Nura : Rise of the Yokai Clan

Nura Group

The biggest yōkai faction in eastern Japan, they use the character for fear (畏) as their symbol and rule over the Kanto area. Shiibashi describes them as a yakuza yōkai group,^[1] with Nurarihyon as their leader. There are about ten thousand yōkai who are considered members of the Nura group, and the group itself has been in decline since the death of the second head, Rihan Nura, Rikuo's father.

[edit] Nura Main House

The main house for the Nura Group, located in Ukiyoe Town. It is a large, old-style Japanese mansion which is home to Rikuo, Nurarihyon and much of the main cast. It also serves as a meeting place for the heads of other yōkai clans under the Nura banner.

Rikuo Nura (奴良 リクオ Nura Rikuo^?)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama and Eri Kitamura (young)

Rikuo is the title character and main protagonist of the series, an average 13-year-old boy who inherited 1/4 of his grandfather's yōkai blood. In times of impending danger his yōkai blood awakens and he switches into his night form to become the Master of the yōkai (the master of all spirits) but later on due to constant transformation, he is able to transform anytime at night. His yōkai form is confident, strong and inspires "Fear" amongst his allies leading many to join him. Rikuo is destined to take over as the Third Master of yōkai from his grandfather, though the main conflict for the first portion of the series lies in his rejection of the idea. As a child, Rikuo respected and looked up to yōkai, playing pranks on members of the Nura house and often declaring he would become more yōkai-like and take over as the Third.^[2] However, after a discussion at school, he came to realize the evil nature of yōkai deeds and decided to set himself firmly on the path of living a strictly human life. Since then, he has attempted to become more like a normal human by doing all sorts of good deeds. Even though he appreciates all that his yōkai underlings do for him, he is nevertheless desperate to prevent his school friends from learning of his connection to yōkai. After being tested by Gyūki he decides to take the position of Young Head and saves both humans and yōkai.

He is seemingly weak but very clever, easily manipulating one of the council members into isolating himself during a meeting and rationalizing against the dissolving of the Gyūki Group. He can only transform at night or in darkness^[3] and reverts to normal in sunlight. Though originally, he had no recollection of changing to his "Night" form, by the time he faced Gyūki, he was well aware of his other half and admitted that he'd been pretending to have no recollection of it in order to distance himself from the world of yōkai.^[4] Later, he is shown interacting and communicating with his "Night" form. Together they plan to form a Hyakki Yakō of their own.

He decides to leave the human side of things to his "Day" form and handle the yōkai-side of things. After losing to his grandfather, he is taken to the yōkai village to train and finally learns what type of demon he is and how to gain his Fear abilities. He has departed for Kyoto to face Hagoromo Gitsune to save Yura and avenge his father. He is undergoes a 3-day training with Gyūki to surpass "Himself" after losing to Tsuchigumo. In this training he learns how to use first form of Matoi with Zen. He seems to get stronger when his "Day" and "Night" blood mix. But now it seems as though night Rikuo and day Rikuo are one being and are not a split personality.^[5] His primary weapon is the Spirit Blade Nenekirimaru, which was designed to only harm yōkai. But it broke when he tried to slash Abe no Seimei. Rikuo then asked one of the Keikain's to create a better blade for him, which the Keikain agreed and is currently forging it. For the time being, Rikuo's current weapon is a broken tree branch he picked up when he was still training in the Tonoo Village, and has used the branch on occasions to successfully defeat some yōkai with it. He was also able to defeat both of Kidoumaru's yōkai bodyguards with it when Kidoumaru was leaving the Tonoo Village after a failed alliance attempt with the village's leader.

The Hundred Tales clan starts rising again right after the Kyoto arc. In an attempt to defeat him they reveal that he is a yokai to humans and spread the tale that Japan will be destroyed unless he is killed.

• Techniques
  • Meikyō Shisui - Makes the enemy unaware of his presence, and shifts him to the enemy's blind spot. If Rikuo's fear is cut, the technique is dissipated.
  • Ōgi Meikyō Shisui, Sakura - Uses a superior yōkai sake poured into a large sakazuki cup. Burns an opponent. So long as the water continues to ripple, the flames will continue until his opponent is reduced to ash.
  • Kyōka Suigetsu - Distorts his enemy's perception of him by creating an illusion akin to an afterimage.
  • Matoi - Meaning "demon clad", it is a technique whereby a commander 'clothes' himself in the fear of his Hyakki Yakō. Referred to as The Sacred Act of a Hyakki Yakō, this technique was created by Rikuo's father, and can only be performed by half-yokai, as it requires the commander to have a 'human heart' to understand his subordinates. Each time the technique is performed with a new yōkai, a marking will appear on Rikuo's back as a means of symbolizing the trust between him and the member of his Hyakki Yakō. The technique has multiple forms with one being the Fear Cannon, which uses his hyakki's fear in a concentrated one-hit attack. Currently, he has performed this technique with five yōkai:

Zen - His fear coats Rikuo's sword with the poison of his wings. Represented by a pair of wing-like black markings. Rikuo performs Matoi with him during Gyuuki's training.

Yuki Onna - Her fear coats Rikuo's sword in swirling patches of ice that freeze whatever they touch. Represented by a pair of snowflake-shaped markings. He performs Matoi with her while fighting Tsuchigumo, leading her to initially think that it is a power exclusive to herself and 'Rikuo-sama'.

Itaku - His fear envelops Rikuo's sword and changes it into a larger version of Itaku's own scythe. Represented by a whirlwind-shaped swirl marking. He performs Matoi with him to defeat Tsuchigumo.

Kurotabou - His fear envelops around Rikuo like a kimono. Rikuo have the ability to use Kurotabou's weapon ability. He shows Rikuo how to perform the second form of Matoi while fighting Kidomaru.

Shouei - His fear enlarges Rikuo's sword several times and has a large baboon claw holding the base of the blade. He performs Matoi with him to defeat Tooryanse the slasher.

Nurarihyon (ぬらりひょん Nurarihyon^?)

Voiced by: Chikao Ōtsuka and Kōji Yusa (young)

Nurarihyon is Rikuo's grandfather, known as the master of all spirits or as the Supreme Commander. It is said that he plays pranks and hates humans, but he doesn't really hate them - rather, he doesn't believe humans should interfere in yōkai affairs. He dislikes the fact that Rikuo goes to school and acts human but respects his wishes.

400 years ago, he fell in love with Yōhime and fought with the Hagoromo-Gitsune in Kyoto when Hagoromo-Gitsune kidnapped Yōhime to eat her liver. At first things looked grim for Nurarihyon, but when Hagoromo-Gitsune mocked him, Nurarihyon finally was able to slash Hagoromo-Gitsune's current body host, saving Yōhime. But Hagoromo survived the slash and fled to the roof where Nurarihyon followed her. They then clashed again for the second time, this time on the roof with both being equally matched. It was only when Keikain Hidemoto arrived and tip the balance of scales in favor of Nurarihyon by helping Nurarihyon battle Hagoromo-Gitsune. Both defeated Hagoromo-Gitsune but before the host Hagoromo-Gitsune was residing in, she was able to puncture through Nurarihyon and took his heart and consumed it to restore a bit of her strength which left a gaping hole in Nurarihyon's chest and caused Nurarihyon's life span to decrease. When Nurarihyon was in his prime, he and Hidemoto Keikain were considered friends. Even in his old age, he can easily beat "Night" Rikuo and Muchi. Normal demons feel so much "Fear" that he is invisible to them until he strikes, that is his "Meikyō Shisui". He appeared during the final battle with Hagoromo-Gitsune in Kyoto to assist Rikuo. After returning from Kyoto, Nurarihyon officially retired as leader and commander of the Nura Clan, allowing Rikuo to succeed him as head of the clan.

Rihan Nura (奴良 鯉伴 Nura Rihan^?)

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara

Rikuo's father and the second head of the Nura group. The son of Nurarihyon and Yohime, he is a hanyō (half yōkai) and the Nura group's power reached its peak under his leadership. Mostly because of his wife, Yamabuki Otome encouraging him. Like Rikuo, Rihan has a choice when he was younger to either embrace him human side or his demon side. He chose to embrace his demon side which allowed him to use his demon powers at all times. However, he didn't want Rikuo to know about the yakuza aspect of the yōkai world, and raised the boy in such a way as to prevent him from learning of it. He was killed by Hagoromo Gitsune when Rikuo was young.

It was later revealed that before he married his second wife, Rihan fell in love with and wedded Yamabuki Otome, a beautiful ayakashi. However, due to Hagoromo-Gitsune's curse on Nurarihyon (that his youkai bloodline would die out), they couldn't have children. Blaming it on herself, Yamabuki Otome eventually left Rihan a poem grieving her infertility and disappeared, presumably dead. In a scheme to get rid of Rihan and to revive Hagoromo-Gitsune, Abe no Seimei and Sanmoto Gorouzaemon revived Yamabuki Otome as a child or her younger self, so Hagoromo-Gitsune could possess her body and fabricate her memories. As her form resembled his late first wife, Rihan got close to her. It was only then when Rihan turned his back from Hagoromo-Gitsune that she recited Yamabuki Otome's farewell poem (The 'key' to his death) and slashed him from behind, killing Rihan with young Rikuo witnessing his father's death.

Yohime (珱姫 Yōhime^?)

Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima

A human noblewoman 400 years ago with the power to heal sickness/injuries. She became Nurarihyon's wife (and thus is Rikuo's grandmother). Her father took advantage of the people's desire for healing by charging exorbitant fees that only the wealthy could afford. Yohime herself is kind but sheltered and only saw the outside world after meeting Nurarihyon, who spirited her away from her family's home to give her a taste of the real world. She was targeted and kidnapped by Hagoromo-Gitsune, but was rescued by Nurarihyon after a grueling battle. After their son Rihan is born, she worries constantly about her husband and prefers he not get involved in unnecessary fights.

Wakana Nura (奴良 若菜 Nura Wakana^?)

Voiced by: Risa Mizuno

Rikuo's mother and Rihan's second wife, 30 years old. She is human, but lives in the Nura mansion and gets along with the yōkai who also live there, as if they were just human beings themselves. She was the one that makes Rihan smile constantly, thus changing his character, as said by Kubinashi.

Yuki Onna (雪女 Yuki Onna^?, lit. snow woman)

Voiced by: Yui Horie

Yuki-Onna is Rikuo's trusted attendant and part of Rikuo's new "Hyakki Yakō" who follows him to school disguised as Tsurara Oikawa (及川 氷麗 Oikawa Tsurara^?), a normal schoolgirl. She is affectionate towards Rikuo and even gets jealous when other girls pay him attention. This is also reinforced by the fact that other characters express how bad a situation would become if Tsurara were to see what other female characters did to Rikuo. She also admires Rikuo's yōkai form, because she finds him very reliable and magnificent. She is overprotective of Rikuo when he is his "day" or human form and expresses great concern for his well being, which is the reason why she is always around him at school (which causes misunderstandings and concern on Kana's part). She also acts as a cook and, though her food is delicious, most of the time it is chilled or cold. She is the daughter of Setsura. She is oblivious to the fact that Shima has a crush on her.

She also has a fear of Yura as she is an onmyōji and a rivalry with Kana (going so far as to nearly freeze her), however she protects Kana as her death would sadden Rikuo. She goes to Kyoto to protect the Investigation group along with Aotabō. Later, she rejoins Rikuo but is kidnapped by Tsuchigumo. She is later freed by Rikuo and performs Matoi with him, becoming the second of his subordinates to do so. After the defeat of Hagoromo Gitsune, and Abe No Seimei's departure from Kyoto, Yuki-Onna returns to the Nura main house. When Rikuo becomes the new Head of the Nura Clan, Yuki-Onna is 'promoted' into the elite class of the family, becoming one of the clan's new subcommanders under Rikuo. As a result of her new position, she is given command over one of the clan's territories (which was under her mother's supervision) and is currently working to build up her own 'clan' and gain subordinates in order to strength Rikuo's Hyakki Yakō. Yuki-Onna 'clan' currently consists of demons that appear from bowls for shaved ice and demons who served under her mother.

• Techniques
  • Noroi no Fubuki (Cursed Blizzard) - Freezes an opponent.
  • Yuki Geshou

Karasu Tengu (カラス天狗 Karasu Tengu^?, lit. crow-tengu)

Voiced by: Junji Majima

A yōkai of the Karasu Tengu Clan. He is the adviser to Nurarihyon, often serving as a messenger and loyally follows the Nura Clan. He appears as a small crow-styled tengu and was strong enough to fly while carrying a 9-year old Rikuo. Four hundred years ago, during Nurarihyon's prime, Karasu Tengu appeared as a much larger anthropomorphic crow and fought on the front lines. The Sanbagarasu are his children.

The Sanbagarasu (三羽鴉 Sanbagarasu^?, lit. crow trio)

Three tengu yōkai siblings who are children of Karasu Tengu. They frequently serve as a means of information collection and report to their father regularly. They are also known to act of their own accord if Rikuo or the Nura Clan is in danger. Each of them has two forms: that of an anthropomorphic crow and that of a winged human.

Kuroumaru (黒羽丸 Kuroumaru^?)

Voiced by: Hiro Shimono

He seems to be the leader of the three karasu tengus. He wears a samurai-like warrior armor.

Tosakamaru (トサカ丸 Tosakamaru^?)

Voiced by: Miyu Irino

The blond tengu with a mohawk.

Sasami (ささ美 Sasami^?)

Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu

The long-haired tengu who wears glasses and the only female of the Sanbagarasu (as revealed in an omake in volume 6). She was disgusted by Mezumaru attacking the women's baths. She wields a pair of short whips as weapons.

Aotabo (青田坊 Aotabō^?) / Kurata (倉田 Kurata^?)

Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto

The degenerate priest who wears the iron blue robe and the physically strongest yōkai in the Nura household. He used to be a monk who killed many warriors. He has fists that can crush rock and palms that can fit a person's head. He was enlightened by a holy man, leading to him protecting children. The holy man once stated it is up to him whether he became a human again or a raging god. He almost became a human but chose the path of a raging god by killing a group of people who were torturing the children he had wished to protect. He has a skull necklace that when removed allows him to fight at his full potential. At full potential,he have power that can kill Shoukera,a head of the Kyoto Yokai in one strike. He is also the leader of a biker gang called the Blood Night Hyakki Yakō. He is often seen with Kurotabō and the two are known as the assault officers of the Nura House. Part of Rikuo's new "Hyakki Yakō" he goes Kyoto along with Yuki-Onna in order to protect Rikuo's classmates. He fought and managed to kill Shōkera. After Rikuo becomes head of the Nura clan, Aotabo is promoted into the elite class of the family and becomes one of the Rikuo's territorial commanders.

Kurotabo (黒田坊 Kurotabō^?)

Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi

The Assassin and Destruction Monk & Master of the hidden blade, he is often seen with Aotabō and the two are known as the assault officers of the Nura House. He is a demon created by children as their protector.In his human form he dresses like a businessman, and he also saved Torii from her curse as repayment for helping him. Part of Rikuo's new "Hyakki Yakō", he travels with him to Kyoto. He helps currently fighting Ibaraki Dōji with Ryūji and Mamiru and later teaches Rikuo the second form of Matoi. Rikuo remains fused with him while fighting the Hagoromo-Gitsune, until firing Kurotabō's fear as a distraction in order to close in on the Fox. After Rikuo becomes head of the Nura clan, Kurotabō is promoted into the elite class of the family and becomes one of Rikuo's territorial commanders. Later, Kurotabō again saves Torii from a Yokai that had her trapped in a subway. During that incident it is revealed that he was once the supreme general of the Hundred Tales Clan, before joining the Nura clan under Rihan. He had been manipulated by Sanmoto Gorouzaemon into believing that he had been created by him. he later comes to his senses and defeats Sanmoto Gorouzaemon by performing Matoi with Rihan.

• Techniques
  • Anki Kuroenbu - Shoots a variety of weapons from his sleeve.

Kubinashi (首無 Kubinashi^?, lit. neckless)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

As his name would imply, his head floats above his shoulders and he has no neck. He is one of Rikuo's demon guardians and frequently takes care of laundry around the Nura mansion. He fights using thread/string that entangles the target the more it struggles, which can become as strong as chains by imbuing it with his "fear." When he was alive, he and a friend were toyed with and killed by yōkai. As a result, he became a yōkai himself in order to exact revenge. After Rikuo becomes head of the Nura clan, Kubinashi is promoted into the elite class of the family and becomes one of Rikuo's territorial commanders.

Prior to meeting (and being defeated by) Rihan Nura, he was well known as Jōshū no Gensatsushi (lit. "the string assassin of Hitachi Province") and went around killing yōkai. Though Rihan originally intended to kill him, Kubinashi was protected by Kejōrō and ended up joining Rihan's Hyakki Yakō.

In Kyoto, after the Nura Clan's forces are devastated by Tsuchigumo, Kubinashi goes back to his old murderous ways and becomes determined to single-handedly take down the Kyoto yōkai and ultimately Hagoromo-Gitsune herself. He is confronted by Ibaraki Douji at the 6th seal of Ryuuenji and is nearly killed trying to fight alone. Kejourou literally knocks sense into him and they battle Ibaraki Douji together with slightly more success. Ultimately, however, they are rescued by Kappa and Yura when things take a turn for the worse.

• Techniques
  • "Ayatori" String Technique, Rasenjin (Cat's Cradle: Spiral Blade)
  • "Ayatori" String Technique, Kusari Gumo
  • "Ayatori" String Technique, Jyakou Yaiba (Cat's Cradle: Slithering Blade)

Kappa (河童 Kappa^?, lit. river child)

Voiced by: Masahito Yabe

A kappa yōkai in the Nura clan whose domain is the fear of water and one of Rikuo's demon guardians, he love cucumbers. He fights extremely well near water and fights in a ninja suit. Part of Rikuo's new "Hyakki Yakō", he is traveling to Kyoto. He appear to save Kubinashi and Kejōrō.

• Techniques
  • Kappa Ninpō: Toori Nuke Shinobi Ike
  • Mizuchidama

Jami (邪魅 Jami^?, lit. wicked charm)

Voiced by: Yū Asakawa

A yōkai who protects the descendant of his lord, he was a loyal samurai who was betrayed by his lord's wife out of jealousy but as he died from a flood while being trapped in prison he was so concerned over protecting him, he became a yōkai. Part of Rikuo's new "Hyakki Yakō", he is currently fighting alongside the Nura household against Kyoto yōkai. He fought Tsuchigumo.

Kejoro (毛倡妓 Kejōrō^?)

Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu

A demon who uses her hair to fight, she serves as one of Rikuo's Guardians and most frequently handles kitchen duties around the Nura mansion. The members of the Kiyo Cross Squad frequently mistake her to be Rikuo's older sister. After Rikuo was beaten at the first seal in Kyoto and went to recover and train, she kept the Hyakki Yakō motivated with the idea of not being a disappointment for Rikuo's return. She has a history with Kubinashi, and had previously traveled together with him, even offering her life to save his when he lost to Nura Rihan, the late second head and Rikuo's father. She is also closest to Kubinashi out of all the yōkai in the series, and they are used to fighting as a team. She was once known as Kino. During the Kyoto attack, she was almost killed by Kidomaru until she was saved by Kappa and Yura. After Rikuo becomes head of the Nura clan, Kejōrō is promoted into the elite class of the family and becomes one of Rikuo's territorial commanders.

• Techniques
  • Midaregami, Asobi Onna no Mai (Unraveled Hair, Dance of the Courtesan)

Oboro-guruma (朧車 Oboro-garuma^?, lit. oboro-vehicle)

One of the demons who live in the Nura House. Nurarihyon's vehicle.

Natto Kozo (納豆小僧 Nattō Kozō^?, lit. natto kid)

Voiced by: Satomi Arai

One of the yōkai who live in Nura's house. As his name implies, his head is in the form of a natto and smells like one.some yokai seem to find this displeasing.

Tofu Kozo (豆腐小僧 Tōfu Kōzō^?, lit. tofu kid)

Voiced by: Sayuri Furukawa

One of the yōkai who live in the Nura mansion. He has only one eye. Along with Natto Kid, he often played with Rikuo when he was a child.

Setsura (雪麗 Setsura^?)

Voiced by: Yui Horie

Another yuki-onna who was part of Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yakō 400 years ago. Her solution to things she didn't like was to freeze them. She is Tsurara's mother and had an unrequited love for Nurarihyon, which resulted in her greatly disliking his wife, Yōhime. At the final battle with Hagoromo-Gitsune, she had a death match with Ibaraki-dōji.^[1]

[edit] Daruma alliance

Located in Choufu, Tokyo.^[1]

Mokugyo Daruma (木魚達磨 Mokugyō Daruma^?)

Voiced by: Shinpachi Tsuji

Leader of Nura clan's Daruma alliance, and one of Nurarihyon's advisors. He fought Shokera 400 years ago.

[edit] Yakushi group

The main clan of the Yakushi group, the Zen Sect, is based in Kanagawa Prefecture and is composed of bird yōkai whose leader is considered to be the commander of medicines and poisons. By dipping their feathers in alcohol, one can create a potent poison, and the Zen Sect is able to turn any medicine poisonous. At birth, these bird yōkai are beautiful birds, and their wings only become poisonous when they come of age. As a result, they have weak bodies and short lifespans. Their symbol is two crossed feathers.

Zen (鴆 Zen^?)

Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita

A poisonous bird yōkai who was a childhood friend of Rikuo's. He was disappointed that upon meeting him again, Rikuo had become so soft. Like the rest of his species, he has a short lifespan and a weak constitution, but he specializes in making medicine. When he gets overly worked up, he can lapse into bloody coughing fits. After being betrayed and nearly killed, he was rescued by "Night" Rikuo, he continues to support Rikuo and is the first to exchange Sakazuki with him. He tells Rikuo to form a new "Hyakki Yakō," as most of the yōkai of the Nura house hold loyalty to the former Nura head and don't view Rikuo as their leader. Joining the large force headed to fight Haguromo-Gitsune aboard Takarabune, he broke up the battle between Kubinashi and Itaku by pouring medicine over them - and only mentioned that it was non-poisonous after the fight stopped. Rikuo later punched him for coming along with them on board of Takarabune because of his ill health. He is known to voice his complaints when he is left behind when others go off to fight, and becomes the first to perform the Matoi technique with Rikuo. Though throughout much of the series he serves in the role of a healer, he also occasionally fights with a sword.^[6]

Hebidayu (蛇太夫 Hebidayu^?, lit. snake courtesan)

Voiced by: Masahito Yabe

A yōkai who looks like a scaly humanoid with a snake's head who can elongate his neck or turn into a large snake. Though he exchanged Sakazuki with Zen, he claimed that he only followed Zen because he was the easiest ride to the top. After Zen met with Rikuo and learned that the latter had no intention of succeeding Nurarihyon's position, Hebidayu turned against him. Along with several like-minded subordinates, he burned down the Zen Sect's house and tried to kill Zen, but was defeated and sliced in half by "Night" Rikuo.

[edit] Gyuki clan

The Gyūki clan's mansion sits atop Mt. Nejireme in Shiga Prefecture, which forms the western boundary of the Nura Group's territory. They are said to manipulate, bewilder and draw in humans in order to kill them, and their clan emblem is the character for "dread."^[7] Four hundred years ago, the Gyūki clan was one of the strongest warrior factions, and fought against the Nura clan of the time.

Gyuki (牛鬼 Gyūki^?, lit. cow demon)

Voiced by: Jōji Nakata

Gyūki is the name given to the fearsome yōkai which lives on Mt. Nejireme, said to have the face of a cow and the body of a spider. According to legend, he disguises himself as a human and when he reveals his true appearance, it is even more dreadful than his reputation would imply.

The Gyuki who is part of the Nura Group was once a human named Umewakamaru and was born into a house of nobles. At the age of seven, after his father's death, he began serving at the temple on Mt. Hiei to pray for his father's soul, and it was during this time that his mother left him there and went off on her own. Though Umewakamaru showed a great aptitude for studies and learning, his peers at the temple became jealous and injured him several times. Realizing he didn't belong there and missing his mother, he snuck out of the temple and began making his way to the capital. At Ootsu, he was tricked by a pair of yōkai who claimed that his mother was ill and staying with them on Mt. Nejireme. As a result, he was eaten by the same yōkai which had devoured his mother. However, through the power of his hatred and will, he was reborn as a yōkai after his death - destroying the yōkai which had killed his mother and himself in the process. That yōkai was the previous Gyūki, and over time the yōkai who had once been Umewakamaru became known by the same name.

Gyuki is a high-ranked subordinate of the Nura group, and one of its board members. He was in charge of both the Kyūso Clan's attempt at relieving Rikuo of the title of Third and the attacks on Mt. Nejireme. It was revealed that this coup was meant as a test, to see if Rikuo was capable of leading the Nura Group. Though originally, he tells Rikuo to abandon his human side (as it will likely get him killed), later, Gyūki wants Rikuo to embrace both his yōkai and human aspects in order to achieve an even greater power. He later appeared in Kyoto after Rikuo lost to Tsuchigumo, and helped him train to unlock the ability, Matoi. After Rikuo succeeded his grandfather and became the new head of the Nura clan, Gyūki retired from his role as a subcommander to make room for the younger yokai to fill those roles under Rikuo. However, he continues to serve as a both personal adviser to Rikuo, as well as one of the clan's financial advisers.

Gozumaru (牛頭丸 Gozumaru^?)

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino

Gyūki clan's young head. Cool and cruel, he wields a katana and can also make large insect-like pincers spring from his back. Though able to control creatures via string, he is not as proficient with the skill as Mezumaru. During Gyūki's conspiracy against Rikuo, Gozumaru separated Rikuo and Tsurara in order to eliminate the latter. When he was about to deliver the finishing blow, Rikuo appeared and rescued Tsurara by defeating Gozumaru despite not being in full "Night" form mode. He is fiercely loyal to Gyūki and even after Gyūki's defeat and subsequent pardon, he still holds a low opinion of Rikuo. Now he lives in Nura's house as a candidate for the Gyūki clan's next leader, though his presence there is also that of a hostage as a stipulation to Gyūki's pardon. At one point, he and Mezumaru were sent to the 88 kiyakou's base on a reconnaissance mission. Disguised as tanuki, they snuck their way into a restricted area but were discovered and attacked by Tamazuki. Heavily injured, he and Mezumaru were rescued by the Sanbagarasu.

Together with Mezumaru, the first portion of their names form gozumezu (牛頭馬頭), the term for the horse-headed and ox-headed demons who serve as guardians of the underworld in Chinese mythology.

• Techniques
  • Gozuinmasō - Also known as "Gozu shadow claw". Large, deadly insect-like pincers spring from his back which he can use as an extension of his body to attack.

Mezumaru (馬頭丸 Mezumaru^?)

Voiced by: Sōichirō Hoshi

Gyūki clan's young head assistant. He wears a horse's skull on the top of his head, covering his eyes and upper facial features. Though he is a guy he has a face that looks like a girl. He can control humans with string but he doesn't have any other reason to attack so he usually becomes a support for Gozumaru. He now lives in the Nura house with Gozumaru.

[edit] Bakeneko clan

A clan of anthropomorphic cat yōkai who were originally put in charge of Ukiyoe Town's First District, but were later usurped by the Kyūso clan. They are a group that has existed for a long time and had built up evil deeds as gamblers before being taken under the Nura Group's wing. Under their clan's control, the First District thrived as a place for yōkai entertainment - their specialty being gambling. Despite this, the clan seeks to govern their territory with dignity so as not to disgrace the Nura Group. After regaining control of the First District, they open a Japanese-style yōkai eatery called Bakenekoya.

Ryota Neko (良太猫 Ryōta Neko^?)

Voiced by: Makoto Ishii

Head of the Bakeneko clan and leader of 1st street, he requested that Rikuo free the 1st street from the Kyuso clan. He later reappears at the yōkai party for Kana and is a known gambler.

Saburo Neko (三郎猫 Saburō Neko^?)

Voiced by: Shohei Kajikawa

An employee at Bakenekoya who was attacked by Muchi.

[edit] Kyuso clan

The Kyūso clan is composed of rat yōkai, many of which disguise themselves as humans to lure in unsuspecting prey. They have a rivalry with the Bakeneko clan and are used by Gyūki in a conspiracy against Rikuo. Though technically part of the Nura Group, their leader doesn't approve of Rikuo and they have considered the main house to be weak since the Second's death. When their existence as part of the Nura Group is brought into question, Nurarihyon wonders why they hadn't been expelled yet.

Kyuso (旧鼠 Kyūso^?, lit. ex-rat)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Head of the Kyūso clan and self-proclaimed "emperor of the night." He is an anthropomorphic rat yōkai who first appears as a light-haired playboy going by the name Seiya. He runs a host club, Club Chu near the east entrance of Ukiyoe Town's shopping district (the name of which is a pun - in Japanese, "chu" is both the sound a mouse/rat makes, and the sound of a kiss). He calls Gyūki "boss" and acts like a cheerful playboy to attract women to the club - where he and his underlings literally devour them in the basement. In reality, he is a cruel and cold-hearted rat who takes advantage of people's weaknesses. He is able to summon regular-sized rats to do his bidding, and seems to hate rejection. Kyūso kidnaps Yura and Kana to use as bait in luring out Rikuo, and declares that his clan intends to take over as leaders of the Nura clan. He orders Rikuo to send out a decree to all the Nura Group leaders stating that he retracts his claim to be the Third, threatening to kill Yura and Kana if Rikuo doesn't comply. When "Night" Rikuo and the Hyakki Yakō of the main house thwart his plans, Kyūso changes into a large grotesque rat and tries to kill Rikuo. However, he is burned to death by "Night" Rikuo's Ōgi Meikyō Shisui, Sakura technique.

[edit] Kanto Great Ape alliance

Located in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Hihi (狒々 Hihi^?)

Voiced by: Koji Tsujitani

Former leader of Kanto great ape alliance (Hihi clan). Wears miko suit and a noh mask. Killed by Muchi. He has been with Ayakashi for 400 years. Before he was killed, he told his son to choose for himself whether or not he would follow Rikuo.

Shoei (猩影 Shōei^?)

Voiced by: Takanori Hoshino

The son of Hihi. His father was murdered by the Shikoku demons. He is larger than most other demons in the group. He is strong enough to stop a charging Takarabune with the help of Reira freezing the ground. In the Hundred tales arc, he asks Rikuo's help to investigate mysterious disappearances in his area. He cuts open a pathway into Tooryanse's domain and perform's Matoi with Rikuo to defeat Tooryanse.

[edit] One-eyed demon clan

Located in Saitama Prefecture.

Hitotsume Nyudo (一ツ目入道 Hitotsume Nyudō^?, lit. one-eyed monk)

Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama

Leader of One-eyed demon clan. One of those who rejected Rikuo as the Third Supreme Commander of the Nura clan. 400 years ago he was really different, as he stated to Kokehime after being saved from Hagoromo-Gitsune, "Even if her tears became pearls, the one that fits her best is her smile", speaks volume of how different he was in the past.

[edit] Gagoze alliance

Gagoze (ガゴゼ Gagoze^?)

Voiced by: Kōsei Hirota

Head of Gagoze alliance. He was known as a yōkai that kidnapped and ate children. Many believed that he would be next in line to be the master of all spirits and was surprised when Rikuo was put forth as a candidate instead. After a failed plan to kill the potential third, he is killed by Night Rikuo.

[edit] Obake clan

Mottainai Obake (もったいないお化け Mottanai Obake^?)

Leader of Obake clan. In important meetings, he can usually be seen happily eating away.

[edit] Yokai Merchant Alliance

Located in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Sorobanbo (算盤坊 Sorobanbō^?)

Leader of the Yokai Merchant Alliance. He first appears during Nurarihyon's prime and travels with Hitotsume.

[edit] Centipede tribe

Located in Saitama Prefecture.

Oomukade (大ムカデ Oomukade^?, lit. great centipede)

Chieftain of Centipede tribe.

[edit] Kijo clan

Asajigahara no Kijo (浅茅ヶ原の鬼女 Asajigahara no Kijo^?)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi and Ikuko Tani

Leader of Kijo clan. Made of a couple of an old hag and a little girl.

[edit] Three-eyed party

Located in Chiba Prefecture.

Mitsume Yazura (三ツ目八面 Mitsume Yazura^?, lit. three-eyed eight faces)

Voiced by: Minoru Hirota

Leader of Three-eyed party. Secretly served by Yosuzume who returned to him the Mao Hammer after Tamazuki had failed with his invasion. What is thought to be his face appears to actually be a mask. He has some unknown motive for instigating the trouble for the Nura group. He works from the shadows pulling the strings and has since sent Yosuzume to Kyoto to give the Mao Hammer to Minagoroshi Jizou.

Mitsume Yazura is in truth Sanmoto Gorouzaemon, leader of the Edo Hyakumonogatari clan, who was defeated by Nura Rihan. His body was split in to one hundred parts, with the eyeball becoming Minagoroshi Jizou. Since his defeat, Sanmoto had bid his time in hell, and conspired with Abe no Seimei to murder Rihan and resurrect Hagoromo Gitsune.

[edit] Faceless clan

Located in Tochigi Prefecture.

Hagurobettari (歯黒べったり Hagurobattari^?)

Yokai of Faceless clan. Faceless but mouth and the teeth colored black.

[edit] Yamanba clan

Located in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Yamachichi (山地乳 Yamachichi^?)

Yokai of Yamanba clan.

[edit] Others

Oitekebori (置行堀 Oitekebori^?)

Underling yokai of Nura clan. Lives in a pond, steals things and drags it into the pond and will only return it if it is offered a better item in exchange for the stolen one given to Oitekebori.

Aburagaeshi (油返し Aburagaeshi^?)

Considered one of the seven mysteries of Rikuo's school, he appears as a statue bust which can sometimes be seen crying.

Sunekosuri (脛擦り Sunekosuri^?)

Considered one of the seven mysteries of Rikuo's school, he is known to randomly trip people. He appears as a humanoid form with a huge head and is composed entirely of cats, with two large cat bells serving as his eyes.

Rinko (りんこ Rinko^?)

A girl who is 1/8 yokai. She is from the same clan as the land god Shirohebi and, as such, her family of traders has flourished for generations and is currently very wealthy. She attends Rikuo's school in the guise of a human, though her disguise isn't perfect as evidenced by her slit-like pupils and the small scale-like markings under her eyes and on her arms.

[edit] Land gods

Said to form the foundations of the yokai world.

Senba (千羽 Senba^?)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

One of the land gods. Have the power to heal disease if someone offers a thousand origami cranes to his shrine. Because of years being neglected, he has become small and weak. But because of Hibari's faith, he's able to heal Torii from Sodemogi's curse.

Kokehime (苔姫 Kokehime^?)

Voiced by: Aiko Okubo

One of the land gods. Wears heian-style kimono. Usually stays in her shrine. Almost cursed by Sodemogi but saved by Kurotabou. Originally a human, 400 years ago, because of her power that made her tears into pearls, she was targeted by Hagoromo-Gitsune. After being saved by the Nura clan, she moved to Edo. Worshipped by the people she became a land god. She was shown to be attached to Hitotsume Nyudou after the defeat of Hagorome-Gitsune 400 years ago.

Shirohebi (白蛇 Shirōhebi^?, lit. white snake)

A very old land god who presides over Rikuo's school. He is a large white snake which appears in a school fountain and is considered one of the seven school mysteries. Supposedly, his fountain brings extraordinary luck. His great-granddaughter Rinko calls him "Hii" and, often gives him food and otherwise cares for him. Rinko is 1/8 yokai.

[edit] Tono Village

Also known as the yōkai Hidden Village, it's full of smoke so light rarely reaches it. As of present all of the members listed below with the exception of Akagappa and Namahage have left with Rikuo to fight in Kyoto.^[8] Most of them are at odds with the members of the Nura clan.

Akagappa (赤河童 Akagappa^?, lit. red kappa)

Voiced by: Atsushi Miyauchi

The leader of the village and possibly the strongest.

Itaku (イタク Itaku^?)

Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio

A Kamaitachi demon instructed to watch and teach Rikuo. He fights using two or three sickles and his best skill is "yōkai Ninpou: Rera Makiri", a sickle wind blade. He, like most others dislike Kyoto demons. He turns into a Weasel in the day time and his true form is that of a weasel faced demon.

Amezo (雨造 Amezō^?)

Voiced by: Takahiro Mizushima

A Numa (Swamp) Kappa demon, he normally cleans the bathrooms. He fights using water.

Awashima (淡島 Awashima^?)

Voiced by: Ryoka Yuzuki

An Amanojaku demon who normally chops the firewood, he fights with a sword. He is a type of demon who turns into a female at night. The female form of Awashima can dance like a heavenly nymph. She uses attack that is respectively "Hatsu: Ikusa Otome Enbu (Spirit Emission: Dance of the battle maiden)", "Hyoui of the heavenly nymph, Perfect Motherhood Izanami" and "Hyoui of the raging god, Perfect Fatherhood Izanagi". His/Her name comes from the name of the second child of Izanagi and Izanami in the Kojiki, Awashima no Kami, who was neither male nor female, for that she was discarded.

Reira (冷麗 Reira^?)

Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi

A Yuki-onna demon who normally prepares the baths, she was capable of temporarily freezing Kidomaru.

Yukari (紫 Yukari^?)

Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa

A Zashiki Warashi demon, she seems to be the only child in the village.

Dohiko (土彦 Dohiko^?)

Voiced by: Eiji Miyashita

A Huttachi demon in charge of cleaning

Namahage (なまはげ Namahage^?)

Voiced by: Mitsuaki Madono

Two Namahage from Toono, red and blue colored.

[edit] Kiyo Cross Supernatural Squad

A group of students formed by Kiyotsugu to investigate yōkai and the master of all spirits Nurarihyon. They follow wherever yōkai are spotted and are in Kyoto under the Keikain protection. Aside from those listed in this section, the following are also members: Rikuo Nura, Tsurara Oikawa, Kurata, and Yura Keikan.☼

Kiyotsugu Kiyojuji (清十字 清継 Kiyojuji Kiyotsugu^?)

Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama and Jun Konno (young)

Rich and influential amongst his class, he used to tease Rikuo about yōkai until he was saved by "Night" Rikuo years ago. He now has an obsession with yōkai, even to the point of wanting to be kidnapped. He is constantly inventing new yōkai-related games and quizzes and has a very forceful personality.

Kana Ienaga (家長 カナ Ienaga Kana^?)

Voiced by: Aya Hirano and Shion Hirota (young)

Kana is Rikuo's childhood friend and neighbor. She first appears in the original Nurarihyon no Mago one-shot as Yura Usami and says she hates things relating to yōkai and spirit mediums. She is hinted to have some affection for Rikuo, as she gets jealous seeing Rikuo and Tsurara together. Rikuo made a promise to help her if she is ever in need. After being kidnapped by a yōkai on her 13th birthday, she was saved by "Night" Rikuo and was taken to a yōkai party. The next morning Kana asked Rikuo if he was friends with his yōkai form and blushed when Rikuo asked why. She has fallen for Rikuo's yokai form to the point she sees brief images of Night Rikou and blush to only ask herself why she thinks of him. However, it is hinted that she is also starting to like Rikuo as she is much concerned and distracted when Tsurara gets too close to him.

Natsumi Torii (鳥居 夏実 Torii Natsumi^?)

Voiced by: Mana Hirata

A classmate of Rikuo's, she is a member of the Investigation squad. She was cursed by Sodemogi and nearly dies until Senba is given power by Natsumi's grandmother's belief, saving her life. In Chapter 144, while heading home, Natsumi saw Kurotabō, the yokai who saved her, and followed him, and eventually lost her way. She then saw a small house and sneaked a peek inside and saw a yokai painting, scared by this, she tries to escape only to be caught by a tall yokai. The yokai then gets inside the house and annoys a yokai painter for being slow at his work. The yokai painter explains that he needs "inspiration", that's when the yokai shows the now seemingly knocked-out Natsumi and the yokai painter gets to work, eager to find out how the "story" goes now with his new inspiration. A few days later, Saori notices Natsumi's absence and informs everyone, meanwhile Kiyotsugo tells the Investigation squad of a new urban legend. The urban legend tells that the some subways are haunted, including a particular one where a young couple left behind an infant in one of the coin lockers. Even though the baby had died, the baby never stopped growing and to this day has grown considerably. The image of the grown baby matches with Natsumi's face and body, but with a more crazed look, speculating that Torii has become a yokai. However, it turned out that a youkai was modeled by the artist after Natsumi and the real Natsumi was later rescued by Maki and Kurotabou in Chapter 146.

Saori Maki (巻 紗織 Maki Saori^?)

Voiced by: Kana Asumi

A classmate of Rikuo's and Natsumi's close friend, she stayed with the latter in the hospital until she woke up. She is more concerned with relaxing at the spots that the Kiyo Cross Supernatural Squad visits, rather than Kiyotsugu's primary objective of finding yōkai.

Jirou Shima (島 二郎 Shima Jirō^?)

Voiced by: Tetsuya Kakihara

Kiyo's underling who has been supporting Kiyo since they were kids. Also a classmate and member of Kiyo's Squad. It is shown that he has a crush on Tsurara and gets jealous when Tsurara and Rikou get close, much like how Kana feels, though he harbors no grudge for Rikou. Shima is the only one of all of the Investigation Squad whose family name has yet to be mentioned. Shima attends the meetings to only get close to Tsurara. This statement is reinforced in chapter 144, where everyone(Excluding Tsurara and Nura) inattentively listens to Kiyotsugu about urban legends while Shima tells Kiyotsugu that at least he is listening until Kiyotsugu points out to Shima that (unknown to him) Tsurara is absent making Shima say that attending the meetings is meaningless now that Tsurara isn't there.

[edit] Keikain House

The premiere Onmyouji house that protects the seal on Kyoto. Their bloodline has been cursed so that all males die an early death, so those from branch families are taken into the main family.

Hidemoto Keikain (花開院 秀元 Keikain Hidemoto^?)

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa

The 13th head of the Keikain family, he fought alongside Nurarihyon to seal the Hagoromo-Gitsune using the shikigami, "Hagun", which summons the spirits of all the previous heads of the Keikain family. He lends the spirit blade, Nenekirimaru, to Nurarihyon during the battle, and later after he dies he becomes part of "Hagun". He later reappears in Chapter 81 to guide Yura in using Hagun's power. 400 years ago he tricked Tsuchigumo into falling into a sleep and later seals him.

Yura Keikain (花開院 ゆら Keikain Yura^?)

Voiced by: Ai Maeda

An Onmyouji of the Keikain House who specializes in shikigami, she can manage four at once impressing even Nurarihyon. She was trained by Akifusa and raised to see yōkai as evil, and seeks to complete her training by defeating Nurarihyon and then inheriting the Household. After her brother reveals Rikuo as a yōkai and as Nurarihyon's grandson, she says she can accept it if it's him. She has returned to Kyoto to deal with the Hagoromo Gitsune and has currently retreated to the Keikain main house.

She fights against yōkai using Shikigami, "Rokuson" (禄存) the deer, "Bukyoku" (武曲) the samurai, "Tanrou" (貪狼) the white wolf and "Rentei"(廉貞) the Koi fish, which she merges with it to form a holy-water cannon. Recently she has also added "Kyomon" (巨門), the elephant to her arsenal. She is also the only living member of the Keikain house that can summon and use "Hagun" (破軍) to increase her own powers, and is the first since Hidemoto to do so. It is because of this ability, that Yura is designated as heir and future head of the Keikain House. This also implies that after she dies, she will become part of "Hagun", like Hidemoto did.

Ryuji Keikain (花開院 竜二 Keikain Ryūji^?)

Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi

He is Yura's older brother and follows the belief that the world is black and white, with yōkai being absolute black, whereas he and the rest of the Onmyouji are white, causing him to have no hesitation in striking down one. He is a trickster and a liar, he constantly teases and berates Yura and attacks Rikuo to make him turn into his "Night" form. He only left his first battle with Rikuo out of respect for the latter's human blood, saying he doesn't accept "grey" existences. He later returns to fight Akifusa. He's revealed to have been a potential candidate for the leadership of the household and is injured in his fight with Akifusa and rescued by Mamiru. After Yura discovers her ability to summon "Hagun", and is subsequently named the future leader of the Keikain house, Ryuuji begins to show slightly more respect for her.

• Techniques
  • Shikigami Kyougen - A shikigami which is a husk of Ryuuji and is made of deadly poison. If the affected doesn't take an antidote within a minute, they'll die.
  • Shikigami Garou (餓狼)/Gengen (言々) - A shikigami which primarily appears as a monstrous black wolf. Its true name is "Gengen," but Ryuuji refers to it by both names. He gives it single-word orders, such as "run" or "devour" so as to prevent enemies from figuring out his tactics. Gengen is a water-based shikigami which forces the fluids in a target's body to rage violently.
  • Shikigami Blending, Gyougen - A shikigami composed of a large number of "konjousui flowers" mixed with Ryuuji's spirit. "Konjousui" refers to water droplets with a 99.9999% purity, a sort of pure water which initiates corrosion most frequently in the natural world. Anything which touches the flower will be dissolved in an instant. Ryuuji claims that he is only able to maintain it for a maximum of 3 minutes, whereas in reality he needs 3 minutes to complete the magic formation for the Gyougen, Konjousui Formation technique which blasts Gyougen up from beneath an opponent.

Mamiru Keikain (花開院 魔魅流 Keikain Mamiru^?)

Voiced by: Kenji Nojima

He is completely devoted to destroying yōkai to the point where he will fight even if outnumbered. He is said to be the most talented in the house so far and managed to defeat Aotabou, albeit while the latter was in his sealed form. Yura comments that his personality was different when he was younger, indicating that since they last met he had been changed somehow. He appeared during the invasion to save Ryuuji.

Masatsugu Keikain (花開院 雅次 Keikain Masatsugu^?)

Voiced by: Hirofumi Nojima

The protector of the third seal and next leader of the Fukuju branch, he specializes in barriers and seals. He was defeated at the third seal and is trapped by Hagoromo but later rescued by Mamiru.

Pato Keikain (花開院 破戸 Keikain Pato^?)

Voiced by: Asami Sanada

The protector of the second seal and next leader of the Aika branch , he is a child who uses the original shikigami "Gomoramaru" a large black cyclops. He was defeated at the third seal and is trapped by Hagoromo but rescued by Mamiru.

Akifusa Keikain (花開院 秋房 Keikain Akifusa^?)

Voiced by: Showtaro Morikubo

The protector of the first seal and next leader of the Yaso branch, he was Yura's teacher and uses "Yousou Kioku", a blade he constructed to surpass Hidemoto's blade. It possess him turning him into a demon to fight. He was defeated at the third seal and fought against the Keikain house at the second seal after being possessed by Minagoroshi Jizou who used the darkness in his heart to take over. He construct weapons for demons to use against barriers and is fighting Ryuuji, stating he always wanted to fight against him seeing as they both were candidates for leadership over the main family. He was purged by Yura and rescued by Ryuuji.

[edit] Antagonists

[edit] Shikoku 88ki Yako

A group of yōkai from the Shikoku area, they were the rival faction against the Nura group during the Shikoku Arc. Setting up base in a skyscraper overlooking Ukiyoe Town, they went on a rampage until they faced off against Rikuo. The group has since been dissolved after most members were killed by Tamazuki.

Inugamigyobu Tamazuki (隠神刑部 玉章 Inugamigyōbu Tamazuki^?)

Voiced by: Akira Ishida

Leader of the Shikoku 88ki Yako, his father is the head of the 88 (Shikoku Hachijuukakki Yakou) Tanuki and belongs to the family of Inugami-gyoubu (lit. hidden god of judgement) Tanuki. He is able to inspire his men through his charisma but sees them as disposable, he sees through Rikuo's power and seeks to return the world to darkness, even inviting Rikuo to join his group behind him in order to do so. He gained his power by killing his allies and brothers using the Maō's Hammer, the very sword that defeated his clan. He was defeated by Rikuo and spared on his father's wishes on the condition he never leave Shikoku and he holds a memorial for those allies he killed out of power.

Inugami (犬神 Inugami^?, lit. dog god)

Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou. A human turned Inugami who serves Tamazuki faithfully. He was bullied relentlessly by a group of humans led by Tamazuki and killed them releasing his power. He hates and envies Rikuo for having both Human and yōkai allies. He can transform into a large dog or separate his head from his body. He is killed by Tamazuki after failing to kill Rikuo. A stray dog appears at the end of the Arc that may be his reincarnation.

Yosuzume (夜雀 Yosuzume^?, lit. night sparrow)

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou. A yōkai whose black feathers make whoever they touch go temporarily blind, her "Genyakou"(Lit: Phantom Night Parade).^[9] Her ability only works if the feathers goes into the eye. She faced Yuki Onna but she was defeated as Yuki Onna froze her right eye before Yosuzume scattered her feathers. Thus able to see with the frozen eye, Yuki Onna defeats Yosuzume. She later takes the Maō's Hammer from Tamazuki and returns it to Mitsume Yazura of the Nura clan, who started this incident.

Inuhoo (犬鳳凰 Inuhōō^?, lit. phoenix dog)

Voiced by: Takeda Masanori

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou, a bird yōkai who breathes fire. Tamazuki used him as a shield from one of Rikuo's attacks.

Tearai Oni (手洗い鬼 Tearai Oni^?, lit. hand-washing demon)

Voiced by: Atsushi Ono

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou. An Oni who is so large it's said he straddles the gaps between mountains, he is the strongest of the group but loses to Aotabou after he removes his necklace.

Muchi (鞭 Muchi^?)

Voiced by: Satoshi Tsurouka

A demon from Shikoku that manipulates the wind like a whip to cut enemies or make them fall ill. He targeted Nurarihyon but was defeated and disappeared into the wind.

Sodemogi-sama (袖モギ様 Sodemogi-sama^?)

Voiced by: Yuichi Nagashima

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou. A yōkai who kills other Land gods who can't fight back and turns their beliefs into his fear. Legend says that if you receive a tug on your sleeve and turn to see no one there, it is Sodemogi-sama who will when curse you. He seems to enjoy devouring articles of clothing from others. He curses Torii eating away at her life force and as a result is killed by Kurotabou.

Gangi Kozo (岸涯小僧 Gangi Kōzō^?)

Voiced by: Tetsuo Goto

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou, he is a reptile-like yokai found near riverbanks. He has zig-zag teeth which he uses to eat fish and animals. At the 88 kiyakou's headquarters, he guarded the entrance to a restricted area before encountering the undercover Gozumaru and Mezumaru. Using their string-manipulation skills, they used him to gain access to important areas of the headquarters, as well as to attack his fellows - which resulted in breaking his teeth. He fought Kappa in the battle against Rikuo's Hyakki Yakou.

Kagibari Onna (針女 Kagibari Onna^?, lit. needle woman)

Voiced by: Ai Orikasa

One of the seven heads of the 88 kiyakou, she is a yokai who can turn her hair into hooks. She fought Kejoro in the battle against Rikuo's Hyakki Yakou and was later killed by Tamazuki.

[edit] Kyoto Demons

Known as the central demons, they are considered the most blood-thirsty and only fight in mortal combat.

Hagoromo Gitsune (羽衣狐 Hagoromo Gitsune^?, lit. feather robe fox)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto

The demon fox who was originally considered the master of spirits, she is the head of the Kyoto yokai. According to Keikan records, Hagorome Gitsune first appeared during turbulent times, possessed the body of a notable child, and took control of the body to attain adult form. Gathering power by absorbing hatred, envy, anger, despair and large quantities of malice from the center of government, she continued to grow stronger and it is said that the stronger the malice in the world, the stronger she will become. Despite this, she can only live as long as a human lifetime, for when her host body's life reaches its end, she must hide her "true form" somewhere safe until a suitable candidate for her reincarnation appears. If her "true form" isn't sealed, then regardless of how many times she is defeated, she will continue to reincarnate into the next generation.

400 years ago, she posed as the legendary courtesan Yodo-dono and fought Nurarihyon at Osaka Castle, but was eventually defeated. In the course of 400 years, her reincarnation was repeatedly prevented due to Nura Rihan's interferences, until Abe no Seimei and Sanmoto Gorouzaemon successfully plotted his murder by reviving and manipulating Rihan's ex-wife, the ayakashi Yamabuki Otome. Yamabuki Otome' revived body (which resembled her previous appearance) later became Hagoromo Gitsune's current host and successfully gave birth to Nue, Abe no Seimei's reincarnation during the battle in Kyoto. Hagoromo Gitsune was eventually forced out of the host's body by Rikuo's Nenekirimaru and Yura's Hangun. As soon as Nue broke out of his cocoon, he killed and sent Hagoromo Gitsune to hell.

Most of the time, Hagoromo uses her tails for battle, in addition to the weapons the stored in her tails.

• Techniques
  • Nibi no Tessen (Iron fan of the two-tails)- She hid this in her second tail from her time at the Taira clan, possibly as Taira no Tokuko. It was a iron fan that could grow to a very large size. Hagoromo uses it for defensive purposes as well.
  • Sanbi no Tachi (The Long Sword of the Three-tails) - A long, black Tachi she hid in her third tail, it was unknown when she acquired this.
  • Yonbi no Yari - Torataiji (Spear of the Four-tails - Tiger exterminator) - a spear Hagoromo hid in her fourth tail.

Kidomaru (鬼童丸 Kidōmaru^?)

Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda

Loyal servant of Hagoromo, he tries to recruit the Toono demons, only for his proposition to be declined. Following this he attempts to kill Rikuo. He was fighting Hihi 400 years ago. He appeared and stab Kejourou while Ibaraki Douji was fighting with her and Kubinashi. He has god-like speed and his fear is to allow his sword to attack like tree branches from a tree spreading or cherry blossom petal scattering. He wears a oni mask that is created by is fear when he fights seriously. He was defeated by Rikuo and Kurotabou.

• Techniques
  • Shinsoku Kengeki:Umenoki (Plum tree)
  • Ouka(Cherry Blossoms)- gaining a speed 10 times faster than Umenoki.
  • Kokuu-increase the speed by 10 times of Ouka.
  • Kengeki-Muryou:Countless sword attack the enemy

Gashadokuro (がしゃどくろ Gashadokoro^?)

Voiced by: Taiten Kusunoki

Gashadokuro is a large skeleton sealed under the fourth seal, he is a follower of Hagoromo-Gitsune. He appears at the seal to fight. He later appears at the castle and tries to devour Nurarihyon. Ibaraki Douji told him to get out of the way after he blocked Ibaraki Douji's way to Nurarihyon.

Minagoroshi Jizo (鏖地蔵 Minagoroshi Jizō^?)

Voiced by: Chafurin

A yokai in the appearance of an old man with a large eye ball in his forehead. Yosuzume gave the Maō's hammer to him. He has altered Ibaraki Douji, Shoukera, Kyokotsu and Kidoumaru's memory and took up the Great Tengu Of Mount Kurama's seat to further his own ambitions. He is actually Sanmoto Gorouzaemon, leader of the Edo Hyaku Monogatari clan which Nura Rihan destroyed. Because of Akifusa's activation of a forbidden technique, it resulted in him being possessed by Jizou and attacking Ryuuji at the location of one seals. Later, he was killed by Rikuo.

Kyokotsu (狂骨 Kyōkotsu^?, lit. mad bone)

Voiced by: Kazuya Ichijō and Yōko Hikasa

A yokai in the form of a mummy-like man. In the present, his daughter seems to have taken up his position. Kyoukotsu has the ability to summon snake from her the skull she is carrying.

Shokera (しょうけら Shōkera^?)

Voiced by: Mitsuki Saiga

A yokai in the form of a man with long hair. He is seen 400 years ago with Hagoromo Gitsune and also in a church. He is now with Hagoromo Gitsune. He fought Daruma 400 years ago. He attack the Keikain along his insect yokai minion. He uses a massive attack that is in the form of a cross and he wield a cross spear. He can turn into a form where his eyes and body became those of a bee, growing a pair of giant mosquito wings, with hands similar to those of a praying mantis. According to the Keikain report, Shoukera is a yokai who reports the sins of a human to Heaven. Legend said that Shoukera come forth once every 60 days on "Koushin", the 57th day. He is an insect yokai who ascends to heaven and reports all the human's sin while they are sleeping to heaven. Heaven then takes the lives of those who have sinned. This is why people must not sleep on the day of Koushin. To avoid this, one would spend the entire day praying to a statue of the raging god, Shoumen Kongou. He didn't show up in the castle along with the other heads and is the first of all the heads to be killed.

Ibaraki Doji (茨木童子 Ibaraki Dōji^?, lit. briar tree child)

Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda

A yokai in the form of a man with half of his body that looks like a wood. He was seen fighting Setsura 400 years ago. He is quite rude. He wields a Daishō and is currently preparing to fight Kubinashi and Kejourou, and later Kurotabou. His Hatsu is "Onideko" which allows him to manipulate lightning and can shoot lightning no matter which direction Ibaraki Douji is facing. He is a yokai who likes to see blood. The reason for this is because long ago, an old couple prayed for a child and found Ibaraki Douji who have been abandoned beside a shrine. The old man was a barber and he taught his skill to Ibaraki Douji. One day, Ibaraki Douji injured one of his customers, he panicked and without realising it, he licked the blood on his hand. He remembered the taste of blood because he was an Oni. He was feared and threw out of his hometown. He killed his customer and father and soon his named was known by the whole nation. It was then Shuten Doji, the commander of oni reached out to him. Shuten Doji was the first one to accept him and made him his son. Nue became the leader of the oni after killing Shuten Doji. The wood on his face acts as a stupa for Shuten Doji who now resides in Ibaraki Douji's left cheek.

• Techniques
  • Onideko:Midare-uchi
  • Onideko-Bachi:Butsugiri-basami

Tsuchigumo (土蜘蛛 Tsuchigumo^?, lit. ground spider)

Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi

A Tsuchigumo. He joined Hagoromo-Gitsune to fight someone strong. He has appeared in front of Rikuo's Hyakki Yakō and the Keikain. He was sealed by Hidemoto Keikain 400 years ago and is described by Hidemoto as an ayakashi that must not be encountered. He is tremendously strong, able to defeat Rikuo and his Hyakki Yakō easily and without any signs of injury. Hidemoto only managed to seal him by tricking him into a deep sleep 400 years ago. When Tsuchigumo is hungry, he will devour anything, whether it is human, yōkai or God. He kidnapped Tsurara and now resides in the second seal. He seems to be the only one who remembers the Great Tengu of Mount Kurama. It is probable that this is due to him being sealed before Minagoroshi Jizou started to alter everyone's memories. He is currently fighting Rikuo and his Hyakki Yakou and was cut in half by Rikuo, but turned out to be alive. He sewed himself back and said he will be sleeping till Nue awakens. When the Nue did awaken he was easily defeated by him.

Great Tengu of Mount Kurama (鞍馬山の大天狗 Kurama-yama no Ōtengu^?)

Voiced by: Katsuhisa Hoki

He is a Tengu. He is shown fighting Gyūki 400 years ago. He fights with Rikuo alongside Gyūki. It was revealed when Hagoromo-Gitsune became the nine-tails, he no longer had a place by her side as it was replaced by Minagoroshi Jizou who had altered Ibaraki Douji, Shoukera, Kyokotsu and Kidoumaru's memories. He stated this is the only time he cannot accept the birth of the Nue because Minagoroshi Jizou had made a fool out of him and he will stop it without fail. He and Gyūki seem to have agreed to a time to train Rikuo.

Abe no Seimei (安倍 晴明 Abe no Seimei^?) / Nue (鵺 Nue^?)

Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama and Junko Takeuchi (Nue fetus)

Abe no Seimei was a legendary onmyoji who lived in the human world 1000 years ago. Greatly respected and admired for his abilities. Humans, however, were unaware that he was a hanyō (half yōkai), the child of Hagoromo-Gitsune and a human noble. Abe desired to increase his power and someday make a world where yokai, like his mother, would not have to hide from humans and could live equally. To meet this goal, Abe sought out more power and a way for himself to live forever. To reach this goal of immortality, Abe devised a means for his mother, Hagoromo-Gitsune, to give birth to him again in a continuous cycle of reincarnation. However, before he could put this plan into action, his mother, in her fox form, was killed by human nobles. Devastated, Abe killed all the humans and resolved to kill all humans and make a world only for yokai. In the present, Hagoromo-Gitsune current form succeeded in giving birth to Abe no Seimei's reincarnation. In this new form, Abe was called Nue and was a pure yokai with no traces of his former humanity. Nue fought Rikuo and Nurarihyon, and despite easily overwhelming them, noted that his new body was not fully "mature". He and the remaining leaders of the Kyoto yokai departed to Hell, but not before promising to return in a year to finish off the Nura Clan.

[edit] Minion

Nijunanamen Senju Mukade (二十七面千手百足 Nijūnanamen Senju Mukade^?, lit. twenty seven-faced thousand handed centipede)

Voiced by: Makoto Yasumura

A yokai with 27 faces, 1000 hands and 100 feet. He is an Ayakashi that takes root in the "realm of the heart" of the children he frightened. The greater the child's fear of him, the stronger he became. He is the guardian of the forest of bewilderment and the gate. He was killed by Awashima "Hyoui of the raging god,Perfect fatherhood,Izanagi".

Hakuzozu (白蔵主 Hakuzōzu^?, lit. white cellary owner)

Voiced by: Kentaro Ito

He is a bird-like yokai who has a sense of honor in fighting, only allowing a one-on-one between himself and the commander of the opposing force. He watches the skies of Kyoto. He wields a spear called Dakini. He is defeated by Rikuo and asks for death. Rikuo instead hits him in the head with a log. Rikuo tried to recruit him but failed. He told Rikuo to head for Fushime Inari, the location of the first spiral seal.

Gairota (凱朗汰 Gairōta^?)

Voiced by: Ikkyu Juku

A ogre yokai. He is killed by Nurarihyon 400 years ago. He uses a giant club and an attack called Raikonbou-Lightning Club And Takekaze-Tempest.

Konnyaku Bozu (蒟蒻坊主 Konnyaku Bōzu^?)

Kyoto yokai who were defeated and strung up by Kubinashi.

Onmoraki (陰摩羅鬼 Onmoraki^?)

Large bird yokai with multiple eyes who disguise themselves to lure in groups of humans and gather their souls/hearts for Hagoromo-Gitsune.

[edit] Unaffiliated

Ungaikyo (雲外鏡 Ungaikyō^?, lit. cloud exterior mirror)

Voiced by: Mitsuo Iwata

Also known as "the purple mirror." A yokai that resembles a huge flaming skull attached to a tiny lion-like body. It rides a bicycle and is able to travel via mirrors, trapping its victims in the same manner. If you look into its mirror, you will be killed on your thirteenth birthday. Kana first encountered it when she was 6 years old, when she and some other children found and looked into a purple mirror. The rest of the children turned up missing (and eventually dead) after they started middle school. It reappears on Kana's thirteenth birthday with the intent to kill her but is stopped by "Night" Rikuo.

Isome Isoguchi (五十目 五十口 Isome Isoguchi^?, lit. fifty eyes fifty mouthes)

A yokai with 50 eyes and 50 mouths who attacked Nurarihyon 400 years ago. She took over the shrine of Iso no Kami (a seashore god) and took Hitotsume by surprise when he mistook her multitude of eyes to be an attacking Hyakki Yako. She dresses like a courtesan with a veil over her head and face, and appears like a human until she removes the veil and clothes - there are eyes and mouths covering her face and running up and down her arms and legs. When she meets Nurarihyon, she claims to be good at comforting children but is subsequently shocked when a young Rihan isn't frightened by her appearance.

Yamabuki Otome (山吹 乙女 Yamabuki Otome^?)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto

The first wife of Rihan who is a beautiful flower ayakashi, it is said that she motivated Rihan into bringing the Nura clan to its golden age through her support, but when she left Rihan after leaving behind a note with a haiku that described her pain of not being able to bear any children for Rihan (due to his curse) written on it, Rihan was greatly devastated. She was supposed to be dead until Abe no Seimei brought her back to life in a child's body to become Hagoromo's host. After regaining her memories and shielding Rikuo despite her injuries, she died peacefully in Rikuo's arms, after commenting that their child would be just as beautiful as Rikuo if she did give birth.

[edit] Oneshot-exclusive Characters

Characters who only appeared in the original Nurarihyon no Mago oneshot. Several were later incorporated into the main story or served as inspiration for characters that appear later on. The story surrounding Jami greatly resembles the premise of this oneshot.

Yura Usami

Kana's predecessor. She is Rikuo's childhood friend and neighbor who openly speaks her mind and hates supernatural things like spirits, mediums, etc. She serves as the class representative.

Daikaku Bandain

A supposed high-class monk skilled in exorcism who runs a very popular television show. He convinces people that their houses are haunted in order to gain control of the land and hand it over to the Shuuei Construction Group. When Usami tries to prevent her grandfather's store from meeting the same fate, Daikaku kidnaps her. Later he nearly rapes her under the pretense of an exorcism, but is stopped by "Night" Rikuo. As a result, Daikan's temple is set ablaze and he is found the following morning with a significant number of injuries.

Shuuei Construction Group

A business group working in conjunction with Daikaku to scam people out of their real estate properties. It is heavily hinted that they are also a yakuza group.