Asakura Yohken

Asakura Yohken(麻倉葉賢 Asakura Yōken) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series of Shaman King. He is the deceased ancestor of Asakura Yoh, who defeated Patch Hao during the previous tournament.

Personality
When Asakura Yoh first met Yohken in hell he appeared arrogant and proud for having killed Hao in the previous tournament, and later he even went a little bit crazy while fighting Yoh, however it is revealed that when he is calm he can quite analytic. After Yoh defeated him and gave him back his senses it was revealed that after having killed Patch Hao, he felt pride for defeating such a powerful person. However he soon started to torment himself, feeling sorrow for having killed a person not to say his own ancestor. It was because of these conflicting emotions that he ended up in hell. After returning to his senses he showed great respect and even showed the believe in Yoh being able to change Hao's heart.

Abilities and Powers
Yohken has trained as an ascetic monk and is capaple of many techniques including summoning a giant Tengu that was even able to defeat Hao in his incarnation as a patch

Shamanic Spells
Fudou Kanashibari no Jutsu(Art of Arrestment)
 * One of Yohken's spell. It binds the target, and restricts their movement.

Kengai Douji(Sword-wielding Child)
 * A Gohou (Guardian Shikigami) which invokes the spirit of a child-like entity, whom wields a small sword and adorned with a mask and sword-laced necklace.

Shugen Kijin Shiekihou Gokugi Kamaizuna(Shugendō Supreme Demon-God Domination Technique: Vacuum Scythe Cords)
 * Yohken's ultimate technique, which was used to deliver the final blow to the Patch Hao. By summoning a giant Tengu O.S. with a parchment it can then attack so fast it appears as an illusion of multiple blades.

Spirit

 * See More: Matamune

Matamune of the cats, was a cat found by Asakura Hao during his first life. He quickly saw how Matamune had survived his seven other siblings and even decease and hunger and even had the abillities to see other spirits. He therefore took him in and later gave him some of his own Furyoku in the hope of when he died, he would come back to him as a guardian oni. However Hao would eventually grow mad from his uncontrollable Reshii abillity and Matamune could only watch by as the rest of the Asakura Family killed Hao. It was around this time that he died and came back as a humanoid cat that served the Asakura Family. It was when Hao was revived as a Patch that he aided Yohken in killing him, however he still felt great regret for not beeing able to save his master.

Weapons
Like many others in the Asakura Family he has used the Futso No Mitama No Tsurugi (Antiquity in the English anime), a treasure of the Asakura Family, to create his Oversoul. But his main weapon and medium to create an oversoul with Matamune is Shakujo. A Shakujo is a buddhist ring staff that is mainly used for prayers. The number of rings is used to determine the status of the user.

Shaman Fight 500 Years Ago
Yohken Asakura is an ancestor of Asakura Yoh who lived around 500 years ago, born on May 8, 1476. Following his duty as a member of the Asakura family, Yohken entered the Shaman Fight of 500 years ago to defeat Hao Asakura. To do this he recieved the help of Matamune, Hao's former companion, who had served the Asakura Family ever since Hao's first life. He successfully accomplished the task with the help of Matamune, by combining Matamunes Oni Goroshi with his own Extreme Ascetic Training and even summoning a large Tengu.

Caught in Hell
After his death (which was not mentioned, but most likely shortly after he managed to defeat Hao), Yohken became trapped in Hell, trapped by the guilt he felt at having killed another. The memory of killing Hao stayed fresh in Yohken's mind, to the extent that he lost any conception of the passing of time, and didn't realize that 500 years had passed, and instead continued to think that it was still right after the Shaman Fight. During this time he fought many opponents thinking that if he defeated enough he would one day be released.

Training in Hell
In the manga, when Yoh went to hell to train, Yohken was his first opponent. During this time he was able to create the Oni-Goroshi with his image of Matamune even thought it was not the real Matamune, he even tried to use the large Tengu again, that defeated Hao that time. As commented by Matamune who watched by, Yoh had to defeat the power that defeated Hao 500 hundred years ago, if he wanted to defeat the current Hao. Yoh managed to defeat him and caused Yohken to come to his senses. Realizing what had happened to him, he taught Yoh a little more about the history of the Asakura family. Soon after, one of the Chou-Oni came and shattered Yohken's soul.

Back in the Living World
After Yoh got back to the deserted Tokyo island, Yohken's spirit somehow went with him and followed him to see Hao in the Patch Cafe` where he tried to stay hidden but couldnt because of Hao's Reishi. He was later seen attending the meeting between The Tao Family and Asakura Family about what to do with Hao, and the Shaman Fight.

Anime/Manga Difference
Like Matamune, Yohken was never mentioned in the anime, and the one who killed Hao during the second rounds was only refered to as "An Asakura"

Trivia

 * Because both he and Mikihisa wears the same clothing and both are trained as an Ascetic Monk, when Yoh first met Yohken, he at first believed Yohken to be his father.