Hakuoro is the central character who wears an unremovable mask that covers the upper part of his head down to just below his eyes. He is discovered severely wounded by Eruruu, who takes care of him until he recovers. It soon becomes clear that he has lost all his memories, and he notices that the world's state differs significantly from what he remembers (for example, certain anatomical features like ears and tails are now considered normal). In place of his forgotten name, he is given the name Hakuoro, which means "White Emperor" in Ainu and also was the name of Eruruu and Aruruu's father. His primary weapon is a large metal fan given to him by Tusukuru. He quickly wins the trust of those around him and finds himself in a growing leadership role.
Major Spoilers
For a time, it seems that his identity might be Rakshain, a murderous traitor, but it is eventually revealed that he is the embodiment of the good half of the god Witsarunemitea, and he recalls his memories as Iceman. After Hakuoro's final battle with the darker half of Witsarunemitea, the two halves merge once again, with Hakuoro's side struggling to maintain dominance. To prevent further destruction, he decides to seal himself away, bidding farewell to each of his comrades. Eruruu confesses her love for Hakuoro, and they share a kiss. Hakuoro promises to return to her, and Eruruu vows to wait for him. The story hints at Hakuoro's return in the final scene with Eruruu, though he is not clearly shown.
Other Names: Iceman/Witsarunemitea
In Hakuoro's earliest memories, he is seen as an archaeological researcher who stumbled upon Witsarunemitea's fossil hidden in an advanced laboratory. An unknown scientist catches him and explains that he did not want anyone to know about this forgotten deity, the "missing link" in human evolution, as he felt it should not exist. To protect its secrecy, he shot the archaeologist, whose blood landed on the fossil. Witsarunemitea then awakened and restored him in exchange for using his body as a vessel so that he would not be disturbed again. As a symbol of this contract, he acquired the mask representing Witsarunemitea. Much later, researchers found his frozen body, unfroze him, and named him 'Iceman.' Initially, the researchers claimed to help him but were actually interested in studying his ability to survive outside a greenhouse environment and in extending their own longevity. Artificial beings based on his body were created for further studies, including subject #3510, whom he named "Mikoto," and #63, whom he named "Mutsumi." Iceman fell in love with Mikoto and later escaped with her, having a child together; however, they were eventually recaptured. The scientists dissected Mikoto to experiment on her, which caused Iceman to rage and awaken his abilities as Witsarunemitea. Realizing what he was doing, he asked Mutsumi to destroy him, but she failed. Instead, she managed to seal him, separating him into two: Hakuoro, possessing his good side and human form; and a formless evil side that must possess a host body to gain physical form. However, the seal cannot hold them forever, and the two halves periodically become free. In the present, Hakuoro awakens with no memories, and the latest host taken by the darker side is the Onkamiyamukai scholar Dii.
