TV-Series
Description
Gyokuran is a female tanuki from the noble Nanzenji family, which holds influence over the forests between Nanzen-ji and Keage in Kyoto. She is the younger sister of Shoujirou Nanzenji, the head of her household. Her background is marked by being one of the most gifted students of the tengu Professor Akadama, where she studied alongside the four Shimogamo brothers, particularly Yaichirou. Her skill was so exceptional that she and Yaichirou served as teaching assistants, earning her the respectful nickname Professor Gyokuran among the younger tanuki.
As a personality, Gyokuran is defined by her seriousness, refinement, and strong sense of responsibility. She carries herself with good manners and a sophisticated demeanor, often acting as a dependable older sister figure within her family and community. Despite her composed exterior, she is deeply sensitive and insecure about personal matters, which makes her shy and self-doubting when it comes to expressing her true feelings. She is not, however, passive or meek; she possesses a hidden headstrong and wily side, and can be surprisingly blunt and forceful when the situation demands it, as seen when she confronts troublemakers.
Her primary motivation revolves around her love for Yaichirou Shimogamo, though her own sense of propriety and fear of rejection prevent her from acting on her feelings openly. She is also driven by a passion for shogi, the Japanese board game, at which she is considered one of the most skilled players in the tanuki world. Her enthusiasm for the game is legendary, with stories claiming she is so engrossed by it that she would even eat a shogi piece, though she dismisses such tales as exaggerations.
In the story, Gyokuran plays a central role in the Tanuki Shogi Tournament hosted by her family. This event serves as the backdrop for the gradual development of her relationship with Yaichirou. The tournament and its related events highlight the barriers between them: Yaichirou is held back by childhood guilt and his duty to uphold his family's reputation, while Gyokuran is too shy and insecure to make the first move. Their situation is resolved with the assistance of Yasaburou, who creates an opportunity for them to reconnect, and Professor Akadama, whose blunt intervention finally forces them to acknowledge their feelings for each other, leading to their engagement and eventual marriage.
Key relationships define much of her character arc. Her bond with Yaichirou is one of mutual, long-held affection that struggles to progress due to their shared reserve. She holds deep respect for Professor Akadama, under whose tutelage she flourished. Her interactions with Yasaburou are also notable; she is one of the few people who can handle his carefree nature, and he acts as a catalyst for her happiness. As a member of the Nanzenji family, she also bears the weight of her clan's social standing and traditions.
Over the course of the story, Gyokuran undergoes significant development primarily in her personal life. She transitions from a state of insecure longing and romantic stagnation to someone who, with a little help, finally seizes her own happiness, culminating in her marriage to Yaichirou. Her journey demonstrates a loosening of the strict societal and personal constraints that previously held her back.
Her notable abilities are rooted in the tanuki art of metamorphosis. She is a master of transformation, capable of changing her shape with great ease. In her human guise, she typically appears as an elegant young woman with black hair, though she can also take the form of a kindergarten-aged girl. When pushed to extremes, particularly by anger or intense emotion, she can transform into a majestic and powerful white tiger, demonstrating the full extent of her formidable powers. This ability is distinct from Yaichirou, who transforms into a yellow tiger. Her greatest talent, however, is her strategic genius in shogi, where her sharp mind and excellent strategic thinking make her a formidable opponent.
As a personality, Gyokuran is defined by her seriousness, refinement, and strong sense of responsibility. She carries herself with good manners and a sophisticated demeanor, often acting as a dependable older sister figure within her family and community. Despite her composed exterior, she is deeply sensitive and insecure about personal matters, which makes her shy and self-doubting when it comes to expressing her true feelings. She is not, however, passive or meek; she possesses a hidden headstrong and wily side, and can be surprisingly blunt and forceful when the situation demands it, as seen when she confronts troublemakers.
Her primary motivation revolves around her love for Yaichirou Shimogamo, though her own sense of propriety and fear of rejection prevent her from acting on her feelings openly. She is also driven by a passion for shogi, the Japanese board game, at which she is considered one of the most skilled players in the tanuki world. Her enthusiasm for the game is legendary, with stories claiming she is so engrossed by it that she would even eat a shogi piece, though she dismisses such tales as exaggerations.
In the story, Gyokuran plays a central role in the Tanuki Shogi Tournament hosted by her family. This event serves as the backdrop for the gradual development of her relationship with Yaichirou. The tournament and its related events highlight the barriers between them: Yaichirou is held back by childhood guilt and his duty to uphold his family's reputation, while Gyokuran is too shy and insecure to make the first move. Their situation is resolved with the assistance of Yasaburou, who creates an opportunity for them to reconnect, and Professor Akadama, whose blunt intervention finally forces them to acknowledge their feelings for each other, leading to their engagement and eventual marriage.
Key relationships define much of her character arc. Her bond with Yaichirou is one of mutual, long-held affection that struggles to progress due to their shared reserve. She holds deep respect for Professor Akadama, under whose tutelage she flourished. Her interactions with Yasaburou are also notable; she is one of the few people who can handle his carefree nature, and he acts as a catalyst for her happiness. As a member of the Nanzenji family, she also bears the weight of her clan's social standing and traditions.
Over the course of the story, Gyokuran undergoes significant development primarily in her personal life. She transitions from a state of insecure longing and romantic stagnation to someone who, with a little help, finally seizes her own happiness, culminating in her marriage to Yaichirou. Her journey demonstrates a loosening of the strict societal and personal constraints that previously held her back.
Her notable abilities are rooted in the tanuki art of metamorphosis. She is a master of transformation, capable of changing her shape with great ease. In her human guise, she typically appears as an elegant young woman with black hair, though she can also take the form of a kindergarten-aged girl. When pushed to extremes, particularly by anger or intense emotion, she can transform into a majestic and powerful white tiger, demonstrating the full extent of her formidable powers. This ability is distinct from Yaichirou, who transforms into a yellow tiger. Her greatest talent, however, is her strategic genius in shogi, where her sharp mind and excellent strategic thinking make her a formidable opponent.