Chujin Ketsukane

From Undertale Yellow Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is a stub and should be expanded. Please add content by editing the page.

Chujin Ketsukane is a recurring character in Undertale Yellow. He is the husband of Ceroba, father of Kanako, mentor of Martlet, and creator of Axis. He is deceased during the events of the game, only seen during flashbacks and while playing videotapes, but is brought up frequently by characters in the game. He was designed by TeleviQ.[1]

Profile[edit | edit source]

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Chujin is a purple anthropomorphic fox monster. He wears large circular goggles with green lenses, a short green kimono with yellow trim, brown pants, and green shoes. When he is nearly dead, his hair changes from lavender to white.

Personality[edit | edit source]

Chujin is said to have been a kindhearted and hard-working monster,[2] as well as a good mentor.[3] He was also an incredibly talented carpenter.[4][5]

His philosophy was that even though monsterkind is in a bad spot, being sealed off from the surface, monsters can collectively make the Underground a better place through small acts of kindness.[6] This is reflected in his actions, such as making a heater for Honeydew Resort and teaching Martlet construction without expecting pay. Nearly everyone who talks about him highlights his kindness. Even Starlo, who had the lowest opinion of Chujin out of all the main characters, respects him.[7]

On the other hand, Chujin believes that humans are dangerous and cannot be trusted. This is a belief he held because of knowledge about the war between humans and monsters and, later, the Snowdin attack in which Kanako was involved.[8] Much of his work is focused on weapons against humans, such as Axis and his serum to turn regular monsters into Boss Monsters. Despite this, in his secret videotape, he seems conflicted over the fact that Axis accidentally ended up killing the Integrity human.[9]

In his tapes, Chujin is shown to have been arrogant and stubborn. He does not admit to his mistakes and hides his firing from Ceroba,[10] as well as his plan involving a human SOUL from everyone until his death. He is adamant about his plan being the key to saving monsterkind, and uses his dying wish to burden Ceroba with finishing it.[11] Chujin was also implied to be poor at communicating beyond just hiding his mistakes, particularly with Ceroba. They are implied to not have discussed basic plans for their relationship, such as how many children they wanted.[5]

Main Story[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

Chujin was once an engineer, like his father. While his father was more traditional, Chujin favored progress. Despite this, Chujin still valued his upbringing.[12] It is hinted at in the game that Chujin's father had a large hand in building New Home, which is where Chujin got much of his wealth from. This contributes to his desire to have a large legacy.[13]

Chujin first met Ceroba after finding her injured in a ditch. She was upset over ruining her family's groceries to the point where she cried, the first and only time he would see her cry until his death. He helped her out and she was charmed.[14] They later got married and he built the Ketsukane Estate to raise their family in, though they only ever had Kanako. This is said to have been an expensive endeavor.[5] When he built the Estate, he included a secret basement for himself. What he used it for initially is unknown, but he did keep a video journal in there, not having time for a written one. He also kept a garden in their front yard.

Chujin worked in the Steamworks for a long time, but he was not very successful. He designed Axis to serve as a robotic royal guard. His employee records in the Steamworks show how he tried pitching Axis to Asgore several times, each time failing to impress him due to a mechanical failure. After Axis Model 08 set his flowers ablaze, Asgore dismissed him and requested to not see him again.[15] This may or may not have been his firing. Axis has 14 models, so Chujin kept working on Axis after Asgore dismissed him, meaning he must have worked on him at home if this was a firing, corroborated by the Axis parts in his study; however, Chujin expresses finality in the tape where he discusses his firing,[16] and it is unknown how Axis Model 014 would be registered in Vendy's systems if he was not built in the Steamworks.

In his second tape, he talks about the Snowdin attack. While tending to something away from his daughter, Kanako and Dalv encountered the Integrity human, who attacked Dalv and fled to Waterfall.[17] This filled Chujin with rage toward humanity.[18] In a secret tape found behind his grave, Chujin confesses to how, rather than going to comfort Kanako after the attack, he ordered Axis to apprehend the human. Due to a programming error,[19] Axis killed the human. Chujin obtained their SOUL and hid the evidence.[20]

After Chujin was fired, he lied to his family and friends by telling them that he had retired. In secrecy, in his study, he continued research into a way to combat the threat of humanity.

Solomon and Crestina would frequently bring Chujin corn. He went to Snowdin every morning to give it to Dalv, a routine he continued until his death.[21] While in Snowdin, he did volunteer work. He met Martlet while he was building her balcony, becoming her mentor at her request.[22] They built various contraptions together, among which was the space heater in Honeydew Resort.[23] The Ketsukanes are finanically struggling at this point, though it is implied that Chujin does not charge money for his projects.[24] When Chujin heard Martlet signed up for the Royal Guard, he snapped at her, warning her that it is a dangerous job.

In his fourth VHS tape, he reveals that he (and, by proxy, Kanako) carried a Boss Monster gene. Since Boss Monsters are much stronger than regular monsters, he spent several years creating a plan to turn regular monsters into Boss Monsters by fusing a Boss Monster SOUL and a human SOUL. During his research he experimented, on himself and the blue SOUL, but his SOUL deteriorated.[25] As his health got worse, his hair turned white and the garden in the front yard deteriorated as well. Unable to complete his work himself, his last VHS tape is directed towards Ceroba, requesting she carry on his research on an uncorrupted human SOUL and a Boss Monster SOUL other than Kanako's. He informs her of his tapes on his death bed. His soul had been slowly degrading for some time, and he eventually passed away a year before the game takes place.[26]

Neutral Route[edit | edit source]

Chujin himself does not appear in the Neutral Route, though several monsters and background details throughout the Underground reference him, such as the sticker on the Honeydew Resort space header, Ceroba, and Dina. Various notes throughout the Steamworks reference his subpar results, such as a plaque for "You Tried in Engineering." Axis only mentions Chujin if he is killed when he calls out to him.

Pacifist Route[edit | edit source]

With Ceroba in the Steamworks, Chujin comes up much more. Before leaving the Dunes, she tells Starlo that what she will do is for Chujin's legacy.[27] She is surprised to find that Axis was built by Chujin and wants Clover to resolve any other fights peacefully due to not being sure who else was built by him.

Ceroba often talks about how Chujin was hardworking and brilliant, ignoring details that point towards his ineptitude. Chujin's credentials are what lets Ceroba take Clover into the Factory. Upon finding a report stating that Chujin was fired, she remarks with sadness that Chujin had never shared these details with her and fury towards Asgore for doubting him. She urges Clover to spare Axis and becomes enraged if they kill him; this owes to him being Chujin's work, not because murder is bad.

In this route, the path to Ketsukane Estate unlocks after Starlo chases Ceroba to Hotland. Inside, the environment shares much of Chujin's life. He built the Estate himself, including many Founder's Crests in its design. They can explore his office, which contains notes Chujin kept on his friends, a map of the human death locations in which he acts like he does not know where the blue SOUL human died, and many complex scientific books.

Clover and Martlet uncover Chujin's study containing the videotapes he recorded. It also appears that Chujin worked on Axis in the study. When Clover is alone, they can visit Chujin's gravestone northwest of the house and collect his secret videotape from there.

During the final battle with Ceroba, Clover sees a flashback of Chujin and Ceroba before his death. In it, Chujin tells Ceroba about his secret bunker and asks her to continue his legacy.

Genocide Route[edit | edit source]

After destroying Martlet's chestplate during the final battle with her, Clover sees a flashback of Chujin and Martlet on her balcony. At the beginning of their meeting, she buys him coffee and he is embarrassed that she treats him like her boss.[24] This progresses into the scene Martlet described in her journal, where Martlet tells Chujin she got a job in the Royal Guard and Chujin becomes upset by this. He warns Martlet that humans are dangerous.

Relationships[edit | edit source]

Ceroba Ketsukane[edit | edit source]

Ceroba is Chujin's wife. She was supportive of her husband’s career at the Steamworks, but was unaware of his work and his firing until after he died.[28] Chujin lied to Ceroba about his firing because he didn't want her to think less of him.[10] Chujin first brought up his project on his deathbed and left it to Ceroba.[11] Ceroba became increasingly devoted to his work and his legacy, sometimes against her better sense. This devotion ultimately led to her experimenting on Kanako against his wishes, as she saw it the only way to fulfill his impossible request. While she sinks into depression after this, if Clover has a pure SOUL, she attempts to seize the opportunity to complete his legacy, ultimately leading to her attempting to obtain Clover's SOUL on a Pacifist Route.

Ceroba is proud of his accomplishments and prone to ignoring his failings. She overall holds him in very high regard and frequently talks about him throughout the Steamworks. This idolization is likely a trait she held before his death. She was a housewife while Chujin worked in the Steamworks; when he claims to have retired, he starts to do volunteer work he likely does not charge for even though they are struggling financially.[24] She ended up needing to pick up a part-time customer service job to support them. In the Ketsukane Estate, unlike Chujin and Kanako, Ceroba has no impact on its design, nothing inside suggesting her hobbies or life outside of her family.

While him informing her of his study is a request to carry on his legacy, in the same scene, he also is regretful over being a burden and requests for Ceroba and Kanako to leave him behind to be happy (though Ceroba firmly rejects this.) This indirectly shows that Chujin did care about Ceroba.

Kanako Ketsukane[edit | edit source]

Kanako is Chujin's and Ceroba's daughter. Though Chujin cared for her, he evidently chose to focus on his work and ambitions over her often, best demonstrated when he opted to send Axis after the attacking human rather than comfort his daughter, something he expresses remorse of. Nonetheless, Chujin deeply cared for Kanako. It was fear for his daughter's future that drove him to experiment with Axis and the human SOUL to the degree that he did and his final wish was to ensure that Kanako would not suffer from his work.

Martlet[edit | edit source]

After Chujin built Martlet's balcony, she asked him to teach her carpentry. Chujin became Martlet's mentor, and the two became good friends. Martlet and Chujin would meet up to work on projects and talk. She uses the skills she learned from him to create her puzzles. Martlet held Chujin in very high regard. She is deeply disappointed from the revelations from Chujin's videotapes, admitting that she did not know him as well as she thought she did.

Axis[edit | edit source]

Axis is Chujin's creation. Chujin held strong hope that Axis would be able to protect monsterkind despite the fact that Axis repeatedly failed, generally due to mechanical errors on Chujin's part. While the two's interactions are never discussed, Axis trusts and misses him. All robots are programmed to have strong emotions towards their creator, but Axis alone gives external reason for his love for Chujin; he says that Chujin was always kind to him. Axis is never made aware of his death.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • Chujin's main pose, glasses and gloves in the VHS tapes are together highly reminiscent of Gendo Ikari's from Neon Genesis Evangelion. This might be one Neon Genesis Evangelion reference in Undertale Yellow that Master Sword talked about in the Episode 44 of The Determined Podcast in August 2022.[31]
  • There is a Fun Value in Chujin's study where, after watching the tapes, re-entering the study, and waiting, Chujin's face will appear with distorted noises. In the noises that play is a heavily modified version of the "I miss you" sound from Smiles and Tears, the credits song from EarthBound.[citation needed]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Here's my (non-official) art of the main characters I helped design for #UndertaleYellow ! (spoilers in reply) - TeleviQ (@TLVQ_) on Twitter, December 16, 2023.
  2. It was donated to us by a real nice engineer by the name of Chujin! His apprentice helped as well. - Honeydew Shopkeeper
  3. I suppose I should thank my mentor.
    Older fella by the name of Chujin. Taught me everything!
    - Martlet during the Ava ride
  4. What a masterwork. Hand-carved and everything...
    It's hard to believe Chujin had the time to craft all of this.
    - Martlet when inspecting Kanako's bed
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 We probably should've held onto Chujin's earnings but...
    He had this dream of building a big house for our family.
    Followed through with it too. Turned out beautifully.
    At first I thought the size was a bit overkill but...
    Well...
    I think he was insinuating a bigger family.
    - Ceroba's Talk option in rm_steamworks_factory_02
  6. The world, as it is, is a dark place he said. A place unfit for a kid.
    He believes that small acts of kindness will lead to a better world.
    - Martlet's journal
  7. We might've had some differing views but...
    ...Chujin was kind. To everyone.
    - Starlo before the Ceroba Pacifist battle
  8. Have you heard of the Snowdin attack?
    Well... I witnessed it.
    One of the bleakest days of my life.
    And veterans of the war... their stories...
    It had to be ten times worse.
    - Chujin to Martlet in a flashback during the Genocide Route final battle
  9. By the time I tracked him down... it was too late.
    I'll never forget the scene laid before me.
    Part of me wanted to quit everything that instant but...
    ...This outcome was earned, was it not?
    - Chujin in his secret videotape
  10. 10.0 10.1 I was... fired from my engineering position.
    I poured my all into my project but it wasn't enough!
    The programming was buggy but I know I could've ironed it out with a few more iterations!
    Why am I punished for trying to take our struggle seriously!?
    ...I feel as if I'm the only one who hasn't forgotten or chosen to live in ignorance...
    ...
    I told Ceroba I was retiring. Can't let her think less of me.
    - Chujin's third videotape
  11. 11.0 11.1 This is a message to my dear Ceroba:
    This research is up to you. No one else would listen.
    - Chujin's fifth videotape
  12. While Axis is a problem...
    I am glad Chujin was able to succeed in engineering.
    I have no doubt he inherited the craft from his father.
    Problem was, his father didn't exactly approve of "innovation."
    Asgore's big expansion and the the establishment of this facility...
    Let's just say a rift grew between families.
    However, Chujin was different.
    Saw the benefits of progress, even if it caused friction.
    Still, he never discarded his lineage and how much it meant.
    The best of both worlds, hm?
    - Ceroba's talk dialogue in the first Axis chase room
  13. Undertale Yellow 1st Anniversary Developer Livestream (Extra Life Charity! Donations Link In Desc.) - YouTube
  14. Back when we first met, I lived in the mountains.
    My mother had sent me down to Oasis Valley for some crops.
    On the way back, I had to cross a rather large ditch.
    While on the bridge, I accidentally rolled my ankle and fell in.
    I couldn't climb out no matter how hard I tried.
    Even worse, the expensive crops were ruined.
    Felt like I was there for hours before I heard a jingling sound.
    A hiker approached the bridge holding a walking stick with a bell on it.
    He noticed me lying in my humble ditch so I smiled and said: "Hey."
    With a kind look, he replied: "You look awful."
    I was hooked.
    He then hopped down and tore a strip of his red robe to wrap my ankle.
    - Ceroba's talk dialogue in rm_steamworks_factory_01, the Factory reception room
  15. "I thank you for your service to society...
    ...But I'm afraid monsterkind's freedom belongs in more capable hands.
    - Asgore's transcribed words in Chujin's employee records
  16. But enough of that... it's in the past.
    I must live in the present and plan for the future.
    Prove I can save monsterkind... another way.
    - Chujin's third VHS tape
  17. While I was busy, Kanako wandered off to play with a resident.
    That's when it happened...
    A few panicked townsfolk ran up to me saying that a human had entered the area.
    This human... they attacked the monster Kanako was with.
    - Chujin's second VHS tape
  18. I don't understand... I just don't understand!
    Humankind already won by trapping us down here yet they keep twisting the knife!
    - Chujin's second VHS tape
  19. I messed up, miscalculated, something.
    Axis... Axis is dangerous.
    I must have overshot the variables, all I wanted was apprehension.
    - Chujin in his secret VHS tape
  20. Axis soon contained the subject and... hid the evidence.
    There was some property damage but I'm sure it won't come back to me... I hope.
    In any case... I now have a human SOUL in my possession.
    - Chujin in his secret VHS tape
  21. Undertale Yellow 1st Anniversary Developer Livestream (Extra Life Charity! Donations Link In Desc.) - YouTube
  22. The guy who built my balcony seemed to enjoy what he was doing.
    Maybe I'll ask him to teach me how to...
    I don't know, nail planks of wood to houses?
    - Martlet's journal in front of her house
  23. (You notice a sticker on the heater.)
    Crafted with love by Chujin & Martlet!
    - Sticker on the space heater in Honeydew Resort
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 Martlet: One cup of joe for the Boss - extra caffeinated!
    Chujin: Is that my title now?
    Chujin: It's not like I pay you to help me.
    Martlet: Oh?
    Martlet: See these drinks?
    Chujin: Martlet...
    Martlet: You really should pay that tab soon. The list is gettin' long!
    - Mid-fight Zenith Martlet cutscene
  25. I was worried this might happen. Science is a dangerous game.
    Rather foolishly, I experimented on myself... several times.
    Over and over, the subject rejected the fusion, and I think I know why.
    ...
    I'll be direct...
    My SOUL has deteriorated and I don't know how much longer I have.
    - Chujin's fifth VHS tape
  26. It's been one year.
    ...
    I'm still waiting.
    - Dalv's diary, talking about Chujin's return
  27. I'll see you later, Starlo.
    Whatever happens, remember that this is for Chujin's legacy.
    - Ceroba
  28. I knew my husband was an engineer but he never told me about that guy.
    He'd mention a robotics project that could net him a promotion but...
    He stopped talking about it after he quit his job here.
    - Ceroba, after first meeting Axis
  29. The Undertale Yellow Art Book is here! Featuring nearly 300 pages of concept art, screenshots, commentary, and more 💛 - @undertaleyellow.bsky.social on Bluesky, December 24, 2024.
  30. Here's my (non-official) art of the main characters I helped design for #UndertaleYellow ! (spoilers in reply) - AeroArtwork (@AeroArtwork) on Twitter, January 12, 2024.
  31. The Determined Podcast Episode Forty Four Part One ft. Undertale Yellow Devs - YouTube