Brocken Meyer

Brocken Meyer (ブロッケン・マイヤー) is a fictional character in the Shaman King manga and anime series. He is the first of Hao's followers, as well as Asakura Hao's adopted father. Brocken is usually seen sitting on Bill Burton's shoulder.

Appearance
Having a growth disease, Brocken's body is very short and quite frail, not being much larger than a grown child. After encountering an infant Hao, he had his limbs burnt off, and he had to use building blocks and the rat spirits to create a Lego Minifigure like Over Soul to assist his disability. He was very short, had spiky light-colored hair, he also had rat-like buck teeth and he was also seen with a white tank top underneath his Over Soul.

When not fighting, he is mostly seen concealing his lego Minifigure body with a red cloak, with a blue scarf, while wearing yellow mittens with a red star on them.

Personality
Believing the house he was living in before he had met Hao to almost be like a prison because of his growth disease, Brocken feels grateful for Hao and claims that Hao had saved him. He seems to be very friendly, happily introducing himself to a newly recruited Bill Burton, and claiming that under Hao, they all could live as free as they wanted. Being extremely loyal to Hao, he does not take well to being betrayed, as he was quite to angered and quite mortified at Peyote's actions at the beach.

Abilities and Powers
Brocken has a high Furyoku level that, according to Peyote Diaz, is because he is living in a constant near-death situation quite similar to that of Iron Maiden Jeanne.

Spirit

 * See More: Blocks

Brocken's Guardian Ghosts are a pack of rat spirits, that inhabit the blocks that he uses as an Over Soul on his body.

Past
Brocken originates from Copenhagen, Denmark and was born on August 30, 1959. He was born with a growth disease and because of that he described the household he was in was almost like a prison cell. At the age of twenty-six in the year of 1985, he was found by Asakura Hao, and his limbs were burned off. Because of this he almost died, and his Shamanic powers were able to reawaken. By using hao blocks and the rat spirits he replaced his limbs by creating an Over Soul. He would later join with Hao, and later became his adoptive father, raising him after Hao had escaped the Asakura family household.

Five Years before the Shaman Fight, when Bill Burton was introduced into the group, he freaks out when he sees Brocken, thinking he is a talking toy. Brocken introduced himself and shows Bill his true appearance and explains the main reason for his odd appearance. He then praises Hao, saying that if it were not for being in a near-death state he would not have had awakened his shamanic powers. Bill wonders that if he had not met Hao he would have had a normal life, but Brocken believed that because of his growth disease, Hao had rescued him from life, saying that being together with Hao they were free as they wanted to be. When the BoZ Brothers started to pick a fight with Bill, Brocken explains to the brothers about Bill's guardian ghosts and that they should not want to mess with him.

Travel Through America
Brocken made his first appearance with Hao and his followers when Hao approaches Asakura Yoh's group. Brocken and the others interrupt Hao and told him that they will miss the Patch Tribe plane that will take them to America if he wastes any more time, to which Hao agrees and they make their leave.

Shaman Fights Second Round
His teammates were eliminated before the second round started, so Brocken usually hangs out with Bill Burton and his team. He made his first official appearance when Usui Horokeu was protecting Team Icemen that Bill Burton had seen out as food for the Spirit of Fire.

When Bill was defeated with a single blow from Usui Lycan, Brocken was left by himself to fight against Horohoro. Due to the fact, his opponent's Over Soul switching strategy, Brocken was easily beaten and was defeated when he was covered in a massive amount of ice, enough to cover his Over Soul, "Die Tank". He was later found by Mohamed Tabarsi, Hang Zang-Ching, and Peyote Diaz, who scolded Brocken for losing and told him that Furyoku is not everything anymore.

After Brocken was the only sole survivor of the disaster on the beach where Peyote tried to kill all of Hao's followers, he was rescued by the Asakura Family and his condition stabilized. He was kept captive in hopes of getting some information out of him.

Invading the Plants
After Hao becomes the Shaman King, Brocken is seen standing with Zang-Ching and Bill in one of the carts aboard the Soul Train inside the Great Spirit, remaining quiet.

Funbari no Uta
Several years later he, along with Zang-Ching and Bill Burton come to work for the Tao Family and travels with the current heir Tao Men to the Funbari Inn.

Anime/Manga Difference
In the 2001 anime series, like most of Hao's other followers, Brocken's role is far less important, including no mention of being his first follower or being Hao's adoptive father. His anime appearance is also slightly different: while He was portrayed wearing a yellow cloak instead of a red one, and his Lego Minifigure body is muticolored as red, yellow, and blue instead of solely colored yellow.

In addition, Brocken has no speaking role in the 2001 anime series, only making an odd electronic robotic noises in response to Hang Zang-Ching, on one occasion. During the battle at the Gate of Babylon, he clashes with Cebin Mendel. He later arrives in the final battle, much later than his other comrades, and subsequently fights with Horohoro before eventually being defeated alongside Luchist, Turbine, and Zang-Ching by Tao Ren.

Trivia

 * His block form is heavily similar to a real-life popular line of construction toys, Lego minifigures. When he first met Bill Burton, he was shocked by his appearance, referring to him as a talking toy.