The Asakura Family(朝倉家, Asakura-ke) is one of two great families in the Shaman King Universe.
About
The Asakura Family Symbols: Five Point Star (top), Seven Star Tree (bottom)
The Asakura Family is a thousand year old family whose fame started with Asakura Hao, a famous Onmyōji and a brilliant Shaman mastering many different shamanic arts. He eventually went mad and decided to create a shaman only world, using the Great Spirit won in the Shaman Fights. The Asakura Family allied and together killed Hao, but they learned that he would reincarnate and has ever since seen it as their duty to kill Hao each time he was reincarnated.
When Hao mastered the five elements in his first life, he made the five point unity star the family symbol. After ousting Hao, the family tore apart the star and changed it into the seven star tree, symbolizing their revival after Hao had dishonoured their name.[1]
The main family appear quite wealthy as they are able to pay for a 3,3 square meter house in Izumo and still rent out an entire house for Asakura Keiko when she lived in Tokyo,[2] and later for Yoh and Anna when they moved there. They have a long line of traditions including that of finding the perfect partner for their children, a person who must be strong in both body and mind, and have an exceptional shamanic abilility such as Kyōyama Anna and Alumi Niumbirch.
History
Past
The history of the Asakura in the story is traced back to the year of 970 with the birth of Asakura Hao who back then during his childhood went under the name of Douji Asaha and nicknamed Douji Mappa.
Onmyōdō Asakura Hao
The fame and wealth of the Asakura Family started when Hao began his training as Onmyōdō that would help people seal onis and other demons. He succesfully trained and mastered both Shaman and Itako arts.
He also met Matamune, a cat who had survived his mother and eight other siblings and who had the abillity to see spirits. He took in Matamune and saw him as his only friend. These feelings are still there today, even becoming sentemental when he sees Yoh's O.S. Spirit of Sword resembling Matamune's Oni Goroshi O.S.
Hao was however losing control of his Reishi abillities and created Onis from his own dark thought. He began seeing humans as a plague to the world and decided that they would eventually be the course of the world's destruction. Learning of the Shaman King and his abillitis, Hao decided to destroy humanity. Matamune who had died and returned as a Goryoushin saw how his master had turned mad and revealed it to the rest of the family. They successfully killed Hao during the Shaman Fights, but because of Hao's knowledge of the Ritual of Taizan Fukun he could control his own rebirth.
Patch Hao
As predicted Asakura Hao was reincarnated five hundred years after his death using the mastery of the five elements of nature, preventing his permanent death as he could now control the circumstances of his reincarnation. He was able to gain the ability to control his soul using the ritual of Taizan Fukun.
Death of Patch Hao
This time he chose to be reincarnated into the Patch Tribe, the people who organized the Shaman Fights, because he believes it would give him a better chance of winning. During this time he also gained one of the five great elemental spirits known as the Spirit of Fire. He starts preaching again, about a Shaman only world and tried to gain followers, including the five Seminoa warriors sent to stop him, who were in turn killed by the massive Spirit of Fire.
However the Asakura Family eventually found out and one of them, Asakura Yohken, left for the Shaman Fights to kill Hao. When Yohken came to the Shaman Fight he was given the help of Matamune and together they eventually defeated and killed Hao. However because he killed a man, Yohken felt sorrow and was eventually sent to hell. Because of his sorrow, he would stay in hell for 500 years still thinking the Shaman Fight had just ended and fighting his way towards freedom.
Present
The current generation started during the Second World War with Asakura Yohmei. He eventually married the blind Itako Kino, whose power had been recognized by the Asakura Family. They would have a daughter, Asakura Keiko
Mikihisa and Keiko
When Asakura Keiko grew up she was always shunned by everyone for her ability to see spirits and was even dumped by her fiancé because of this. It was when she was taking a train home that she met Mihikisa Maki, a poor musician who was playing at the trainyard for money. She requested a song and told him about her powers and even pointed out a spirit right next to Mikihisa. Mikihisa fell in love with her instantly and revealed that he too could see spirits.
The pair began a realationship thereafter and eventually married. Mikihisa also received training from his father in law Yohmei, gaining the abilities of an Ascetic Monk and two mountain spirits of a fox and a tanuki.
The Birth of Hao and Yoh
When Keiko was found to be pregnant, it was predicted by her father Yohmei that she was to give birth to Asakura Hao who was going to be reincarnated into his original bloodline for more strength. Yohmei used his divinition abilities many times in hopes of seeing a better vision of the future. However the outcome was the same: Hao would be reborn in the child carried by Keiko. Because of the unchangeble future, it was decided that the baby would be killed immediately when it was born.
Things became complicated when Keiko was revealed to be carrying twins and Yohmei decided to have both killed just in case. Right after the birth of the baby, Yohmei summoned his small shikigami to attack the baby. However, he hesitated at the last moment as he apologized to his infant grandson and that was enough for Hao to summon the Spirit of Fire and destroy the small leaf spirits. He then tried to kill Yohmei, but Mikihisa took the attack and was badly burned. He then disappeared with the Spirit of Fire. A little while later Asakura Yoh was born, the twin brother of Hao and it was then decided he was to be raised to defeat Hao.
Mikihisa started hiking, climbing the mountains to forget about the shame of letting Hao go and to become stronger so that he could one day face him. He was rarely home, but one time he returned. he brought with him a girl Tamamura Tamao to be trained under Yohmei.
Six years after the events of Shaman King (2007), Asakura Hana, the son of Asakura Yoh and Asakura Anna journeys with Umemiya Ryunosuke to gather the Five Elemental Warriors. He lives at the Funbari Onsen under the care of Tamamura Tamao whom he thinks is his mother.
Family Members
Deceased
| e v | Deceased Members | |
| Asakura Hao 麻倉葉王 Zeke Asakura | ||
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The fame and rise of the Asakura Family began with this man who, with his great power, brough wealth and fame to the family name. However after he tried to change the world to a shaman world only, the rest of his family turned against him and killed him.
He later reincarnated into the Patch Tribe but was killed again by Asakura Yohken. However he reincarnated again, but this time was his powers split into two, sharing it with his twin Asakura Yoh | |
| Asakura Yohken 麻倉葉賢 Asakura Yōken | ||
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Asakura Yohken is the ancestor of the Asakura Family 500 years ago. He was born at the time of the Shaman Fight. Together with Matamune, a former cat friend of Onmyōdō Asakura Hao who had turned into a nekomata, he fought and killed the Hao who had reincarnated into the Patch Tribe.
However he was filled with guilt of having killed an ancestor of his own family, and was caught in hell for over 500 years. He was first seen when Asakura Yoh came to train in hell, and fought him viciously hoping to get out of hell himself. After being defeated, he told Yoh about the family symbol and how it had changed and was later brought back as a spirit to live with the rest of the Asakura Family.[3][4] | |
| Asakura Mikihisa 真木 幹久 | ||
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Asakura Mikihisa(Maki before marriage with Asakura Keiko) is the husband of Asakura Keiko and the son in law of Asakura Yohmei and Asakura Kino.
He was once living on the street playing music for money where he met Keiko after her fiance had dumped her for her abilities to see ghosts. She paid him to play a song and Mikihisa was lovestruck in an instant. She somehow invited him back to her rented house and there their relationship bloomed. After beeing married into the family he was trained as an Ascetic Monk and gained two mountain spirits. When he failed to stop Asakura Hao and took severe burn scars to his face, he began wearing a wooden mask to hide the scars and began to travel and climb the mountains in order to get rid of his shame. | |
Main Family
| Ancestors | e v | |
| Asakura Hao (麻倉葉王 Asakura Hao) |
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| The founder of the Asakaura Family, Asakura Hao was a powerful and prominent onmyōji in the Heian period. After becoming disillusioned with the world, Hao sought to become the Shaman King and remake the world, but he was killed by the rest of the family.
His mastery of onmyōdō enabled him to reincarnate every 500 years in order to compete in the Shaman Fights. During his second life, he was a member of the Patch Tribe and gained the Spirit of Fire. Yohken and Matamune killed him in this era. During his third life, he was the twin of Asakura Yoh and continued to use the Spirit of Fire, until he became the Shaman King. | ||
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Asakura Yohken (麻倉葉賢 Asakura Yōken) | |
| Born in time to compete in the Shaman Fight, Asakura Yohken, with the help of Matamune, fought and killed Hao who had been reborn in the Patch Tribe. Yohken's guilt over killing his ancestor trapped his soul in hell, until he was approached and defeated by his own descendant, Asakura Yoh. | ||
| Main Family | ||
| Asakura Yohmei (麻倉葉明 Asakura Yōmei) |
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| Current head of the family, Asakura Yohmei is a skilled onmyōji who utilizes Shikigami Kooni in his everyday tasks. He is the husband of Kino and the father of Keiko.
He divines that Hao will be reborn through his daughter's child. His attempt to kill the child fails, so he trains Hao's twin, Yoh, in anticipation of the next Shaman Fight. | ||
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Asakura Kino (麻倉木乃 Asakura Kino) | |
| A blind itako, Asakura Kino runs an inn near Osorezan where she trains her apprentices, including Kyōyama Anna. | ||
| Asakura Keiko (麻倉茎子 Asakura Keiko) |
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| Asakura Keiko is a miko and the wife of Mikihisa. Together, they have twins one of whom is the reincarnation of her ancestor, Hao. | ||
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Asakura Mikihisa (真木幹久 Asakura Mikihisa) | |
| Maki Mikihisa marries into the Asakura Family. During the birth of his sons, Hao and Yoh, his face is burned so he begins wearing a bird mask and trains as an ascetic. He utilizes the mountain spirits Imari and Shigaraki and trains an apprentice, Tamamura Tamao.
During the Shaman Fight, he forms Team "Kabbalahers" with Redseb and Seyrarm Muntzer, whom he adopts afterward. He is later killed by a road pirate. | ||
| Asakura Yoh (麻倉葉 Asakura Yō) |
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| The current heir of the family, Asakura Yoh is the son of Keiko and Mikihisa and the twin of Hao. During the Shaman Fight, he forms Team "Funbari Onsen", alongside Umemiya Ryunosuke and Johann Faust VIII, and utilizes the samurai spirit, Amidamaru, and later the Spirit of Earth.
Afterwards, he marries his long-time fiancée, Kyōyama Anna. Together, they establish Funbari Onsen and have a son, Hana. | ||
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Asakura Anna (麻倉アンナ Asakura Anna) | |
| An itako trained by Kino, Kyōyama Anna is the fiancée—and later wife—of Yoh. She quickly masters the techniques in the Chō-Senjiryakketsu and dominates Zenki and Goki, Hao's former shikigami.
After the Shaman Fight, she establishes Funbari Onsen and has a son, Hana. | ||
| Asakura Hana (麻倉花 Asakura Hana) |
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| The son of Yoh and Anna, Asakura Hana lives at the family's inn and inherits Amidamaru. For the Flower of Maize, Hao chooses Hana as the leader of his team. | ||
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Asakura Muntzer Redseb (麻倉・ | |
| After the Shaman Fight, Redseb Muntzer and his sister are adopted by Mikihisa. They live at Funbari Onsen while attending school in Funbari Hills. They later set up a family flower shop.
For the Flower of Maize, Redseb joins Team YVS. | ||
| Asakura Muntzer Seyrarm (麻倉・ |
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| After the Shaman Fight, Seyrarm Muntzer and her brother are adopted by Mikihisa. They live at Funbari Onsen while attending school in Funbari Hills. They later set up a family flower shop.
For the Flower of Maize, Seyrarm joins Team YVS. | ||
Branch Family
| Branch Family | e v | |
| Asakura Yohkyo (麻倉葉虚 Asakura Yōkyo) |
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| The head of the branch family, Asakura Yohkyo believed Hao's ascension to Shaman King marked the time for the branch family to usurp the main family. To that end, he isolated his children from society and forced them to endure harsh training. | ||
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Asakura Luca (麻倉路菓 Asakura Ruka) | |
| The first daughter, Asakura Luca was taught that it was her duty to take care of her younger brother Yohane. Her Guardian Ghosts are the spirits of the branch family's guardian dogs, Shinden and Raiden. | ||
| Asakura Yohane (麻倉葉羽 Asakura Yōhane) |
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| The first son, Asakura Yohane is tasked with killing Hana, the successor of the main family. After calling a truce with the main family, Yohane becomes more friendly towards Hana. His guardian ghost is Oboro Daikyoh, the spirit of a samurai from the Meiji Restoration. | ||
Abillities and Powers
Hao using a Sealing Technique on Goki
Because of their long history, the Asakura Family trained in many shamanic arts, from the most basic shaman abilities to an Itako that can call upon or exorcise spirits. The styles of the Asakura family's shaman include Onmyoudou, which specializes in divinations; Shugendou, a form of asceticism involving a lifestyle requiring the practitioner to develop an extremely powerful body by giving up all but the most necessary functions of life; and Mikos, who can contact divine spirits and warn people of danger.
Shamanic Spells and Techniques
- Ko-Oni Strike (小鬼ストライク): This is one of the Asakura clan's onmyôji magic. With this magic, an onmyôji can summon shikigami -- familiar spirits -- from leaves or bits of paper to do their bidding. They are most useful, from anything from household chores to assassinations. Yoh never truly mastered Shikigami magic, but displayed the capacity to use it at age 10, under tutelage of his grandfather, Asakura Yohmei. At best, he could only invoke three Shikigami from the leaves. Overall, however, this is a minuscule technique compared to Yoh's more advanced shaman magic.
- Asakura Shiki Onmyō Jutsu Hyaku Shikigami (Asakura Style Yin and Yang Technique - Hundred Shikigami): Another unique shamanic spell of the Asakura Family, which is also Yohmei's favored technique. It creates countless Shikigami that can surround an opponent and attack them from all directions at once.
Shikigami
Another special ability of the Asakura Family seems to be the ability to capture and control Shikigami and create Goryoushin, a special type of spirit employed by Onmyōji to guard against demons and other spirits that would seek to harm them
Zenki and Goki
- See More: Zenki and Goki
Zenki and Goki are two red and blue large ogre like-Shikigami demons caught and controlled by Asakura Hao during his first life and sealed within two paper parchments. Later they became the guardians of the seal on the Chō-Senjiryakketsu written by Hao himself and would stay there for over a thousand years.
A thousand years later it was decided that Yoh was to have the book to train. However the seal was broken and the two large ogres were released and started to chase Ponchi and Conchi whom they believed had broken the seal. However Anna quickly learned the related technique of the book and easily captured the two Shikigami with her 1080 rosary beads. However instead of exorcising them or sealing them again, she took control of them and turned them into her guardian spirits.
Family Treasures
Because of their long history of family and various shamanic abilities have the Asakura Family also gathered numerous treasures.
Chō-Senjiryakketsu
- See More: Chō-Senjiryakketsu
This is the book written by Asakura Hao in his first life and contains the knowledge of all of his techniques and secret arts including purification spells and techniques to read the flow of furyoku. It also tells how to bind even the strongest Shikigamis and even how to control them. The book contains every single piece of Shamanic knowledge gained by Asakura Hao in his first life.[5]
Futunomitama no Turugi
- See More: Futunomitama no Turugi
The, Futunomitama no Turugi (the Futsunomitama Sword; Antiquity in the English anime) is a red knife shaped rock that has been owned by the Asakura Family ever since the time of Hao. According to Hao, it was once owned by a sword god and even though it's only made of rock it is the perfect medium to create a sword oversoul. That sword which slumbers in a storage room of the Asakura Family, always creates a stir in the world when surfaced since it is a national treasure. It was brought to Yoh during the current Shaman Tournament to help him out as it did Asakura Yohken 500 years ago in the previous tournament.
The 1080 Rosary Beads
The 1080 Rosary Beads
The 1080 Rosary Beads are a long necklace used by Anna for her strongest abilities. When Yoh defeated the Oh-Oni it left behind a skeleton that Asakura Kino gathered and turned into beads for Anna. Because the beads are made out of the skeleton, it is more powerful than regular beads.
The Rosary Beads are now used by Kyōyama Anna to control Zenki and Goki amongst others.
Anime/Manga Difference
Trivia
References
External Links
- Rosary Beads - A Wikipedia Article about Anna's Rosary beads
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