Ashcroft

Ashcroft (アシュクロフト) is Kanna Bismarch's guardian ghost.

About
Born on May 4, 1154, Ashcroft was a knight from medieval Germany that pledged eternal loyalty to the Bismarch family. Thanks to his training he was able to win every duel against knights or other men without exception. However, he was seen by the local people as nothing more than a nuisance. As time passed by and he became older his personality didn't change, and as he kept fighting he won the name of "Ashcroft of Old Iron". One day, when he was playing chess with the lord of the castle, an assassin group sneaked in and he had to fight them alone. Thanks to his victory that day he won the local people's admiration at last, but he had been gravely injured and passed soon after.

Kanna got to meet him because Ashcroft kept wandering around the castle for many years as a ghost. He has been protecting Kanna from evil spirits who wanted to use her ectoplasm ever since she was born.

O.S. Ashcroft
O.S. Ashcroft (O.S. アシュクロフト) Description: Ashcroft's medium is the cigarette smoke from Kanna's cigarette. It is unknown if she chose it as a medium because she constantly smokes or vice versa. Ashcroft is very skilled with his weapon. The lance on its right hand is the same used by Ashcroft, but the armor is new and made of a refined alloy. Because the medium is smoke, the armor can split apart. Its jousting strikes are highly dangerous.
 * Shaman: Kanna Bismarch
 * O.S. Type: Spirit Type
 * Spirit Ally: Ashcroft
 * Medium used: Cigarette Smoke

Attacks


 * Nightmare Spear (ナイトメアスピア): A simple strike attack with Ashcroft's lance, it is deadly due to Kanna's incredible spiritual power.


 * Joust Attack


 * Orb of Oblivion(オブリビオンの呪い, "Oburibion no noroi"):


 * Ramp foge (ランプフォギー,"Ranpufogī"):


 * Medieval Strike (中世のストライク,"Chūsei no sutoraiku"):

Anime/Manga Differences
In the 2001 anime, after Kanna is given an extra Furyoku power boost from Asakura Hao, she creates a new massive Over Soul with Ashcroft. It takes the shape of a big armor shaped in the likes of a lance, with its upper part serving as the blade, but it is easily defeated by Asakura Yoh.

The manga series and the video games depict him as a long blond haired man in a suit of armor and just a nude man covered in smoke, while the 2001 anime series depicts him as just a suit of armor with no human body inside.

Trivia

 * In Reincarnation 1's title page there is a giant suit of armor with an ectoplasmic skull for a head behind Kanna which is most likely an early draft of Ashcroft.