Ayane

Ayane (あやね, Ayane) is a kunoichi of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan, and the current master of the clan's Hajin Mon Sect.

She first appeared as a training dummy in the 1997 port of the original Dead or Alive, but she later made her official debut in the 1998  remake as an unlockable character, making her the fourth female character to be included in Dead or Alive. Since then, she has become one of the main protagonists of Dead or Alive (particularly for Dead or Alive 3), and has become one of the series's most popular characters. As such, she has made many appearances outside of Dead or Alive, most notably in the Ninja Gaiden series.

Conceived when Ayame was raped by Raidou, Ayane is the younger half-sister and cousin of both Hayate and Kasumi. Although mistreated in her youth, Ayane has worked hard to become one of the most powerful shinobi of her clan.

Childhood
Ayane was conceived when her mother Ayame, the wife of clan leader Shiden, was raped by Raidou; Shiden's older brother and the progenitor of the Mugen Tenshin's troubles. Due to her dishonourable birth, the village took a great dislike towards Ayane, naming her "the cursed child," and turned her into an outcast. For some unknown reason, Ayane was not raised by her mother, but was taken in by Genra, the leader of the clan's Hajin Mon sect, and wasn't told who her true family was.

Unaware of the circumstances of her birth, Ayane and Kasumi became best friends while they were children, although neither of them knew that they were half-sisters. When Genra proposed that Ayane assisted him in his duties before the clan’s masters, Ayane met Hayate and the two started to form a close bond. From a young age, Ayane was trained to became a shinobi of the shadows, helping the clan from afar.

Later, Ayane learned the truth of her conception when Ayame admitted that she was her daughter, and the younger half-sister to both Hayate and Kasumi.

Driven by her own anger at being outcast, Ayane devoted herself to honing her Hajin Mon abilities beyond any other shinobi in the clan to prove that even she, the lowly "cursed child," could become something great. Her friendship with Kasumi withered because of jealousy; Ayane couldn't stand that Kasumi got all of their brother's attention as they were growing up, and it caused a rift in their relationship.



Work as a Messenger
By the age of 14, Ayane had already become highly skilled in the art of ninjutsu and had come to be an important asset for Master Murai of the Shadow Ninja Clan as an information courier.

It was during one of her trips that discovered the Hayabusa Village was under attack. Running to the Shadow Ninja Clan to inform Murai, she encountered her friend and ally Ryu Hayabusa, who was also paying a visit to the Master. Telling the two of the attack resulted in Ryu rushing to his village and being slain by the Greater Fiend Doku. After being restored by the clan’s animal spirit, Ryu embarked on a quest of vengeance for his clan. Ayane supported him by providing Ryu with information and items whenever possible.

Recovering the Eye of the Dragon
A year later, once again helping out Ryu, Ayane helped in the aftermath of the latest attack on the Hayabusa Village. Eventually, she was tasked with locating and retrieving the Eye of the Dragon jewel in order to empower the Dragon Sword, wielded by Ryu.

To do this, she had to defeat the resurrected Fiend and Black Spider Ninja Clan leader, Obaba. Ayane came out victorious and took the Eye of the Dragon, leaving Obaba for dead. She later met up with Ryu and gave him the Eye of the Dragon, allowing him to transform it into the True Dragon Sword.

Raidou's Return and The First Tournament
When Ayane was 16, Raidou returned to the Mugen Tenshin Village to "steal" the technique for the Torn Sky Blast. Ayane confronted him but was quickly defeated. After Raidou's rampage, Hayate was left grievously injured which caused him to fall into a coma, leaving Kasumi to become the new heir for the title of clan leader. Ayane was not happy about Kasumi's new role, but as Kasumi didn't know how Hayate was injured because Shiden had kept her in the dark, Ayane told her the truth.

Learning the facts about Hayate's injuries caused Kasumi to leave the clan on a quest for vengeance. Leaving the clan without permission marked her as a "Runaway Shinobi" and a clan traitor, so Ayane was ordered to track down and kill Kasumi in order to secure their clan’s secrecy.

Ayane managed to stop Kasumi before she even made it over the bridge out of the village, but Kasumi was saved from death when Christie and Bayman, two workers of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee, appeared on a helicopter and took Kasumi away, leaving Ayane fuming.

A few days after Kasumi arrived on the Freedom Survivor for the first Dead or Alive World Combat Championship, Ayane appeared on the ship too, with a invitation to join the tournament in order to kill Kasumi, as well as to kill Raidou to avenge Hayate. The girls soon discover that Raidou was working for Fame Douglas, the head of DOATEC, but when Ayane tried to attack him, Raidou easily overpowered her. Before the girls could do anything else, Fame stopped them and told them if they wanted to fight Raidou they had to make it to the final rounds of the tournament.

Although both girls made it to the last few rounds, Ayane was defeated by her older sister, meaning Kasumi had the chance to take down Raidou. After Raidou was killed, Kasumi was kidnapped by DOATEC, prompting Ryu to find her. Although Ayane hated the idea, she didn't argue with Ryu and returned to her village for the time being.

Searching for Hayate and The Second Tournament
One night, some time after the first tournament, Kasumi Alpha, a clone created by DOATEC from Kasumi's DNA, managed to get into the Mugen Tenshin village and broke into Hayate's room, who was still in a coma. Ayane found her, and, believing it was the real Kasumi, attacked her, but the clone cast a ninpo spell, showing Ayane a vision of the deadly tengu Gohyakumine Bankotsubo coming into the human world after the barrier to the world of the tengu was broken. When Ayane awoke, both Alpha and Hayate were missing, so Genra ordered Ayane to find Ryu so she could help him save Hayate.

Ayane found Ryu while he and his partner Irene Lew were saving Kasumi from DOATEC, after they'd discovered her location. However, after Kasumi learned Hayate was still with DOATEC, she ran off to find him, so Ryu sent Ayane after her. Ayane tracked her sister down, but was defeated in battle and allowed Kasumi to escape, even though Ayane tried to take her down with a ninpo spell.

One point during the second tournament, Ayane was also confronted by Helena Douglas, who believed that the shinobi was the one who killed her mother, Maria. Although she was not the killer, Ayane neither confirmed nor denied the accusation, choosing to simply taunt the woman instead.

Before returning to Ryu, Ayane was brainwashed by Genra, who turned out to be working for DOATEC and was really the one behind the tengu's release. Ayane was set upon Ryu and Hayate, and she tried to attack the men alongside Kasumi Alpha, but they were both defeated. After the fight, Ayane returned to normal and was happy to find that Hayate was okay, although both Kasumi and Kasumi Alpha had gone.

The Third Tournament
With Genra now a traitor, the Mugen Tenshin clan planned to take him down and kill him. Although Genra was her foster father, Ayane went along with the clan's goal, but when Hayate wanted to find Kasumi, she resisted, as she still saw Kasumi as a traitor.

Her outburst in protest earned Ayane a slap from Hayate, and she began to believe her brother didn't love her anymore. Heartbroken, she tried to commit suicide, but was stopped when Ayame found her. Her mother tried to convince her that Hayate wouldn't stay mad at her, but Ayane thought that Hayate only cared about Kasumi. After her mother told her that their family bonds were stronger than the shinobi code, and asked the girl to save her sister, Ayane went with Hayate to look for Genra and Kasumi.

The two shinobi tracked Kasumi to Kyoto, although when Ayane tried to follow her, Kokoro, a girl who tried to help Kasumi, wouldn't tell Ayane which way Kasumi had gone. Ayane tried to beat the information out of Kokoro, but when Hayate arrived, Kokoro took the moment to ran away.

During the tournament while on the Freedom Survivor, Ayane met Hitomi, the girl who helped Hayate when he escaped from DOATEC, but she became enraged when Hitomi assumed Ayane was Kasumi, and challenged the girl to a fight. It seemed that both girls were equally matched, and Hayate finally told Hitomi that they were shinobi.

Ayane and Hayate also met up with Gen Fu and his student Eliot in China, and they engaged in a friendly tag match under Gen Fu's request, to let Eliot experience other fighting styles. Ayane got annoyed by the boy's negative attitude about himself, gaving Eliot a slap and a reprimand, but much to her surprise, Eliot thanked her for the experience.

Ayane managed to come face-to-face with Kasumi again, but claimed she was focused on taking down Genra. She didn't try to kill her big sister, and said Kasumi could see Hayate, but not before she gave her a beating for her troubles. Once she was back on the Freedom Survivor, Ayane argued with Hayate on who should kill Genra. Hayate felt it was his duty as the new clan leader, but Ayane, as Genra's foster daughter, felt it was her duty. In the end, after a fight, they agreed to take him down together. Their talk about Genra attracted the attention of Brad Wong, who though they were talking about a drink with the same name for which he'd been searching. However, when he saw Ayane he took a liking to her and tried coming on to her, but was quickly stopped by Hayate.

Some time later, as Hayate and Ryu fought against each other to see who has the better shinobi, Ayane and Irene watched them, but Ayane had to stop the fight when Irene was kidnapped by Christie. Ayane tried to help Ryu save Irene, but Hayate stopped her, realizing Christie was acting as a decoy for Genra. Enraged that Ayane would turn against him after raising her, Genra opened a portal to Hellfire, and attacked Hayate and Ayane in his Omega form. The two were overpowered by Genra, but, with the help of Ryu, they cast a dual ninpo spell and killed Genra. Back at the village, Ayane preformed a funeral pyre for her foster father, and kept his Tokkosho as a momento. After Genra's death, she inherited the title of leader of the Hajin Mon sect.

The Fourth Tournament and The Fall of DOATEC
The fourth tournament served as an opportunity for vengeance by the Mugen Tenshin clan, who had suffered at the hands of DOATEC’s experiments. Ayane once again accompanied Hayate and Ryu, to embark on DOATEC’s destruction. During the battle, Ayane acted to delay Kasumi in stopping Hayate from attacking DOATEC, and engaged Christie in combat in order to allow Ryu to go after his targets.

Ayane was also primarily responsible for the destruction of the DOATEC Tritower, conjuring a powerful Art of the Raging Mountain God spell that resulted in the destruction of the complex’s middle floors, before she and Hayate managed to escape.

Despite being ordered to kill Kasumi, at the end she stopped her half-sister from running into the burning tritower after a suicidal Helena. It's unknown if Ayane did it to allow Helena to carry out her actions, or to keep Kasumi from getting herself killed.

Appearance
Also see: Ayane's Outfit Catalogues

Ayane is of petite height with a slender body, and despite being the youngest girl in the Dead or Alive series, she bears the second biggest bust out of all the women, falling just 2 centimeters behind Tina Armstrong. Originally, she was designed with a round face, with a small button-nose and wide eyes. In Dead or Alive 5, her face is now oval-shaped and her eyes have been slightly narrowed, but she doesn't appear too different from her former design.

Her appearance is one of the most distinctive out of the fighters, due to her red eyes and straight purple hair, which is cut to the nape of her neck, has a front fringe, and is tied back with her favorite dark-purple bandana. In the first Dead or Alive, some of her costumes showed her with strawberry-blonde hair, although this is the only game to give her different colored hair.

Her outfits are normally purple in color and have a feminine look about them, bearing patterns and prints such as flowers and butterflies. Ayane's most iconic costume is a dark purple, strapless dress with a pink butterfly printed on the skirt, complete with matching pull-on sleeves, stockings, heeled boots, and a giant red or orange obi bow tied around her waist. Other recurring costumes for Ayane include a purple shozoku, a school uniform, and her training dummy costume.

In Ninja Gaiden, Ayane has worn a number of costumes, most noticeably a short strapless purple dress with a section cut-out down the cleavage and mid-drift. It includes a pink obi, purple boots, gray arm and leg warmers, and knife holsters tied around the thighs.

Personality
Mostly due to the way she was treated as a child, Ayane possesses a detached, cynical outlook on life, and is completely driven by the desire to prove to herself and others that she is better than those that condemned her. As a result, she turned into a determined, strong, secretive, mysterious, and deadly young woman, earning her the nickname "Female Tengu." She does have a tendency to talk down to people - mostly to Kasumi - and act antagonistically, possibly again due to her experiences growing up. It should be noted that she despises anyone or anything reminding her of the past.

However, despite her cruel behaviour, she isn’t entirely cold and heartless. She does form working relationships with those around her, and even loving, emotional attachments, such as her admiration for Hayate and her father-daughter relationship with Genra. However, these relationships are so important and meaningful to her, they seem to be her only emotional support, and her reason for living. For example, after losing Genra and Hayate becoming angry with her, making Ayane think he hated her, she tried to commit suicide. This quick decision to take her life at the thought of losing Hayate's love might be a sign of a more emotionally unstable side to Ayane. She is sharp and a very quiet most of the time.

Like most of the other shinobi in the series, she is devoted to what she believes in and follows the code of her clan with all her heart, willing to take on any task for her village, even if it means she could die doing so.

Etymology
The kanji used to spell Ayane's name (綾音) means "Design Sound". The term can be used to describe something that is built perfectly for its purpose. This could relate to Ayane as she is seen as a skilled, naturally-born kunoichi.

Kasumi
Ayane and Kasumi are half-sisters and cousins; sharing the same biological mother, with Ayane's father also being Kasumi's paternal uncle. As children they were close friends, and despite the village's negative views of Ayane, they enjoyed playing together, even sharing the same hairstyle. However, after learning the circumstances of her birth, Ayane became jealous of Kasumi because Ayane was treated like the demon child of the village while Kasumi was treated like a princess, and had years receiving all Hayate's affection. Ayane was able to express her deep hatred toward Kasumi when she was sent to kill her for leaving the village. She also tries to keep Kasumi away from Hayate.

However, this envy and hatred may have abated now that their circumstances have changed; Ayane is now the Hajin Mon Master of the Mugen Tenshin clan and Kasumi is the runaway shinobi. This may have been why she stopped Kasumi from entering the burning DOATEC building seconds before it exploded, despite her previous mission to kill her.

Hayate
Although Hayate and Ayane didn't know that they were half-siblings for the first few years of their lives, the connection between them is strong, albeit somewhat ambiguous. As children, Hayate was one of the few people who did not treat Ayane as a social pariah. This, combined with the man's skill, resolve, and position in the clan, led Ayane to admire Hayate greatly. Her love for Hayate was so extreme, that she was ready to attempt suicide when she thought he didn't love her anymore.

Ayane's exact feelings for Hayate are a matter of debate; her respect for him is obvious, and the friendship, familial bond the two share is apparent. However, whether or not Ayane is in love with Hayate, as some have come to believe, is uncertain. Regardless of their exact relationship, the two remain at each others side, looking out for and protecting one another.

Genra
Since no one cared for Ayane, Genra took her in as if she was his own daughter. As the master of the Hajin Mon style, Genra trained Ayane in that style of Mugen Tenshin ninjutsu. As a result, Genra was both her father figure and ninjutsu master. After his betrayal of the clan, Ayane felt it was her responsibility and decided to go after Genra, though she did agree to do it with Hayate and Ryu's help. He was cremated in a funeral pyre preceded over by Ayane, where she wept for the only person to take her in.

Ryu Hayabusa
Ryu and Ayane have worked together on many occasions. She regards Ryu with respect and has formed a working relationship with the Dragon Ninja.

Raidou
Raidou, Ayane's biological father, raped her biological mother Ayame, resulting in the girl's birth. Ayane shows deep hatred towards Raidou as he was the cause of her "cursed birth" and her life as an outcast, and because he gravely injured Hayate. She failed to get revenge on Raidou, as Kasumi was the one who defeated and killed him in the first tournament in vengeance for Hayate, who Raidou had grievously injured. Interestingly, when Raidou calls Ayane "daughter" when they meet before the first tournament began, Ayane replied with a bitter "my father died long ago!" This outburst could mean that Ayane doesn't know that Raidou is her father, and was told her father had died years previous, or it could be a more metaphorical statement; Ayane doesn't accept Radiou as her father and disowned him, so he is "dead to her."

Ayame
Ayane does not show hatred towards her mother Ayame, although she gave her away and didn't admit she was her mother until years after Ayane's birth. It's possible because Ayame regretted turning her back on her daughter, it might not have been what she wanted to do; maybe she was forced to give Ayane up. During a scene in Dead or Alive: Dimensions, the two of them engage in a tender, calm conversation in which Ayame comforts her upset daughter, and Ayane calls Ayame "Mother."

Dead or Alive
Throughout the Dead or Alive series, Ayane has been amongst the fastest characters in terms of move execution; her lack of the ability to teleport in battle compared to the other three shinobi is countered with her speed. While as fast as Kasumi, Ayane’s attacks do twice as much damage. However, although she is powerful, Ayane is a very hard character to master. This is mostly due to how her moves require practice to execute flawlessly and efficiently. One wrong move could leave her wide open to attack. As such, she is definitely not suited for beginners.

Before using Ayane, it is recommended to practice with Kasumi first, as she is a more balanced character while still pertaining the same speedy attack style. When she is mastered, however, Ayane’s spinning attacks can be a great asset in a duel, making her difficult to predict and be countered by the opponent. She is a deadly character in the right hands.

Dead or Alive Xtreme
Due to her cold personality, building relationships with Ayane can be difficult, and it is noted that giving her lots of presents will not solely guarantee she'll partner with someone. Due to this, she is possibly one of the most difficult girls to befriend. It is best to avoid socializing with her in the mornings, as she is not in the best of moods at that time. If playing as Kasumi, Ayane will not want to be partners with her too easily. Ayane herself may have a hard time getting a partner, but ironically enough, she can easily get Kasumi as her partner.

When playing as Ayane in beach volleyball, she is most effective as a supporting player much like Kasumi, as her technique and jump stats provide excellent coverage in this position. Due to her weak defense, she is best placed mid-field so it will be easier for her to cover more ground. An ideal partner for her would be Hitomi, who while not as fast, is far stronger than Ayane, and can play head-on spikes while Ayane defends. Another good partner would be Kasumi; while neither are the strongest, they are both fast, and good at aiming the ball. In this case, Kasumi would do best to defend, while Ayane spikes.

Dead or Alive Series

 * Dead or Alive (1998)
 * Dead or Alive 2 (1999 - 2000)
 * Dead or Alive 3 (2001-2002)
 * Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (2003)
 * Dead or Alive Ultimate (2004 - 2005)
 * Dead or Alive 4 (2005 - 2006)
 * Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (2006)
 * Dead or Alive Paradise (2010)
 * Dead or Alive: Dimensions (2011)

Dead or Alive 5
Ayane has been confirmed to be a playable character in Dead or Alive 5, which is set to be released in 2012. She was made avaliable as a playable character in a demo shown at a press event in San Fransisco on December 7th, 2011, along with Hayate, Hitomi, and Ryu. She was also present in promotional screenshots and poster artwork shown as the event.

DOA: Dead or Alive
In the 2006 feature film DOA: Dead or Alive - loosely based on the video game series - Ayane is portrayed by Natassia Malthe, and as such appears much older than in the video game, not to mention possessing a complete change in ethnicity; Ayane is Japanese, while Malthe is Norwegian–Malaysian.

In the movie, Ayane is not Kasumi and Hayate’s half-sister, but is the lover to the latter. She is assigned the task of killing Kasumi for abandoning the village and, as a result, follows her to the Dead or Alive Tournament and tries to kill her without being spotted by others.

During the contest she finds Hayate, who was previously thought to be dead. At the end of the movie, Ayane saves Hayate from a potentially lethal fall. Her character was portrayed similarly to her video game self in the sense that they are both somewhat focused on their objective and act cold towards others.

Ninja Gaiden
Ayane has appears as an active support to Ryu Hayabusa in the reboot series of Ninja Gaiden. Although largely acting as a supporting character in the 2004 title Ninja Gaiden, and its remake Ninja Gaiden Sigma, giving Ryu aid and hints about his quest and missions, Ayane becomes playable in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, the remake of the 2008 title Ninja Gaiden II, where she possesses her own chapter in the story. She also becomes available in the co-op and multiplayer modes.

With a shorter attack range than Ryu, Ayane is equipped with a pair of Fuma Kodachi, explosive kunai and the "Art of the Raging Mountain God" ninpo, and as such is a fast and deadly opponent. The fastest in speed out of the available characters, she possesses much of the same moves as Ryu, including the "Izuna Drop." However, her weapon range is shorter due to her smaller swords.

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
Ayane makes a guest appearance in the version of Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce. She is an NPC that offers three different quests to the player. If the player manages to complete all of the challenges she gives them, they earn the right to wield her Fuma Kodachi in battle. Its attack pattern is similar to the Dual Dagger move-set that appears in the game, but with its own unique special attacks taken straight from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.

Warriors Orochi 3
Ayane appears in the Koei hack-and-slash game Warriors Orochi 3 (Musou Orochi 2 in Japan) as a playable character, representing the Dead or Alive series, though her physical appearance is based off her Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 interpretation. She is one of five guest characters for the title, along with Ryu Hayabusa, Joan of Arc, Achilles and Nemea.

In-game, Ayane first appears in the Battle of Hasedō which - due to time-space tampering - has parts of Seaside Paradise from Dead or Alive 4 replacing parts of the battlefield. Her theme in this game is a remix of Tehu Tehu, her Dead or Alive 2 theme.

ZEN Pinball: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ayane appears as part of the deco of the specialized pinball machine download based around Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 for the ZEN Pinball series for the. She is also featured on the game's logo alongside Ryu.

Outfit Usages
Ayane's signature purple butterfly dress is an unlockable costume for Kooh in the golfing game Super Swing Golf: Season 2 for the Wii. The same dress also appears in the "director's cut" edition of the 2004 survival horror title Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly for the Xbox, as an alternate costume for Mayu Amakura, one of the game’s two protagonists.

Ayanes's Ninja Gaiden design also appears as special costume DLC for PS3 owners of Dynasty Warriors: Online to place on their character.

Dead Fantasy
Ayane appears as a combatant in the fan-made CG movie series Dead Fantasy where fighters of the Dead or Alive series battle cast members from the Final Fantasy franchise. She fights with the Tokkosho that belonged to Genra and utilizes her Hajin Mon style and ninpo magic to battle the Final Fantasy cast. She is set to have a one-on-one battle with her "main rival" Rikku of Final Fantasy X in a future episode.

Ayane also features in a related music video, Dead Fantasy - Gee, dancing with other girls from Dead Fantasy to the song Gee by Girls' Generation, dressed in her gym kit from Dead or Alive Ultimate.

Musical Themes

 * Aya - Dead or Alive (PlayStation)
 * Tehu Tehu - Dead or Alive 2 (Ultimate 2) and Dead or Alive: Dimensions
 * Jintsuriki - Dead or Alive 2 (Ultimate 2) Ending Theme
 * Prismatic Butterfly - Dead or Alive 3
 * Firelight Holly - Dead or Alive 3 Ending Theme
 * Shade - Dead or Alive 4
 * Unbroken Chains - Dead or Alive 4 Ending Theme

Trivia

 * Ayane's 6th outfit in Dead or Alive 2 and Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate pays homage to Millenia from Kagero: Deception II of the Deception series, another one of Tecmo's game series.
 * Ayane bears an uncanny resemblance to Lilith, a female character from the fighting game created by CAPCOM, Darstalkers, they both are young girls and have purple hair and red eyes and pale skins and they are the main characters in their respective games.
 * Ayane and Christie are the only females characters in the Dead or Alive series that have an unnatural color for their hair.
 * The reason why Ayane, Eliot, Kasumi and Kokoro do not have listed ages in the western versions of the Dead or Alive games is because they are under 18 years old. Tecmo decided to give them undefined ages to avoid the risk of a moral backlash from western audiences.
 * In the Ninja Gaiden series, Ayane frequently announces herself with one of her purple iris kunai. She also seems to sometimes appear in a flurry of purple iris petals, much like Kasumi does with pink sakura petals.
 * IGN featured Ayane in their "Videogame Babe of the Day" series in 2006. She was also voted #7 in Fandomania's "Top 10 Fictional Ninjas" list.