Ayane (Japanese: 綾音) is a kunoichi of the Mugen Tenshin clan and the current master of the clan's Hajinmon sect. She was the winner of the third Dead or Alive Tournament. She made her debut in the 1998 PlayStation remake of the first Dead or Alive as an unlockable character. Since then, she has become one of the main protagonists of Dead or Alive (particularly for Dead or Alive 3) and has become one of the series' most popular characters. As such, she has made many appearances outside of Dead or Alive, most notably in the Ninja Gaiden series. Conceived when Ayame was raped by Raidou, Ayane is the half-sister and cousin of both Hayate and Kasumi, as well as the half-sister of Honoka. Although mistreated in her youth, Ayane has worked hard to become one of the most powerful shinobi of her clan.