Hazama

Hazama (ハザマ), also known by his extended codename Hazama Honoka (ハザマ＝ホノカ), is a former captain of the World Void Information Controlling Organization’s Intelligence Department. In reality, he was an artificially created human designed to be originally the host vessel for Yūki Terumi. He originally appeared as a non-playable character in the Story Mode of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, but starting with BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, he became a playable character.

Appearance
Hazama’s appearance is taken after the shady, creepy archetype. He is depicted with bright green hair and an ever-present smile with his eyes closed, belying a demonic nature. He wears a simple black suit with a white shirt underneath, short brown gloves, and brown steel-toed shoes (that conceal hidden knives at their heels). He dons a pair of black trousers held up by two brown belts. He completes the outfit with a black fedora hat to close the shady visage. When allowing Terumi to take over his form, he removes his hat and tie, his hair spikes upward, and he opens his eyes, which are gold with snake-like slits for pupils. His smile also becomes that of a psychopathic killer.

In Centralfiction, he later reveals he has a cracked hole on his left side of his chest (as a result from the wound from Trinity in Chronophantasma), which is shown to be completely hollow which also hints at his nature as a mere vessel made of Blue Grimoire.

His appearance also changes to how Terumi’s hair is styled whenever he takes over Hazama’s body, though after the events of Chronophantasma, Hazama himself is still able to invoke his appearance during anything that involves Terumi’s powers despite the two being separated.

Personality
Hazama maintains a calm and quiet demeanor around most people, pretending to be harmless as a member of the Intelligence Department. He claimed to hate fighting and preferred to avoid conflict. This, however, was simply a guise to his true nature. When people saw through it, he showed his true colors as selfish and manipulative; destroying other people’s lives and twisting their beliefs for his own gain. He has no qualms with killing those who get in his way and shows absolutely no remorse for his actions.

He is shown to be just as cruel and detached as Terumi himself, working in sync with him with almost no problems and taking just as much pleasure from the suffering of others as he did. Hazama takes every opportunity to upset others by mocking them, deliberately provoking them, or even bringing up and prodding at a sensitive topic; all for his own enjoyment. Even when he was on the losing side of a conflict, he would take the time to insult and taunt his foes.

His cruelty seems to be born as a result of the fusion with Terumi, as he only has his nice demeanor in Centralfiction. It’s revealed that while he still retains his trickster persona as he had his memories all along, though he has his own desires different from Terumi’s and wants to become his own entity. It’s still shown that while he is still sadistic he is more subtle and simply manipulates people into doing his biding until they stop being useful to him. His desires are more different in that unlike Terumi who wants a world ravaged from the true meaning of despair, which later develops into a masochistic-ish desire to understand the meaning of pain (both inflicted on himself and on others) in order to feel alive partly due to the near-fatal wound inflicted onto him by Trinity.

Oddly enough, akin to Terumi’s initial vessel Kazuma Kval, Hazama shares the latter’s love for boiled eggs.

History
Hazama was created by Relius Clover to be the vessel for Yūki Terumi in case after the loss of his predecessor vessel Kazuma Kval during the Great Dark War. However, due to side effects of the mind eater curse their merge was incomplete which forced them to remain separate entities sharing the same body, and worked alongside the 7th Agency and Relius Clover to create Mu-12, a Murakumo Unit designed to become a heart for a new Black Beast that the 7th Agency desired to destroy the Controlling Organization. Hazama, who has the original Blue Grimoire, sought to fuse with Mu to become the Black Beast’s body; however, this plan was thwarted by the Takamagahara who subsequently fired Highlander: Takemikazuchi upon the 5th Hierarchical City of Ibukido, decimating the city into what was soon known as the “Burning Fields of Ikaruga”. Mu’s smelting process was halted and she was later adopted and christened as Noel Vermillion who was actually the master unit possessing Mu.

Remix Heart
Greeted by Relius inside his office, the two talked about the 15th Hierarchical City of Torifune, and the possibility of the Red Grimoire lying within it. Intrigued, Hazama journeyed there to find it.

When Hazama did arrive, he found a mortally wounded Sypher Alvar stumbling away with the Burning Red in hand. Tutting, Hazama sneaked behind him and called it a dud, firing his Event Weapon, the Snake Pair: Ouroboros, into the alchemist’s back, killing him before he had a chance to react. He took the Burning Red, and looked at Mai Hazuki before walking away, the Grimoire in hand.

The Wheel of Fortune
In Hazama’s office in the 3rd Hierarchical City of Iwasu, Relius asked Hazama where he had placed an artifact from Ikaruga, responding that he had placed it in Relius’ lab, also claiming that Kushinada’s Lynchpin was not in Ikaruga either. Before Relius left, Hazama had a favor to ask him.

Hazama later interrupted the meal between Tsubaki Yayoi and Makoto Nanaya, introducing himself to Tsubaki and ordering Makoto to come to his office later on; he then payed for their meal and left to meet with Relius. He asked the Puppeteer and asks how the matter with the artifact was going, then answering Relius’ question on who Makoto is, noting that it was unusual for him to be interested in another being.

Some time later, Hazama caught Tsubaki running down the halls of the Controlling Organization hallway, telling her that there was no point in even attempting to find Jin Kisaragi since there was no point; after being pressed by Tsubaki for an answer, Hazama took the opportunity to relish in mocking their relationship, before finally dropping the subject and relinquishing his whereabouts – stating that Jin is within the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi, searching for the Grim Reaper. Relius and Hazama meet yet again, this time with Hazama claiming that nothing can stop the tempering of Nu-13.

Deep within the lower levels of Kagutsuchi’s Controlling Organization branch, Hazama found Tsubaki asleep, patiently waiting for her to wake up. When she did, he directed her to Jin’s location – the deepest level of the branch. Hazama then turned to face Hakumen, switching with Terumi so he could battle the White Susanoo instead.

At the end of the original timeline, Hazama walked over to Tsubaki’s corpse and kicked it, remarking that even though she was garbage, she did move like he wanted her to. The timeline ends as Hazama exclaims that he can finally begin.

Calamity Trigger
During the majority of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, Hazama is supervising Noel Vermillion’s mission to return Jin to his post, and attempts to avoid fighting anyone, claiming he “is not good with that sort of thing”. However, during Rachel Alucard’s story mode, he appears twice as Terumi, the first time mocking Valkenhayn R. Hellsing, and the second time mocking Rachel herself.

After the final fight of the True Ending in BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, he appears before Noel and Ragna, and after Rachel arrives, he loses his calm demeanor. His hair spikes up and his voice becomes much louder. Rachel and Ragna, having recognized Terumi from the attack on the church years before, attack him immediately, but he simply shrugs it off, and begins to taunt Ragna over the church attack before departing. After the credits roll at the end of the True Ending, he is shown issuing confidential verbal orders to Tsubaki Yayoi to assassinate Noel and Jin.

Trigger Shift
Before calling Tsubaki Yayoi to come over to his office in the 3rd Hierarchical City of Iwasu, Hazama sat in an airship where he received the call that Jin Kisaragi had been captured; in response, he issued that Jin be moved to a ship in the 5th port and that it should stay docked. Following this order, Hazama called up Relius to tell him that Noel Vermillion had inherited the Blue, only to find that Relius was now going to visit the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi so he could perform some “tests”.

Continuum Shift
In BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, he appears as the main antagonist and a playable character, planning to destroy the core unit, Amaterasu, using Noel Vermillion, who becomes the Perfect Murakumo Unit, Kusanagi – Mu-12. He sacrificed many Controlling Organization members in order to temper her. When he and Ragna battle, the former overwhelms the latter and proceeds to take his life. But Nu-13’s soul in Lambda-11’s body sacrifices herself to protect Ragna and gives him her Idea Engine before dying. This allows him access to the true Blue and he defeats Hazama. However, Ragna does not kill him, and the latter calls the former a chicken before falling unconscious. During the ending it is revealed that Hazama and Relius Clover are working for Ragna and Jin’s little sister Saya, who is now the Emperor of the World Void Information Controlling Organization. In the post-credits sequence he is shown standing over a Kiln containing the remains of Nu with Relius, commenting that it could be used to make the “Sword of Izanami” (イザナミノツルギ).

It is revealed that Terumi, like Hakumen and Rachel, will fade away without an Observer. Takamagahara, and later Mu (with the power of the Eye), with whom he shared a Life Link, observed him in BlazBlue. However, Mu lost her power after she turned back to Noel and Takamagahara was attacked by a magical virus from Phantom, losing its power. Terumi did not fade away, however, because he had awakened Hades: Izanami, her vessel Saya is observing Terumi. As an added measure, he is using Ragna’s hatred as a force to bind him to this world, as well and the reason he was able to destroy Takamagahara.

Chronophantasma
He was tasked with erecting a barrier over the Ikaruga region, preparing the 13th Prime Field and managing Tsubaki Yayoi. Among his other goals was taking care of Ragna the Bloodedge and the remaining Six Heroes.

In the Six Heroes story, Trinity forcibly switches the positions of Hazama and Terumi, making Terumi the “outer” in order to bypass Hazama’s Life Link with Noel Vermillion and allow Hakumen and Jūbei to eliminate him. However, Terumi is saved by Phantom at the last minute, and switches back with Hazama off screen. Hazama is later found and attacked by Trinity, but uses her lingering feelings for Kazuma Kval to get her to let her guard down and attack, only to be stopped by Hakumen. The two battle, but while Hakumen seems to have an overwhelming advantage, he is unable to kill Hazama, who leaves with Phantom in tow. Trinity tries once again to force Hazama and Terumi to switch, but something interrupts her.

Later on during the summoning of the Master Unit Amaterasu, Hazama is seen using the Blue Grimoire to gather souls into the Kiln, kicking off the “Doomsday”. When Hakumen encounters Terumi again near the tower, he explains that whatever interrupted Trinity’s attempt to switch them caused Terumi’s consciousness to separate from Hazama and transfer to a doppelgänger body. While Hakumen and Terumi fight, Hazama is ambushed and bound by Trinity, which causes Terumi to become paralyzed as well. Hakumen uses his Time Killer technique to erase Terumi’s “time” and kill him, which appears to have some devastating affect on Hazama. He stabs Trinity while she’s unfocused, saying that he’ll take her down with him, and falls with Platinum into the water below. Their whereabouts became unknown afterwards.

Centralfiction
After Terumi’s defeat, Hazama had lost not only his connection to him, but became nicer than he was before. He also is still shady as ever and is revealed to have been faking his amnesia having his own agenda. In his Act III story, he fights Terumi and has stated that he wants to be in charge of the plans and they went to where Ragna was, with both of them laughing.

Powers and abilities
In battle, Hazama wields the Arch-Enemy Event Weapon named Snake Pair: Ouroboros; a steel hook crafted in the shape of a snake that he summoned in front of him, attached to a chain of green/black energy, which he could use to attack opponents from afar, or reel them in, as well as zip around the battlefield quickly, if not instantly, and close gaps between him and his foes. On the other hand, he also uses Balisong-style butterfly knives for close-range attacks, along with having hidden knives that stick out of his shoes’ heels. Most of his attacks are similarly based on summoning green/black energy and serpentine apparitions to attack his foes, with his Astral Heat being a gigantic cobra of green energy composed of many smaller snakes. Outside of his Magic Formula prowess, Hazama is incredibly nimble and flexible, his moves vaguely reminiscent of dance techniques. Hazama also knows a Magic Formula which allowed him to summon his fedora out of nowhere, which to him often came in handy whenever he lost it in battle.

He possesses Bleu Grimoire, which is revealed to be his whole body being made from it. When activated, a large magical circle known in his Overdrive as Jörmungandr (ヨルムンガンド) enveloped him, slowly sapping away vitality of anyone who steps inside. Also, Ragna was unable to use his own Blue Grimoire, as Terumi/Hazama have extreme knowledge of it to the point of being able to shut down other Grimories. This was until Ragna absorbed Lambda’s Idea Engine to bypass such a law and render Terumi/Hazama’s Grimoire useless in the same manner.

Hazama’s Drive is Ouroboros (ウロボロス), utilizing his Arch-Enemy’s namesake to soar around the battlefield using his weapon to pull him in, regardless of whether or not Ouroboros has made contact, in order to make up for his lack of long range or projectile attacks. Above his Heat is a counter for his Ouroboros that determines how many times he can pull himself in (3 at max). Though it usually recharges after two seconds, he can get some back by simply hitting the opponent with the weapon and allowing it to click a second after it lands. However, the chain itself tends to lose its potency the further away it contacts its target from Hazama’s firing point.

Hazama’s Bleu Grimoire also carries the same weakness that Ragna’s Blue Grimoire does: Celica Ayatsuki Mercury’s magic element-nullification shuts it down by merely being within his presence. However, as Hazama’s entire body is made from the Grimoire, the effects are much more potent. He becomes almost crippled, and while he still retains the ability to fight, his power is nowhere near the level it normally is.

Trivia

 * Naming
 * “Hazama” (狭間) is Japanese for “loophole”. However, when using kanji 挟問 (hazama), it gains the meaning “narrow space”, which is a place in the Boundary.
 * His technique naming-motif is snakes, which also parallels his nature that nods to how snakes are negatively portrayed in most forms of mythology and media. Terumi also follows this motif as well.
 * Hazama’s Drive name, “Ouroboros”, refers to either a serpent or a dragon. The Ouroboros is usually represented by a snake biting its own tail, symbolizing infinity or a never-ending cycle. This image is also shown in Hazama’s crest. His Overdrive is called Jörmungandr, which references the Jörmungandr of Norse mythology that grew large enough to bite its own tail, signifying the worlds end if it ever let go. Coincidentally, the symbol of Jörmungandr looks somewhat similar to the top half of Hazama’s crest, Ouroboros (and the aura surrounding Hazama also moves in a slow cycle). Tying into this, Hazama and Terumi also have other snake-based references:
 * His and Terumi’s two Distortion Drives, Orochi Burensō and Orochi Burensen are a clear nod to the Yamata-no-Orochi of Shintō mythology.
 * His other Distortion Drive Mizuchi Rekkazan (蛟竜烈華斬), references the jiāolóng/mizuchi aquatic deity of Chinese origin, which is also usually used as a Japanese term for either a rain dragon or hidden genius.
 * Appearance
 * In the anime, it is shown that the serpent apparitions Hazama summons in-game are actually Ouroboros coated with dark energy.
 * In Centralfiction, Hazama’s hair no longer spikes up after performing his Astral Heat, nor does he remove his hat, all due to no longer Terumi possessing his body.
 * Other
 * Hazama’s birthday falls on the International Dance Day, a reference to the fact some of his sprite movements and one of his alternate color palettes are based on Michael Jackson.
 * April 29 was also celebrated as the Greenery Day from year 1989 to 2006.
 * Hazama has been described by the creator, Toshimichi Mori, as “having no redeeming quality”.
 * During the extra scene from the Arcade Mode of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II where he unleashes Mu-12, he is briefly voiced by Spike Spencer.
 * In all new scenes in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, he is voiced by Doug Erholtz.
 * Noel commented that Hazama likes to swallow his hardboiled eggs whole rather than eating them. This is in line with Hazama’s snake-like tendencies. This habit was shown in the BlazBlue: Alter Memory anime.
 * As of BlazBlue: Centralfiction, Hazama no longer has special interactions with people related to Terumi due to Terumi becoming a separate entity from him despite the fact that Nightmare Fiction still plays for his matches with Ragna even though they no longer have the same animosity from the previous games.
 * Hazama is the one of two characters who enjoys Noel’s cooking, as seen in her gag ending, the other being Mai Hazuki.
 * Although Hazama gets his bad ending by losing to Jin, he must lose to Ragna to get his Help Me, Professor Kokonoe! section in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift.
 * Relius had to “kill” Terumi to get him to appear in ghost form and later infiltrate Takamagahara. This can lead to the assumption that Terumi must be run out of his body by injury, or otherwise have it rendered inaccessible for him to appear in ghost form.
 * Hazama’s dislike for cats is often referenced in the omake segments of the series, while during his gag ending in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift and for one of the gag endings in BlazBlue: Chronophantasma, it is revealed that he is actually allergic to them (this also extends to any other cat-based entity).
 * Terumi himself however, is not affected by this, as this allergy still applies to Hazama as shown with his encounters with Taokaka in BlazBlue: Centralfiction’s arcade mode.
 * Appearances in other media
 * TrolololHazamaTrolololHazama was a Zen United/Arc System Works Europe prank created for the European release of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II. Before the release, there was a site with a BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II News Countdown (which is now offline) and in the source code of the site there was a ultimateblazbluenews.html link. Under the link can be found a YouTube video with a Hazama-styled Trollface and a flashing NICE TRY caption.
 * The background music is Zen United/Arc System Works Europe’s version of the song I Am Glad, ’Cause I’m Finally Returning Back Home, which was originally performed by Eduard Khil. This version lacks vocals and the music is in a chiptune style.
 * Hazama is one of several characters, namely Ragna, Jin, Rachel, Hakumen and Platinum, who are playable in Lost Saga.