Yuki Kuran

Yuki Cross/Kuran/Kiryu (黒主 優姫/玖蘭 優姫 Kurosu Yuuki/Kuran Yuuki) is the main female protagonist of the series. She was initially portrayed as a human with no prior memories of her earlier life. Her growing curiosity to know the truth of her past makes it difficult for her to move forward. She is also curious about the mysterious connection between her and Kaname Kuran, her long time crush. Despite confronting him face to face, Kaname still does not plan to let her know as he believes she would be happier not knowing the unknown past. However his plans were disrupted and had to be brought forth when the main villain of the story made an unexpected appearance. Having no other ways to save Yuki from a foreseen tragedy that has begun to corrupt her mind, the truth was finally revealed in a way that Yuki would have never imagined. She was all along the precious secret daughter of Juri and Haruka Kuran. Kaname Kuran is actually her fiancé, childhood lover and brother. Both of them are officially the last remaining living purebloods of the Kuran family and is part of the remaining seven royal pureblood clans.

Appearance
Appearance as the human, Yuki Cross.

Yuki has a slender body with large brown eyes with a hidden red tint in them. She has shoulder length dark brown hair with light red/brown hue highlights. She wears the trademark black uniform of the Day Class with a white armband carrying the mark of a red rose, signifying her position as a member of the Disciplinary Committee. Additionally under her skirt, attached to her left thigh, Yuki carries an anti-vampire weapon: the Artemis Rod. She wears dark leather brown boots in the manga but wears ankle brown boots in the anime series.

Appearance as the pureblood, Yuki Kuran.

Upon her awakening as a Pureblood Princess it is instantly noticeable that her appearance is strikingly beautiful like her mother Juri Kuran and she has also been praised to have the same "kind and tender eyes/gaze" as her father Haruka Kuran in Night 54, page 7 Compared to her human hair and appearances, as a vampire Yuki's hair has grown to be much longer, reaching down to the back of her waist. Her character development as a vampire is now potrayed to be more feminine and definitely more toned down compared to her human side. Yuki's eyes glow red and less brown.

During the time that she had spent living in the Kuran mansion with Kaname Kuran and Hanabusa Aido, Yuki is seen from time to time to be wearing Pajamas or long sleeved dresses that reach above her knees. She is also drawn to wear high heeled shoes or sometimes barefooted. Yuki adorns pretty head pieces and accessories such as hairbands, berets, pearl necklaces, and gloves with ribbons. During important Vampire or Hunter functions she is dressed in long elegant ballgowns. In Night 54 it is seen that Yuki gets her pedicure and manicure done by Kaname and Ruka personally. Whenever Yuki leaves the Kuran mansion to go to town in secret, She dresses more casually, but is still very neatly and fully dressed.

Yuki continues to use Artemis as her main weapon after it transforms into a scythe that vampires such as herself can wield in Night 41  But in Night 83, Yuki uses Aretmis to cut off her long hair, reverting to her old hairstyle to show Kaname that she is upset with his unknown plans and is disappointed by his sudden change in character.

As a child, Yuki's hair was long, reaching the middle of her back.

Personality
Yuki is generally a cheerful and a rather comedic girl. She is considered a poor student because she dislikes studying and falls asleep in class due to the fact that she stays up all night monitoring the school grounds and protects the day class students from sneaking into the night class dorms. She exhibits a strong attachment to her close friends, especially Sayori and Zero. Her indecisive nature and reticence can be attributed to her insecurity regarding her missing past. As a human, she has been seen as standing sides with vampires but deep in her heart she feared all vampires (because of a vampire that attacked her when she was little) excluding Kaname Kuran.

Because of this fear she rarely left the Cross Academy grounds on her own. Yuki doesn't like to reveal her fears and disguises it with a smile. But Zero, having grown up with her for four years, is always able to tell when something is bothering her, making it hard for her to hide things from him and vice versa.

Following her reawakening as a Pureblood vampire, Yuki shed the fears she once retained. When a situation asks, she can put in an authoritative face as is expected of a Pureblood Princess. As a result, she has grown more emotionally mature and thoughtful. Yuki's overwhelming fault is the tendency to burden herself with guilt over her ignorance when she learns of other people's sufferings that they have kept secret.

Yuki's favorite subject is Physical Education and her favorite food is ginger pork stir fry set, as well as parfaits.

History
Yuki was five years old when Rido Kuran attacked the Kuran Family household seeking to take her away. In order to protect her, Juri sacrifices herself to seal Yuki's vampire nature and erases Yuki's memory. Yuki's first memory is that of Kaname saving her from a Level E Vampire who tried to devour her while being alone on a snowy day. She grew up as a human in the care of Kaien Cross, who also adopted her. Despite no longer remembering Kaname and their past relationship, he remained an important figure in Yuki's life, becoming her much beloved savior whose visits she always looks forward to, eventually leading Yuki to develop intimate feelings for him.

Despite having her memories sealed, as a child Yuki experienced constant nightmares, a problem which continued nightly until Zero Kiryu joined the Cross household. As a result, Yuki formed a strong attachment to him. She found comfort in helping Zero with his personal nightmares and unofficially appointed herself as his guardian, entering his room nightly to make sure he slept soundly, and constantly worrying about his well being. Shortly after Zero's arrival, another change occurred between Yuki and Kaname's relationship. The closeness they once shared was lost after she witnessed Kaname feeding on a vampire classmate Ruka, an act which both frightened Yuki and reminded her of the difference between humans and vampires. Now keenly aware of the futility of her feelings,Yuki chose to distance herself from Kaname. Still, her longing and admiration for him remained. Furthermore as she grows and matures, Yuki has to confront the secrets of the Purebloods (including Kaname) and her existence.

Powers and Abilities
Like all Pureblood vampires, Yuki has immortality and the ability to heal from anything excluding anti-vampire weapon wounds to the heart or head.Yuki has demonstrated the following abilities, though most of her abilities are instinctual and uncontrolled:
 * Telekinesis, breaking windows on the few occasions when she experiences strong emotions.
 * Ability of flight using a pair of wings on her back made of blood that resemble butterfly wings.
 * Ability to interfere with memory blocking through touch and includes breaking memory spells on herself.
 * Ability to wield anti-vampire weapons both as a human and as a vampire and transform the Artemis rod into its scythe form, like her mother did.
 * Ability to have her blood cure people's hallucinations.
 * The ability to erase memories.
 * Yuki is able to explore, read the memories and hearts of those she sucks blood from.
 * The power to turn a pureblood vampire into a human.

Weapon
Yuki's weapon is Artemis throughout the entire story. Artemis is an anti-vampire weapon given to her by Kaien Cross after she assumes her role as the school's guardian. Artemis appearance looks like a harmless plain metal rod that can extend longer when force is applied. However it can hurt any vampire just by a touch.

Yuki has used Artemis to stab Rido Kuran in battle. Other than that, she has never used Artemis to kill or harm other vampires.

She also offered her service to remaining purebloods to take their life if they ever thought of ending their lives in Night 57

Awakened Artemis

In Night 41, page 32   of the manga, it is seen that Artemis transformed, just like it's wielder. After Yuki is awakened as a Pureblood vampire, the appearance of Artemis completely changed. Artemis has features of a vampire and looks very much like a vampire itself. A blade resembling those of a Vampire's fang, tearing flesh on the fang (showing it's blood lust), a rod made out of bones and additional touch of bat wing designs on the back. All these features makes Artemis look like the most intimidating weapon out of all the other anti-vampire weapons. Even though Yuki is now a vampire herself, Artemis retains it's ability just like before. Making it her ultimate protection.

History of Artemis

Artemis was born from a pureblood hooded ancestor who sacrificed her heart to the furnace to give life to anti-vampire weapons for humanity to fend themselves off from vampires with bad intentions at the beginning of time 10,000 years ago. Artemis and Bloody Rose were originally Kaname Kuran's personal weapons before he gave them to Cross Kaien to be in-charge. Which was later passed onto Yuki Kuran and Zero Kiryuu respectively when they became the school guardians.

Kaname Kuran


Kaname is Yuki's admired savior, her Pureblood brother, official fiancé and ancestor. Yuki has been in love with Kaname almost her entire life. Since she was a young child to a teenager, even before and after losing her memories. Both of them are bonded emotionally and deeply rooted than what it appears on the surface. At times, their relationship for each other could be even viewed as very interesting or mysterious to both vampires and humans. Although Yuki seems to love both Kaname and Zero, she still chose to depart with Kaname. Yuki promised to leave Cross Academy with him after she finishes her business, which includes the death of Rido Kuran, making sure that the school grounds were safe and ultimately tying lose ends with Zero Kiryuu which ends in a disaster. After Zero claimed that he will kill her the next time they meet and verbally disregarded their past friendship. Even though she was very confident about knowing Zero before, she still expresses fears that Zero will treat her like a stranger or just a hunter going out to hunt her down. Which has left her troubled for the past 2 years. It also shows in Yuki's personality that she is a very sentimental person who treasures memories and ties. Despite all of that, she still threads on her new life taking a step at a time. At the end of the manga, it was presumed that their night together produced a daughter who calls the newly awakened human Kaname as "my other father" possibly for having grown accustomed to Zero as her other father figure.

She loves Kaname whom she considers the start of her whole world.

'''The problem during the 2 years. '''

Though the two often pledge their love for each other - seen caressing and behaving like lovers. Kaname still doubts that Yuki's heart is truly with him though he continues to believe and trust her, turning a blind eye to that thought. He asks her to prove it to him but it never truly ended in any conclusion. Except for her calling him the liar when it is obvious that he has given everything to her. His time, his blood, his feelings and for being patient with her. He has a feeling that Yuki is not being honest about her feelings. His points to doubt her are very much valid. Yuki still rejects the vampire nature within herself (e.g resist sucking blood), also showing powers that resembles creatures from the light (e.g butterflies/moth) She is still very human-like to his eyes, which convinces him to believe that she is better suited being a human rather than a vampire. When Yuki mentioned that a part of her heart and self is with Zero, Kaname gave her time but eventually he has begun planned something.

The flaw

The main flaw between the both of them is that, she does not share with Kaname about her feelings or the changes/issues she's facing within herself. Both of them do not express or share with each other on how to deal with these matters which ultimately made them wander inside the deep forest aimlessly just getting lost together. (indicating that they don't know how to clear this up and also this growing distance between them but as long as they are in love everything will be alright.) But Kaname has finally had it at one point. He told her that this is the only thing that cannot go on. Though it is not just Yuki to blame but Kaname as well. He does not tell her his plans, because of his nature of keeping her happy and innocent from the vampire welfare no matter what. Without having to witness bloodshed, or going through pain. Treating her like the most precious being in his entire life, he refuses to share her with anybody else other than himself. That explains his deep hatred for Zero Kiryuu when he bit what was originally meant for him. (The part about Vampires offering their blood to their lovers out as an act of love.) But he still lets her do as she pleases and respects her decisions before anyone.

The thing with Yuki in this relationship

Yuki however suffers from an inferiority complex and sometimes compares herself to him. She sometimes doubt herself if she is good enough to be standing beside him. Which made her conversate less to Kaname. Because of her self indulgence, she has too also failed to see and understand that everything he did was for her sake. Instead she blames it all on her existence and feels guilty about it. Kaname did not have it good either. He had to endure the loneliness that he has been feeling for the past 10 years, watching her from afar while she grew up happily, finishing up the vampire association and vowing to find a way to finish off Rido Kuran since he cannot kill the person who had awakened - which with all pleasure he wished he could. Kaname feels useless that he cannot kill the biggest threat in Yuki's life. Though he did literally slice him into pieces causing him to spend the next 10 years regenerating from that.

All of these events and situations has force Kaname to do despicable things, but he still did knowing he might be hated or even looked upon as cruel. Even if it might even make Yuki loathe him or feel disgusted with him he still had to do it, because no one else loves her as much as he does during that very moment at that time. He was also entrusted under the care of her parents to look after her.

A short slice of Zero Kiryuu.

After Yuki was turned into a vampire, she now understands how Zero or any other vampires feels when he drinks and thirsts for blood. She feels troubled by the way she thirsts for Kaname's blood is no different from how Zero thirsts and longs for hers. Knowing how a vampire can starve when they don't taste the blood of someone they desire very much, it can plunge them deeper into depression and madness. Clearly realizing how being a vampire is likely to live their remaining lives/eternity like this, she becomes even more concerned about Zero who resists his vampire nature just like she does. Because of this her mind is also preoccupied by how she will appear to him. In a way, Zero actually does understands her the most in this department and vice-versa. Kaname however, cannot understand this because he was and always have been a Vampire who has control over his vampire nature and powers almost perfectly.

Think about it from Kaname's point of view for once.

For someone who has lived and observed humans since from a long time ago, knows the crude and core nature of human and vampires alike before such pretty and refined words came into human civilization. Kaname has since then begun planning his moves after seeing her constant wavering concern for Zero Kiryuu and rejecting her vampire self. Which she often thought goes unnoticed.

All these only gives Kaname even more certainty that she probably does not feel the same way about him as he does and probably loves Zero. Both of them could not confined in each other which led to guesses being passed back and fourth between themselves. It all begun right after they made up seeing each other as equals in Night 67 shortly after that, Yuki disobeyed Kaname and left the house when he told her to be good and stay as he promised her that when he comes back, they will start their lives anew. '''The mistake is here: As stated above, before she left Cross Academy she said those words to him as well, and he gave her the space she needed to tie lose ends/say farewell. But as we see right now, she did not do the same nor respected his wishes.''' It made Kaname ultimately believe that Yuki does not trust him or believe in him which lead him to do what he did. To give her back a life as a human once more and with Zero to protect her as a knight. Then he shall succeed the hooded ancestor to become the new parent so that Zero can have a anti-vampire weapon that can protect the human Yuki.

Zero Kiryu

Yuki and Zero were childhood friends, allies who became enemies and finally into an uncertain wary relationship as they both try to figure out where they stand. Even though it was only stated once, Yuki does admit to Kaname that part of her belongs to Zero. Whether this is romantic-wise or not, has yet to be proven although some fans believe that it is of a romantic nature due to a Pureblood's blood-lust only being quenched by a lover's blood. Yuki is shown sated by Zero's blood, she mentions he is the one she never thought she would attain blood from. Yuki does have some feelings for Zero but locks them up deep in her heart. Yuki erases Zero's memories of the human Yuki so Zero won't remember her after she sacrifice herself, turning her love into a human. However, he eventually regains his memories and  back and decides to face his true feelings for her. The weight in Zero's heart lifted and appears fine fighting next to vampires and even a pureblood. Yuki's powers have taken Zero's hatred away. In the last chapter, Yuki gave birth to his daughter.

Sayori Wakaba
Sayori Wakaba is Yuki's best friend and roommate. Yuki affectionately calls her Yori. Sayori often worries about Yuki and her guardian duties, telling her she needs to rest and jokes about her being a vampire due to Yuki's sleeping habits. Sayori knows that Zero has feelings for Yuki and asks him about them, but Yuki most of the time has no idea what she's talking about. When Yuki was reawakened as a vampire and vanishes, Sayori is worried and tells Yuki that no matter what they will always be best friends. She has also told Yuki that she isn't scared of her despite Yuki telling her that she could have bit her.

Hanabusa Aido
Aido was Yuki's antagonistic senior classman who was jealous of her relationship with Kaname. After Yuki was revealed to be a Pureblood Princess of the Kuran family, Aido ends up becoming her tutor and mentor. This is further enhanced to the status of protector as the series progresses. Though their new relationship is on a new, professional level, the two have demonstrated a better and closer friendship.

Manga

 * "...It's cold... White snow... What is "white"? What is "snow"? It is something that is not red. Something that is "red"... is what?"
 * "I'm not the "Yuki"... that Zero knows anymore. Because... the vampire Yuki completely devoured her."
 * "have you ever wanted to end your life...?"
 * "I want it ... I only want this man's blood."
 * "If you don't devour what you desire, you'll be driven insane."
 * "When I think of him I feel so much love and sadness ... is it a bad thing that the same feeling makes me want to latch onto his throat and devour his blood and even his life to taste his feelings in it?"
 * "His neck ... his beautiful pale neck ... when I think of it, I want to tear into it with my fangs ... I want to bask deeply in the taste of his blood in that flowing crimson filled with his feelings melted into it ..."
 *  No...I can't imagine a world where I can't hear your voice anymore.... 

Anime

 * "It's my duty as a guardian to protect Cross Academy, Day and Night."
 * "You can hate me along with the vampires, But I won't let you give up on everything Zero!"
 * "I was thinking, if I could become someone that Zero needs, then I could say goodbye to the me."
 * "I am a P​ureblood vampire, the one thing Zero despises, but I can't help that I still want to see him."
 * "...It's cold... White snow... What is "white"? What is "snow"? It is something that is not red. Something that is "red"... is what?"[5]
 * "I'm not the "Yuki"... that Zero knows anymore. Because... the vampire Yuki completely devoured her."
 * "have you ever wanted to end your life...?"
 * "I want it ... I only want this man's blood."
 * "If you don't devour what you desire, you'll be driven insane."
 * "When I think of him I feel so much love and sadness ... is it a bad thing that the same feeling makes me want to latch onto his throat and devour his blood and even his life to taste his feelings in it?"
 * "His neck ... his beautiful pale neck ... when I think of it, I want to tear into it with my fangs ... I want to bask deeply in the taste of his blood in that flowing crimson filled with his feelings melted into it ..."