Itsuki Kurogane is the strict and harsh head of the Kurogane family and father to Ikki, Shizuku, and Ryouma Kurogane. He is known for using his authority to cruelly suppress his son’s efforts to become a magical knight. While he claims this is to protect Ikki, his abusive actions and emotionless decisions have earned him the reputation of a notorious villain in the story, leading to broken relationships within his family and setting up key conflicts in the plot.
There is no specific information given about Itsuki Kurogane’s physical appearance.
Itsuki Kurogane is extremely strict and is completely devoted to rules and tradition.
He prioritizes the reputation and safety of the Kurogane family above everything—even his own children’s feelings.
He rarely shows his emotions and always puts his public life before being a father.
Even though he does have feelings for his children deep down, it almost never shows.
He is very stubborn and often uses his position and power in mean and unfair ways.
Itsuki looks cold and unloving to his sons and daughters, and even Stella Vermillion once doubted if he was truly Ikki’s father.
Itsuki Kurogane was raised from a very young age to become the next head of the Kurogane family.
He grew up being taught that following the family’s rules was the only important thing.
Because of this, he became obsessed with protecting the family’s image and made most decisions as a public figure, not as a parent.
Itsuki Kurogane is the current head of the Kurogane family.
He is also the chief of the Japan branch of the International Mage-Knight Federation.
He has the nickname “Iron Blood” for his strictness and unbending nature.
He does not have special fighting powers mentioned, but he has a lot of political power and influence.
He used his authority to create the ranking system, hoping to keep people with little talent (like Ikki) safe from harm, even if it meant holding them back.
He is the father of Ikki Kurogane, Shizuku Kurogane, and Ryouma Kurogane.
His relationship with Ikki is very strained because Itsuki always tried to stop Ikki from becoming a knight.
Shizuku Kurogane hates him deeply and refuses to speak to him unless forced.
Even his eldest son Ryouma Kurogane has cut all ties with him and calls him by his first name, showing no respect.
Stella Vermillion also doubted he was Ikki’s real father because of how cold he acted.
“Someone like you who can do nothing, should do nothing.” (Before)
“You’ve become quite a person.” (After)
A Controlling Father
Itsuki Kurogane tried to erase Ikki’s existence as much as possible to protect the Kurogane family.
He saw Ikki’s low magic power as a threat to the family’s reputation and kept him from reaching his goals, even using school systems to make Ikki repeat years and block his progress at Hagun Academy.
The Dark Plot Against Ikki
When new principal Kurono Shinguuji tried to help Ikki, Itsuki still kept trying to stop him.
He even went so far as to join Mamoru Akaza and other cronies to set up a fake incident between Ikki and Stella Vermillion.
He tortured Ikki during a hearing, trying to force him to admit to something he didn’t do, leaving Ikki almost dead from horrible injuries.
During this meeting, Itsuki also told Ikki the cruel truth about his own beliefs in order to make him lose hope.
The Final Conflict
Itsuki used his power to manipulate the tournament so Ikki, already gravely hurt, would have to fight Toka Todo, one of the strongest at Hagun Academy.
Even after Ikki somehow won, Itsuki ordered Akaza to kill him, showing just how far he would go.
But Ikki and Stella turned the tables.
Their efforts caused Itsuki’s plans to fail, leading to Akaza’s downfall, Ikki making it to the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, Toka losing her chance to enter the same event, and the King of Vermillion, Stella’s father, becoming furious with Itsuki.
A Complicated Kind of Love
Despite all this, Itsuki does care about his children in his own way.
When Ikki ran away from home, Itsuki still sent money until Ikki became a middle schooler.
He also offered to officially cut ties with Ikki to keep the family from interfering.
But he knows, deep down, that as a father and a person, what he’s done is wrong.
When Ikki refused to disown him, Itsuki asked if Ikki was really okay having him as a parent, showing a little regret.
Ikki responded by saying that he’d already accepted everything.
All the Wrong Methods
Itsuki’s actions come from his beliefs, but the way he used his power was the biggest problem.
If he had talked things through honestly with Ikki much earlier, maybe Ikki would have chosen a different path without all the pain and conflict.
Instead, the way Itsuki continually hurt Ikki only led to bigger problems and allowed Ikki to prove himself.
Other Family Decisions
Itsuki did not stop Ryouma from leaving when he was twelve and did not punish Shizuku for being rebellious.
He only tried to stop Ikki from becoming a knight, caring about everything else less.
Itsuki Kurogane is often remembered as a nearly abusive father, but some say he was just too stubborn and awkward to show his love.
Ikki himself understands that a lot of his own awkwardness comes from his father.
There is no extra information outside the main story about Itsuki Kurogane.
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