TV-Series
Description
Professor Akadama, also known as Yakushibo of Mount Nyoi, is a character who embodies the faded glory of a once-mighty tengu. In the past, he was one of the most powerful tengu in Kyoto, ruling over Mount Nyoi and commanding great respect and authority. He was a mentor to the tanuki of the city, teaching generations of the Shimogamo and Ebisugawa families, and shared a particularly close friendship with Soichiro Shimogamo, the father of the four main tanuki brothers. However, following an event known as the Demon King Cedar Incident, he lost his divine powers and his status, leading to his exile by the Kurama Tengu. Now, he lives a reclusive and diminished life in a messy, rundown apartment behind the Demachi Masugata shopping arcade, spending his days drinking Akadama port wine and lamenting his situation.
His personality is marked by an extreme arrogance and a short-tempered, cantankerous nature, which makes him prone to constant complaining and sharp-tongued remarks. Despite this difficult exterior, he is deeply attached to his past glory and sometimes displays unexpected wisdom, offering surprisingly insightful advice or a guiding word in important situations. This blend of irascibility and hidden sagacity is a core part of his character. For instance, his blunt personality once directly prompted a young couple to confess their feelings to each other.
Akadama's motivations are largely centered on his past and his key relationships. He harbors a deep, unrequited affection for Benten, a human he took in and trained as a tengu. His devotion to her is so complete that he has given her all his precious tengu artifacts, and he continues to await her return. His role in the story is that of a fallen patriarch whose symbolic authority still carries weight in the supernatural community; his approval remains a crucial part of the tanuki election for the Trick Magister, the Nise-Emon. He also serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of the fall and the passage of time.
His key relationships drive much of his character arc. His interactions with Yasaburo Shimogamo, who regularly visits to care for him, oscillate between harsh criticism and hidden affection. A central conflict in the second season is his estrangement from his son, referred to as Nidaime (the Second), who returns to Kyoto after a century-long exile following a fierce dispute. Their relationship is initially cold, but events throughout the story lead to a tentative reconciliation. In a moment of emotional support, Akadama is also shown comforting Benten, telling her that "even tengu fall sometimes," a line that carries a deep personal resonance given his own history and the part she played in it.
In terms of development, Akadama's journey is about confronting his diminished present and his fractured past. While he begins as a grumpy old man clinging to memories, the return of his son forces him to address old wounds. He also continues to exert his influence where he can, such as appointing Benten as an observer for the Nise-Emon election, showing that he is still engaged with the world beyond his apartment. Regarding his abilities, Akadama has almost entirely lost his supernatural powers; he is no longer able to fly, and his physical condition is akin to that of an elderly human. However, he retains a deep and masterful knowledge of tengu artifacts, which allows him to use those that do not require significant power to operate.
His personality is marked by an extreme arrogance and a short-tempered, cantankerous nature, which makes him prone to constant complaining and sharp-tongued remarks. Despite this difficult exterior, he is deeply attached to his past glory and sometimes displays unexpected wisdom, offering surprisingly insightful advice or a guiding word in important situations. This blend of irascibility and hidden sagacity is a core part of his character. For instance, his blunt personality once directly prompted a young couple to confess their feelings to each other.
Akadama's motivations are largely centered on his past and his key relationships. He harbors a deep, unrequited affection for Benten, a human he took in and trained as a tengu. His devotion to her is so complete that he has given her all his precious tengu artifacts, and he continues to await her return. His role in the story is that of a fallen patriarch whose symbolic authority still carries weight in the supernatural community; his approval remains a crucial part of the tanuki election for the Trick Magister, the Nise-Emon. He also serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of the fall and the passage of time.
His key relationships drive much of his character arc. His interactions with Yasaburo Shimogamo, who regularly visits to care for him, oscillate between harsh criticism and hidden affection. A central conflict in the second season is his estrangement from his son, referred to as Nidaime (the Second), who returns to Kyoto after a century-long exile following a fierce dispute. Their relationship is initially cold, but events throughout the story lead to a tentative reconciliation. In a moment of emotional support, Akadama is also shown comforting Benten, telling her that "even tengu fall sometimes," a line that carries a deep personal resonance given his own history and the part she played in it.
In terms of development, Akadama's journey is about confronting his diminished present and his fractured past. While he begins as a grumpy old man clinging to memories, the return of his son forces him to address old wounds. He also continues to exert his influence where he can, such as appointing Benten as an observer for the Nise-Emon election, showing that he is still engaged with the world beyond his apartment. Regarding his abilities, Akadama has almost entirely lost his supernatural powers; he is no longer able to fly, and his physical condition is akin to that of an elderly human. However, he retains a deep and masterful knowledge of tengu artifacts, which allows him to use those that do not require significant power to operate.