Kau

Kau
Role	Side Character
Race	Human
Gender	Male
Status	Alive
Relatives	Arbitro (Master)
Aliases	Tama (by Kiriwar or Gunji) Pochi (by Gunji or Kiriwar)
Weapon	None
Abilities	Heightened sense of smell
Voice Actor	None
Height	Unknown

Kau (狗) is Arbitro's "pet" dog, who is actually a young boy. His name literally translates to "dog" in Japanese.

Personality

Very little is shown about his personality, although he clearly shows signs of Stockholm Syndrome. Because Arbitro destroyed his eyes and vocal cords, Kau cannot see or speak. He does, however, have a keen sense of smell, and has been trained to pick up the scent of dog tags to help find rule-breakers within Igra.

Appearance

Kau has white hair, and wears a black covering over his eyes. He's forced to have a bit in his mouth. A leather jacket with buckles covers his arms and his shoulders. There's a large cross shaped scar across his torso as well as donning six piercings down his frame. He also wears leather trousers with buckles across his thighs and walks on all fours. Whenever he walks on his legs, his arms are folded behind his back, whether they are tied or not is unclear; this is only seen once, when Arbitro tells him to wait on the other side of the room. This form of attire strongly refers to Arbitro's sadistic, pleasure-seeking side.

When Kiriwar and Gunji take him on “walks”, he’s usually kept on a “leash” – the term used for the chain connected to his neck.

Abilities

His nose is scientifically modified to give him an enhanced sense of smell. He can identify tags by smell.

Relationships

Arbitro – Kau’s master, whom he seeks to please. Arbitro thinks of Kau as his greatest masterpiece in part because he has never sought to leave Arbitro’s side.

Gunji – Gunji interprets for Kau when they’re on walks.

Kiriwar – Kiriwar talks to Kau like an animal, albeit not unkindly; he praises him and pets his head.

Akira – Kau reacts negatively to Akira’s fake tags in every adaption. However, in the game, he later jumps all over Akira like a happy dog, and in Arbitro’s ending, they become “mates”.

Shiki – Kau is afraid of Shiki and bristles in his presence.

In the Game

History

Arbitro found Kau shortly after the end of the Third Division. Kau had been sexually abused by his parents and then left for dead. Arbitro had pitied him and brought him home, giving him a bath and food. Arbitro "fell in love" with Kau when he smiled, which was why he decided to make Kau into his ultimate work of art.

Common Route

Inspection with the Executioners

Kau’s first appearance in the game comes during a “walk” with the Executioners. Akira notes that every scar but the one on his throat seems decorative. At Kiriwar's orders, Kau rubs his nose against the dead participant and sniffs the tags. Gunji interprets from Kau that the man they killed was innocent. Kiriwar suggests testing the crowd, but they decide to return to the Palace because Gunji says Kau is hungry. The way Kau bumps Gunji's knee beseechingly influences Kiriwar's decision to leave. Before they go, Kau identifies something wrong with Akira’s tags, and stiffens as if bristling. Gunji convinces Kiriwar to leave anyway, and as the three of them walk off, Kau turns his head in Akira’s direction several times.

Arbitro's Room

Arbitro and Kau

Kau appears alongside Arbitro in his private room in the Palace. Arbitro comments on how Kau is behaving more clingy than usual, because Kau has been pressing against his knee and whining in a low, nasal way. Arbitro pets him, which makes Kau shudder and rub his cheek against Arbitro’s knee harder. Arbitro lightly chastises Kau when drool from his gag drips onto Arbitro’s clothing. He says Kau is his “finest masterpiece” and nibbles his ear.

According to Arbitro, Kau’s eyes are moist with delight in spite of Kau not having eyeballs. Arbitro recalls his past with Kau, then asks about his modified nose. Arbitro’s thoughts about his hobbies and his parents turn to recalling meeting Motomi earlier, and Arbitro almost strangles Kau in his rage. Arbitro apologizes and embraces Kau.

In Arbitro's End

In Arbitro’s end, Akira is chained up in the dungeon and transformed into a “mate” for Kau. The scene ends after Arbitro declares the day has come to introduce the two of them.

Keisuke’s Route (Delivering a Letter)

Akira leaves the hotel to get fresh air and encounters Kau alone. Even by himself, Kau crawls on his hands and feet, and he sits in front of Akira like a dog would. Kau has a white envelope instead of a gag, and he jerks his chin to urge Akira to take it. Akira reaches for the letter, but Kau tosses it aside and jumps on Akira. He pins Akira down with surprising strength for his skinny frame. Kau pants and drools on Akira, presses his nose to Akira’s face and collarbone, sniffs him, and licks Akira’s features. Akira admonishes him and pushes Kau away. His hand catches on Kau’s blindfold, and it comes off without resistance. Akira’s fingers feel how Kau has nothing underneath due to his eyes being surgically removed by Arbitro. Disturbed, Akira gets into a fighting stance. Kau retreats and cocks his head, licks his chops as he observes Akira’s reaction, and scampers off.

Shiki’s Route (The Palace)

Shiki delivers a suitcase full of Line to the Palace in the dead of night. Kau reacts to Shiki’s presence with raised hackles and obvious fear. Arbitro strokes his head before telling Kau: “No need to fret. Go to the other room and frolic with your friends for a little while.” Kau rubs his cheek against Arbitro’s knee and "glares" at Shiki as he retreats. Once his business with Arbitro is over, Shiki comments that Arbitro is as “obsessed with that thing as always.” Arbitro replies that Kau is his greatest creation. Shiki expresses his disgust, so Arbitro tells Shiki to leave so they can go to bed. With a mocking smile, Shiki corrects that Arbitro will be tormenting Kau, not sleeping.

In the Anime

Kau is almost always by Abitro's side, except when Kiriwar and Gunji take him out on their hunts. 

Whenever he is seen with Arbitro, he seeks his praise and tries to please him, and obediently listens to his "master" when reprimanded. He also seems to understand whenever Arbitro is irritated by something, as he raises his head to try and comfort his master, who in turn pets him as a reward.

When out with Gunji and Kiriwar, Kau is just as obedient to them as he is to Arbitro, only acting when summoned. When he finds bodies, his mannerisms match that of an actual dog and sniffs the bodies, dead or alive, and then returns to whoever he is with at the time.

In the Manga

Kau has a minor role in the manga. After berating the Executioners for their behavior, Arbitro will sometimes cry to him: “Only you can soothe my soul!” For their part, Gunji and Kiriwar take Kau on several “walks,” and they bicker over what Kau’s nickname should be. Kiriwar also says that unlike Gunji’s cat, Kau is a “dog” and won’t run off even if he’s not on a "leash".

In chapter 27, Kiriwar uses Kau’s nose to track down Akira, then sends him back to Arbitro for a reward.

Trivia

• What nickname should be used for Kau is something the Executioners argue about, but who uses what name varies between adaptions. In the game and anime, Kiriwar is the one to call him “Tama” (the common Japanese name for a cat). In the game, Gunji insists his name should be “Pochi” (the name for a dog). In the manga, it is Gunji who calls him “Tama” (or “Mittens” as an English localization) and Kiriwar who corrects the name as “Pochi” (or "Fido").