Nagi

Nagi (那岐) is one of the main characters in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. He is technically the first Suzaku of Earth (地の朱雀, Chi no Suzaku) of the series.

His memories are used to bestow a human trait into the Suzaku of Earth dragon gem, thus influencing the Eight Guardians in later generations of the franchise. His particular trait is "Sorrow" (嘆き, nageki).

Background Story
Nagi's parents are unknown but at least one of them had family ties to the Nakatsu Kuni royalty. Nagi naturally possessed a dangerous amount of spiritual energy and subconsciously burned down a nearby straw hut seconds after his birth. Deeming the child to be an ominous threat, the nearby ministers chose to keep his birth a secret and instead donned him to be a future sacrifice to the gods. They deigned for his powers to one day be used to benefit the kingdom. An infant Nagi was given the treasured Makerukaeshi-no-Magatama, a gem which has powers exclusive to those of the royal bloodline, to note his future duty and birthright. He was then set adrift on a reed boat away from the palace walls.

On the same night the infant's boat was discovered by Kukochi (狗古智), a wizened master of kidou and one of the Generals of the Four Roads. He immediately recognized the gem around the infant's neck and understood the child's purpose. Hoping to teach the child how to control his powers, Kukochi decided to raise Nagi as his pupil. The Kuna mage taught Nagi his spells and imparted his wisdom to him. He taught the boy anything he could, whether it be survival instincts or delicacies from his clan. Whenever the boy had a tantrum, Kukochi would search for him and gently encourage the boy to continue. In spite of Nagi's spurts of defiance, their life in Nakatsu Kuni's forest dwellings was modest and happy.

Five years before the game's main story, Nakatsu Kuni was under attack by the Tokoyo no Kuni army. Kukochi, who wanted to protect Nagi, decided to fight in the mainlines and perished in battle. Nagi wandered aimlessly away from their home until he arrived near the main palace. As the giant portal to the Loophole of Time opened, Kazahaya noticed him and saved him from being lost within the waves of time.

They arrived in the modern world. Chihiro lost her memories of her homeland, and Kazahaya asked him to keep the truth a secret from her. At Kazahaya's behest, Nagi secretly fought the corrupted deities which occasionally appeared from the nearby Mount Miminashi in order to guard Chihiro. The trio lived together within the same household and posed as a family, telling those inquiring that they are cousins to one another. Since their childhood, Nagi attended the same schools as Chihiro and helped her in her classes.

Story Events
The story begins with Chihiro and Nagi staying after school to study for an exam. Kazahaya peeks into their classroom to inform them that he will be staying late. Both he and Nagi sense a disturbance of energy, quickly urging Chihiro to return home. Nagi escorts her and retires to his room to rest. He later notices that she left their home and finds her on the road back to school. Nagi sees Chihiro in tears and attacks the nearby Hiiragi with a spell, thinking the strateger to be responsible. During the fight with Tooya, the group is dragged into a time portal and return to Nakatsu Kuni. Nagi awakens beside Chihiro and informs her of their surroundings. He continues to guard her throughout the story.

After they drive Levanta away from his manor, Sazaki offers to show them the resting place of his people's guardian deity and struggles to replace the missing stone in its proper resting place. Nagi solves the puzzle for the Himuka with ease. Moments after a berserk Suzaku emerges and gravely injures Chihiro. Upon seeing her fallen body, Nagi enters a mysterious trance and casts a powerful spell to incapacitate the god. Though it causes his body stress, he quickly recovers to subdue the deity and restore its sanity. Chihiro tries to question him, but she is interrupted when Suzaku raises its sacred altar to serve as a divine flying ship for her.

Before the group decides to investigate the mysterious fog around Chikushi, Nagi decides to give Chihiro a bayberry leaf pendant. He insists that it is a spiritual charm made to protect her from spiritual possessions and instructs her to keep it on her person at all times. As he suspected, the Black Dragon attempts to claim Chihiro's body as a sacrifice when she is isolated from her allies. Nagi's pendant blocks its powers from consuming her and forces the deity's retreat.

Nagi is genuinely surprised to learn Kazahaya's true identity in the final and canon timeline. He cynically accuses his cohort of being too relaxed with the world's destruction, even if he can't think of a plan for the survivors. If the player chooses to use him, he can assist the final battle against the White Dragon. His whereabouts in the new world are not specified, but Nagi likely stayed close to Chihiro's palace.

Personal Route
Many of his early events have Nagi wishing to distance himself from the party. Chihiro worries about his absence and decides to look for him. Once she finds him, she offers to stay beside him. Nagi is used to her concern and begrudgingly accepts her company. During their time alone, he happens to chat about fragments of his past. When he notices Chihiro concern for him, he ushers them to remain focused on their current objective. He insists nothing is wrong with him if Chihiro inquires.

Futsuhiko and Sazaki curiously observe Suzaku's resting place within the flying ship. When Chihiro enters, the sacred bird surprisingly emerges from its slumber. It then asks the priestess and its designated guardians their personal interpretation of kindness. Both Sazaki and Chihiro reply with their individual opinions and satisfy the god's question. When Nagi is asked for his thoughts, he refuses to answer and abruptly leaves. Chihiro is surprised by his rudeness but is worried by his heartless tone. She later helps Sazaki stage a cool noodle eating party to encourage Nagi to bond with his comrades. It briefly lifts his spirits, but a spice unique to the Kuna Clan reminds him of his master. He cuts himself short and excuses himself from the the festivities.

Wondering about Nagi's whereabouts, Chihiro continues to look for him on the night of the Izumo's festival. When she finds him alone in the nearby forest, they dwell on the topic of his master. He warmly reminiscences about the kind Kukochi until he suddenly moans in pain. Chihiro notices his stagger but he tries to dismiss it. She remains concerned about his condition, even during the Tokoyo no Kuni invasion of Izumo, and finds him brooding in solitude. Nagi loses his patience with her constant intruding and demands to know her reasons for bothering him. Once she confesses she thinks dearly of him, Nagi is upset. He insists he only brings misfortune to others and therefore doesn't want anyone to care for him.

The Nakatsu Kuni regiment attempts to return to their flying ship and encounters Asvin's army. During their fight, Magatsuhinokami rains destruction around them. Asvin and his army immediately withdraw to escape the deity's wrath. Chihiro and her army try to do the same, but they are caught within the deity's crushing aura. Nagi challenges the deity to a duel to protect Chihiro, clashing with the deity in a mighty crossfire of magics and spiritual auras. He is entrapped within Magatsuhinokami's powers and, despite his god slaying spells, he fares badly against the deity. Chihiro rushes to his side in apprehension the same moment the deity casts a deadly spell on Nagi. Both she and Nagi are hit and perish instantly. Their comrades can do nothing but pray for their souls in the afterlife, hopeful that the pair can somehow be revived.

Chihiro comes to in Yomi no Kuni, or the afterlife, which appears to be a foggy version of her school in the modern world. Thinking that she had a bad dream, she wanders the empty town looking for Nagi. She encounters a nameless member of the Kuna Clan who reminds her of past events of Nakatsu Kuni. He then advises her to look for Nagi and return to the living by finding the entrance at Mount Miminashi. Chihiro focuses her thoughts on the pendant Nagi gave her and the two youths reunite. He learns from her that his supposedly useless Makerukaeshi-no-Magatama can lead them back to Nakatsu Kuni. Nagi is content to remain with the dead in purgatory, but Chihiro encourages him to go with her.

In spite of his recalcitrance, Nagi relents to her wishes and they prove themselves worthy to the guardian blocking the path to the living. The guardian spirit warns the duo to never look behind them as they walk forward, for it will forsake their chances of returning. The duo are stopped by a gentle voice before they walk to the exit. Chihiro recognizes the voice as the nameless Kuna, and Nagi quickly identifies him as his departed master. Kukochi confesses his happiness in raising his pupil and tells Nagi that he has never regretted the circumstances of his death. He encourages his student to find a new purpose in life to honor his memory. Kukochi is destined to wander the dull and cold lands of Yomi no Kuni for eternity, but his spirit is reminded of sunshine when he sees Chihiro's hair. To comfort his soul, the princess cuts her hair as her parting gift to him. Prior to his return to the living, Nagi swears to his mentor that he will protect Chihiro with his life.

Kazahaya and company rejoice the duo's miraculous revival, even if Chihiro's short hair surprises them. The news of the duo's resurrection is immediately reported by eavesdropping messengers to Sainokimi. She immediately seeks an audience with the duo when she learns they have landed in Kumano. The elderly woman reveals Makerukaeshi-no-Magatama's sole power endows royalty a second chance at life. Since both youths live, it proves that Nagi is technically an heir to the throne. She dismisses the princess and explains Nagi's ordained duty to him in private, patiently awaiting for his acceptance of his fate.

Before he decides to answer Sainokimi, Nagi takes Chihiro out for a calming play date by the beach. As they enjoy themselves, he remarks it's as though he lost something along the shores but can't describe it for Chihiro when she ventures for an explanation. He decides to part ways with her at nightfall, abruptly saying that he doesn't want to hurt her and to believe in him. Three days later, Nagi is proclaimed the rightful king of Nakatsu Kuni. Chihiro is confused by the news and sees Nagi in person. He forcefully takes away the dragon gems from her as the relics are proof of her royalty. Wrenching the title as the land's ruler away from her, Chihiro is roughly shoved out of his quarters as she cries for him to answer her.

Now left without a spec of her lineage, Chihiro is a normal girl and the Nakatsu Kuni army becomes divided. A handful of followers stay beside Chihiro, but a majority of the troops fall under peer pressure to serve Nagi. Sazaki reports that a large regiment of the Tokoyo no Kuni army appears to be heading towards their position and Nagi appears to be leading troops to intercept them. With the pirate's help, she disguises herself as a soldier for another chat with Nagi. He intently wants her to leave and only replies to let him keep his title for three more days, promising to give everything back to her.

Chihiro flees from the nightly guard Nagi signals and reports her experience back to her comrades. Based on the enemy movements and the King's fatalistic wording, Hiiragi concludes that Nagi intends to confront the sealed Black Dragon by himself. Refusing to abandon Nagi, Chihiro and company head towards his position. Sainokimi stops them and reiterates Nagi's duty to sacrifice his life to destroy the god, clarifying for the princess her cousin's will to have her enthroned. The elderly woman manipulates a band of disfigured deities to attack when Chihiro defies her. The princess and her party defeat them and push onwards to their destination.

By the time of their arrival, Nagi has been sacrificing his life force into his spells to severely cripple the sealed Black Dragon. He protests their intrusion as normal mortals cannot hope to fight the deity, yet Kazahaya confirms that the god has been weakened to the point it can be hurt by normal weapons. Chihiro and company help Nagi's fight against the deity, yet they fail to deal the finishing blow. As the Black Dragon unleashes its hidden powers, Chihiro is caught within its grasp. She is sent to the Loophole of Time and encounters the missing piece of Nagi's heart which he lost at his birth. The piece of his heart protects her from being lost and guides her back to the real Nagi, whose spirit is desperately calling for her return. Following his voice once more to Nakatsu Kuni, Chihiro arrives at the beach. Nagi finds her and, having been worried sick over her disappearance, warmly confesses that she means everything to him.

In his epilogue scenario, Chihiro reigns as Queen and peace has returned to the land. Nagi recreates an illusionary version in the modern world by using kidou and invites her to it. Nagi replies that they can now enjoy the pleasures of both worlds alone, swearing to always be beside her.

Development
According to Ruby Party members, Nagi has three different namesakes. The first is a word for "calm" (凪), which is a synonym of Kazahaya's name. Second is the bayberry, a plant which has no meaning in the flower language. His mythological namesake is Izanagi. The trip and return from Yomi no Kuni in his story is directly lifted from the deity's journey. All of these words include "nagi" in their original Japanese pronunciation.

The initial development stages actually had Nagi act as Futsuhiko's childhood friend. This relationship was toned down to be one of bickering camaraderie instead. He was also going to be the White Kirin at one point. When this idea was discarded, the developers wanted to keep his vegetarian tastes as a friendly nod to his original conception. They eventually decided for Nagi to be the character who clashes with Chihiro.

Personality
On the surface, Nagi is curt. He is lazy and impassive, often uttering his misgivings rather than encouragement. The kidou user will act and fight if he feels he is needed, but whenever possible, he distances himself from the group to be by himself. He takes naps during the day and rarely believes in exerting himself with physical activity. If anyone tries to intrude his privacy, he ignores them to the best of his ability. Persistent visitors are answered with contemptuous backlash from Nagi. Despite his foul behavior, many of Chihiro's companions seek to befriend him, much to his irritation. He acts as the cynical straight man to their eccentric antics.

Out of his companions, he is friendly with Futsuhiko and Tooya. They are relatively the same age and share similar interests with the occult and traditions. Nagi is happy to share or correct any misconceptions they might have with kidou or Kuna Clan customs. Tooya teaches him new spells and Futsuhiko passionately challenges his complaints. He may not understand Tooya completely and he may be annoyed with Futsuhiko, yet he enjoys spending time with them. If Nagi is feeling social, he will likely talk to them.

More often than not, Nagi tends to brood over his past. Scarred by his abandonment as an infant, Nagi felt ostracized and unwanted since his childhood. He despised those who he thought feigned sympathy for him and hates being forced to do something against his will. Thus, he often bickered with his mentor, Kukochi. Nagi didn't realize how important his mentor was to him until his sacrifice for his safety. Since then, he has blamed himself to be a person who brings misfortune to those close to him. His cold shoulder is his way of protecting himself from pain or betrayal. Once he learns his birthright as a sacrifice for the throne, Nagi gladly embraces his duty with fatalistic integrity. He believes that by obliterating himself from existence, he can lower the death count and lessen the burden for Chihiro.

Nagi appears to be annoyed with practically anything Chihiro does, whether it be her unabashed optimism or her attempts to drag him to group gatherings. Even if he retreats to be alone, she never fails to look for him. Due to their childhood together, he is more or less acquainted with her habits and can predict her mindset. He may pick on her for her clichéd naiveté, frequently acting as the voice of realism to shoot down her daydreams. Yet even with his constant abrasiveness, Nagi is thankful for her support and is glad to be beside her. He becomes furious if she is actually injured and fears the idea of being the one who hurts her. Once he overcomes his past grievances regarding his master's death, he wholeheartedly dedicates himself to her. He has severe difficulty expressing his kindness and attachment towards her throughout his story, only being completely honest with her in his ending.

Character Symbolism
Makerukaeshi-no-Magatama is mentioned within Kuji Hongi as one of the ten divine artifacts used by the deity Nigihayahi. Like the name of the gem suggests, it has the power to bring people back from the dead. It has also been argued to invoke the user with necromancy or the power to permanently kill the undead. The reed boat which set an infant Nagi adrift is a homage to the obscure Japanese deity, Hiruko.

Kidou is originally a term mentioned in the Weizhi Worenchuan. It was used by Himiko to govern the countries and kingdoms with her father and brother's assistance. What exactly kidou is remains unclear, but this has often led to the image of her being a priestess or shaman queen. Kidou has also been theorized to have been an archaic form of Taoism, Shintoism, or another unknown religious practice rather than sorcery.

Nagi's symbolic color is ukon, which is said to have been named after the golden roots of a turmeric plant. It was imported to Japan sometime during the Edo period. The color was believed to be a natural insect repellent and was thus used to dye the undergarments of children. Alternatively, it was said to have been an antibacterial ward or a treatment for skin diseases. The golden shade has also been argued to be a good luck charm for protecting a person's wallet or purse, as the wording implies luxuriance.

The bayberry may have no meanings in the flower language, but it does have a history for being mentioned within the Heian period. Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hōjō Masako are fabled to have met and fell in love underneath the large tree, thus beginning its primary interpretation as a guardian tree. It is a common tree planted beside shrines and temples throughout Japan.

Quotes

 * "... I'm already fed up with you."
 * "I'm not made for manual labor."
 * "Yeah, yeah. Do whatever."
 * "You're making it easier for me, so I'm not complaining."
 * "Gods' breath is one with mine; my breath be one with the gods."
 * "You don't have to sound that desperate. I'll think of something."
 * "You're late. Not that I was expecting you or anything..."
 * "... Don't take it the wrong way. I just had nothing else better to do."
 * "That made me tired..."
 * "It's the afternoon napping council. Want to be a member?"
 * "I don't want to be tied down to anyone. Don't you dare try to tell me that you like me or that I'm precious to you. I hate that."
 * "I'd be better off disappearing without a trace. Right away..."
 * "I never need to find it. I have something more important to me than something I lost in the past. Something much closer to me, maybe right next to me..."
 * "Wouldest thou seek to stop me? Doest thy insignificant body think to repel me?"
 * "Won't know until I try."
 * "How preposterous. ... Thou shall not win. Thy fears of ruining thy mortal flesh shall not prevail against me."
 * "I've stopped caring about myself a long time ago. There should be nothing left to fear."
 * Magatsuhinokami and Nagi


 * "You never change. You're always on edge at the weirdest of times."
 * "What do you mean by that?"
 * "I'm talking about you and your random pacing. If you waste time thinking about so many pointless things, your head won't be able to take it. So, you wanna go out with me?"
 * "Right now? Do you think we'll be able to come back before the end of the day?"
 * "Just long enough to relax. If you want to. I won't force you to come with me."
 * "Sure, we might be able to make it back before evening."
 * "So that's all you're worried about. That's Chihiro for you. "
 * Nagi and Chihiro

Fighting Style
He is the party's offensive sorcerer, which means he has the weakest physical stats out of the main party and lacks any defensive skills. Yet Nagi has the strongest magic stat in the ally party, and his AI primarily attacks with useful magic in boss fights. Although the cost of his spells may hamper him at earlier levels, his special abilities can help him conserve his energies for longer battles. Keep him healed at all times and his magic can defend the party well.

Nagi can boost his vitality, defense, magic power, speed, and will power to Level 5 within the menu screen. Here are his optimized stats:


 * Attack - 68
 * Defense - 73
 * Magic - 96
 * Speed - 78

Special Abilities
The following lists other abilities Nagi can learn by using the Five Elements the party gathers.

Magic
Here are the spells Nagi can cast in the game.


 * Rekishin Geki (礫震撃) - Moderate Earth magic. Can only perform when Chihiro is not in the party.
 * Shidou Retsushiki Kai (四道烈式改) - Strong Earth magic which hits a single target. Unique to Nagi, and can be used after Chapter 2.
 * Housa Soujin (崩砂双陣) - Stronger Earth magic. Requires a partner with the Earth attribute to be in the party. Requires Chihiro to be in the party.
 * Shidou Retsushiki (四道烈式) - Stronger Earth magic. Build four stars of bonds with Chihiro and have her in the party.
 * Suzaku Shoukan (朱雀召喚) - Summons Suzaku to hit all enemies. Usable after Chapter 2. Chihiro must have Sazaki and Nagi in the party with two stars of affection.
 * Souen Meppa (双炎滅破) - Fire magic which hits all enemies. Must have Chihiro and Kazahya in the party.
 * Soukyu Senou (蒼穹閃桜) - Strong Wood magic which hits all enemies. Must have Chihiro, Futsuhiko, and Tooya in the party. Chihiro must talk to Nagi in Chapter 4 and must have two stars of affection with these characters to unlock it.