Machina Kunagiri

Machina Kunagiri is a playable character in Final Fantasy Type-0 who also appears in Final Fantasy Agito and Final Fantasy Awakening. He is a newly added member of Class Zero who wields twin rapiers. He is brave and powerful, traits which had him transferred into Class Zero, but plagued by insecurities. Due to being a recent recruit he isn't assigned a number.

Appearance
Machina is a seventeen-year-old boy with dark hair and green eyes. He wears a long black jacket, a red cloak and white trousers. In his summer uniform he keeps the cloak and wears a white short-sleeved shirt with a black print on the side and black stripes at the cuffs, black gloves and trousers. His formal uniform has a white cloak and gloves, red jacket with black cuffs, and black trousers with silver decoration at the ends. There is always a Vermilion Bird symbol on the left side of his shirt or jacket.

In his playable appearance in Final Fantasy Awakening, Machina wears the formal version of his primary outfit. His long jacket is now red, his cloak is white and his pants are black to match his shoes. His hair is bluish-black.

Machina's l'Cie outfit has a yellow and white tiger mask that covers the majority of his face. His shirt and cloak are yellow and white and his sleeves are black and he wears white pants. His l'Cie mark is located on his right shoulder and is yellow, as opposed to the other White Tiger l'Cie, whose are green.

Personality


Machina is the younger brother of Izana Kunagiri. Although their relationship was complicated the two were close, and Machina was the one to have named Izana's chocobo. He becomes furious at Queen and Ace when told to move on after Izana's death. Despite great proficiency in magic and his straightforwardness, Machina fears war. As Rem Tokimiya's childhood friend, Machina is protective of her.

The Crystals of Orience remove the memories of the dead from the living. Knowing that a brother he loved is gone as well as his memories of him, Machina fears death and being forgotten, him and Rem being the only people in the world remembering their life in the little village they both grew up in. Being placed in Class Zero, Machina becomes insecure when he is no longer the best in his class, and strives to prove himself. He longs to become stronger to be able to protect people, and when told not even Class Zero can save everyone despite their strength, he vows to surpass his classmates.

Final Fantasy Agito
Machina is a member of Class Second and dons an indigo blue mantle.

He can be found in the Ready Room during the morning, afternoon and evening.

-The Answer-
During the Capital Liberation campaign Ace, Queen and Nine of the secretive Class Zero meet Machina and Rem, Agito Cadets of other classes of Akademeia. The trio tells Machina and Rem to leave since they cannot use magic while under the effect of the empire's crystal jammer. The crystal jammer explodes and its operator, the White Tiger Secundus l'Cie Qun'mi Tru'e, escapes.

Class Zero is officially enrolled in Akademeia, the magic academy of the nation of Rubrum, with Machina and Rem transferred to it as its newest recruits. After introductions Machina and Rem offer to take the others on a tour around Akademeia, to which only Ace agrees to come along. Ace regrets not being able to come earlier to save more people during the liberation, but Machina and Rem tell him that since they faced a l'Cie, it's understandable.

They are briefed to take back four Rubrum cities occupied by the Milites Empire. Ace is assigned in a team with Machina and Rem, and is taken aback by commander Kurasame's decision; he has never operated separately from his other eleven classmates before, all of whom—unlike Machina and Rem—are Arecia Al-Rashia's adoptive children, feeling Machina and Rem are different from those raised in the External Bureau. Arecia is the respected archsorceress and doctor of the academy who adopted and raised the original twelve Class Zero cadets, teaching them how to use magic independent of the Vermilion Bird Crystal.

As they topple enemies, Ace recognizes Machina and Rem's abilities, changing his mind about them. They encounter Militesi General Qator Bashtar who challenges them on his MA, Gabriel, but he is forced to retreat and McTighe is liberated.

As the three sit down at the city square among the celebrating soldiers and civilians, Ace admits it was his fault Machina's brother Izana died during Capital Liberation, but Machina and Rem are dumbfounded. Two months later Rubrum regains control of much land area previously occupied by Milites.

The cadets are sent to sabotage a Militesi magitek factory during which a ceasefire is called and the cadets are given leave in the Militesi capital of Ingram. Queen Andoria of the Kingdom of Concordia is assassinated in the city and Class Zero is framed for it, the cadets trying to contact Kurasame to no avail. They escape and Machina is later awoken by Rem, who says they are on the outskirts of Militesi territory.

Rem finds the rest of Class Zero and asks if they feel bitter for fighting and training all their lives, and yet the Rubrum higher-ups never reward them. Ace doesn't feel bitter and claims to enjoy it, and the others agree. Machina and Rem are hurt by their answer, feeling the cadets never knew other lifestyles exist, and resolve to help them.

-The Penultimate Truth-
After a COMM from Kurasame, the cadets are met by an airship and return to Akademeia. Half a month after the battle where the Knights of the Round Verboten Eidolon was summoned by Kurasame (who had become a l'Cie), the fourteen members of Class Zero sit surrounding a bonfire, contemplating how far they've come and grown. Machina and Rem know that Ace, who used to say "cut off the past to move forward", would sometimes visit Izana's grave. Rem asks what their ambitions are after graduating but the cadets hesitate, realizing they can't stay in Class Zero forever.

The next day, the class is divided into four teams: three to destroy three crystal jammers on three different sides of the government building, and one involving Machina, Rem and Ace to cut through into the building the moment the jammers are destroyed.

They encounter Qator on his MA Gabriel, who is defeated with the help of the other three teams. Inside the building, they face Marshal Cid Aulstyne of the empire. Cid tells the cadets their goal of creating a peaceful world is futile as the memory erosion makes it impossible for people to learn from the past. Rem says that if the Crystals are the root of evil, they will destroy them. Satisfied, Cid feels his ambitions will be achieved even if Class Zero would be the one claiming victory, and takes his own life.

As Tempus Finis commences, Rem becomes the Judge who is to make the Final Decision on the world's fate. Class Zero realizes they might have to become Agito by means of felling her. They venture to Pandæmonium, a sanctuary that appears at the point of Tempus Finis, convincing themselves they are not felling Rem, but releasing her.

In Pandæmonium Rem sends the Rursan Reavers at the cadets. Machina harvests phantoma from the first one they fell, but the next four they bring down are revived before their eyes. Rem reminds them they have come to the temple independent of Arecia, and thus cannot be revived. After a harsh battle the Rursus finally lay still.

After Queen's death the path to the Judge is clear, but everyone is weakened from the battle. Rem brings down everyone but Ace and Machina with her magic. Ace, knowing he can't hold out much longer, tells Machina to absorb all of their phantoma to give him enough power to defeat Rem. As Ace dies, Machina harvests their phantoma before the last of his memories of Ace and their conversation disappear.

Using the phantoma of his friends, Machina defeats Rem with her own strongest magic, Holy. Machina despairs losing his friends, and wishes that he chose the power of a l'Cie so he could have saved them. Left alone and slowly dying, Machina encounters Arecia, who tells him the truth about the spiral of Orience, and asks if he wants the spiral to repeat. Machina swears that this time he will not let anyone else die, Arecia noting that even if Machina forgets the events of this cycle, his soul will always remember his fear of loss and craving for power. To distance Machina and Rem from Class Zero and prevent them from "weakening" the twelve, she grants Rem a frail body so Machina would choose her over the others in the next cycle.

Final Fantasy Type-0
When Machina and Rem's village was attacked by the Milites Empire, the two took refuge in Machina's home. Machina's mother hid them in a closet while Militesi soldiers invaded the house, and the children witnessed Machina's mother being shot. A soldier discovered the children, but the two escaped through a window. They ran away and stopped on a hill, looking back to watch their village burn.

Machina is a member of Class Second at Akademeia, Rubrum's magic academy that trains Agito Cadets. A year ago he crossed paths with Rem, whom he had not seen for seven years, unaware she was in the same school. Agito Cadets train by participating in combat simulations against their classmates, and during an experimental inter-class drill, Machina and Rem were selected as representatives for their respective classes. They were surprised to see each other and having to square off in combat. From that day forth the two spent time together before and after lectures.

Machina has a brother, Izana, a dominion legionary. Though the two are close their relationship is strained, Izana envying Machina's position as an Agito Cadet while he himself is a lowly legionary. The two argue every now and then, but as proof of their bond, Machina had named Izana's chocobo: Chichiri.

Izana is killed during the siege of the peristylium by the Milites Empire. Machina and Rem attempt to fight the White Tiger Secundus l'Cie, Qun'mi, but are overpowered when she uses Dáinsleif's crystal jammer to disable the duo's magic. Ace, Jack, and Seven from Class Zero come to their aid, able to use magic despite the crystal jammer.

The invasion is repelled as Class Zero destroys the crystal jammers and defeats Qun'mi, and Machina and Rem become its newest members to aid defend Rubrum from the empire. As the original twelve Class Zero cadets are the only ones able to withstand the effects of a crystal jammer due to being able to wield magic independent of the Vermilion Bird Crystal, the administration decides to begin deploying them to battle.

Machina and Rem meet at the school's cemetery where they discuss the Vermilion Bird Crystal removing the memories of the dead from the living, and how Machina cannot recall his brother although he is aware he died on the battlefield despite not being officially deployed. Machina tries to read the combat reports at the library to find out more about his brother's death, but they are confidential.

Machina visits the chocobo stables where he feels a sense of nostalgia of Izana when remarking the name "Chichiri" would be a good name for a chocobo. Class Zero is deployed to help retake the Rubrum Region and after a mission Ace overhears Arecia Al-Rashia, the Sorcery Division archsorceress and Class Zero's "Mother," and the commandant of the Rubrum legionaries, Suzuhisa Higato, arguing over her decision to deploy Izana only because Ace had asked for it. This is news to Ace, and when Machina asks if something is the matter Ace cannot bring himself to tell Machina about Izana's fate being his fault.

Rumors spread that Lord Zhuyu, the Vermilion Bird Primus l'Cie, is on the move, shocking Machina when he hears about it from Rem. Machina admires the l'Cie for the power they gain in exchange for accepting a Focus from a Crystal, and laments that despite all his strength he was no match for the White Tiger l'Cie during the Capital Liberation.

Machina and Rem later reminisce about their childhood. She tells him that she still keeps the Knowing Tags of all the people from their village and Machina, saddened, wishes he had been stronger to protect them. Rem says they were only children, so there was nothing they could have done. She asks if he remembers vowing to become a soldier to protect her, and he hasn't forgotten. Rem teases him by reminding him of when he asked her to become his wife, and Machina, embarrassed, says he was only a child back then. She pretends to be offended.

Class Zero is deployed on many missions to retake the areas conquered by the empire. Despite having been one of the best of Class Second, Machina finds he no longer stands out in Class Zero. It makes him insecure, but also motivates him to try harder to prove himself, and his classmates find him a useful addition to the group.

If the cadets take the Code Crimson mission at Togoreth, they are sent to save the civilians who live at the stronghold, but find no survivors: because their land is barren and they lack many resources, the empire doesn't usually take prisoners. Machina is shocked this is how the empire operates, and implores the others to keep going, but becomes worried when Rem has another coughing fit.

After returning from the mission to liberate Iscah, Machina confronts Rem on the Akademeia terrace. She is coughing but plays it off as if it is nothing. Machina begs Rem to tell him the truth about the severity of her illness, but she evades him.

When the cadets are sent to sabotage the imperial magitek armor program they get orders to cease fire due to a newly wrought armistice mid-mission. The cadets' commanding officer, Kurasame Susaya, travels to the imperial capital as Chancellor Khalia Chival VI's aide and negotiates for the cadets' safety, and afterward explains the situation to them: the empire had proposed peace before the cadets' mission was underway, but they could not contact them in time to halt it. The cadets disagree with the treaty, especially Machina, positing that the empire has no right to ask for peace for being the initial aggressor.

The cadets meet Queen Andoria of the Kingdom of Concordia who explains that peace is the Will of the Crystals, and that the cadets' opposition would only lead to Tempus Finis, and points out the cadets as "the final cog." Machina struggles accepting that what they have been fighting for is against the Crystal's Will, and the queen says to him under her breath so no one else can hear: "Shape the future, the choice you make shall." After she leaves, Queen asks what she said, but Machina only shakes his head and says it was something about "a choice" but that it didn't make sense to him. Afterward Machina talks with Rem who still insists to being fine.

Machina is called away to speak with the commandant who jogs his memory of Izana and claims Arecia and Class Zero are responsible for his brother's death, as they had had Izana's mission orders changed during the liberation campaign. The commandant explains Machina was transferred into Class Zero to report on the cadets' and Arecia's actions. Though offered a chance to leave due to personal reasons with Rem as a back up, Machina agrees to report anything he finds out. He swears in Izana's name to become stronger than Class Zero and to protect Rem.

Unknown to him this was the reason Machina was promoted to Class Zero: to exploit his fear of being powerless to save people he was made to see how weak he is in comparison to his classmates. The commandant wants to use Machina to bring about Arecia's downfall, and uses the threat of leaving Rem alone should Machina fail in his espionage, knowing Machina would do anything for her. After Machina leaves the hotel he senses something weird, but when Seven asks him about it, he tells her it is none of her business.

Queen Andoria is assassinated and the cadets are blamed for it. The class is ambushed at the Armada Hotel and the activation of a crystal jammer alerts Machina and Rem to the danger. The class orderly, Aria Luricara, is shot. Rem wants to tend to her but Machina urges her to abandon Aria or they would all be killed. The cadets fight through the city to make their escape while unable to contact Central Command. Queen highlights it being odd they had been given leave in Ingram rather than have them repatriated, and Machina becomes upset at the possibility they had been left behind on purpose. Rem calms him down, saying they must seek out the answers later. During their trek through the train tunnels Rem gets dizzy and tries to hide it. Queen says they can't stop for one person, angering Machina.

They are accosted by Celestia, Queen Andoria's aide, who knocks Machina out when he attempts to protect Rem. He wakes up in a deserted house in the woods where Class Zero has taken refuge, and finds Rem unharmed. Machina has an eerie feeling they are being watched, but dismisses it when no one else reacts.

The others explain they convinced Celestia of their innocence and she gave them passage away from the city, Machina being carried away unconscious by the others. Machina confronts Ace and Queen over Izana's death and is told he should get over it as they have bigger things to worry about: they still can't contact Central Command. Machina storms off in frustration to patrol the area after Rem tries to hold him back. Machina finds Qun'mi with most of her body encased in stone, having been abandoned there by Milites after she empowered the Ultima Bomb that destroyed the Lorican Alliance. Machina asks for the power of a l'Cie so to become strong enough to protect Rem. She grants it to him and enters crystal stasis, leaving her mask uncrystallized for him to wear which turns his outfit white.

In the morning the others get ready to leave him behind until he shows up, cheering Rem. When asked what happened, Machina mentions "the White Tiger," but is cut off when Deuce exclaims the COMM is working and she has reached the dominion. Kurasame sends an airship to pick the cadets up, but back in Akademeia they learn Central Command suspects they disabled their own COMM on purpose to avoid being contacted, and may face an investigation.

Machina is called away to meet the cadetmaster and the provost, two members of the Consortium of Eight that governs Rubrum. They ask him to report on the task he had been given, and Machina is surprised the cadetmaster and the provost are colluding with the commandant against Arecia, the most influential member of the consortium. The cadetmaster and the provost further manipulate Machina by claiming his espionage is done out of honoring his brother's death, and that if he doesn't want to be the spy they can ask Rem instead. Machina relents and divulges what he knows of Class Zero: he describes them as emotionless fighters who would do anything "Mother" asks. However, he doesn't have any knowledge of any ulterior motives, and is thus dismissed.

After the cadets return from the mission to reclaim Eibon, they assemble in the classroom to hear their next orders from Kurasame, but Machina doesn't attend. Kurasame explains to the rest the upcoming battle plan against the joint Militesi-Concordian forces, as after the queen's assassination the new King of Concordia allied with Cid Aulstyne of the empire.

When the dominion forces face off against the imperials Machina joins General Qator Bashtar. The Militesi army is defeated by the Verboten Eidolon Alexander summoned by the Vermilion Bird Secundus l'Cie Caetuna, but Machina and Qator survive when Machina fortifies Qator's magitek armor's magic barrier. Seeing the heavy casualties, Qator and Machina retreat on Qator's MA.

Machina's absence worries Class Zero, especially Rem. Upon his return he finds her talking with fellow classmates Cater and Trey. When Cater nudges him playfully, Machina slaps her hand away and snaps that he will protect Rem alone. Rem is aghast at his uncharacteristic aggression, but he reiterates that he will protect her, the dominion, and all of Orience. What the others do not know is that Machina uses his status as a l'Cie to infiltrate the Militesi army to spy on them. Machina retreats to the back garden where he laments on his reasons for doing it: he fears losing Rem and all of his memories of her.

After the dominion conquers Concordia, the class is being deployed to the final showdown against the empire. Rem finds Machina standing outside reminiscing about his hometown. Upon inquiring why she became a cadet, he sees they both wanted to be part of Operation Apostle and become stronger. Machina feels he doesn't belong within Class Zero, as he thinks they have helped him more then he helps them. He claims to have become stronger, and when Rem tells him he can talk to her and Class Zero if something is worrying him, Machina evades by telling her she'd better return inside because the wind is cold. Although Rem is hurt by his decision, Machina leaves to resume his secret activities.

Rubrum conquers all of Orience and Tempus Finis commences. Machina heads for the Pandæmonium, a sanctuary that appears during the end times said to be where the Judge who makes the Final Decision on Orience's fate resides: if there is no Agito, the world will be destroyed and fall back into the spiral. While there, Machina is intercepted by Rem after she became a new Vermilion Bird l'Cie obeying the Crystal's orders to destroy the White Tiger l'Cie it had sensed in Pandæmonium, wanting its own l'Cie to become Agito.

Machina is overpowered by Rem, and his mask is knocked off as he is thrown into a wall. A shocked Rem falters upon seeing her old friend and is impaled on his rapier. An anguished Machina kneels down beside the dying Rem pleading for forgiveness while explaining he wanted to become a l'Cie as he didn't want to be alone in the world without her. Rem is happy to have seen him one last time and asks him not to forget her before both enter crystal stasis, Machina embracing Rem's limp body.

Class Zero happens upon Machina and Rem's crystal after refusing to become l'Cie themselves, and mourn for the sight. When the cadets face Cid as the Rursan Arbiter, the Judge, a new future is presented as Machina and Rem bestow their classmates with their power and help them defeat Cid in spirit.

Arecia arrives to the pair's crystal and asks them to tell her all about her children, and always to remember them. She revives Machina and Rem from crystal stasis and returns them to Akademeia where Machina is horrified to find Class Zero dead as the price of defeating Cid. Realizing his memories of them have not been erased, Machina truly mourns the death of those close to him for the first time in his life and cries while apologizing. Rem touches his arm comfortingly and the two stand looking out over the war-torn remains of Rubrum.

Upon listening to Class Zero's souls, Arecia had decided to not restart the spiral and depart from Orience. As the Crystals lose their power, people are allowed to remember the dead. Machina rallies the populace under him and founds a new age for the world where mankind no longer relies on the Crystals. Years later, at the age of sixty-seven and married to Rem, Machina writes down the events of the war to ensure Class Zero would never be forgotten. He dies soon after with a smile on his face.

In an alternate ending where Arecia removes the Crystals from Orience's history, the war never occurred. Without his brother's death to drive a wedge between them, Machina befriends Ace. Waiting for Ace to end his studying, a bored Machina tries to convince him to take a break so they can go have fun. Ace refuses as he wants to prepare for the next semester. A stubborn Machina refuses to accept no as an answer, and drags Ace out of the library.

Final Fantasy Type-0
Machina dual-wields a pair of drill-shaped rapiers. He favors melee fighting and his battle style is based on chaining fast combos, which enables him to exploit the Killsight function.

As the melee player, Machina has the second highest HP after Nine. He has high defense, which helps him last longer in battles, both in the party and in the solo battles. He is also good with magic skills, also helping him when facing long-ranged enemies.

Although his HP level, magic skill, MP level, strength, and defense are high, he is a slower character, although not as slow as Cinque and Jack. This makes him inefficient to use against some fast enemies. When in l'Cie mode, his moves hasten, but as a consequence he can't use magic. In l'Cie Mode Machina is a White Tiger l'Cie, while the others are Vermilion Bird l'Cie.

Abilities
Machina is one of the better frontline attackers. Should he need healing, he can use Awakening that also empowers his attacks. Machina can drain HP from enemies with Siphon Sword and Dark Side, with Dark Side also possibly inflicting Stun. Machina's Cyclone Drive allows him to continuously attack until his AG runs out.

Equipment
Machina's exclusive accessory is the Pluviale, which increases his Defense by 30 and nullifies weather and terrain effects.


 * Bolt Rapiers
 * Argentic Rapiers
 * Clockwork Blades
 * Platinum Rapiers
 * Rune Rapiers
 * Mecha-Rapiers
 * Ryujin Rapiers
 * Corkscrew Blades
 * Mythril Rapiers
 * Twin Lævateinns
 * Flametongues
 * Icebrands
 * Thunderslashes
 * Twin Durandals
 * Dreadnaughts
 * Twin Excaliburs (ultimate weapon)

Support Personnel
Some Support Personnel in the HD version appear as Machina: Hiroshi Kamiya (Machina's Japanese VA), Kenichiro Yuji (Battle Director), Masato Kogure (Publicity Staff), and Yoshinori Kitase (Producer).

Final Fantasy Awakening
Instead of fighting in the melee like he did previously, Machina's battle style was changed. He is semi-support/semi-attacker and now attacks his opponents in a long range. He can heal one ally's HP as part of his strongest skill, and can grant a shield that absorbs damage to an ally with the lowest HP. Machina is no longer useful when the player reaches in Chapter 14 due to his skills becoming slower to execute and he is always defeated by stronger opponents.

As a boss in Chapter 16-9, Machina is stronger while he teams up with Jack and Ace. His strongest skill heals Jack whom the player should deal with first. Because of their combination efforts, it can be a struggle to defeat Jack due to his drain abilities while also being healed by Machina.

Voice
Machina's Japanese voice actor is Hiroshi Kamiya. He shares his Japanese voice actor with Letty and Gatta from Final Fantasy X.

He is voiced by Bryce Papenbrook in the English version. He shares his English voice actor with Zidane Tribal from Dissidia Final Fantasy and Tiz Arrior from Bravely Default and Bravely Second: End Layer.

Musical themes
Machina's leitmotif, "Machina Kunagiri", is a slow and melancholic tune with heavy guitar and drums, and an electric guitar line. It also exists in an arranged version that replaces its rock feel with a more rueful melody of piano and strings.

His other theme, "Machina and Rem", combines his theme with Rem's. His theme is also rearranged in the tracks "Apostles of the Crystal" and "Human Strengths and Weaknesses", and can be heard as part of the track "Type-0".

"Machina Kunagiri" appears on the original soundtrack and on the composer selections soundtrack.

Other appearances
Machina has appeared in the following games throughout the Final Fantasy series:
 * Final Fantasy Type-0 HD Twitter Battle as a playable character.
 * Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call as a playable character.
 * Pictlogica Final Fantasy as a playable character.
 * Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade as a Legend and a playable character.
 * Mobius Final Fantasy as an ability card.
 * Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as a series of cards.
 * Triple Triad as a series of cards.

Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances
Machina has made key guest appearances in the following non-Final Fantasy games:
 * Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Lost Zero as an outfit for the playable character.

Gallery

 * Final Fantasy Type-0

Etymology
In particular, Machina's name is taken from the Latin expression "Deus ex Machina."

Trivia

 * Machina appears on the with Noctis Lucis Caelum from Final Fantasy XV, Lightning, Serah Farron, and Noel Kreiss from the Lightning Saga games, and Rem from Final Fantasy Type-0. He also appears on the cover of the 505th magazine holding Rem in his arms.
 * Machina and Eight are the only males of Class Zero who are not blond.
 * From Chapter 5 onwards, Machina's reaction quotes in Akademeia change to reflect his mentality at the time.