Kei Makino
牧野慶
Guiding Priest / male / 27
Guiding Priest / male / 27
A young man, only son of the Makino family, who has been encharged with becoming Guiding Priest at Irazu Valley Church since birth. Kei, born as the elder of the Yoshimura twins, lost both parents in the 1976 disappearances incident, and was taken in by the church, at which point he became saddled with the destiny of becoming a monk. On that day 27 years ago, the previous monk - Kei's adoptive father, Reiji Makino - failed in the secret ritual, and it became necessary to find a successor to the role of monk from the Makino family.
The baby Kei, sucked into the Other World for a time along with the Yoshimuras, was taken to the Makino house, as they were looking for a successor, returned to the real world due to the laws of cause and effect. Along with his little brother, Katsuaki...
The two twins were led along drastically different paths, due to Kei's duty as Guiding Priest to the village. Monks of the Mana religion have all the respect and expectations of the villagers upon them, but also had the duty of giving their lives to performing the ritual to "send" the Holy Miyako born to the Kajiro family to the Underworld. So that in the event the ritual failed Reiji would not have to live a pitiful life, when Kei was 12 years old (1988) the role of monk was passed to him from his adoptive father, who then ended his own life. Kei, learning of his father's suffering, began to fear the inescapable pressure his position brought with it. Furthermore the church, while being a privelege to the villagers, also concealed a cave in which forbidden, bizarre things writhed. In fact, the church had been used to hide the forbidden, and for the performance of the Kajiro ritual, all along. However, Kei was unaware of this truth, and performed the role of monk in order to fulfil the duty bestowed upon him.
Kei has also had a recurring dream since before he was even self-aware. In it, he hears what sounds like a girl's voice calling out to him, desperately trying to tell him something. However, the flood of uneasiness he feels at the affection-filled words of the Guiding Nun always erase it. The Guiding Nun is always watching over her young disciple. Now that his father is gone, she soothes his various worries and pains, like a mother...
Twin brothers, living apart
In order to continue the village's traditions, the two were brought up in different environments. Although it is obvious they share the same blood, something between them is distant, formal.
A weakness from relying on the Guiding Nun
Makino has lived with everyone around him looking to him as Guiding Priest. Now that he has lost everything, Yao is the only one he can rely on.
Gloom-filled escape
He meets up with Tomoko, and they head to the church together. As her "Spiritual Leader", Tomoko puts her full trust in him, but this is a heavy burden for Makino to bear.
Confession of painful feelings
Miyata, who tries to look at things in a realistic and composed manner, and Makino who wants to reject it. The contrast between the two shows the entire strangeness of the red sea.
The Day Before
Receives a letter from Miyata, who appears as a representative of the Kajiros. Frantic preparations as overseer of the secret ritual
Day 1
0:00 - While preparing for the main festival part of the secret ritual, the siren peals and an earthquake hits. Loses consciousness
5:00 - Regains consciousness. Discovers Guiding Nun's veil
7:00 - Protects Tomoko from pursuing half-shibito. Escapes towards church
12:00 - Witnesses umi-okuri with Tomoko. Attacked by shibito and separated from Tomoko; escapes without her
19:00 - Arrives at old Miyata Clinic. Meets up with Miyata and Risa
22:00 - Conversation with Miyata. Hears Risa's alarm
23:00 - Attacked by Mina but saved by Miyata
Day 2
0:00 - Attacked by Mina; passes out
4:00 - Regains consciousness and makes his way, confused, to the hospital basement. Sees the terrible things Miyata is doing and flees
6:00 - Witnesses ribi-ya-tan/the Great Serpent
Day 3
0:00 - Arrives at Mirror Pool and witnesses the return of Datatsushi. Attacked by Datatsushi and loses consciousness
3:00 - Kyoya's blood enters his body
7:00 - Confrontation with Miyata inside the Shibito Nest. Confesses his feelings
8:00 - Miyata and Makino merge into one. The birth of a Guide who will save the village by force
Later
The Returnee (Another Story Chapter 5)
Kei Makino in Each Level
A Few Days Ago / 16:45:21 (Karuwari - Irazu Valley Church)
Makino, who has been raised amongst the elite since childhood in order to become the Guiding Priest who saves the village, had excessive expectation placed upon him by his adoptive father. Also raised with the unconditional love of Hisako Yao, both a mother and teacher to him, he grew up without a single want, and as such has developed into a young man with a staunch "Yao Complex".
Day 1 / 11:59:33 (Hirunotsuka - Route 333)
Makino has always had a calm, kind personality, but behind all of it he is really rather indecisive. When a shibito separates him from Tomoko he gives up on searching for her and flees from Hirunotsuka. While he does worry about Tomoko's safety, he keeps quiet about having left her behind (Day 1, 19:14:31) because he doesn't want people to think badly of him.
Day 2 / 6:44:51 (Upper Arato - By Mana River)
What scares Makino more than anything, having been pulled into the Other World, is uneasiness over whether he has failed in the ritual (like his adoptive father), and whether or not the ritual can be done over. However, upon seeing a pillar of light that "clouds the sky", he finally realises that heavenly punishment has been brought down by the Great Serpant ribi-ya-tan (archive no.65), meaning that the ritual has failed, and sinks into a deep despair.
Kei Q&A
Q: Why did the Yoshimuras, who should have been trapped in the Other World, return to the real world? Was it because to the church and hospital the twins were a "unit" that was needed to continue the ritual? And if so, whose will was that?
A: It is because they are subject to the laws of cause and effect. Datatsushi and Hisako are not working this way intentionally - it is simply a necessity of the god's curse itself. The god itself does not take particular interest in the human units.
Q: It appears as though in order to continue the village's customs, cause and effect made it so that they would go to the Kajiro and Makino (Irazu Valley) family, and those who do their bidding, the Miyatas. When did this relationship between the three begin?
A: The power of the blood of the cursed Kajiro family came first, and was followed by the rest - it is nothing more than that. So even if the church and hospital had no successors, someone else would be brought in. What all of this depends on is Hisako Yao, who lives on a different time axis to other people. The Kajiro family's power extends as far as into political relations.
Q: From Day 3 - 7:00 onwards the Kei Makino we see is Shiro Miyata, right?
A: Yes. Starting with the mole on his face, Miyata even adopts the way Makino moves, and by putting on his robes turns into a Guiding Priest. Miyata hides away inside his heart the lower social status he holds as a doctor compared to a priest, and the jealousy he feels towards Makino. However, he assumes the role of priest in order to end the role he was given in life, out of conflict with the burden of sin he carries for his murders.
English Translation by Chelsea
