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Mayu Amakura
"Didn't we always promise each other...that we would always be together...?"
Real name:	Mayu Amakura
Kanji:	天倉 繭 (あまくら　まゆ)
Alias:	N/A
Age:	15 (FF2), 17 (DCB)
Family:	Shizu Amakura (mother) Misao Amakura (father) Kei Amakura (uncle) Mio Amakura (twin sister)
Occupation:	Twin sister
Status:	Dead
Cause of Death:	Spirited Away / Sacrificed by sister in Crimson Sacrifice Ritual
Birthdate:	1971
Died:	1988
Birthplace:	Unknown (Minakami region)
Marital Status:	Single
Games:	Fatal Frame II Fatal Frame III Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly
First Appearance:	Fatal Frame II
Notes:	N/A
Spirit Stone:	Magatama
Voice Actor:	Kim Mai Guest
Japanese Voice Actor:	Ayako Kawasumi
Fatal Frame II Character

Mayu is the older twin sister of Mio. She has a very strong sixth sense, but she has a low resistance to ghosts. Thus, she is often used by spirits as a medium. She and her sister are directly descended from Dr. Kunihiko Asou through her father. (See family tree for details)

Past

When Mayu and Mio were little girls (about 5-6 years old) they lived near the Minakami area. They often played in the surrounding woods. One day the girls were playing, running along the top of a ravine. Mio, who was quite a bit ahead of Mayu, teased her sister saying that if Mayu did not hurry she would leave her behind. Struggling to catch up, Mayu tripped and fell down the ravine. As a result, her right leg was severely injured. Mayu walks with a limp and keeps her knee bandaged at all times.

Soon after this incident, Shizu decided to move away with her daughters. She told them that their father had passed away, but in reality he had disappeared in The Lost Village and was spirited away. Shizu was likely aware of this fact.

In 1988 Shizu became very ill. She soon had to be hospitalized. Both Mio and Mayu were placed in the care of their uncle, Kei Amakura. Around the same time the girls learned that their childhood play area was about to be submerged in water, due to the construction of the Minakami Dam. The girls decided to visit the site one last time. It is unknown if Kei took them there, or if they got there by their own means.

Fatal Frame II / Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly

While Mio was lost in thought about Mayu's accident years ago, a Crimson Butterfly caught Mayu's attention and began to lure her away. When Mio noticed her sister was gone, she began to chase after her, calling her to come back. As they ventured deep into the woods, Mayu's form began to seem overlaid with that of a woman in a white kimono. When Mio reached out and grabbed Mayu's shoulder she was struck with a vision of her own hands around Mayu's neck.

When Mio finally found her sister, Mayu was standing atop Misono Hill. As she turned, a swarm of Crimson Butterflies floated up around her. Mayu whispered, "The Lost Village..." She then explained that she had heard about a village trapped in repeating a night of death and a secret ceremony. Seeing that the way they had come was now blocked off, the twins had no choice but to explore the village to find a way out.

Upon entering the Osaka House, Mayu gets a series of violent and disturbing visions. She grabs Mio's hand and shares the vision with her. Terrified and confused, the twins continue their exploration. They eventually find the Camera Obscura tucked away in one of the house's rooms. Mio becomes frightened and accidentally takes a picture of the ghost of Miyako Sudo, one of the women from Mayu's earlier vision. Thus, the true power of the camera is revealed.

After exorcising Miyako's ghost with the camera, Mio awakens alone. Mayu has left the house in pursuit of a Crimson Butterfly leaving only her charm, a magatama, behind. She follows Mayu to the Kurosawa House where she encounters the bloody, laughing ghost of Sae Kurosawa in the Great Hall. Mio finds her sister in an upstairs room, and the two attempt to leave. When Mayu steps into Great Hall, however, her form is again overlaid by Sae's, and she whispers, "I don't want to kill anymore." As the twins explore the house the truth becomes clear. The ghostly inhabitants of the village intend to use the twins in the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, and Mayu is possessed by Sae, the last Twin Shrine Maiden.

As the night wears on, the twins are separated again and again. Mayu becomes more strongly influenced by Sae, speaking in her voice and assuming her form to beg Mio, whom she calls Yae, not to leave her. When the ceremony begins, the twins try to escape through the Kureha Shrine, but Mayu is caught by a group of villagers and taken to the Kurosawa House again.

Mio finds Mayu waiting for her at the edge of the Hellish Abyss. Mayu lies back on the stone altar and tells Mio that she understands the two cannot be together forever, but by performing the ritual, they can become one. As the ghostly priests surrounding them strike their staffs against the floor, Mayu places Mio's hands around her neck. Upon urging, Mio strangles her to death. As Mio steps back, the Mourners come forward and throw Mayu's body into the Hellish Abyss. A single Crimson Butterfly emerges and whispers, "Thank you." Mio chases the butterfly out of the village, sobbing and apologizing. The Crimson Butterfly hesitates and flutters back to Mio's outstretched hand once more before leaving to join the others.

Fatal Frame III

Translation Error

In the US version of Fatal Frame III, there is a serious translation error involving continuity. In an in-game article, it states that both Mayu and her mother Shizu have disappeared in the Minakami area. The Japanese reads "Mayu Amakura the daughter of Shizu Amakura" but was translated as "Mayu Amakura and Shizu Amakura" instead. Shizu is still very much alive, she's just severely ill. Her hospitalization was also mentioned in earlier pre-game articles in Famitsu gaming magazine.

Alternate Endings

Fatal Frame II

Lingering Scent Ending - In this ending, Mio leaves the village upon Mayu's urging through the Kureha Shrine, right before the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual is about to start. As she escapes through the tunnels she realizes that she can't abandon her sister and turns around to head back for her. However Sae is right on her tail and grabs her. Mio screams and wakes up, finding herself all alone in the forest. She calls out for Mayu but doesn't get an answer. Both Mayu and Sae then say that they'll wait for their sisters forever.(While getting this ending results in a 'Game Over', it is considered one of the official endings).

Hellish Abyss Ending: In this ending, Mio fights Sae and grabs Mayu before she falls into the Abyss along with Sae. As Mio pulls her sister up, however, she is tempted to look down into the Hellish Abyss, against Itsuki's advice. Upon looking into it, Mio is overcome with the horrific images of the sacrificed spirits. Mio and Mayu make their way out of the village and are found later in the forest. Many days later, Mio and Mayu are together, overlooking the completed Minakami Dam. It is revealed that Mio is now permanently blinded by the Abyss, and Mayu while upset that Mio is in pain, smiles at the knowledge that this means that Mio will need Mayu from now on.

Promise Ending: Only available in the Xbox version and Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly. Mio is able to save Mayu by Yae's spirit (who had binded itself to Mio's body when she first entered the village) separates and reunites with her sister Sae. She reaches for her sister, pulling her away from Sae's spirit before both she and Yae jump into the Hellish Abyss together to complete the ritual. Mio and Mayu walk out, hand-in-hand, guided by Sae and Yae's butterfly which joins the others. Mayu realizing that Mio has proven that she wants to be together forever just as much as she does, and upon realizing that Mio would go to the depths of the underworld for her states that while that what if thought of them growing apart is still there, she trusts Mio and believes her when she says that she'll always be there for her. Mio then says that even if they can't become one she will never let Mayu go again.

Fatal Frame II: Deep Crimson Butterfly

Frozen Butterfly Ending - Mio is able to save Mayu from the ritual, taking a final photo that seems to separate her sister from Sae. However, Mayu still wishes to go through with the ritual and attempts to have Mio strangle her. Mio refuses, pushing Mayu away. Mayu admits that she didn't think Mio would truly let them be one, and is okay with living in hell as long as they're together. She is then shown to still be in possession of Sae (as Mio didn't get a Fatal Frame shot which activates this ending) who is seen laughing in a flashback to the night of the Repentance. Mio then realizes she has seen the laughing before, flashing back to when Mayu was injured, and laughing while crying at the same time. Mayu then tells Mio "let us be together", and then lowers her. Mio is next seen with her eyes open, lying on Mayu's lap in the Kurosawa Hall amongst other bodies from the Repentance. Mayu tenderly strokes her sister's head. After the credits, Mayu is giggling, and putting makeup on Mio's face, as a single tear falls from her eye. It's then revealed Mayu is carrying her sister's head.

Shadow Festival Ending - After Mio defeats the Kusabi, she makes her way to the Hellish Abyss. Running past her are Veiled Priests trying to flee The Repentance. Mayu, sitting in front of the Abyss, tells her sister that she is too late, and that The Repentance is near. She says that Mio should have saved herself. Mio however replies that running away would never allow her to live with herself, and that she wants to be with her sister, even if it's only for this short time. The twins fall together this time, as the Darkness erupts from the Abyss. The scene then switches to that of a festival, which the twins, dressed in yukatas, are attending. They look up and upon seeing the sky littered with flying lanterns, wish that that day would last forever. The scene switches back to the twins being consumed by the Darkness. Itsuki is seen with a Crimson Butterfly on his hand, before it flies away, and the Darkness once again engulfs the village. In the end the twins covered in a crimson kimono are sitting hand in hand forever together in the Darkness.

Design & Costumes

Main Article: Mio & Mayu's Character Design

Unlike Miku Hinasaki, Mayu's appearance was not changed or altered to reflect a regional change for the ps2 & xbox releases of Fatal Frame II. When wearing her gothic lolita outfit, Mio has a butterfly tattoo. .

An updated and more mature outfit version for both of the twins is seen in Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly. More emphasis has been placed on the back of the costumes to coincide with the new over-the-shoulder camera angles.

For Mayu's entire listing of unlockable costumes and accessories:

• Fatal Frame II Costumes
• Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly Costumes

File Photos of Mayu

• Standing Girl

Gallery

Misc. Info

• 'Mayu' means 'cocoon' in Japanese, alluding to the game's butterfly theme.
• In the novelization of the game (found within the Fatal Frame Fanbook) Mayu admits to falling on purpose when they were little because she didn't want Mio to leave her.
• Mayu can die in Fatal Frame II if she is left to be attacked by ghosts for too long - her range of 'health' depends on the level at which the game is played. The result of her death is an instant game over for the player.
• Mayu's charm is a magatama, which, in addition to being a talisman in the Shinto religion, traditionally represents the visual manifestation of the human spirit (or hitodama).
• If you take a picture of Mayu in the Great Hall of the Kurosawa House in Fatal Frame II, an interesting photographic easter egg will appear.
• It is a popular fan theory that Mayu is the butterfly that guides and helps Kei Amakura in Fatal Frame III.
• In the Xbox version of Fatal Frame II, unlockable costumes for Mayu include Ayane's outfit from Dead Or Alive and Millennia's outfit from Kagero: Deception II.
• While wearing the Type D costume (Sae's kimono), Mayu has red marks around her neck, which appear to be the marks left after Sae was hanged and thrown into the Hellish Abyss. Her skin is also deathly pale white.
• Mayu and Mio are featured in Super Swing Golf gallery game concept art, but are not unlockable in the game.
• Mayu and Mio appear as ghosts in the Ghost Camera mode of Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir.
• Using the AR marker found on the Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly website, Mio and Mayu become available for photo ops in Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir. (Unavailable in US version of the game)
• For the article explaining Mio and Mayu's age up to 17 see [[1]]

Appearances

• Fatal Frame II (first appearance)
• Super Swing Golf (gallery art only)
• Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir (Ghost Camera mode) (Not available in the North American version).
• Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly

See Also

• For quotes by Mayu, see Quotes: Mayu Amakura.
• For other members of the Amakura family, see Amakura Family.
• For other members of the Asou family, see Asou Family.
• For other player characters in the Fatal Frame Series, see Player Characters.
• For information on other spirited aways, see Spirited Aways.
• For other rituals in Fatal Frame II, see Fatal Frame II Rituals.
• For other twin pairs, see Twins.
• For articles related to Mayu, see Related Articles:Mayu Amakura.
• For images related to Mayu, see Images of Mayu Amakura.