| Profile |
Tsugino Haru (継乃ハル), previously known as Maeno Aki, is one of the main characters of ZENO. He wakes up as an amnesiac at the start of the game alongside the real Maeno Aki. Due to Ushirono Fuyu rearranging his file, Tsugino initially mistook his own identity to be Maeno's.
Personality[]
A calm person, Tsugino Haru maintains a pleasant face with a positive outlook, often encouraging Maeno Aki throughout the struggles of their escape. Glimpses of his lost memories inevitably resurface while climbing the abandoned building. This mental exposure to past traumatic events triggers a gradual onset of ZENO within Tsugino.
Under the influence of ZENO, Tsugino is prone to obsession. He avidly wants to "love" someone, which, for Tsugino, involves killing and eating them. He wholeheartedly believes in this definition of love. He is also shown to act somewhat childish while relapsing, such as his pouting when he cannot find Maeno. When his advances of "love" are rejected by Maeno, Tsugino loses his composure.
During his younger days, Tsugino displays a silent demeanor with an apathetic attitude towards his environment, largely attributed to being subjected to emotional neglect by his parents.
Appearance[]
A young male just entering adulthood, Tsugino Haru bears short spikey hair and eyes both similarly black in hue. He frequently dons a casual look consisting of a long sleeve turtleneck paired with denim jeans and gray shoes. When Maeno dives into his mind using the Intracerebral Connector and the Memory Control Device, the flashbacks depict him wearing two alternate outfits. With his family, he sports a black puffer coat with fur lining the hood. As a ZENO patient of the facility, he wears a baby blue hoodie over his usual turtleneck.
In some endings for the game, Tsugino can be seen with a blue dress shirt over a gray shirt, a white turtleneck, or a kimono-style hospital gown.
He also pierced his right ear during high school, which is detailed in a short side story (The Name of Greed).
Background[]
Born to an uncaring family, Tsugino Haru lived in search of love for as long as he could remember. His parents and sister only ignored or berated him, and he was bullied at school. When he was thirteen, he saw Maeno Aki eat Ushirono Natsu. Tsugino got the idea that this was love (killing and eating someone else). He developed ZENO afterward. Despite ZENO's emotional effects, Tsugino was incredibly calm. He lived out of a facility for five years, hiding at least one murder of a peer. His school life was normal; he had excellent grades, was well-rounded, had many friends, and was student council president. One Christmas, he murdered his sister, and when he was eighteen, he killed his parents and was captured. Certified as a ZENO patient, Tsugino entered the facility and survived by studying and reading books with Maeno Aki as his doctor. Later, his doctor was switched to Ushirono Fuyu due to his attacking of Maeno Aki.
Relationships[]
Nameless Family[]
Tsugino's family consists of his father, mother, and older sister. His parents are shown to be emotionally neglectful, while his sister ignored him entirely. Tsugino did not have a good relationship with his family before and after their deaths.
Maeno Aki[]
Tsugino Haru first encountered Maeno Aki by chance, stumbling upon a seaside building where he witnessed the cannibalism of Ushirono Natsu. This event influenced his already skewed perception of 'love' and ultimately led to the blossoming of his ZENO condition. When later transferred into a ZENO treatment facility, he once again crosses paths with Maeno Aki — now his assigned doctor. Through persistent friendly acts on Maeno's part, namely psychological counseling and sweet treats offers, Tsugino warmed up to the man. Unfortunately, a relapse of ZENO led to Tsugino attacking Maeno, and he was placed in isolation before being switched to a different doctor's care.
"The Yankee"[]
The Yankee appears in The Name of Greed, a short story concerning Tsugino's high school years told through Tsugino's point of view. He is described as a short boy with brown hair and a single ear piercing. Personality-wise, Tsugino refers to him as a "lone wolf" and "delinquent." He is said to prefer Tsugino's true self over the mask he wears. This makes Tsugino happy.
Because he notices Tsugino's infatuation with his piercing, he offers to pierce Tsugino's ear. This leads to Tsugino's obsession with piercings growing. Shortly afterward, he asks Tsugino to pierce his ears. They go to the Yankee's house, and after being offered the piercing needle, Tsugino goes into a daze. When he comes to, he has killed and brutalized the other boy.
For not resisting death, Tsugino cannot help but love him. At the end of the story, he kisses the Yankee on the lips.