Yoh Asakura, (麻倉 葉[1]) is the main character in the anime and manga Shaman King. In the original Japanese anime, his name is sometimes romanized with a circumflex as Yō but is typically romanized as You, or Yoh--the common literation in the English adaptation.
Appearance
Personality
A slacker by nature, Yoh maintains a carefree, laid-back attitude about everything, even with achieving his goal of becoming Shaman King. Because he was alienated by everyone outside of the family he instead chose to bond with spirits and has decided that anyone who can see spirits cannot be evil. He has even gotten a signature phrase: "everything will work out" as a way of seeing things. He is rarely on bad terms with anyone and always decides to make friends with the people he meets. He is deeply caring for his friends and is even ready to die for them or give up his dreams as seen when Ren was killed and would be revived by Iron Maiden Jeanne, only if Yoh dropped out of the tournament.
Even though it is rarely seen, Yoh truly loves Anna with all of his heart and has decided that when he become Shaman King he will make her life easy.
Abilities and Powers
Ever since Anna became his fiance Yoh has constantly been submited to exhausting training which in turn has caused him to gain a tough and strong body.
Shamanic Spells
As a shaman, Yoh has learned many techniques, amongst others from his grandfather, Anna, the cat spirit Matamune and the Gandhara teams.,
- 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, Yohmei Asakura. 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.
- Okyō(御経):
A sutra taught to him by Anna. It is a Buddhist exorcism chant of the Sankiraimon, or the Three Refuges that would send any spirit with knowledge of Buddhism who hears it to the hereafter. However, as it is a written language media, the sutra mainly works on spirit whom identify with the culture of eastern shamanism, which Yoh eventually discovered during his entry exam against Silva; almost sending Amidamaru to heaven.
- Spirit Integration(憑依合体Hyōi Gattai,Spirit Unity:
This shamanic technique enables the shaman to integrate spirits into their body, forming a "unity" of both, their spirit and that of the ghost. The shaman would enter a special trance which enables them to synchronize their spirit with that of the ghost; allowing the ghost to possess their body and enabling the ghost to interact with the physical world. Furthermore, once integrated, the shaman takes on the knowledge & wisdom of the ghost as well as their personality. Though it is unknown when Yoh learned this technique.
- Over Soul(オーバーソウル):
Initially, Yoh learns how to create the magical Over Soul indirectly during his battle with the Shaman Fight officiant, Silva. By integrating Amidamaru's spirit with that of his sword, Harusame, and subsequently, the heirloom antiquity, the Futsu-no-Mitama no Tsurugi, Yoh forges the ethereal Over Soul. This shamanic technique quickly becomes Yoh's quintessential mode of shamanic combat and his most versatile tool.
- Chō Senji Ryakketsu - Fumon Tonkou(超占事略決 - 巫門遁甲):
One of many spells Yoh learned from the contents of the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu that Anna brought to him from Master Yohmei. Using this spell enables one to read the flow of furyoku and determine its course. Effective use can render most magical attacks ineffective.
- Chō Senji Ryakketsu - Mikazuka no Harae(超占事略決 - 三日月ノ祓):
This was a secret exorcist magic left to Yoh by Matamune, to help vanquish the Oni that Anna created. However this magic depleted the reserve furyoku within Matamune, and as a result, sent him to the hereafter.
Spirit
- See More: Amidamaru|Spirit of Earth
Amidamaru and "Futsu-no-Mitama no Tsurugi" (antiquity)
Amidamaru is a 600 year old samurai that is the spirit ally of Yoh Asakura. He was born on January 6, 1385, and died at the age of 24, by exhausting his body. After having his tomb stone broken by Ryo he was rising to the other world, he saw Manta being beaten up by Ryo, who was enraged because he was beaten by a mere teenager. Amidamaru decided to join Yoh and become his guardian ghost, after defeating Ryo Amidamaru was prepared to go to heaven once more but he still couldnt. Yoh was the first one who trusted Amidamaru and didn't judge him based on his reputation in the past because he knew that there was always two sides to the story, and because of that he decided to help him. Always sticking by Yoh's side, he is loyal and trustworthy and can enter Yoh's body through integration (spirit control in the English anime). Amidamaru is very powerful but quite taciturn and extremely devoted to "Master Yoh" ("Yō-dono" in Japanese).
Weapons
Harusame
The English anime initially refers to the Harusame(春雨) as the Sword of Light and states it is the last sword ever forged by Mosuke. When the sword is stolen from the museum and Amidamaru and Mosuke's childhood is revealed, the dub refers to the same sword as "Spring Rain" (Harusame) and the first true sword Mosuke has forged for Amidamaru. As a result, Amidamaru refers to Spring Rain as Mosuke's first sword and the Sword of Light as his last when originally the swords were one and the same in the original and translated versions of the manga and the Japanese version of the anime.
Futsu-no-Mitama no Tsurugi
The, Futsu-no-Mitama no Tsurugi(or antiquity in the english dubbed 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's a national treasure.
History
Past
Yoh was born May 12, 1985 to Mikihisa Asakura, an ascetic monk, and Keiko Asakura, a miko. He spent most of his early childhood living in Izumo with his mom and grandfather, Yohmei and his apprentice, Tamao, who helped raise him in the family ways of shamanism. For the most part, his childhood was rather lonesome, having virtually no friends outside his family and spirits because of his shamanic heritage. Yoh was regularly outcasted by normal people, alienated because of his powers so he spends most of his time listening to music by his favorite artist, SOUL BOB. However, he always envisioned better life for himself; this became his motivation to become Shaman King. Yoh’s ambitions to become Shaman King began at age 4,when his grandfather told him of the Great Spirit. And Yoh being the slacker that he was saw the possibility of the easy life and, from that day, decided to become Shaman King. His training progressed slowly, but at age 10, Yoh was told of his engagement to the young itako, Anna Kyōyama. It was at this time that he also gained his first Mochirei (Guardian Spirit), Matamune of the Cats--a cat spirit who had served the Asakura house for over a thousand years. At Yoh's grandfather's request, Matamune returned from underworld to escort Yoh to Ozorenzan, where he was to meet Anna, who had just finished her itako training with Yoh's grandmother, Kino Asakura. On his first day in Ozorenzan, Yoh encounters a young girl who receives him in a cool reception, leaving Yoh reeling. Awhile after, he was attacked by an Oni on the streets, only to be saved by Matamune. Despite this, the two would eventually arrive at Yoh's grandmother's home and was properly introduced to his fiancée who turned out to be the girl from earlier, much to Yoh's shock and surprise. Though upset at first, Yoh slowly uncovers the mystery behind Anna and her powers as a Reishi. During a battle with an Oni, Yoh bravery coaxed emotion from Anna, whose negative emotions formed the Oni, and dissolved it.
Living in Tokyo
Yoh moved to Funbari Hills to participate in the Shaman Fight in Tokyo and to find a main spirit. There he met his close friend Manta Oyamadaand soon enough Amidamaru.
Shaman Fights in Tokyo First Round
First, Yoh is able to enter the shaman fight by landing a blow on Silva after discovering how to use an oversoul.
Then, Yoh defeats Horohoro in his first battle by surviving Horohoro's avalanche attack, which drained his mana.
Yoh soon loses to Faust after being lured into his trap; Faust used Morty to have Yoh become angry and use most of his mana before the fight even begun. Yoh only managed to damage Eliza, Faust's spirt, legs by the end. Faust became enraged and attacked Yoh, but was saved by Ren.
Realizing his need to train, Yoh traveled to Izuma and briefly travled through the underworld to acquire more strength.
In his next battle, Yoh learned to adjust the mana in his oversoul by watching Ren and fought him to a tie.
The Travel Through America
Yoh and his companions get word of a new area they must travel to. Dobie village, an area where past shamans have either cross paths with or came close to death. Before traveling to America, Yoh encounters Hao(Zeke in the english anime), a Shaman he is not familiar with. Hao tells Yoh that he must be prepared or fail like other shamans.
Shaman Fights Second Round
Invading the Plants
Funbari no Uta
Following the conclusion of Shaman King, Yoh and Anna have left on home leaving behind their son, a little boy named Hana Asakura who begins scouring the countryside in search of his parents, Yoh and Anna Asakura. With only his family's Futsu-no-Mitama no Tsurugi antiquity in his possession, he parties-up with "Wooden Sword" Ryu and together they set out to reunite the five legendary warriors: Tao Ren, Chocolove, Horohoro, and Lyserg Diethel. In the last page of the manga someone looking like Yoh with longer hair is seen walking together with Anna towards the Funbari Hills.
==Anime/Manga Difference==
Trivia
- His orange headphones were actually "stolen" or at least, took it without getting permission from his father, Mikihisa Asakura. This child-like behavior signifies his loneliness, or the feeling of wanting to meet his father, who is, actually didn't grew up with him.
- In regards to Anna, he is actually "love at first sight" to her. Simply by seeing her face for the first time (when they were ten) and think about her makes him blush a lot.
References
- ↑ The kanji for Yoh's name “葉” means "leaf" in Japanese.
External Links
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