Ichiru Kiryu

Ichiru Kiryu (錐生 壱縷, Kiryū Ichiru) was the younger twin brother of Zero Kiryu. When they were children, they were both taught by Toga Yagari to become vampire hunters. Ichiru, however, did not seem to have the same talent as Zero's natural ability, as he was often ill.

Appearance


Ichiru and Zero Kiryu both bear a striking resemblance as they both have silver hair and lilac eyes with a tall and slim build. The only difference between Zero and Ichiru is that Ichiru has slightly longer hair than Zero. In the anime's second season, Ichiru styled his hair into a short ponytail with Shizuka Hio's pink string that had a bell attached to it. Upon meeting his twin brother for the first time in four years, Ichiru wears a plain white mask covering his eyes, though discards the disguise when Zero recognizes him. Like Zero, Ichiru is considered attractive by the Day Class girls.

Personality
Ichiru was a complicated person who was marked by many conflicting emotions and actions. Although he was very close to Zero Kiryu as a child, Ichiru nevertheless struggled with the inevitability of being left behind by his brother as well as the strain of not being able to make it as a hunter. He eventually became jealous because of how Zero could be healthy and normal while he couldn't. Though professing to both love and hate Zero upon different occasions, Ichiru didn't always appear to know his own mind when it came to his twin, but his actions indicated that in whatever way, Zero was incredibly important to him. The only other person who was just as important to him in his life was Shizuka Hio, but he was heartbroken and angry when she died.

History
Ichiru was born into the Kiryu family, a distinguished family of vampire hunters, as Zero Kiryu's twin brother and due to the hunters' curse, most if not all of his hunter powers were absorbed by Zero, which subsequently gave the latter increased power as a hunter. Even though his parents were highly skilled vampire hunters, they were both killed by Shizuka Hio when she attacked the Kiryu household one winter night after Ichiru left the house.

Plot
After the death of his parents, Ichiru and Zero Kiryu have no communication with one another for four whole years, due to Zero believing his brother to be dead just like his parents. Despite Shizuka Hio allowing Ichiru to drink her blood in order to strengthen him and cure his chronic ill health, she didn't turn him into a vampire and instead chose to keep him as a human. Four years after his disappearance, he reappears as a Day Class student attending Cross Academy under Rido Kuran, Senri Shiki's father's orders (and by Zero's permission).

Later on, when Zero was locked up in a cell underneath the Academy, Ichiru is seen visiting him and though he appeared to have shot him out of hatred, it was revealed that Ichiru was terribly wounded due to him trying to kill Rido; the person he was really after because of the latter's role in Shizuka's death. After shooting his brother, Ichiru convinced Zero to drink his blood so they could finally become one as they had been originally supposed to be at birth. Ichiru then stated that he was happy that he wasn't dead in Zero's heart and when they hugged, he also said that he felt comfortable in being in his arms, even recalling a time when the brothers slept in the same bed often and had been loved equally by their mother.

After Ichiru's death, Zero appears to have grown vines, which most likely were from all of Shizuka's blood that Ichiru had ingested to prevent his chronic illness from returning. During the one year time-skip, Zero is seen visiting Ichiru's grave and he laments on how he fears he's forgetting how to feel like a human. Ichiru then appears as a spirit to comfort his depressed. He calls Zero silly and to remember that his body may be within a grave with his parents, but his soul has become a part of Zero's so he remembers for him what it's like to be human. Lastly, he retells Zero to follow his heart before disappearing. When Yuki is drinking Zero's blood, she sees Ichiru within his memories along with the human version of herself standing beside a coffin covered by vines.

Powers & Abilities
Though he was born into an elite vampire hunter family, Ichiru was a very sickly child who was not strong enough to become a vampire hunter along with possessing no talents for it due to the curse. However, after being taught how to become a hunter by Toga Yagari and drinking Shizuka Hio's blood, he's shown as being much stronger then he had been as a child. He was skilled with a sword.

Equipment

 * During Zero Kiryu's fight with Shizuka Hio while she was in Maria Kurenai, Ichiru throws Maria a dagger that helped wound Zero fatally.
 * While Zero Kiryu was held captive when he tried to kill Rido Kuran, Ichiru had a sword on him.
 * In the last minutes of his life, he shot Zero in the shoulder with the Bloody Rose.

The Kiryus
His parents worried about Ichiru's health and his chances of him becoming a hunter. After hearing a conversation about this, Ichiru took this as them favoring Zero over him and felt as of they were being watchdogs for the Vampire Hunters Association. Ichiru assisted Shizuka with the murder of his parents.

Zero Kiryu
Zero is Ichiru's older identical twin brother whom he shared a close relationship in their youth, as Ichiru grew older, his jealously of Zero caused him to hate Zero for the simple fact that Zero became a vampire and he didn't along with Zero's superior skills as a hunter. The younger Ichiru was more cheerful, unlike Zero who doesn't talk much. Ichiru claims he wanted Shizuka to keep him alive only because he wanted Zero to suffer.

Before the war with Rido Kuran, he seeks Zero once more and asks him to consume him, so that he can once more become a part of his brother. Ichiru is happy when Zero says he doesn't wish for Ichiru to die; meaning Zero still had some love for his little brother. Zero ate Ichiru (another meaning for taking in Ichiru Kiryu's blood so they would be one like how they were supposed to before they were born). Ichiru's dying wish is for Zero to live on and complete his goal. Even after death, Ichiru's spirit often comforts Zero as the hunter questions whether he is losing his humanity.

Shizuka Hio
Shizuka is the person Ichiru betrayed his parents and Zero for. She told Ichiru that if he lets her take revenge on his parents for her lover she will make his body become stronger. He agreed but it is later found out that he asked her to keep Zero alive. Ichiru served her as her butler and at some point it is pointed out that he loved her, despite the fact that she killed his parents and turned his brother into a vampire. Upon her death, she gives him a bell on a ribbon to which Ichiru proceeds to tie his hair up. Shizuka allowed Ichiru to drink her blood but refused to turn him into a vampire, much to Ichiru's dismay.

Maria Kurenai
It is hinted that Maria may have romantic feelings for him. Maria has a strong attachment to Ichiru and is quite fond of him, to the point where she persists in searching for him long after she has left the academy.

She appears to have spent a great deal of time with him while he was living with Shizuka and admired Ichiru's kindness towards her. He express concerns over her well being and chides her silly behavior standing out in the sun; Zero mentions to Ichiru before his death that Maria wishes to see him.

Yuki Kuran
The two often met at the end of differing sides. Ichiru threatened Yuki continuously knowing that she is one of Zero's weaknesses something Yuki didn't realize at that point in time. Yuki tries to be civil when confronting him but unlike Zero finds herself uncomfortable in Ichiru's presence. He often spoke to Yuki in a condescending manner and even questions out loud why Zero would spend time in her presence. Ichiru knew there was more to Yuki's background and often warned Zero to stay away from "that girl" and telling Zero that his taste had run bad.

After Ichiru dies, Yuki feels sadness after seeing Zero carry his deceased brother's body to be buried.

Trivia

 * Ichiru (壱縷) is a combination of Ichi ( 壱 ) meaning one and Ru (縷) meaning rage.