| “ | 4 shall stand, all shall fall. | ” |
— ??? at the end of the ending of the nightmare difficulty of The Witch Trials
| ||
The Mimics are the titular main antagonists of The Mimic. They are a quartet of monstrous and demonic entities created by Hakaisha to unleash chaos and bring destruction upon the world. They were later sealed away by Kusunoki Masashige and Ashikaga Takauji. However, centuries later, they escaped from their prisons to corrupt and devastate the earth once again.
Details
The Mimics share a common set of abilities—namely, mimicry and shapeshifting. During the time of the Calamity event, it was known that their powers were equal. However, according to a lore writer, each Mimic is capable of acquiring abilities based on the domain in which they were sealed. Because of this, it is possible that after the Calamity and following their long periods of confinement, the Mimics gradually grew stronger at different rates—potentially leading to a disparity in their current power levels. In other words, the beasts of the 21st century may no longer be equally matched.
Their shapeshifting ability allows them to take on different appearances, but there is a limit to how many forms each can take. Kintoru is the only one confirmed to be able to shift into multiple forms beyond that limit, unlike the others. It is still unknown which of their forms, if any, represent their true appearance. However, it is confirmed that before being sealed, their shapeshifting was far more unrestricted.
Mimicry, as the name suggests, involves imitation—either of themselves or of entire replicas of worlds, recreated in great detail. Aside from these shared powers, each Mimic also possesses unique abilities. Because of these traits, they are collectively known as The Mimics.
Names
All of the Mimics share the surname Hakai (破壊)[3]. However, for undisclosed reasons, the beasts sometimes choose to use their father Hakaisha’s surname, Reikai (霊界), when disclosing their names. Netamo, on the other hand, typically uses his own surname. Yuma frequently changes the surname she goes by, while Kintoru often switches hers when she needs to present herself as a noblewoman. Enzukai uses Reikai to make himself appear more like a king. Netamo is the least likely to change his surname, as he personally dislikes his father’s surname.
Gender
As for the genders of the Mimics, it has been confirmed by MUCDICH that Kintoru and Yuma are female, Enzukai’s gender is unspecified and left up to interpretation, and Netamo is male. It was also confirmed that they are all siblings: Kintoru is the eldest daughter, Netamo is the eldest son, Enzukai is the second youngest child, and Yuma is the youngest daughter.
Pocket Dimension
For more details on this topic, please refer to Pocket Dimension.
The Mimics
Kintoru-no-Hakai
For more details on this topic, please refer to Kintoru.
Kintoru is known as the Beast of Control and serves as the main antagonist of Control's Book. She possesses a wide range of abilities, including cursing her victims, controlling the cursed, shapeshifting, telepathy, creation, manipulation, and moving at immense speeds. Currently, her only three known forms are the Witch, Omukade, and Saigomo. Her true appearance remains unknown, as her humanoid Witch form was created solely to befriend Hiachi Masashige. While her Omukade and Saigomo forms may represent her true form, this is still uncertain due to her shapeshifting nature.
Status
Kintoru is currently Dormant, as she was slain by Yasu Masashige with the Blessed Blade of Kusunoki Masashige while in her Saigomo form.
Enzukai-no-Hakai
For more details on this topic, please refer to Enzukai.
Enzukai is the Beast of Jealousy and the main antagonist of Jealousy's Book. Some of its known abilities include water-breathing, levitation, telekinesis, and intangibility. A lore writer has also confirmed that Enzukai can transform into three separate forms. Although Enzukai is genderless, lore writers often refer to it using masculine pronouns.
Status
Enzukai is currently Dormant, as it was slain by Isamu Uchiumi with the Blessed Bow made of Ashikaga Takauji's Shiroi Honō while in its Enzukai-Ryū form.
Netamo-no-Hakai
For more details on this topic, please refer to Netamo.
Netamo is the Beast of Rage. His powers are currently unknown, but he is capable of climbing, as he not only crawls on all fours but is also seen crawling and climbing on the walls of his cage in the easter egg cutscene from The Witch Trials. However, this only applies to his old design. It is currently unknown whether he still retains his wall-climbing ability in his current design.
Status
Alive, currently sealed.
Yuma-no-Hakai
For more details on this topic, please refer to Yuma.
Yuma is the Beast of Rebirth.
Status
Alive, currently sealed.
Powers And Abilities
- Mimicry: This is a fundamental ability shared by all Mimics. The Mimics can creates pocket dimensions that replicate the real world as exact copies.
- Shapeshifting: A basic ability possessed by Mimics.
- Black Substance: TBA.
History
Early Life
The Birth of Mimics
One day long ago, Hakaisha, the ruler of Jigoku, for reasons unknown, tore the flesh from his own body and created The Mimics, each representing Manipulation, Envy, Resurrection, and Wrath.[4]
- Kintoru is speculated to be born from Hakaisha's hands, backed up by the many presence of hands and the hands to 'control' puppets in Control's Book.
- Enzukai is speculated to be born from Hakaisha's eyes, evidence pointing to the many presence of eyes and the all-seeing eye of the Kiiroibara Cult in Jealousy's Book.
- Netamo: TBA.
- Yuma: TBA.
The Beasts each went their separate ways and came to reside in different realms, with one of them continuing to visit the real world.
Calamity Event
In 1621, The Mimics descended to Japan and wreak havoc across the land. A samurai named Kusunoki Masashige rose up to face the demons. For ten days, he struggled to seal each mimic away in four separate locations. Kintoru’s powers were sealed to a Sakura tree, somewhere in the east. Enzukai was sealed under Aogashima Island, along with its cultists. Yuma is sealed somewhere deep inside the crusts of the earth. Lastly, Netamo is sealed in a strong cage to contain his ever-growing rage.
Due to having only most of her powers sealed, Kintoru was still able to roam within the borders of Japan and use a fraction of her powers to torment the cursed Masashige Bloodline.
Control's Book
The story of Book of Control begins in the Kyushu region. The main villain is Kintoru, the Beast of Control, and the protagonist is Yasu Masashige. The story follows Yasu as he discovers that his friends have gone missing at his old school and returns to the now-abandoned building to find them.
As he wanders through the school, Yasu falls into Kintoru’s trap and becomes trapped in a twisted version of reality. There, he is relentlessly hunted by his own ancestors. He repeatedly solves puzzles and navigates labyrinths to unlock doors and escape, only to realize too late that even his parents have become cursed and now seek to kill him.
Later, in a cursed forest, Yasu burns six pieces of cursed armor, freeing Kusunoki from his curse. Kusunoki then reveals the tragic history behind the curse that plagues their bloodline. Yasu receives Kusunoki’s blessed blade and is asked to defeat Kintoru once and for all. He eventually faces Kintoru in close combat, and by faithfully following Kusunoki’s advice, Yasu manages to slay Kintoru. With Kintoru defeated, he frees and rescues all of his ancestors and his parents from the curse, finally escaping from Kintoru’s grip and living in peace. At least, for now.
Jealousy's Book
The story of Jealousy's Book begins across the Chūgoku, Kansai, Chūbu, and Kantō regions. The main villain is Enzukai, the Beast of Jealousy, and the protagonist is Isamu Uchiumi. After the mysterious "death" of his older brother, Senzai Uchiumi, Isamu is unable to accept the loss and sets off to investigate alone in Aogashima Island, where he is captured and falls into Enzukai's distorted reality.
Over the course of his journey, Isamu avoids the hostile members of the Kiiroibara Cult, Enzukai's worshippers. He meets an old man named Keneo in Yōki Town, who tricks Isamu into boarding a broken boat in exchange for Isamu obtaining the Seishin Orb. Isamu dragged into the deep sea, where he solves puzzles, flees from danger, and even cooks for the first time. He is later captured by a cultist, revealed to be Senzai, who was alive the whole time. Enzukai appears and kills Isamu. He wakes up in Jigoku, the land of the dead. After many tribulations, Isamu makes a deal with Shinigami to be revived although his remaining time on earth will be limited. He escapes Jigoku and wakes up in the ruined Kawasaki Ward.
Within his own consciousness, Isamu meets Ashikaga, the spirit of the Seishin Orb. He gives Isamu the Shiroi Hono, capable of defeating Enzukai and the cultists. But Enzukai appears and shatters the Shiroi Hono. Isamu now has to recover the fragments of the Shiroi Hono as the entire cult pursues him.
After recovering all of the Shiroi Hono's fragments and using it to forge a bow, Isamu uses it to slay most of the cult members and finally Enzukai, despite Senzai begging to be killed in Enzukai's place. After Senzai reverts to his original human form, Isamu extends a hand to his brother but he is reminded of Shinigami's deal as his soul is finally claimed, ending Isamu's life. The story ends with Senzai standing before Isamu’s grave, deciding to spend the rest of his life in prison. This concludes Jealousy's Book.
Gallery
Trivia
- For undisclosed lore reasons, the Mimics sometimes interchange their surnames from Hakai to Reikai and vice versa.
- Yūma does this a lot, Kintōru only does it exclusively in situations when she was required to disclose her surname (especially when she deceived people as a noble woman), and Enzukai only does it to make himself look like a king. The possibility of Netamo doing this is little to none, as he has a personal distaste of the surname Reikai.
- The Mimics are demons/supernatural entities. Their term "Beasts" are referring to their monstrous forms and not their species.
- The Four Beasts is what humans (especially ones who experienced the Calamity Event) call The Mimics. The Mimics are their official collective name, while The World Eaters are said to be what the spirits in the spirit realm and Tengoku call them.[1]
- The Mimics were born and lived in another realm until they all descended to Japan collectively in the Edo Period to start their destruction all around the world.[5]
- According to a lore writer, living humans (such as the protagonists) that went into The Mimics' pocket dimensions will experience abnormalities to their organ systems and metabolisms.[6]
- It is confirmed that all of the beasts are siblings.
- The number of beasts in The Mimic coincides with the number 4 (四 - lit: shi), and 4 is associated with death as both kanjis are pronounced the same.
- As stated and confirmed by a lore writer, The other three beasts each can only transform into three different kinds of forms at most. This means that Kintoru would be the only one who can shapeshift into many different forms of creatures.
- Out of all the four beasts, Enzukai, as of right now, is the only one to kill their book's protagonist, but not entirely.
- In the Korean fandom, the Mimics are unofficially referred to as "Beasts of Bust" (흉상의 괴수). This translation emphasizes both the deceptive appearance and the grotesque nature of the creatures, reflecting their duality of mimicking outward forms while being horrifying monsters in essence.
