Asakura Yohken

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

Appearance
Yohken who is an ascetic monk wears clothes that are almost identical to Mikihisa's, who is also an ascetic monk and he even wears the same mask. Because of this, Yoh at first thought that Yohken was a double of his father.

Personality
When Asakura Yoh first met Yohken in hell he appeared arrogant and proud for having killed Hao in the previous tournament, and even went on a killing frenzy while fighting Yoh. However, it is revealed that when he is calm he can be 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 believed in Yoh being able to change Hao's heart.

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

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, who wields a small sword and wears a mask and necklace that are covered in swords.

Spirit

 * See More: Matamune | Dai Tengu

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, overcame disease and hunger, and even had the ability to see other spirits. He took him in and later gave him some of his own Furyoku so that when he died, he would come back to him as a guardian ghost. However, Hao would eventually grow mad from his uncontrollable Reishi abillity, and Matamune could only watch as the Asakura family killed Hao. When he died, his spirit returned as a humanoid cat and he served the Asakura family. It was when Hao reincarnated as a Patch that he aided Yohken in killing him, but he still felt great regret for not being able to trust in Hao.

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 is his staff.

Past
Asakura Yohken 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 received 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 Matamune's Oni Goroshi with his own Extreme Ascetic Training and even summoning a large Tengu.

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.

Shaman Fights Second Round
When Yoh went to hell to train, Asakura Yohken was his first opponent. During their battle Yoh was able to create the Oni-Goroshi with just his image of Matamune even though it was not the real Matamune, he even tried to use the large Tengu again, which 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 that, one of the Chou-Oni came and shattered Yohken's soul. Yoh is enraged by Yohken's destruction, but realizes upon calming down that Yohken's soul is too strong to be destroyed in a surprise attack and Yohken reappears alongside Amidamaru.

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 couldn't 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.

Invading the Plants
Yohken appears alongside Mosuke, the Oh-Oni and the Cho-Oni as the spirits who found and escorted Asanoha Douji to Hao in chapter 299, when all the souls have have encountered Hao confront him in the Great Spirit after he becomes Shaman King.

Anime/Manga Difference
Like Matamune, Yohken was never mentioned in the anime, and the one who killed Hao during the second rounds was only referred 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.