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The Elder Karasu-Tengu (烏天狗長老 Karasu-Tengu Chōrō)[2] is the leader of the Karasu-Tengu of Mt. Daisen that appears in the 2018 anime adaptation.[1]

Appearance[]

The Elder is an old, wizened Karasu-Tengu with pale skin, pointy ears, a large gray beak and a pair of black wings. He has long white hair, that is balding around his forehead, with the rest falling over his neck and shoulders and a long white beard. He has thick, white eyebrows that normally obscure his small eyes, which have tiny black pupils.

His outfit consists of a white suzukake under a black hanten with four white yui-gesa over it, black tekō around his forearms and a black tokin tied with a red cord. Unlike his fellow Karasu-Tengu, he wears a long, indigo skirt, white tabi socks and brown geta with black straps.[1]

Personality[]

The Elder is a stern, respectable Yōkai, wanting peace and enforcing a secretive life for his tribe. He is especially stern with the younger generation, like Kojirō, drilling him with his teaching and scolding him when he fails. Despite this, he does have a caring side, warning other Yōkai like Kani-Bōzu to avoid interacting with humans countless times and even using his powers to help stop the rampaging crab Yōkai. He later eases on his of warning of getting involved with humans, so long as they know where to stop.[1] He's also willing to praise Kojirō whenever he does well, proving his strict ways are just the means in which he hopes to groom him into a respectable adult Karasu-Tengu.[3]

History[]

2018 Anime[]

Pre-Series[]

Sometime during the Sengoku period, the elder heard of a Yōkai named Kani-Bōzu who served humans and protected a fleeing princess in Sakaiminato. One day he watched as Kani-Bōzu turned several pursuers into bronze and asked what he is a doing helping humans. The crab Yōkai asked back, if he is a Yōkai too, before telling him to begone. He warned him time and time again, that a Yōkai should not involve themself in the conflict of foolish humans. He eventually heard that Kani-Bōzu was sealed away by a powerful monk and that the princess was killed.[1]

During the Meiji Restoration, the Elder Karasu-Tengu broke his vow of non-interference to confront the Portuguese Yōkai Belial. As Belial wished to rule over Japan after destroying it with earthquakes and fires brought by his mystical prowess, the Elder Karasu-Tengu sealed his mystical might into the Yasakari Sphere, safekeeping it on a tall peak in Sakaiminato. Feeling pity, he didn't kill Belial, but he left him wandering Japan as an immortal but penniless beggar, working hard to earn his fill.[3]

Series[]

His tribe is visited by Mana, Sunakake-Babaa and Medama-Oyaji who ask about the Yōkai turning people into bronze statues. He presumes that it is Kani-Bōzu, explaining who he is and what happened to him. Afterwards he tells them to go back as his tribe does not get involved with pointless conflicts and quickly vanishes with his tribe. He watches as Kojirō decides to help them as they flies off. Through his telescope he sees that Kani-Bōzu is on a rampage, and reluctantly decides to help by sending the waters from Daisen springs to rain on the town, freeing those who were turned into bronze. Later as Kojirō watches the town from afar, he tells him that getting involved with humans is fine, but warns him to to not end up like Kani-Bozu.[1]

He makes a second appearance in Akuma Belial: The Hundred-Year Grudge. There, he's seen scolding Kojirō, as his crush for Mana is still impairing his ability to train and prevents him from mastering the Shingan Kaijōe, the ability to dispel and perceive illusions, stating how his love sickness is clouding his judgment. When Kojirō, in an attempt to impress Mana (back in Saikaiminato with Agnès for a visit), breaks apart the Yasakari Sphere, Belial's powers return, and the Portuguese Yōkai avenges himself by confronting the Elder Karasu-Tengu in front of his whole tribe, and sealing him and his tribe, minus Kojirō, underground. After Kitarō and Kojirō, with the latter finally mastering the Shingan Kaijōe to seek Belial's weak point due to his romantic love for Mana and his familiar love for the Elder and his Tribe, Agnés frees him. The Elder Karasu-Tengu praises openly Kojirō, reflecting how his power of love is not a weakness, but it may become Kojirō's strongest credit and ability.[3]

Powers and Abilities[]

Elder18 Wind Manipulation EP17

The Elder manipulating the wind.

Wind Manipulation: The Elder is able to manipulate the winds to do his bidding, such as to carry a large volume of spring water from Daisen's numerous springs to rain all over Sakaiminato.[1]

Flight: The Elder has a pair of wings that allow him to fly, much like the rest of his tribe.[1]

Levitation: Every Karasu-Tengu can levitate, hovering over earth and water. He's so adept at this and other powers to spend many hours a day teaching how to summon the needed concentration to younger Karasu-Tengu.[3]

Shingan Kaijōe: The Soul Eyes, ancestral ability of his tribe, allows the Elder to see through illusions and find the real weak point of any enemy.[3]

Illusion magic: As a mean to teach Kojirō how to unlock the Shingan Kaijōe for himself, the Elder trained him daily by showing him illusions of himself to pierce.[3]

Martial Arts Prowess: As for most Karasu-Tengu, he is able to fight with great proficiency, using his mystical abilities and a long staff (bō). In his younger days he subdued powerful enemies as the Western Yōkai Belial.[3]

Power Sealing: The Elder Karasu-Tengu is able to steal the power of evil Yōkai and seal it away, as it did in the 1800s with Belial, sealing his power in the Yasakari Sphere. This way he can subdue evil and powerful foes without killing them, forcing to roam the Earth humbled and powerless, repenting and thinking about their past evil.[3]

Keen Intellect: Much like Medama-Oyaji for Kitarō, the Elder has accumulated a great amount of knowledge about Daisen Spring, Sakaiminato, the magic of the Karasu-Tengu. As such, he's able to teach and guide his tribe with great proficiency.[3]

Equipment[]

Telescope: He owns a dull green folding telescope, with three segments and gold rings at each ends. It allows him to view things from a far distance.[1]

Fan: The Elder owns a large, rigid leaf fan, that is colored red, has seven blades and the handle is brown. He uses it to manipulate the winds.[1]

:In battle, he wields the traditional weapons of his species, a long staff called the bō.[3]

References[]

Navigation[]

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2018 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
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