Hayate

• Character Name: Hayate
• Also known as: The Wind of the Heavens
• Other names: The Shinobi of the Wind
• Martial art: Mugen Tenshin (Tenjinmon) style ninjutsu
• Place of birth: Mugen Tenshin Village, Japan
• Nationality: Japanese
• Date of birth: July 3
• Age: 25
• Species: Human
• Gender: Male
• Height: 180 cm (5' 11")
• Weight: 75 kg (165 lbs.)
• Measurements: B109 W83 H98 cm (B43" W33" H39")
• Eye color: Light brown
• Hair color: Light brown
• Current occupations: Shinobi, Master of the Mugen Tenshin clan
• Former occupations: Test subject for Project Epsilon, Karateka (when he was Ein)
• Alignment: Mugen Tenshin clan
• Hobbies: Iaido and zen meditation
• Favorite foods: Sushi and sukiyaki
• Tropical zodiac sign: Cancer (21 June – 22 July)
• Birthstone: Ruby
• Birthflower: Hibiscus
• Birthfruit: Pineapple
• Known relatives: Shiden (father), Ayame (mother), Kasumi (younger sister), Ayane (younger maternal half-sister/paternal cousin)
• Friends: Ryu Hayabusa, Hitomi
• Rivals: Hayabusa (friendly), Helena, Jann Lee, Lisa Hamilton, Bayman, Rig
• History: Hayate is the eldest child and only son of Shiden, the now-former leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan, and Ayame. He was born to be the next leader of the clan, to follow on from his father. He seemed to have a happy childhood, training in the art of the clan, Tenjinmon-styled ninjutsu, with his younger sister Kasumi, who loved him dearly.

After Genra requested to Shiden for Ayane - the village's "cursed child" and his foster daughter - to begin her training, Hayate started to form a friendship with the girl, treating her with kindness, which most of the clan didn't give her.

The two formed a strong bond, but soon after, Ayame admitted to Ayane that she was her daughter, meaning that she was a half-sister to Hayate and Kasumi. Despite this life-changing revelation, and the falling-out between Ayane and Kasumi, Hayate remained to have strong relationships with both of his sisters over the years.

During his early life, Hayate also became good friends with Ryu Hayabusa, who like him was next in line to be the master of his own clan, the Hayabusa clan.

When Hayate was 22, Raidou, Shiden's traitorous brother who was banished from the clan, returned to their village and attacked the clan in an attempt to "steal" the Torn Sky Blast ninpō attack.

Hayate and Ayane were at the front line to defend the village. Ayane attacked Raidou to defend her brother, but was quickly defeated. Hayate ran to her aid, but when Raidou called him a "weakling" for hiding behind a woman, Hayate attacked him in rage but was overpowered quickly and, out of options, he tried to use the Torn Sky Blast to fight Raidou, despite Ayane's protests. But his uncle's skill was far too great and he ended up revealing to Raidou how to use the deadly technique. As their ninpō attacks collided, Hayate was quickly defeated by Raidou's superior power and sent flying into a nearby tree, cracking his spine and sending him into a coma for an entire year.

Despite Kasumi dutifully looking after him, Hayate remained in his coma and seemed doomed to stay in that state, with some of the shinobi considering him to be "dead". Because of this, his entitlement to the title of clan master was passed down to Kasumi. Soon after Kasumi learned the truth about the cause of Hayate's coma from Ayane, she fled the village to seek revenge against Raidou for Hayate during the first Dead or Alive World Combat Championship, despite the fact that leaving the village without permission branded her as a nukenin ("missing shinobi").

For the next two years the Mugen Tenshin clan would know relative peace. One day, Helena, DOATEC's new President and CEO, gives Hayate an invitation to the luxury yacht Freedom Survivor. Transported there by Zack, he wonders what Helena wants from him. Zack jokingly tells him that maybe she was setting him up with someone, although Hayate initially took it wrong. Zack corrects himself explaining he was to have a meeting with her. In the executive office, he meets his sister Kasumi. Helena considers it an honor to have the eighteenth master ninja of the Mugen Tenshin in her presence, and proceeds to explain to him that Kasumi's clone, Alpha-152 is still at large, and that it would be too dangerous for Kasumi to do alone. Kasumi asks him to listen to her, that the Alpha affair was her mess alone to settle. However, Hayate agrees with Helena, saying that this whole issue is not just about her anymore, but the safety of their whole family and clan. But Kasumi runs out, saying that it was her fight alone. Hayate follows her and senses something was amiss. His youngest sister Ayane comes forth and lets him know that she's sensing something foul about Kasumi too. Hayate orders her to follow her, and find out her true intentions.

Sometime later, Hayate is met by his best friend Hayabusa at the Ryugaku Temple. Hayabusa criticizes him for not being able to handle Kasumi and provokes him to fight each other, and Hayate was defeated; after the battle, the Master Ninja told him that don't let his emotions cloud his judgement.

A few days later, he meets Bayman in the Middle East, and wonders what he was up to. Bayman tells him that he and Hayate are both looking for Kasumi for answers and they fight about it in hand-to-hand combat. Zack interrupts their battle, telling Hayate that Helena needs to talk about something important.

At the Freedom Survivor Helena tells him about a group called MIST. This group, according to her, were inside of DOATEC before they had a formal name, and that the Alpha project is in its final phase: Phase 4, which is the production and distribution of super soldiers to their clients, the militaries of the world's dominant nations. Hayate is infuriated to learn that he, his family and his clan were used for the sole purpose of profit for Donovan. Helena tells Hayate that she has sent Kasumi to the Offshore Platform because of uncanny comings and goings from Miyako, Christie and Lisa. He, Hayabusa and Ayane head over there to stop Donovan's plans.

During the fifth tournament, Hayate reunites with Hitomi, who proudly tells him that she's in the finals. He has a friendly spar with her to prepare her for her final match. Then he leaves with Ayane, but wishes Hitomi good luck.

The two Mugen Tenshin ninja find Bayman again, who is infiltrating the rig to find Kasumi. Hayate fights him to see who will deal with his sister and wins. Bayman then helps him and Ayane find Kasumi and they confront her, who was in reality a Kasumi Alpha clone programmed into thinking that she is the original.

After killing the clone, Hayate, Bayman, and Ayane head to deeper into the platform. Taking an ID card off of a scientist they knocked unconscious, They discover the platform was actually a cover for MIST's operations. Bayman tells the two ninja to carry on without him and finish the battle. At the lowest level, Hayate and Ayane confront Rig. The hooded man taunts Hayate into a battle who emerges victorious, but suddenly, the ninja is impaled with beams of light. As he is captured by Rig, Ayane is forced to flee to warn Hayabusa. As the real Kasumi appears to rescue him, Lisa appears and realizes that Donovan is reactivating Project Epsilon proceding to override the process when he activates Phase 4. After the scientist frees Hayate, the ninjas destroy Alpha-152 and escape the crumbling facility back to the Freedom Survivor.

After Kasumi gives her thanks to him, Hayate watches with Ayane and Hayabusa as she leaves to defeat Donovan.

• Appearance: Hayate is a young, muscular man, who has inherited his father's facial features and his mother's hair and eye color. His hair is light brown, straight, and styled so it reaches his shoulders with a center parting. In his original design, Hayate has slightly tanned skin, a slim face with a pointed chin, board shoulders, and light brown eyes. Overtime he gained a more harder-looking, mature features, including a squared chin and a lower brow. His hair has been given a small cut, so it is only as long as his jawline.

• Attire: Hayate wears a Black shinobi shōzoku with a pair of boots that have studs on the soles, a set of grey-and-brown armor with the crest of the Mugen Tenshin clan on the backplate, and a metal headband. He also has the Jinran-Maru and a wakizashi, both of which are secured to the back of his body.

• Personality: Hayate has a powerful sense of duty when it comes to his role as a leader, and as a shinobi of his clan. He is so devoted to the clan's rules and traditions that he would even hunt down his own runaway sister, albeit with much reluctance.

Although he could easily kill an enemy, Hayate is an honorable, caring soul when it comes to his family, friends, and allies. Hayate was close with both of his sisters, and despite the girls' rivalry between each other, he has tried to remain friends with them. Even after Kasumi ran away, Hayate could never bring himself to strike her down or commit to her death. He has also shown that he is a very protective older brother; when Brad Wong tried to hit on Ayane, Hayate was quick to use brute force to get the man away from her.

Hayate has also shown to have a competitive nature, with his friendly rivalry between his friend Hayabusa. While very serious when it comes to important matters, he isn't above having a bit of fun from time to time.

He is also somewhat snarky and arrogant, remarking after winning a fight that no one could face him. Some of his taunts also involve talking down to his opponent, such as calling them 'pitiful' and saying that they could never defeat him. He also taunted Raidou on how after having become such a powerful ninja and lending his hard-earned skills to evil, he became nothing but a reanimated corpse. Sometimes, he can get overconfident to the point where certain things backfire on him, such as ignoring Ayane's warning to not use the Torn Sky Blast on Raidou, which resulted in himself being left comatose.