Maxim Kischine
From Castlevania Wiki - Forbidden Library
| Maxim Kischine | |
|---|---|
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| Japanese name | Maxim Kischine |
| Appearance(s) | 1748:Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance |
| Role(s) | Vampire Hunter, Possessed Host |
| Weapon of Choice | Stellar Sword, Shurikan |
| Abilities | Creates Duplicates of himself |
| Voice Actor(s) | |
| Seiyuu(s) | |
| Music Theme(s) | Prologue - Theme of Maxim Kischine |
| Gender | Male |
Maxim Kischine is a vampire hunter from the mid 18th century. He is a playable character in Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, as well as the second to last boss. Though Juste Belmont is the protagonist of Harmony of Dissonance, the events primarily center on Maxim regaining his lost memories, as well as his inner struggle with an evil spirit that attempts to consume him.
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Personality
Maxim is known for being honest and dependable. Juste Belmont ventured to Dracula's castle at Maxim's word, and even said he knew Maxim was not one to lie. At the walkway leading to the castle, Maxim took a while to regain his strength and urged Juste to go inside without him, promising Juste that he would meet him inside. Without hesitation, Juste believed Maxim. Maxim's honesty is displayed at the adventure's end when he wanted to tell Lydie Erlanger exactly what happened during the escapade, whereas Juste did not.
Despite Maxim's truthfulness, he keeps his ambitions and thoughts to himself and is self-doubting. When Juste Belmont achieved the status of Vampire Hunter and obtained the Vampire Killer whip, Maxim was stricken with anxiety, feeling as though he was not as good as Juste. Unlike the Circle of the Moon character, Hugh Baldwin, who was in a similar situation with Nathan Graves, Maxim remained benevolent toward Juste and chose to keep his true feelings to himself.
Powers and Abilities
Maxim would come to be known as a legendary sword master. He uses a special sword with a one sided guard called Stellar Sword. He implements several ninja-like techniques in his fighting style, including the ability to form duplicates of himself for quick attacks. He also uses a large shurikan that acts as a bladed boomerang. Maxim shares many skills with his best friend, Juste, which is likely a result of the two training together. Maxim is faster and more agile than Juste, but does not hit as hard with single blows, and has lower defenses. Years after Maxim's time, his Stellar Sword somehow came into the possession of Eric Lecarde, who was willing to give it to Jonathan Morris if Jonathan proved himself worthy of having it.
Appearance
Maxim has long black wavy hair that he wears in a pony-tail, and blue eyes. He wears a black jacket with stylized golden trim embroidery and a very high collar. He leaves the jacket unbuttoned, displaying his bare chest. He wears fingerless long gloves that go up beyond his elbows and a green and white sash across his waste. Maxim's pants are green and his boots are knee high with golden trim and buckles along the sides. He wears his sword's sheath on his back, and its buckled strap goes across his chest. He wears a bracelet with a silver band and a blue gem, which is similar to Juste's bracelet.
Story
Before Castlevania
Maxim trained to become a vampire hunter along with Juste Belmont. Both young men were close to Lydie Erlanger, a young maiden that lived near them who was a soothing presence. When Juste Belmont inherited the Vampire Killer whip, Maxim felt as though a wall had been erected between them, and that Juste was greater than him. Maxim remembered a story Juste told him of how Simon Belmont, Juste's grandfather, journeyed across Transylvania collecting the remains of Dracula's body in order to remove a curse from himself and the land. Simon used the remains to revive Dracula and defeat him again. Maxim felt that he could prove himself greater than Juste if he could obtain the remains of Count Dracula.
Maxim went on a quest for the remains, just as Simon did fifty years earlier. His adventure took him away from home for two years. When he came into possession of all six pieces, he lost his memory of the two years he spent looking for them.
When Maxim's awareness returned, he was badly wounded and haunted by images in his head of his friend, Lydie Erlanger, being kidnapped and taken to a mysterious castle in the fog. Unsure of exactly what happened, Maxim sought Juste for help.
Events of Harmony of Dissonance
Maxim guided Juste to a castle veiled in fog where he believed Lydie was held. As the two men approached the entrance, Maxim was hit with a strong pain that sent him to his knees. He assured Juste that he was alright, but he decided to take a short while to rest. Not wanting to hold up the search, he recommended that Juste continue, and promised to meet him inside. As Juste drew near the drawbridge, he was attacked by a large armored guardian. Juste was able to outrun it and went into the castle just as the drawbridge was closing. The knight didn't make it across the bridge and plunged down a cliff. With the drawbridge closed, Juste and Maxim were already separated.
Maxim found another way into the castle, and as he explored, small pieces of his memory returned to him. He eventually met with Juste again in the castle's Shrine of the Apostates. He was glad to see his friend unharmed, and he told Juste that he believed he had been inside the castle before. Maxim felt that if he continued deeper into the haunted fortress, more of his memory would come back to him. He declined Juste's invitation to search for Lydie together under the reasoning that they would cover more ground if they were apart.
As Maxim investigated the castle, strange things began happening that he was unaware of. His body was sometimes taken over by a consciousness that was not his own. In Skeleton Cave, Maxim met Juste again while he was in such a state. Juste was not sure what was going on. Maxim accused his friend of being one of Lydie's captors. He said that Lydie belonged to him and he would not let Juste take her. He even revealed a bit of his hidden thoughts, telling Juste that he obtained a new power to overcome Belmont's. Afterward, Maxim wished for Juste to die within the walls of the castle and ran off from his friend. At some point in time, Maxim went back to normal, completely oblivious to his dual personality.
He met Juste again in Sky Walkway, and by that time had remembered much since their last encounter. He decided it was time to confess to Juste why he left on his training expedition. He admitted to his best friend that it was because he wished to be the superior of the two, and relieve Juste of his position as the foremost vampire hunter. He told Juste of how he collected Dracula's remains in a quest for glory, and that he was positive he had been within the castle, and that Lydie was held somewhere in it.
Juste was surprised that Maxim was able to retrieve the remains, and thought that Maxim having gathered them was what caused Dracula's Castle to return. Maxim was very remorseful for everything he had done. He realized that it was his selfishness and jealousy that caused Dracula's Castle to reemerge and also put Lydie's life in danger. He sincerely apologized to Juste, who understood and told him to save his apology for Lydie. The two vampire hunters set off again in search of the maiden.
Maxim came across Death, Dracula's servant. Death realized that something was strange about Maxim, and was clearly able to discern that Maxim had a split personality that was somehow born from Dracula's power. He also knew that the castle that had arisen was incomplete; in a divided state, and that the castle was a product of Maxim's will. It was divided because Maxim was divided in two halves.
If Death could make the evil Maxim overcome the regular one, he would be able to unite the castles. Death left Maxim; he recognized that Maxim was the key to the castle's completion and resurrection of Dracula. He knew he must erase Maxim's regular self and have the evil spirit completely overtake him, so he set off looking for a means to that.
Eventually, Maxim remembered everything. He knew of his evil self, and fought hard to remain control of his body. Possession of Dracula's remains caused an evil spirit to inhabit him, which sought to kill his spirit and steal his body. Maxim remembered that he had been the one that abducted Lydie, but not as himself. The evil Maxim knew that if he partook of the blood of someone especially dear to him, like Lydie, it would give him enough power to fully control Maxim's body. Lydie would die in the process.
As his regular self, Maxim hid Lydie away and forced himself to lose his memory so that his evil side would not remember where she was. Maxim fought hard not to remember, but both he and his evil counterpart knew he would soon recall.
Maxim lost control of his body again and met Juste Belmont in Sky Walkway. The Evil Maxim told Juste everything. Juste threatened to kill him, but Maxim let him know that if he was killed, Juste's best friend would also perish, which left Juste in a difficult situation. The evil Maxim left a Shadow creature for Juste to contend with while he continued searching for Lydie. Both Evil Maxim and Death formed an alliance, since they wanted the same thing. They both realized they needed to find Lydie Erlanger so that Evil Maxim could suck her blood and gain the strength he needed.
Maxim's regular self regained control, and when he did, he finally remembered where Lydie was. He hid her in the throne room at the peak of the Demon Castle. He told Juste to go there and gave Juste his silver bracelet. Maxim had somehow put a protective barrier around the entry to the throne, and the bracelet was the key to surpassing it. Juste hurried toward Lydie to get her out of the castle as soon as possible.
Death had gotten Lydie before Juste could, and he brought her to Evil Maxim. Maxim took Lydie to the ceremonial room at the center of the castle where he drank her blood. He felt empowered. He at last had the strength to overcome Maxim's regular self.
Juste Belmont entered the chamber. He was angered at what Maxim did to Lydie, and he finally realized that he must kill his best friend to put an end to the entire ordeal. Maxim and Juste battled, and Maxim's regular self briefly regained control when he noticed that Juste was wearing the bracelets that they wore to symbolize their friendship. Maxim was touched that Juste was wearing the bracelet he had given him. The Evil Maxim fought back for control and the two spirits of Maxim struggled with each other.
Juste urged Maxim to regain control, telling him he was stronger than his evil self. In time, Dracula's bodily remains began floating around the chamber. Juste had collected all of them on his quest and the evil spirit within Maxim was drawn to them. The spirit relinquished hold of Maxim's body and the remains caused the spirit to form into the Dracula Wraith. Maxim was left unconscious from the physical and mental strain he endured.
When he awoke, he was in a pasture with Juste and Lydie. Juste defeated Dracula Wraith and Maxim was finally free of the evil that plagued him. As a result, both the castles were destroyed. Maxim earnestly thanked Juste for saving his life, as well as Lydie's.
Because the Wraith was gone, the puncture wounds on Lydie's neck disappeared and she would be fine. When Lydie awoke, she said that she thought Maxim had bitten her neck. Juste tried to pass it off as a dream, but Maxim felt she deserved to know the truth of what happened. The two vampire hunters got into a quarrel over it and Lydie calmed them down. They all agreed to use that moment to enjoy their reunion with each other, since it had been a long time since the three of them were together.
Image Gallery
Maxim from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002) |
Maxim from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002) |
 Maxim from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002) |
Trivia
- Maxim's name is of French origin.
- Maxim's Stellar Sword is an item that can be equipped by Jonathan Morris in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.