupil of Zelretch” is synonymous to being turned into a complete wreck. Tohsaka Nagato is one of the few rare talented ones that returned without a scratch after becoming the pupil of Zelretch.
Not only a True Magician, but also the pinnacle of magi, this is the “Wizard Marshall” Zelretch. His physique is strong and tough. His demeanour can certainly be called “old but not out”.遠坂 永人
聖杯戦争設計当初の遠坂当主.ゼルレッチに師事したで魔術師,聖杯により根源へと至ることを夢 見ていた. 当時の日本では禁じられていたキリスト教の信者でもある。 - ↑
Fate/Zero - Volume 1, Prologue III: One Year Ago The aberrant entry in the family register said he was the father of Kariya and his brother. But even at his great-grandfather, his ancestor at the third generation, there were records of the old man named Z?ken in the family tree. There was no way to figure out for how many generations this man came to reign over the Mat? family. - ↑
Fate/Zero - Volume 1, Prologue III: One Year Ago Zouken: "Kariya ? Do you want to die?"
Kariya: "Don't tell me you're worried? 'Father'." - ↑
[] Fate/side material - Encyclopedia: Matou Zouken [Person's name], p.075 [T] Zouken Matou [Person's name]
A freaky old bug man. The end.
The scenario director is quite fond of him, and would get carried away typing every time he appeared.
He belongs in a harlequin novel, don't you think?問桐臓硯【人名】
怪異バグじーさん。以上。
シナリオ担当は大好き。この人が出てくるとタイピングのノリが違うぜ。
やっぱり伝奇物には爺さんだよね、ふがふが。 - ↑
[] Fate/Zero material - Encyclopedia: Matou Zouken [Person's name], p.104 Zouken Matou [Person's name]
As far as the Matou family's sacrifices in the Fourth Holy Grail War go, for the small price of a ruined home defense barrier and a grievous injury to Byakuya's wrist, they were able to get their hands on fragments of the Holy Grail. Too cheap, too cheap! Grandfather is laughing.
Though Zouken allowed Kariya to participate in the Grail War, he mostly did it just to punish him – if Kariya had actually won, he probably wouldn't even know how to react.
Originally, Zouken had been content to turn a blind eye to Kariya's transgressions as long as he was living the wretched, fearful life of a runaway, but his extremely un-Matou-like willingness to heroically sacrifice himself bought him the old man's ire. Probably, it was the warped pride of a living, rotten corpse at work. Like, "When did my own flesh and blood get so damn impudent!?" or something to that effect.
By the way, Zouken thought that Kariya had died when all the crest worms were killed by Berserker's rampage.
The reason that Kariya, finally free, was able to return to the Matou mansion and reach Sakura's side without any issues, was because Zouken had rushed off to the scene of the fire to see if he could find anything worth salvaging.
In fact, they must have literally just missed each other. It seems Kariya has a talent for seizing odd strokes of good luck at the height of misfortune.間桐臓硯【人名】
第四次聖杯戦争において間桐が払った犠牲といえば、屋敷の防衛結界を荒らされたのと鶴野さんの手首がなくなったことぐらいなもので、砕けた聖杯の破片を手に入れたことに比べれば安い安い。お爺ちゃん呵々大笑である。
サーヴァント戦そのものは雁夜に対する制裁の意味合いの方が大であり、もし本当に雁夜が勝ち残ったら、それはそれで臓硯としては、彼なりの美学に於いて実に微妙な気分だったかもしれない。雁夜については、逃亡者として日々怯えながら惨めに暮らしているぶんには看過してやるつもりだったのに、彼が間桐イズムにそぐわぬ英雄的自己犠牲を払おうとしたことが、老人の激憤を買ったのであった。「ウチの血筋のくせに生意気な！」という、生きながらに腐った亡者ならではの歪んだプライドがあるのだろう。
ちなみにバーサーカーの暴走によって刻印虫が死滅した時点で、臓硯は雁夜が死亡したものと認識していた。ようやく自由を得た雁夜が間桐邸に戻ってきたのは、臓硯が火事場に何か拾いモノがないものかと出かけていた隙であり、ちょうど行き違いになる形で、雁夜は何の邪魔もされずに桜の元にまで辿り着けたのだった。不幸が絶頂に達したときに妙な案配で幸運を掴むのが雁夜クオリティ、ということか。 - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2
[] Fate/Zero Blu-ray Disc Box II English Translation booklet: Master Session 004 - Berserker Side, p.013-016 Master Session 004 - Berserker Side
Kariya Matou
Berserker's Master.
Second oldest son of the Matou family, one of the three founding Mage familes.
Although his Magecraft aptitude was higher than his brother's, he hated the vile nature of the Matou family's magic. To save Sakura, the daughter of Aoi Tohsaka, he agrees to participate in the HolyGrail War. As a side effect of the Crest Worms, half his body is twisted and distorted. Atsushi Ikariya was in charge of the character design for the anime version.
Berserker
A mad knight Heroic Spirit who is clad in black armor. The "Berserk" affinity was added to him, as he is unable to speak, and he refuses to obey his Master's instruction. His abilities include For Someone's Else's Glory, which conceal his own abilities, and Knight of Honor, which allows him to turn anything into a Noble Phantasm. He demonstrates an unnatural fixation on Saber. Atsushi Ikariya was in charge of the character design for the anime version.
Worms
The Matou family uses Worms in their Magecraft. In combat, they can be summoned and employed at will. There are various kinds, including the flesh-eating Blade Wing Worms that Kariya employs, and the Crest Worms that crawl around the Worm Pit.
Zouken Matou
Head of the Matou family. After repeatedly extending his life, this Mage is already not quite human. He is well versed in all things related to the Holy Grail, and gives Kariya Crest Worms. He observes the proceedings of the Holy Grail War from a distance.
Comment
Berserker 3DCG Supervisor Masato Takizawa
With Berserker's movements, I tweaked things like warping the parts and altering the scale so that it wouldn't look like stiff CG animation. Although there were a ton of difficult areas over the course of the series, I believe that all the hard work really can be seen on the screen and made for better visuals. I think that shows like this that are so beloved by the audience comes around once in a blue moon, so it's a real honor to have given the opportunity to take part in it.
Lancelot
A knight of the Round Table who served Arthur (Artoria). He falls in love with King Arthur's wife, Guinevere, and this dishonor brings about the fall of Britain. Also, in the anime, he is drawn with keyframe animation after his face is revealed. Because his complex armor was bring drawn by hand, it involved huge amounts of time and effort. - ↑
[] Fate/complete material III: World material - Record of Heavens Feel - Holy Grail War: History of the Lesser Grail, p.009 History of the Lesser Grail
• Fourth Holy Grail War
• Fifth Holy Grail War
• Matou Sakura
In the final events of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Zolgen (Matou Zouken) acquired the fragments of the destroyed Grail. He combined the fragments with his Crest worms, which he put inside Sakura's body. Though she was incomplete, this turned her into a second Lesser Grail.歴代の小聖杯
- ↑
[] Fate/complete material III: World material - FAQ with Nasu: Characters, p.134-135
Q: Can Zouken even eat normal food anymore?
Q: Can Zouken even eat normal food anymore?
A: He can, but for him it’s more efficient to directly leech life force for nourishment. He’s already a specter, after all.