Set in Japan during the Warring States period, "Sengoku Youko" depicts a world where humans and darkness coexist, but how much research have you done into the characters? The series not only focuses on battle elements, but also on the human drama of the relationship between humans and darkness, so each and every character plays an important role. For this reason, it could be said that a large part of the series' appeal lies in the characters who appear. In this article, I would like to briefly introduce the characters, who are a very important element in understanding the series. I will try to avoid spoilers as much as possible, so this article will allow you to enjoy the anime without stress, while giving you a general idea of the characters that appear. Anime fans who have never come across this series before should definitely check it out.
Yamato Jinka
Jinka is the protagonist of the first part of this work. In the anime, he is likely to play a key role in the first half to the middle of the first season. Although he is human, he feels closer to darkness than to humans and dislikes them. As a result, he sometimes expresses a desire for revenge against humans, making him a character who cannot be categorically described as a friend of humans.
Changes appearance through spirit transformation
Jinka uses the technique of spirit transformation to demonstrate abilities that transcend human powers. He possesses some of the most powerful combat abilities in the series, and the darkness around him is no match for him. However, his hatred for humans is so intense that he sometimes loses his composure, and it could be said that the hatred in his heart is his weakness.
How does his feelings toward humans change?
At the beginning of the story, he is portrayed as a character who harbors hatred for humans. However, as the story progresses, he comes into contact with many humans and his feelings toward them gradually change. This work depicts in detail the changes in Jinka's feelings toward people, so be sure to keep an eye on how his state of mind evolves in the anime.
Tama
Tama is the heroine of the first part of this work. She is a fox spirit girl who has lived for over 200 years, and is not human but darkness. Although she looks like a young girl, her 200-year-old life has made her attitude and speech full of knowledge, making her a character that falls into the category of a "loli old lady." She is a very cute and popular character, so be sure to remember her.
Jinka's Sister-in-Law
Due to various circumstances, this character is particularly close to Jinka. The two are step-siblings, and together they work as "world-changers" striving to create a world where humans and darkness do not fight each other. Jinka's power-ups cannot be achieved without Tama, so Jinka and Tama work together in battle.
Dark Past
Tama is a fox spirit and a character who has lived for a very long time. Conversely, it could be said that her current personality is shaped by her many dark pasts. Tama's past is explored extensively throughout the series, so be sure to pay attention to how her dark past influences her current personality.
Hyodo Shinsuke
He plays a key role throughout the series. As the story progresses, the main characters are completely replaced, and the protagonist and heroine also change, making this an "omnibus" format. However, in this work, Shinsuke is the only character who interacts with the protagonists throughout the entire story. While originally a weak boy, he gradually becomes stronger as the story progresses, making him an extremely popular character.
Fighting Trauma
At the beginning of the story, Shinsuke is burdened with the trauma of not being able to protect someone important to him. This episode, in which he regrets his own incompetence and is unable to protect someone important to him, continues to haunt him as a sense of guilt. While the sad past of not being able to protect someone important is a common theme in shonen manga, it's quite rare for a non-protagonist character to carry such a past, so this aspect of Shinsuke's character's character development is definitely worth paying attention to.
Shakugan (Shakugan), Shakuyaku (Shakuyaku) *Spoilers
Shakugan is a darkness created through experiments designed to allow humans to unleash their dark powers. It's said that his original form was Shakuyaku. Shakugan is a character who exists as another personality within Shakuyaku's body. Throughout the story, Shakugan and Shakuyaku are depicted interacting with each other intimately, and their relationship seems far from bad. However, Shakugan also has a tragic past: he was once used in an experiment and gained inhuman powers.
Key Characters in the Beginning
Shakugan plays a very important role in the beginning of the story. Be sure to pay attention to the characters she interacts with and the influence she has on them. While this is a very sad ending for Shakugan's fans, the story explains that there's still a chance she could return, so let's hope she does eventually.
Senya
Senya is the protagonist of the second part of this work. Like Jinka, the protagonist of the first part, he is a fiery character with overwhelming fighting power. He once killed the father of Gekko, a girl he had feelings for, due to an act of unavoidable force. Like Shinsuke, he is portrayed as a person with a traumatic past.
A Man with a Violent Temper
Chihaya's temper is the fiercest in the series, and the darkness in his heart can sometimes become so powerful that it hurts others. Possessing superhuman strength beyond the capabilities of ordinary humans, how he controls it and confronts his fears is a key focus of Part 2.
Tsukiko
The heroine of the second part. Although her father was killed by Chiya in the past, Tsukiko herself does not seem to resent her. However, she also accepts the reality that Chiya herself feels a deep sense of guilt over the incident. Despite their close relationship, Tsukiko is portrayed as a character who struggles with their relationship.
Now
This is Yami, who appears in the second part of the series. While cute in appearance, she possesses the ability to instantly increase her combat power when she consumes large amounts of water. While she appears to be the series' mascot character, she's actually a combatant, making her an interesting character.
Jinun
Jinun is the leader of the Four Beast Generals of the Dankaishu, the antagonist organization in this work. He possesses combat prowess that is incomparable to that of Jinka, Chiya's father and one of the most powerful characters in the series. He is also a character who is traumatized by the fact that he was unable to protect his wife in the past, and it could be said that he is a character who secretly carries the same trauma as Shinsuke and Chiya.
How will he interact with Chiya?
Although he will be Chiya's enemy in the story, it will be interesting to see how Kamikamo interacts with his child, Chiya. I'm sure he'll also have to deal with his own dark past, and above all, Chiya herself has complicated feelings toward Kamikamo, so it will be interesting to see how she deals with those.
Douren
Douren is one of the Four Beast Generals of the Dankaishu. He has an unusual fighting style, disliking weapons like swords and instead resorting to martial arts techniques. His powerful physique delivers blows powerful enough to shatter boulders, making him one of the most skilled martial artists in the series.
Popular Enemy Characters
Though Doren is an enemy character, he has a very friendly personality. Even when he first appears, he shares a drink and conversation with Jinka, the protagonist of Part 1, demonstrating his generous nature. Despite being an enemy character, he has a strong fan base thanks to his honest and fair approach to battle.
Resshin
Resshin is one of the Four Beast Generals of the Dankaishu. In contrast to Doren, he often uses brutal tactics in his fights, making him one of the most hated characters in the series. While hatred can be seen as a well-crafted villain, many fans still find it difficult to forgive his actions.
One of the Strongest Enemies in the Beginning
Some of the villains in this work are easy to relate to, and many of them share the same circumstances. This makes it easy to sympathize with the villains, but Retsushin, in particular, plays a key role as a villain who completely garners the reader's enmity. He's a character who doesn't hesitate to use underhanded tactics, so in some ways, he's one of the strongest villains in the series.
Mountain God
Jinka's master's master, he is the god of water, trees, and earth. He possesses spiritual powers incomparable to those of the darkness and humans that appear in the story, and possesses abilities that transcend humans. As a character living in a polar region beyond the reach of human thought, he is often portrayed as somewhat absent-minded, but this gives him a somewhat formidable aura.
Rinzu
She is a shrine maiden who serves the mountain god. Despite her petite stature, she possesses combat power comparable to Jinka, making her a character with extraordinary powers.
Has feelings for Jinka
Rinzu is portrayed as a character who eventually develops feelings for Jinka, the protagonist of the first part of the anime. Given that Jinka himself hates people, he may be a difficult love interest, but many fans want to support Rinzu's sincere feelings, and many fans seem to be hoping for a pairing between Jinka and Rinzu.
Yazen
He is the head priest of the Dankaishu. He is the person who developed the spiritually modified humans and can be said to be the source of many of the misfortunes in the story. He can be considered a character who serves as a sort of final boss in this work, so be sure to pay attention to his goals.
Raidou Zanzou
A swordsman who hunts the darkness for a living. He is highly skilled in swordsmanship and has defeated many formidable foes. He contributes greatly to Shinsuke's growth throughout the story, and can even be considered a character in the role of Shinsuke's mentor.
Relationship with His Sister
Zanzo's sister appears early in the story, and her relationship with her is also a fascinating character. I won't go into the details of his sister's character or how his relationship with her changes, as these are fundamental to the story. However, this is a very important episode in the series, so be sure to pay close attention.
Summary
So, what did you think? This article introduced the characters that appear in "Sengoku Youko." As mentioned at the beginning, the appeal of this work lies in the large number of characters and the careful depiction of their interactions. The main characters change frequently throughout the story, but there is a consistent theme that is portrayed throughout, so be sure to check it out.
