In "Juuni Taisen," a battle royale between 12 warriors, each named after a different zodiac animal, continues until only one remains. We'll take a closer look at one of these warriors, the Horse Warrior Uruuma, to find out what kind of character he is and how he performs in the battles of the Juuni Taisen.
Profile of Utsuma, the Horse Warrior
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
In Juuni Taisen, 12 warriors with a wide variety of abilities and characteristics appear, and a battle royale unfolds until only one remains. Let's take a look at Utsuma, the Horse Warrior with a strong body, and see what kind of person he is. First, let's take a look at Utsuma's personality.
A strong and silent man
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Utsuma, the horse warrior, is real name Hayama Yoshimi and is depicted as a large man, 230 cm tall and weighing 150 kg. In the Twelve Kingdoms series, he wears gauntlets and a helmet with skids attached, but no other protective gear. Not only is he large, but his well-trained physique is impressive and intimidating, but even at the start of the story, he doesn't exude any murderous intent, which is what makes him stand out. He looks very strong, but underneath that he seems silent and unfazed by anything.
He has a great voice and stylish hobbies
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Among the warriors who participate in the Juuni Taisen, Uruuma, the horse warrior, is said to have the best voice of anyone. This is no surprise, as the voice actor who plays Uruuma is Midorikawa Hikaru, who has a track record of playing various cool characters. Furthermore, despite his large size, Uruuma has a hobby of building bottle ships, which we can see a little bit of in the ending video. Uruuma has more to offer than just looks, so I'm sure there are many people who are curious about his existence.
His title is "Kills without saying a word"
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
The 12 warriors have titles as well as names as warriors. Each title represents the individual characteristics of the warrior, and the title of the horse warrior, Uruuma, is "Kills without saying a word". Uruuma doesn't say much, and even before the Twelve Wars began, he was just quietly waiting for it to start. Since he is a character who doesn't say much, many people may have found it difficult to tell what kind of character he is at the beginning of the story.
What role does Uruuma play in the Twelve Wars?
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
In "Juuni Taisen," where 12 warriors continue to fight until only one remains, each character acts as they wish. In addition to the main characters, each character is given an equal opportunity to appear, which makes it easier to understand their characteristics. So, let's take a look at how Uruuma, the Horse Warrior, performed in the 12th Twelve Great Wars, based on the battle scenes depicted.
One of the people who agreed with the peace plan proposed by Sunazu
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
When the opening of the 12th Juuni Taisen was announced, the monkey warrior Sunazu proposed a peace plan to everyone. The first to agree with her proposal was the child warrior Nezumi, and the other warriors followed suit. Uruuma was one of those who hoped that the war could end without fighting. However, when the floor suddenly collapsed, the warriors were forced to split off and hide within the city, and Uruuma also decided to hide himself temporarily.
Meet Ushii on the subway and engage in combat
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Although he agreed with Suna's peace proposal, the Battle Royale ended up starting, so Uruuma was worried about what to do next. For the time being, he hid himself in the subway, but there he encountered Ushi warrior Ushii. As he was also one of those who supported the peace proposal, they discussed the matter and decided to act together, but as soon as they met and introduced themselves, the battle began. Uyuuma was taken by surprise, but he managed to avoid Urusei's slashes and somehow escape his onslaught to make it to the surface.
Conversing with Nezumi in the basement of the bank
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Although Utsui boasts of his ridiculous strength, Utsui survives the onslaught and then decides to sneak into the bank. He chooses to hide for a while by barricading himself in the underground vault, but Tomoko's warrior Nezumi appears from nowhere. Even though he has completely blocked the entrance, he is suspicious of Nezumi who is standing next to him, but he listens to him talk for a while. Uruuma cannot keep up with Nezumi's philosophical talk, and although he finally adds that "it would be better if you escape," he chooses to remain in the vault.
The Condemned Brothers: The Bank Burned by Their Younger Brother
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma was curious about Nezumi's conversation and how they managed to get in, but he still thought he would be safe as long as he was in the vault. However, after a while, he began to feel not only strangely hot, but also short of breath. Outside, the brothers of the Condemned Brothers were chasing each other in their sleep. The younger brother had used a flamethrower to set the whole bank building on fire, and the oxygen in the sealed vault was steadily decreasing. Uruuma realized this, but it was too late. He eventually lost consciousness from lack of oxygen and was consumed by the flames.
Uruuma's special abilities
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
The warriors who appear in Juuni Taisen often have special abilities and skills, but what kind of special abilities does Uruuma have? There aren't many scenes in which he appears in the story, and he only appears in the early stages, so not much has been said about him. Let's take a closer look at the secrets of Uruuma's strength and find out what kind of abilities he has.
A defensive technique that is hard to believe comes from a human body: "Stirrups"
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma's special ability is a body so sturdy that it is hard to believe it is human, and is called the defensive technique "Armor." Its defensive power is undoubtedly the toughest in the Twelve Wars, and even Utsui, who is top class in both ability and achievement, was unable to cut through Utsumi's body. However, since he was only on the defensive, Utsumi only suffered minor scratches, but was nearly unscathed, making him what could be called the strongest shield.
Because he is a former soldier, his physical abilities are well-trained
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma is not just strong, but is also able to defend and dodge attacks. He was originally a member of the military, so he has learned basic martial arts in the past. Not only was he able to avoid Utsui's precise and quick attacks, but he was also able to block them, so Utsui may have found him a troublesome opponent. In fact, their fight was not decisive, and Utsui didn't launch many attacks, so it's entirely possible that if they had fought seriously, Utsui would have won.
Uruuma's wish in the Twelve Taisen
Source: Twelve Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Twelve Taisen Production Committee
If you win the Twelve Taisen, you can fulfill "one wish that you absolutely must come true" as a prize. The young warrior Nezumi seems to be using Hundred Click to ask each warrior about their wishes and what they want, but what kind of answer does Uruuma give? What does the Horse Warrior Uruuma want when he fights? Let's take a look at his wishes from scenes in the story.
What he wants is "talent"
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma has a body of steel that no one can harm, but this is not a defense technique he was born with. Furthermore, during his time in the military, he did not achieve any great feats, and we can see that up until that point he was nothing more than an average person. For this reason, his wish is to "have talent," and he seems to be envious of others, such as Usui's genius strength and Suna's ability to resolve things peacefully.
He put on the "stirrups" so he wouldn't lose
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Although Uruuma wants to "have talent," we can see that he was a soldier in a squad before he put on the "armor," and was an ordinary human being. The reason he decided to put on the "armor" in the first place is because he lost a past battle and never wanted to lose again. He is so scared of losing that he has come to rely on his overwhelming defensive power to stay alive, and this suggests that he is trying to increase his chances of survival even if just a little.
What kind of past did Uruuma have?
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Each story in Juuni Taisen is told by a warrior, who tells the tale of their past episodes and how they became warriors. What kind of life did Uruuma, the warrior of the horse, lead before becoming a warrior, and how did he acquire such overwhelming defensive power? I would like to delve into the past of Uruuma, focusing on the story in which Uruuma is the narrator.
Uruuma, who once belonged to the military
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma, a warrior of the horse, once belonged to the military, where he is depicted as a soldier in a squad, defeating enemy soldiers one after another. However, after being defeated by an enemy soldier, he developed a fear of not wanting to lose, and because he also thought that losing equals death, he began to think about acquiring overwhelming defensive powers. This is where Uruuma's body transformation began, as he thoroughly tormented his own body.
A trained body is artificial
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
The body transformation that Uruuma embarked on was not the strength training that is generally thought of, but was literally harsh. He was pulling wires that seemed to tear his body forward, and was almost crushed by a pressure press from above, and one wrong step could easily kill him. However, after enduring the rigorous training and spending long periods of time underwater and in hot spaces, Uruuma succeeds in donning the "armor."
Repeatedly transforming his body and acquiring the "stirrup"
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Not only did Uruuma endure harsh training, he also generously tried his hand at chemical treatment, but all of his hard work paid off. Repeating the same training over and over again and increasing the load must have made him feel like he was going to die every day. Although it feels a bit like human experimentation, Uyuuma's wish comes true and his survival rate skyrockets.
A look at Uyuuma's strength!
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
In the story of Juuni Taisen, the warriors of the year of the Horse, Hisaji, and the national authorities rank the warriors, but how strong is Uruuma, the warrior of the year of the Horse, considered to be? Also, many people may be interested in the specific strength of the warriors. So let's take a look at the strength of Utsuma, the Horse Warrior, and analyze it from scenes in the story.
Defense is the toughest
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru/Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Utsuma's defining feature is his overwhelming defensive power, and when he fought Utsuma, the Ox Warrior, he only suffered a scratch. Even Ushii, who is considered the top contender for the championship, was unable to land an effective blow, so this should be the strongest defense available. Although the specific hardness has not been mentioned, it is at least easy to break concrete, and it is conceivable that a sword would not be able to penetrate it.
He has a weak mentality despite his overwhelming defensive power
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
Uruuma has a body harder than steel, but it seems like no one can do anything against his overwhelming defensive power. However, contrary to his physical strength, he is portrayed as being incredibly weak mentally, and he completely loses his will to fight in his fight with Ushii. Although he wasn't seriously injured, Uruuma was still frightened by Utsui's continued attacks, and was unable to fight back, so he did the unmanly thing of barricading himself in the bank vault.
Can't hurt anyone?! Check out Uruuma's strength!
Source: Juuni Taisen © Nisio Isin, Nakamura Hikaru / Shueisha, Juuni Taisen Production Committee
I have summarized Uruuma, the horse warrior who appears in "Juuni Taisen", but there is a gap between his body that can't hurt anyone and his mental weakness. Also, most of all, there are few scenes where he appears in the work, so many people may not have a particularly strong impression of him. However, among the superhuman warriors, Uruuma is the most human, so his wish is also relatable. His wish to "have talent" is also realistic and vivid, and there is no other warrior as human as him.
